Athens Car Accident Lawyer

Car accidents can cause a lot of physical and emotional pain. They can also lead to long-term medical issues. Additionally, they can cause financial problems because of lost income and medical bills. Thankfully, the law provides injured individuals with several options for recovering damages after an auto accident.

If you have suffered injuries in a car accident, reach out to Hall & Collins Injury Law. We have experienced car accident lawyers who can help you. We also have decades of experience helping injured clients maximize their recovery in motor vehicle accident cases.

What You Get Working With Us

Since 2003, Hall & Collins Injury Law has been providing compassionate, experienced and aggressive legal advocacy for clients throughout Georgia.

Our car accident lawyers have over 50 years of experience specializing in personal injury cases.

When you work with Hall & Collins Injury Law, you get:

• A former insurance defense attorney. Tim Hall understands how insurance companies attempt to reject or decrease claims. He uses this knowledge to assist his clients in achieving favorable outcomes.
• Jury verdicts that are several times higher than the insurance company’s best settlement offer.
• We are available 24/7 to answer your call.
• Free, no-obligation case evaluation to discuss your case.
• ZERO fees unless we win your case.

How An Athens Car Accident Lawyer Can Help

When we accept your car accident case, we take away your legal worries and anxiety. Our car accident attorneys work quickly to gather the evidence necessary for your personal injury case. We aim to alleviate some of the stress and worry you may be experiencing.

For instance, we:

• Take care of all communications with the insurance companies or defendants.
• Send certified letters that require saving important evidence.
• Obtain cell phone bills and records.
• Have experts trained in accident reconstruction who can inspect the vehicles involved in the accident.
• Measure and record the accident scene.
• Download the “black box” information now found in most U.S. vehicles.

Drivers often cause accidents by focusing on a cell phone instead of the road ahead. Further, it is important to identify who an at-fault driver calls or texts immediately after the auto accident. Generally, the at-fault driver will contact someone they trust and confess accurate details about the cause of the car wreck.

If you were in a distracted driving accident, you will need a lawyer. The lawyer should know how to obtain and interpret the electronic data from your car’s black box. Technology plays a huge role in proving who may be at fault in an auto accident.

Common Causes Of Car Accidents

Car accidents happen frequently. Some common causes include:

• Speeding
• Failure to signal when switching lanes
• Reckless driving (swerving, rapid lane changes)
• Damaged/Dangerous roads
• Road work
• Driving under the Influence of drugs/alcohol
• Failure to adapt to severe weather
• Not obeying traffic rules
• Distracted driving
• Fatigue

If you suffered injuries in a car accident, schedule a free case evaluation with an injury lawyer to determine if you have a case.

Common Car Accident Injuries

Car accidents can have devastating and life-altering consequences for those involved. Motor vehicle collisions injure or disable thousands of people in Georgia every year.

People hurt in car accidents often suffer a lot physically and emotionally. Additionally, you may have ongoing health problems. This can make it hard for you to work. You may also struggle with money because of medical bills.

Call an auto accident attorney if your car accident claim involves any of the following:

• Head and brain injury – A traumatic brain injury can happen when someone’s head moves violently during a crash. This violent motion can cause permanent or short-term damage to the brain.
• Neck injury – Whiplash is a common injury from car accidents when the neck muscles and tendons are suddenly strained.
• A back injury, like a spinal cord injury, is a serious condition. Trauma to the spinal cord or its nerves often causes it.
• Extreme forces during an accident can cause broken bones and fractures. There are two types of bone breaks. One type is open fractures, where the bone sticks out of the skin. The other type is closed fractures, where there is only swelling and tenderness around the injured area.
• Internal organ damage– Blunt force trauma from a car accident can cause damage to organs such as the lungs, heart or intestines.
• Car accidents can cause serious burns from touching hot car parts like engine covers, radiator tanks, and exhaust systems. These burns can be severe and require immediate medical attention. It is important to be cautious around these hot car parts to prevent burns.
• PTSD is a type of anxiety disorder. It can occur after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event, such as a car accident. Symptoms include flashbacks and nightmares of the event, avoidance behaviors and more.

If you’ve been in a car accident, it’s important to get legal advice. This will help you get the compensation you need to recover from your injuries.

Hall & Collins Injury Law has years of experience helping injured clients recover from car accidents. We dedicate ourselves to maximizing our clients’ recovery.

Our team is skilled in handling car accident cases. We work tirelessly to ensure our clients receive the compensation they deserve. We understand that this is a difficult time for you and are here to help.

What To Do After A Car Crash

Being involved in a car accident can be traumatizing, especially if you were not at fault. You may feel overwhelmed with shock after the event and find yourself wondering where to begin and what to do next.

If you are involved in a car accident in Athens, make sure to do the following:

• The most important task after being in an accident is to call the police, no matter how minor the collision. EMS will notify and direct to the scene if it is a significant crash. The attending police officer will investigate the scene, take statements from the involved parties, and generate an accident report. This report will explain how the accident happened, who was responsible, and share insurance details for everyone involved.
• Attend to any injured parties and call an ambulance if necessary. Additionally, you should seek medical attention right away if you feel pain after the accident. Sometimes symptoms do not surface for several days because of the adrenaline running through your body after the collision.It is also important to follow your treatment plan, as instructed by your doctor. Consistent treatment is crucial for both your recovery from injuries and your personal injury claim. Insurance companies may try to minimize the seriousness of your injuries by pointing out any gaps in treatment.
• Exchange names, contact information, license plates and insurance information with all involved drivers. Write down contact information for any potential witnesses. Independent witnesses can clear up any liability disputes.Summarize what happened quickly and include as many details about the accident as you can. Try to be as detailed as possible.
• Remain at the scene of the accident until cleared by police to leave. Make sure to take detailed pictures of everything related to the accident. This includes the damage to the vehicles, any injuries, tire tracks, weather conditions, and the flow of traffic.

Once you have left the scene and gotten the medical help you need, contact Hall & Collins Injury Law to discuss the next steps.

Statute Of Limitations In Georgia

In Georgia, there are time limits for car accident lawsuits called “statutes of limitations.” These time limits determine how long a victim has to file a civil claim.

Hall & Collins Injury Law will set deadlines to ensure car accident claims are filed on time while evidence is still available. This also helps prevent legal action against defendants long after the crash.

In Georgia, statutes of limitation on car accident claims are as follows:

• Six months for accident claims against some local government entities.
• One year for accident claims involving state vehicles.
• Two years for general car accident injury claims.
• Four years for property damage claims.

If you wait too long to file a lawsuit, the court may dismiss your case. You won’t be able to seek compensation for your injuries.

Waiting for insurance does not extend the time limits for filing a claim. It is crucial to speak with a lawyer immediately after an accident to ensure you meet all the deadlines.

Minimum Requirements For Auto Insurance

To operate a motor vehicle in Georgia, drivers must purchase and maintain the following minimum liability coverage limits:

• $25,000 of bodily injury coverage per person.
• $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident.
• $25,000 of property damage coverage per accident.

In Georgia, the state follows a traditional “fault” system for auto accidents. This means that drivers at fault must pay for damages. Their insurance companies may also be responsible for covering these costs.

In states with no-fault laws, drivers use their own insurance for compensation after a crash, no matter who caused it. In other states, injured parties can choose to sue the driver at fault for the accident to seek damages.

Insurance companies are generally liable to pay up to their policy limits of the insured driver’s policy. But there are exceptions to this rule.

For example, if the injured party sends the appropriate legal demand for the policy limits (which must comply with multiple Georgia statutes and case law), and the insurance company fails to pay the policy limits within the relevant time frame without a good reason, the insurance company’s policy limit “evaporates” and it is liable to pay the entire amount of damages suffered by the injured party, including all past & future pain and suffering.

This law is designed to prevent the insurance company from unnecessarily delaying payment to the injured party – yet another reason to hire an experienced injury law firm like Hall & Collins Injury Law.

Related Reading

At-fault vs. no-fault accidents

Contact Hall & Collins Injury Law Today For A Free Case Evaluation

At Hall & Collins Injury Law, we handle a low volume of high-quality injury cases. To take advantage of a free initial consultation, give us a call at 706-940-7889 or submit an online contact form.