“Help! I was in a car accident! Do I need to hire a lawyer?”
If you’re seeking the answer to this question, you’re not alone. In fact, over 70 drivers are injured in Georgia auto accidents every hour. That’s more than 1,720 drivers every day.
Many of these drivers find that they need help navigating the legal process when their injuries are serious or an insurance company denies their claim.
Our Macon car accident attorneys have more than 200 years of combined experience helping car accident victims like you obtain the compensation they need and deserve for medical bills (past and future), lost wages, pain and suffering, disability, and other damages.
We believe no one should have to deal with the financial stress of a car accident, especially when they already have so much on their mind. After all, you can’t get better if you can’t afford the treatment you need. If you’ve been injured in a car crash, we can help.
If you’ve been seriously injured or disabled by a drunk driver or your loved one was killed in a car accident, call 1-800-688-1651 or contact us online today. From offices in Macon, Albany, and Warner Robins, we help clients statewide in Georgia and throughout the Southeast.
Motor vehicle collisions can be caused by many different factors. While no two accidents are exactly the same, sometimes the reasons why they happened are similar. We have extensive knowledge and experience helping victims of auto crashes in Georgia caused by:
Auto accidents come in all shapes and sizes. They are often categorized based on the type of impact, the type of driver responsible for the crash, or the type of vehicle involved. Being aware of the most common types of car accidents in Georgia can be helpful if you happen to be in a similar situation.
We have won successful settlements and verdicts for our clients involved in many different types of car accidents, including:
A:Immediately following a vehicle collision, you should make sure that you and your passengers are unharmed, followed by the other vehicle’s occupants. Next, call 911 to report the crash (if nobody else has done so) and wait for first responders to arrive at the scene. If you aren’t seriously hurt, take pictures of the accident scene and write down the contact information of witnesses and the other person (or people) involved in the collision.
Even if you don’t think you were seriously hurt, see a doctor to evaluate you as soon as possible after the wreck. Seemingly minor injuries sometimes turn out to be major health issues requiring costly medical treatment. The sooner you seek medical attention, the better — not only for your health, but also for your injury claim.
Lastly, once your physical injuries are taken care of, consult an expert auto accident lawyer to discuss your financial damages and how you can get help paying for medical expenses, lost wages and emotional distress.
A: Not necessarily. Only about 4-5 percent of personal injury cases go to trial in the United States. Most injury cases, including car accident lawsuits, are settled pretrial during the negotiation process.
Every once in a while, an insurance company refuses to negotiate or settle. When this happens, an experienced attorney can properly evaluate your claim and determine your chances of winning your case in court.
Generally, we are able to negotiate with insurers and resolve your claim outside of court because we spend time thoroughly investigating every accident. We’ll gather ample evidence via witness statements, camera footage, police reports and medical examinations to make a strong case in your favor.
And in the rare instance when an insurance company refuses to negotiate, our fierce litigators are prepared to fight for the full and fair compensation you deserve.
A: Not all lawyers are created equal. Attorneys, like doctors, specialize in different practice areas — some in criminal defense, some in family law, and others in personal injury. What you should look for is a law firm that specializes in car accidents cases like yours.
In addition, look for an attorney with the following qualities:
Expertise.
Experienced lawyers have access to more resources and connections with specialists who can strengthen your case. Ask the attorney to provide examples of previous cases they’ve handled that are similar to yours, and what the outcome was.
Reputation.
It’s important for the lawyer you hire to have a strong reputation in your local community as an aggressive and successful litigator. This not only benefits you by putting greater pressure on the insurance company to negotiate and settle, but also proves that the attorney is able to put their money where their mouth is. Ask about their record of success.
Professionalism.
Your attorney should perform their duties and responsibilities with the highest level of professionalism and honesty. Their tactics and services should be by the book, and they should be able to show that they have industry certifications and awards.
Availability.
The last thing you want is to go through the hassle of hiring a lawyer, only to have them ignore you or fail to make your case a top priority. If the attorney has too many cases or understaffed, they may not have the time and resources needed to secure the best possible outcome in your case.
Compassion.
In addition to being sincere, frank and approachable, the attorney you choose should convey empathy and compassion for the difficult situation you’re in. As your advocate, it’s important they understand how the accident is impacting you and your family.
If you’re interested in hiring a car accident lawyer, it’s important to meet with potential candidates face-to-face as soon as possible after your collision — that way you can ask them questions in-person and get a feel for how they’ll approach your case.
“Great staff. Very professional and knowledgeable. Staff went out of their way to accommodate us in every way possible. Made the whole process less painful. They made sure we understood everything that was going on and would answer any questions a hundred times over if needed.”
Unlike some personal injury attorneys who settle all of their cases, we are not afraid to go to court if needed. Our firm has the resources needed to thoroughly prepare, try and win complicated cases.
We are dedicated to doing everything legally and ethically possible to obtain the best results for our injured clients. Hard work and dedication have allowed us to recover millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements for people in personal injury and wrongful death claims.
Whether you sustained broken bones or a loved one died in a car accident, it’s essential to contact a lawyer as soon as possible to investigate liability. In personal injury and wrongful death claims, we go well beyond the information contained in the traffic accident report by hiring the best experts to investigate your car, motorcycle or truck accident.
Our lawyers have successfully represented clients by immediately dispatching our own investigators on the scenes of serious car accidents so that the evidence is preserved for later use in settling the claim or taking the case to trial.
Without taking this step to preserve all evidence, your rights and compensation may be negatively impacted.
Obtaining the maximum compensation in your auto accident case requires a significant investment on the part of your lawyer to hire the right experts.
For example, if a defective child car seat, air bag or another auto part played a role in causing your injury, we will hire nationally recognized engineers and safety experts to provide the best possible court testimony about any product defect.
If we believe in your case, we will invest the time, money and resources it takes to prove it. And if we’re able to score a recovery for you, our lawyers want you to keep as much of it as possible. Our team is highly effective in reducing or eliminating the ability of health insurance companies to take health benefit payments from your personal injury verdict or settlement (known as subrogation).
If you or someone you love was injured in a car accident, contact our knowledgeable car accident attorneys immediately. We offer free initial consultations and you will owe no attorneys’ fees unless we recover compensation for you. That’s our No Fee Guarantee.
Once again, Westmoreland Law has been recognized by its peers as part of an elite group of approximately 10 percent of all attorneys who hold an AV Preeminent Rating. An AV Preeminent Rating is a designation trusted worldwide by buyers and referrers of legal services.
