Car accidents produce some of the most debilitating types of injuries. When your motor vehicle accident has turned your life upside down, but you do not know how to make the liable party pay for their negligence, you need a powerful legal advocate. Contact a compassionate Augusta personal injury lawyer at Barrios Virguez for help seeking maximum compensation for your damages.
The claims process may be overwhelming on your own. Fortunately, when you have an Augusta car accident lawyer working on your case, you can rest easier. Find out how much your case could be worth when you contact our office for a free consultation.
What to Do After a Car Accident in Augusta, GA
The aftermath of your car accident may be chaotic. It is imperative that you think ahead and start building a powerful case from the start if you hope to maximize your financial compensation. These steps should include:
- Reporting the accident to the police
- Calling emergency responders to the car accident scene
- Collecting supporting evidence immediately after the crash
- Hiring a Augusta Car Accident Lawyer
It should also be noted that the steps you take after the collision could have a significant impact on your case’s outcome. Do not post anything about the collision on social media or online. You do not want to give the insurance company or liable party anything they could use to reduce their financial responsibilities.
For a free legal consultation with a car accidents lawyer serving Augusta, call 678-888-2222
Grounds for an claim with an Augusta Car Accident Lawyer
If you hope to recover maximum restitution for your suffering, you may be looking into all of your legal options for financial recovery. However, if you had concerns regarding whether your injuries would be considered debilitating enough to pursue your case, you are not alone. Many car accident victims worry they will be accused of filing a frivolous car accident lawsuit.
Fortunately, the impact of your car accident and resulting injuries on your life will determine whether you have grounds for a car accident claim. As long as another party or entity is responsible for causing your collision, and your car accident injuries have substantially affected your life, you may have the right to compensation for your damages. You can explore your legal options further when you discuss your car crash in detail with your Augusta Car Accident Lawyer.
Augusta Car Accident Lawyer Near Me 678-888-2222
Common Types of Car Accidents to Sue For
Car accidents can take multiple forms. The type of crash you were involved in can help your attorney identify the at-fault party. Some of the most commonly seen types of collisions include:
- Rear-end collisions
- Sideswipe accidents
- Car accidents involving motorcycles
- Highway accidents
- Drunk driving accidents
- Accidents at intersections
- Red light accidents
- Stop sign accidents
- T-bone accidents
- Car accidents involving commercial trucks
- Head-on collisions
- Distracted driving accidents
- Drowsy driving accidents
- Car accidents involving pedestrians
- Parking lot accidents
- Car accidents involving bicycles
- Tire blowouts
If you were injured in a type of crash we did not list above, do not lose hope. Our team can review the details of your case to determine whether you have grounds for a claim and which options are most likely to be successful. Call to request a free consultation and start to take back control of your life.
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Types of Injuries from an Augusta Car Accident
Car accidents can lead to severe, permanent, and life-threatening injuries. The reason for this is that the human body is not built to withstand the amount of force that a car accident causes. If an individual is lucky enough to survive these accidents, they may suffer catastrophic injuries and need help from lawyers familiar with such cases, like Augusta brain injury lawyers or Augusta spinal cord injury lawyers. Other catastrophic injuries associated with Augusta car wrecks include:
- Road rash
- Internal organ injuries
- Internal bleeding
- Severe bleeding
- Cuts and lacerations
- Broken or fractured bones
- Disfigurement and scars
- Limb loss or amputations
- Whiplash or neck injuries
- Crush injuries
- Soft tissue injuries
- PTSD and mental trauma
If you were diagnosed with another injury that we did not include above, do not hesitate to contact our legal team. We can discuss the severity of your injuries and your prognosis at length. This will allow us to determine whether you have grounds for an insurance claim or car accident lawsuit.
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What Causes a Car Accident in Augusta?
Motor vehicle accidents continue to be a major cause for concern across Augusta and Georgia. Your Augusta Car Accident Lawyer will be responsible for closely evaluating the cause of your car accident to establish liability.
There are many different ways in which car accidents in Augusta occur, but some of the more common causes of these collisions include the following:
- Distracted driving
- Drunk driving
- Drugged driving
- Failure to stop
- Failure to yield to the right of way
- Failure to use a turn signal
- Following too closely
- Driving while fatigued
- Road rage
- Making illegal turns
- Defective auto parts
- Inclement weather
- Overzealous dram shops
- Unsecured road construction zones
- Unfilled potholes
- Missing street signs
- Other dangerous road conditions
These are only a few of the more common ways car accidents occur in Augusta. If your car accident was caused in another way, you might still have the right to financial compensation. The best way to find out what legal options may be available to you is to contact our office to discuss the details of your case.
Who is Liable for My Augusta Car Accident?
By reviewing the cause of your car accident, your Augusta Car Accident Lawyer will better understand who is responsible for causing your collision. For example, if a drunk driver hits you, you may be interested in filing insurance and civil lawsuits against the drunk driver. However, with help from an attorney, you may also be able to file a claim against the dram shop that over-served or sold the drunk driver alcohol.
Another example could be if dangerous road conditions caused your car accident. The government agencies responsible for maintaining road safety and integrity could share liability for your injuries if hazardous road conditions caused your accident. Some examples of parties who could share fault in collisions like these include:
- Government officials
- The Georgia Department of Transportation
- Government agencies
- Municipalities
- Safety inspectors
- Other third parties
Explore fault and liability further when you request a free consultation with our legal advocates at Barrios Virguez.
Shared Fault Could Influence Your Car Accident Settlement
Augusta car accident victims have reported concerns about filing lawsuits when they believe they are partially responsible for causing the accident they were involved in or their resulting injuries. However, if you have similar concerns, you can rest easier. Georgia operates under a modified comparative negligence system with a 49% threshold.
If your liability portion does not exceed 49%, you can still recover compensation in the Augusta civil courts. However, your injury settlement must be reduced to reflect your portion of fault so you are also held accountable for your portion of the liability. The amount of compensation that will be deducted from your injury settlement will correlate with your percentage of fault.
For example, if you were not wearing your seatbelt during the accident, the judge might find you 5% responsible for causing your injuries. If you were awarded $100,000 for your damages, your injury settlement would be reduced by 5%, leaving you with $95,000.
You can ensure liability is evaluated accurately in your case by retaining a powerful Augusta car accident attorney to advocate for your rights.
How Augusta Insurance Claims Work
Filing a claim with the insurance company is one of the top ways car accident victims recover compensation for the damages in Augusta. Georgia operates under a fault system, which means you will file a claim with the liable party’s insurance company instead of your own.
The only instance in which you might file a claim with your own insurance company is if you purchased personal injury protection PIP coverage.
Otherwise, you should prepare to file a claim with the insurance company or a lawsuit in civil court. You should always prepare for the possibility of bringing your case to court for several reasons. Primarily, the insurance company is not on your side, and they will do everything they can to reduce their financial loss.
Paying out your claim would be considered a financial loss to the insurer. You can expect the insurance company to attempt to get out of compensating you fairly by making you lowball offers or trying to deny you the benefits that are rightfully yours by blaming you for causing the accident. Fortunately, your car accident attorney in Augusta, GA will be by your side, ready to show the insurance company you mean business.
Georgia Auto Insurance Requirements
All motorists in GA are legally required to carry auto insurance. With the state following fault insurance laws, the at-fault party’s insurance will be expected to cover a portion of the injury victim’s damages. These auto insurance requirements include:
- $25,000 per person in bodily injury coverage that compensates victims for medical expenses
- $50,000 per accident in bodily injury coverage to compensate for healthcare costs
- $25,000 per accident in property damage coverage to cover personal property damages and vehicle repair costs
Georgia drivers do not need to purchase uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, comprehensive, collision, or other optional add-ons. If the driver that hit you had the bare minimum amount of auto insurance under the law, you may have an excess of damages the insurance company does not pay for. When this happens, your best option may be to prepare your case for trial.
Compensation for Augusta Car Accident Victims
After a car accident, you have the right to be repaid for every single loss. You might be surprised to learn that you could be compensated for economic and non-economic damages, with economic damages being financial and having a fixed monetary value, while non-economic damages are not. Some of the more commonly awarded types of economic and non-economic damages in car accident claims include:
- Mental anguish
- Costs of repairing or replacing your vehicle
- Medical equipment and hospital bills
- Future medical care
- Other medical expenses
- Loss of income and diminished earning potential
- Disfigurement and skin scarring
- Loss of love and companionship
- Loss of guidance and support
- Loss of society and advice
- Diminished quality of life
- Physical pain and suffering
- Loss of household services
- Inconvenience
- Reputational damages
This is by no means a comprehensive list of potentially recoverable damages. Find out how much your damages are valued. Connect with a personal injury lawyer today to discuss your losses in full.
Punitive Damages Are Uncommon in Augusta Car Accident Cases
Punitive damages are not awarded often in most car accidents or personal injury claims. Typically, they are only relevant in extreme cases. Most often, when the liable party is found to have engaged in conduct that is considered abhorrent, grossly negligent, or intentionally harmful.
Punitive damages are certainly possible, however. For example, if the driver who hit you was drunk and had multiple DUI convictions on their record, their drunkenness could be considered reprehensible. The court system may find punitive damages apply in cases like these.
Georgia Limits the Amount of Time You Have to File Your Claim
According to Georgia Code 9-3-33, you must file your car accident claim within two years from the accident date. Therefore, if you want compensation, you cannot miss this deadline. While we know you are focusing on healing, you should not delay speaking to an Augusta Car Accident Lawyer at your earliest convenience.
There are limited circumstances in which you could extend this deadline. But you may not always be sure if these options apply to you. The sooner we can get started on your claim, the quicker we can clarify your situation and help you receive the fair compensation you deserve to get back on your feet.
Meet with a Augusta Car Accident Lawyer Today
When your car accident injuries have taken over your life, you can hold the liable party accountable by pursuing insurance and civil claims. Explore your legal options further when you contact an experienced Augusta car accident lawyer at Barrios Virguez. Schedule your no-cost, risk-free consultation when you call our office or complete our quick contact form.
Call or text 678-888-2222 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
