Over many years, Calvin Smith Law has represented many thousands of car accident victims and provided superior assistance in handling their claims. We have negotiated and battled many of the top insurance providers on the courtroom floor and recovered compensations on behalf of our clients and we look forward to doing the same for you, should you ever find yourself in such a grave situation.
Our expert personal injury lawyers have the skills and qualifications to deal with all kinds of car accidents even those that only involve a single vehicle. If you have been injured in such an accident get in touch with our car accident attorneys so we can begin helping you make a solid case.
No matter the type of accident or how complex it may seem, your primary focus should be building a strong case and finding that compensation. If it is found that a negligent party was responsible for your injuries then you have the right to seek compensation from them or their insurance providers. This can be done through negotiations, but it may be necessary to go toe to toe with the opposition on the floor and this will require the heft and clout of professional legal defense.
This formidable representation is exactly what you can expect from an Albany car accident lawyer with Calvin Smith Law. The sooner you make contact with our legal experts the faster we will begin work on your case and the stronger it will be.
What Does an Auto Accident Attorney Cost in Albany?
As an economically-minded modern citizen, you are no doubt going to have many financial concerns on your mind in the wake of an accident. There is the potential for higher insurance premiums, time off work and medical treatments for your injuries. The last thing you need on your mind is another financial obligation. What most people are not aware of is that our legal services are offered at no upfront costs or any costs whatsoever, unless we win the case. We will offer our full services in legal consultations, investigating the incident, drawing up a full account of the damages, presenting this to the opposition for negotiations and, if need be, fighting for your interests in a courtroom on a contingency fee.
The only way we will get any sort of remuneration for our full legal services is when we are successful and we all take a portion of the winnings. In light of this important aspect, you can see how dedicated and motivated our team of legal professionals will be to ensure that the case is won. After all, if you don’t get your compensation, we’ll all be eating crow!
The lawyer’s fee will typically be around 25% to 40% of the total settlement and the amount will be different due to a variety of factors. For example, the cost will be much higher if the case is taken to the courts.
What Are the Steps to Take After an Auto Accident?
Car accidents can range from the very serious to the considerably minor that really need no police presence. But a larger accident can involve the entire emergency services of the fire department, medical teams, and the police. Sometimes catastrophic injuries will need to be airlifted to the nearest hospital to receive emergency treatment. So depending on the severity of the accident, there are some steps to follow and consider.
But, if you have been injured in an accident recently and were not aware of the following tips have no fear. These tips and procedures are just guidelines and do not change your rights to seek compensation for your injuries or the injuries or death of a family member.
Remember that it is very important to have all injuries inspected by a medical professional in Albany, GA. Sometimes the worst injuries like internal bleeding and concussion cannot have any readily noticeable signs. Follow these steps to ensure that your case to claim compensation for your damages is bulletproof when taken to negotiations or the courts.
Dial 911
Even if your injuries are not serious, you will need to call the police. The police will be able to make a police report which is an important component of a strong case. The police reports add clout to your case and make dealing with slippery insurance companies a little less daunting.
Get Medical Treatment
As mentioned some of your injuries may seem minor in the moment but can become far more serious over the next few days or weeks. In addition to the subtle nature of such injuries the excitement of the incident can release natural pain killers into the body that can make it a little difficult to detect and injury at the moment, but as they say, you will feel it tomorrow. This is especially true for neck and back injuries. This is why it is important to get a full medical examination to properly document the presence and extent of your damages.
Identify Witnesses
This is an especially important part of building a strong case. You will want to keep a careful note of anybody in the area who may have had a good view of what happened. Get some names and numbers and your attorneys from Calvin Smith Law will follow up with an interview.
Preserve the Scene of the Accident
You may have to move your car off the road if it is safe to do so and your injuries allow you to make this potentially hazardous maneuver. But, you will want to keep the crime scene as it is for when the police arrive to document the accident. Only after the police have had a chance to examine the debris and establish their report will you want to move any elements of the accident. Furthermore, you need to get some pictures.
Get In Touch With Our Attorneys
We are ready to take on your case and have a team of experts at your disposal. We will work fast to begin putting a case together and dealing with the insurance companies and their adjusters. Remember to never say or agree to anything unless you have spoken with us.
The steps mentioned here are important to remember when considering seeking compensation for your losses, but they are not necessarily important in every case. This was a list of things that you could do to improve your case to some extent, but, you must consider your safety primarily in this case. Don’t worry about the steps you may have missed, our team will be able to perform a proper investigation that will reveal what happened.
Related: Why is the Police Report Important to Your Accident?
What is the Georgia Auto Accident Lawsuit Process?
The insurance provider of the negligent party will also be doing their own investigation. This is how they will avoid as many payments as they possibly can. But, we will also be performing pour own investigation to prove that the driver in question was guilty of a few things:
- The defendant didn’t have a license
- That the defendant was distracted when driving
- The defendant wasn’t paying attention to his/her surroundings
- The defendant drove while intoxicated
- The defendant broke traffic laws
In order to establish these important elements of the case, your lawyers will conduct a variety of investigations, reviews and studies. This includes:
- Interviewing witness and taking witness statements
- Reviewing police reports and pictures
- Recreating the scene of the accident
- Reviewing any available video footage of the accident
- Investigating the driving history and records of drivers involved
- Reviewing medical reports describing your injuries to create a full account of what you have suffered and what you are owed.
Creating a Car Accident Claim
Once you call in our expert team of Georgia car accident lawyers we will begin constructing your case. The investigations we perform will give us the groundwork for establishing the negligence of the driver at fault and the losses you have suffered. We will also make a formal request for compensation.
Most often, we will be able to reach an agreement with the opposition out of court. It is in the interests of both sides to reach a settlement because court cases are costly and drawn out. But, in case this is not a possibility, our lawyers will prepare the case as if it were going to the courts and seek compensation there.
Handling Communication With Insurance Providers
All victims of car accidents have the right to pursue compensation from a driver at fault. More often, it will be the insurance company of the driver at fault who will be responsible to pay for the damages. For this reason, many car accident victims will be quick to seek compensation from the insurance company.
It is important to remember here that all insurance companies are for-profit organizations and this means they will do all they can to minimize any payments they must make for their insured drivers. For this reason, only communicate about your injuries and damages with your doctor or legal counsel, anything you say to anyone else could be used against you and threaten the validity of the case.
Proving Distracted Driving In Albany GA
To make a claim, we will first have to prove that the driver acted negligently and did not adhere to basic safety precautions when operating their vehicle. This includes not driving while distracted. Distracted drivers are causing more and more accidents each year.
Distracted driving can be anything that takes the mind or eyes off the road or hands off the wheel. This can include things like eating, putting on makeup, texting, using an electronic device, or even operating the radio. If you have recently been in a car accident, it could be that the other driver was distracted. Contact our reputable lawyers near Albany and we will determine what the true cause of the accident was.
We have experience in proving that a driver was distracted in a number of ways.
- Reviewing the driver’s driving records
- Finding out whether the driver had been using their phone
- Investigating what the driver had been doing before the incident, for example, if food or drinks were bought.
- Reviewing video footage from the traffic cameras
- Establishing where the GPS was used and at what time
Is It Important To Contact an Accident Lawyer After the Auto Crash?
There are a number of important reasons you will want to contact your car accident lawyers at Calvin Smith Law. One important reason will be to have a proper figure that represents your damages so you know what type of compensation you should ask for and what would be a lowball offer from the insurance providers.
This usually leads to higher compensation for the claim and this is always a good thing. Moreover, your expert lawyer will now the ins and outs of the legal system and be able to provide a solid representation when protecting your interests in negotiations with the opposition or in the courtroom.
What Kinds of Damages are Recoverable in an Auto Accident Case?
Every car accident claim is unique and will require a close examination of all the details to calculate the exact amount of value in your case. Many of the details that surround the incident will affect how much compensation you will need to cover the damages. This could include the extent of liability, the state where the lawsuit is filed and the evidence collected for the court.
Some other important factors that can change the value of the case include:
- How the injuries might affect normal life
- The conditions of the roads
- The weather conditions at the time of the accident
- Current and future medical expenses
- The level of pain and suffering
- How severe your injuries or damages are
Our lawyers will work very closely with specialists that will lend their expertise in describing the extent of the damages and the true costs they will place on the life of the victim. This will help us calculate a properly sized-compensation that will suitably cover the damages as well as the strain the accident will have placed on your life for the foreseeable future.
- Pain and suffering as a result of the injuries
- Property Damages to your car
- Loss of your ability to live life normally
- Loss of companionship and social support
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Past, current, and future medical expenses
- Loss of potential income
- Punitive damages
In the case that a family member was killed in a car accident caused by the negligence of another driver in Georgia, Calvin Smith Law will have to file a wrongful death claim. The specifics of this type of claim are also very complex and will need to be reviewed thoroughly by our team of experts. The value and damages that can be collected from a wrongful death case will also be very different from state to state.
In some states, a variety of damages can be connected to the wrongful death claim and this can even include punitive damages. Others can include the full financial value of the victim as well as the loss of companionship in addition to other entitlements. The bereaved family may also receive full compensation for medical expenses as well as the costs of funeral and burial expenses. Many of the details will be different from state to state so it is important to speak with a reliable car accident lawyer to get more information.
What is My Albany Car Accident Case Worth?
To estimate the value of your car accident case, first tally your damages, which fall into two groups: economic (quantifiable losses) and non-economic (subjective losses).
Economic Damages:
These are the quantifiable monetary losses resulting from the accident. They typically include:
Medical expenses: These include costs for hospital stays, doctor visits, physical therapy, prescription medications, necessary medical equipment, and any anticipated future medical expenses.
Lost earnings: If you’re unable to work because of the accident, you can be compensated for lost wages. If the accident affects your ability to work in the future, you can also be compensated for the loss of earning capacity.
Property damage: This includes the costs of repairing or replacing your vehicle and any other personal property damaged in the accident.
Non-Economic Damages:
These are the non-monetary damages that are harder to quantify. They often include:
Pain and suffering: This refers to the physical pain and emotional distress you have suffered and will potentially endure in the future as a result of the accident.
Loss of enjoyment of life: If your injuries prevent you from enjoying daily activities and hobbies you used to participate in, you may be compensated for this loss.
Emotional distress: Car accidents can cause significant mental stress, including anxiety, depression, and PTSD. You may be entitled to compensation for these psychological impacts.
Loss of consortium: This refers to the impact of the injuries on your relationship with your spouse.
An Albany car accident lawyer at the Calvin Smith Law Firm can help you document a list of your damages and determine how much you are owed.
How Long Do I Have To File My Claim Following The Accident?
The state of Georgia has a time limit that car accident victims or their family can make a claim for compensation called the “statute of limitations”. This time period is two years and it is a good idea to begin much earlier. But, if you will be suing for property damages the time limit can be increased to 4 years.
Before the claim can be filed it must be properly prepared by an expert in car accident law. This attorney will ensure that the figures are correct and properly represent the damages that were incurred and how they will affect the victim and their family for the foreseeable future.
Get in Touch With an Albany Car Accident Lawyer at Calvin Smith Law Now
If you have been injured in an accident in Georgia, and you are wondering how you will get the party responsible to pay for the damages, call our legal team. We have the skill and experience to bring the opposition to terms and defend your interests aggressively and skillfully. Call the offices of Calvin Smith Law at (404) 383-7552 to set up an appointment for a free consultation.
