A car accident in Columbus, GA, can leave you in serious pain, dealing with expensive medical bills, and worried about how you’ll make ends meet while you’re too hurt to work. But if someone else caused the crash, these shouldn’t be your problems to solve. An experienced car accident attorney can pursue claims against the at-fault parties to recover the money you deserve. While they do that, you can focus on resting and getting better.
Stokes Stemle, LLC has the history, the reputation, and the results you can trust. We know what it takes to secure maximum compensation for our clients, and we’re ready to get to work on your case at no upfront cost to you. Instead, you’ll pay us when we win your case. Contact us now to speak with a car accident attorney in Columbus, GA, and we’ll answer your questions during a free, no-obligation consultation.
What Steps Should You Take Immediately After a Car Accident in Columbus, GA?
In many ways, your personal injury case begins the moment you’re hit by another driver. What you do in the next moments and hours can make the difference between a winning claim and paying your expenses out-of-pocket.
Consider taking as many of the following steps as possible to safeguard both your health and your right to compensation:
- Contact the authorities – Call 911 if it’s an emergency and report the accident. A police officer should respond and take a report that can be an important piece of evidence down the road.
- Exchange Information with the Other Driver – Get the names, phone numbers, driver’s license numbers, insurance information, and vehicle details from all involved parties.
- Document the Accident Scene – Take photos and videos of everything you can at the scene. Be sure to capture the damage to the vehicles as well as details like skidmarks or malfunctioning traffic lights. Photograph any visible injuries you or your passengers suffered.
- Talk to Eyewitnesses – Obtain the names and contact information of anyone who saw the accident, as their unbiased testimony could support your claim.
- Do Not Discuss Fault – Do not apologize, admit fault, or speculate about the cause of the accident. Stick to the facts when speaking with police and insurance representatives.
- Get Medical Assistance if You Didn’t at the Scene – Go to your doctor or the emergency room, even if your injuries seem minor. Some injuries may not show symptoms until hours or days later. Your treatment records will also help connect your injuries with the accident.
- Notify Your Insurance Company – Your policy likely requires that you report the accident as soon as possible. Provide accurate information about what occurred, but do not embellish or speculate.
Don’t panic if you weren’t able to do everything on that list. The most important thing you can do now is contact a Columbus car accident lawyer. They can protect you from pushy insurance adjusters and lay the groundwork for a strong injury claim, regardless of what happened at the scene.
How to Prove Negligence After a Car Accident in Columbus, GA
Most car accident claims are based on the legal concept of negligence, that is, someone’s failure to act with reasonable care and caution given the circumstances. Negligence takes many forms, from speeding to driving while intoxicated to simply woolgathering when one should be paying attention. Someone who negligently causes a car accident is financially responsible for injuries that other people suffer as a result.
To prove that another party’s negligence led to your injuries, you will need ample evidence that they were behaving carelessly. This evidence might include the following:
- Police accident reports
- Photos of the accident scene
- Security or traffic camera footage of the accident occurring
- Eyewitness reports
- Post-accident vehicle inspections
- Accident reconstructions
- Medical records and physician testimony
What Compensation Can You Recover After a Columbus Car Crash?
If someone else caused the car crash in Columbus that led to your injuries, they should have to pay for the following:
- Past and future medical care
- Lost income and diminished earning potential
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Reduced quality of life
- Property damage, including repairing or replacing your vehicle
Filing a Claim After a Hit-and-Run Accident in Columbus
Don’t panic if the driver who hit you fled the scene. You still have options for recovering compensation. Georgia requires all drivers in the state to carry uninsured motorist (UM) coverage as part of their auto insurance policy. Your UM coverage will step in to serve as the hit-and-run driver’s insurance, assuming police cannot locate that individual.
While you are entitled to this coverage, it’s important to remember that your insurance provider wants to make money off you, not pay out claims. It’s still a good idea to speak with an attorney even if you have to file a claim with your own provider in hit-and-run cases.
The Statute of Limitations for Car Accident Lawsuits in Georgia
Why consult a car accident attorney as soon as possible? Because of the deadline imposed by Georgia’s statute of limitations on personal injury claims. State law gives you just two years from the date of an accident to file a lawsuit against any at-fault parties. Miss this deadline, and you lose your right to compensation.
The sooner you talk to a lawyer, the more time they have to investigate the accident and negotiate for a settlement before they have to file a lawsuit. Do yourself a favor and talk to an attorney today.
How Insurance Companies Try to Minimize Car Accident Injury Claims
Insurance companies are for-profit businesses that lose money when they pay out accident claims. As such, they have a strong incentive to minimize your claim. They might do this via the following tactics:
- Getting you to say something on the record that contradicts your other claims or could be construed as an admission of fault
- Pressuring you to accept a “take it or leave it” settlement that pays you pennies on the dollar
- Shifting blame onto you to reduce your payout
Don’t fall for these tricks. Be polite when they contact you, but decline to give a statement. As soon as they hang up, call a car accident lawyer in Columbus.
Contact Our Columbus Car Accident Lawyers for a Free Consultation Today
If you’re wondering, “Should I call an attorney after a car accident in Columbus?” the answer is yes. Stokes Stemle, LLC offers free, no-pressure consultations, so it won’t cost you anything to learn more about your options. Reach out to us today to speak with a car accident attorney in Columbus, GA. Your case review is fully confidential, and you pay nothing unless we successfully resolve your matter.
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