Americus Car Accident Lawyer

An Americus car accident lawyer can help you get the compensation and justice you deserve. Call (229) 349-6291 to schedule a free consultation.

Dedicated Advocate Represents Clients Injured in a Range of Car Accidents

The financial costs of an accident can take a heavy toll on its victims. Our lawyer’s knowledge of Georgia statutes and case law enables us to confidently seek the compensation you deserve. At The Shrable Law Firm, P.C., we represent clients involved in accidents caused by:

• Distracted driving: Drivers who fail to pay attention to the road put others in danger. Texting, talking on a cellphone, or using a GPS are just some of the distractions that can lead to accidents.
• Reckless driving: Excessive speeding or failing to follow other traffic rules can result in devastating collisions. We examine police reports and witness testimony to substantiate your claim.
• Drunk driving: There is no excuse for taking the wheel when impaired by alcohol. Our attorney goes after drunk drivers who put others’ lives at risk.
• Weather conditions: Rain, snow, and other weather conditions create challenges for drivers and can affect the functionality of cars. When the weather is a factor in an accident, we work to show how much of the accident was a driver’s fault and how much was unavoidable.
• Defective auto parts: Automakers who fail to alert their customers to defects can be held liable for their negligence. Similarly, if a driver doesn’t attempt to remedy a known problem with their vehicle, they may face repercussions when they become involved in an accident. 

Our lawyers are known as skilled and trustworthy advocates for auto accident victims and will support you throughout the legal process.

Why You Shouldn’t Just Accept the Insurance Company’s Settlement

When you get into a car accident and file a claim with your insurance or against the insurance company of the other driver, they will try to settle with you by offering a certain amount of money to make up for your accident and the injuries you sustained. The main issue with insurance company settlements is that they are usually low-ball offers.

Typically, the insurance company will try to give you a standard sum of money to placate you and resolve the matter so that they can move on. But this number is usually not fair and does not account for all of the hardship that you have endured as a result of your accident, and it may not even cover your medical bills.

So why do most people usually take the settlement and not push for more? First, many people unfortunately don’t know how much their case is worth. They may see a large sum of money and assume it’s fair without itemizing a list of costs that they’ve taken on as a result of their accident. Second, even if they suspect they aren’t getting a fair deal, they may be intimidated by the insurance company. It takes a lot of work and legal assistance to go up against a big insurance company, and most people can’t handle that by themselves.

Our Americus personal injury lawyers aren’t scared of big insurance companies – we’ve stood up to them before and will continue to do so. 

These companies care more about keeping money in their pockets than they ever will about injured drivers, even ones they insure. You shouldn’t simply accept the insurance company’s settlement because you deserve fair compensation that takes into account all of the expenses you have incurred as a result of your accident, plus the non-financial hardship that the accident has brought to your life.

By filing a lawsuit instead of taking the settlement, you can get more than just a meager sum or partial reimbursement – you can recover damages for everything the car accident has put you through.

Damages You May Be Able to Recover

You can recover both economic and non-economic damages in a car accident lawsuit. Recovering damages will get you compensation for your accident and injuries. 

Economic damages seek to reimburse the victim for the financial burdens they’ve incurred as a result of the car accident. Below are some examples of economic damages you may be able to recover.

• Property damage: The damage done to your vehicle or other property in the accident can be calculated, itemized, and presented for reimbursement.
• Lost wages: When you’re injured in an accident, it’s likely that you had to take some time off work in the wake of the accident to get medical care and recover at home. This means missing out on wages that you rely on to support yourself and your family. You can recover the wages you lost as a result of your accident.
• Loss of future income/loss of earning potential: Depending on the severity of your injuries, you may not be able to do the same amount of work or the same type of work that you did prior to your accident. In some cases you may end up permanently disabled and unable to rejoin the workforce at all after your accident. These sudden, unexpected shifts in earning potential and future income can be a source of financial stress, but you can recover economic damages to cover this adjustment.
• Medical expenses: Medical bills for car accident injuries can be astronomical. Ambulance rides, hospital stays, doctor’s visits, surgeries, physical therapy, assistive devices, and prescriptions are all potential medical expenses you may incur, and they are not cheap. You shouldn’t be expected to pay for all of these medical bills when your injuries were caused by an accident that wasn’t your fault–you can recover damages for these medical bills.

Non-economic damages seek to compensate victims for non-financial hardships that they’ve experienced as a result of the car accident and their injuries. The most common example is damages for pain and suffering. The injuries sustained in a car accident can be serious and painful, and may cause intense, prolonged, or even lifelong suffering–this shouldn’t be shrugged off after the financial bills are settled.

An Americus car accident lawyer can help you calculate the damages you are eligible for in order to get you the maximum amount of compensation available to you.

How Georgia’s Modified Comparative Fault Law Could Affect Your Case

Georgia operates under a modified comparative fault law, which means that Georgia doesn’t require someone to be 100% at fault in order to recover damages. When you take your case to court and present your evidence seeking to prove that the other party acted with negligence and that this caused the accident and your injuries, the judge and/or jury will determine who was at fault for the accident.

As long as you are not decided to be more than 49% at fault for the accident, you can recover damages. The person who is 50% or more at fault for the accident will be expected to pay compensation to the other party, and cannot recover any damages themselves. So, you will need to work with your lawyer to make sure that you have complete and quality evidence to support your case so that you can prove that the other driver was responsible for the accident and your injuries.  

Responsive Lawyer Handles Insurance Claims and Disputes

When you file a claim with an insurance company, getting the monetary compensation you deserve can be time-consuming and stressful. Insurers, their adjusters, and their attorneys try to pay the minimum amount of accident compensation possible, but we help our clients to prepare strong claims and we challenge insurers who attempt to deny them.

To establish liability for the accident and substantiate the severity of your injuries, we may collaborate with experts in various fields, from trauma doctors to collision reconstruction analysts.

It’s important to speak to an attorney immediately following an auto accident to ensure the preservation of crucial evidence and witness recollection. In addition, Georgia law places time limits on filing an automobile accident claim. Our lawyer is committed to the timely investigation of your claim.

Common Car Accident Injuries

Car accidents can lead to a number of serious injuries. Although there are many types of injuries that could result from an accident, below are the five categories of the most common injuries.

Head and Brain Injuries

The impact of a car accident can thrash the driver and passengers around or cause them to hit their head on a part of the car. This can lead to head trauma that could range from mild concussions to serious traumatic brain injuries. The brain is the most important and most delicate organ in the body – it controls most bodily functions and is so intricately constructed that damage to one spot could cause problems for many parts of the body. While mild concussions can heal with rest, more serious brain injuries can lead to permanent disabilities and issues with memory, thinking, behavior, and more.

Neck and Back Injuries

In a car accident, the impact often causes whiplash, which is a neck injury that results from the head being thrust suddenly forward then backwards. Back injuries can also occur from the impact of a crash. Sometimes these injuries can heal, but some may cause permanent pain and mobility issues. 

Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal cord injuries are very dangerous. The spinal cord is very delicately aligned, and an impact or injury to one small area could leave you permanently paralyzed. Paraplegia (paralysis in one or both legs, usually from the waist down) and quadriplegia (paralysis in all four limbs, usually from the neck down) are both common in car accident victims.

Broken Bones

The impact of a car crash can cause bone fractures, also known as broken bones. Hitting the steering wheel, car door, or dashboard may cause fractures in the arms, shoulders, collarbone, ribs, legs, or more. While some broken bones may heal with time and rest, others may require surgery or be a source of lifelong pain.

Internal Injuries

Internal injuries are an excellent example of why you should always seek prompt medical attention after a car accident even if everything appears to be okay. Not all injuries are visible. A car accident can cause any number of internal injuries that may not even show symptoms immediately. These could include punctured lungs or damage to other organs such as the stomach, uterus, liver, kidneys, spleen, and more.

Contact an Experienced Georgia Auto Accident Firm

Selecting a capable personal injury attorney is one of the best choices you can make after a car accident. To schedule a free consultation with an Americus car accident lawyer from The Shrable Law Firm, P.C., call (229) 349-6291 or contact us online.