The Role of a Decatur Car Accident Lawyer

Georgia is an “at-fault” car accident state. That means a party responsible for causing an accident will usually be responsible for providing victims with compensation for their medical bills, lost wages, and various other consequences of the accident. They’ll typically provide said compensation through their insurance company.

Determining Liability

The process of collecting what you’re owed if you’ve been injured in a Decatur car accident through no fault of your own can be complex, though. First of all, it’s not always easy to determine precisely who is responsible for causing an accident. Perhaps your accident resulted less from another motorist being negligent and more from a government agency failing to adequately correct a road hazard.

Submitting Evidence for Your Decatur Car Accident Claim

You also need to provide sufficient evidence supporting your claim that another party caused the accident. If you don’t, their insurer might not accept your claim. Additionally, in Georgia, courts can find that multiple parties involved in an accident were at fault to varying degrees. This may affect how much compensation you could eventually receive. For instance, if you would have been entitled to $10,000, but you were found to be 10% at fault for causing the accident, you could only receive $9,000.

These are a few reasons it’s a good idea to review your case with a Decatur car accident attorney sooner rather than later. They’ll leverage their expertise to help you get the best payout possible. Because most car accident lawyers only receive payment if their clients receive payment first, they’re incentivized to provide aggressive and effective representation. This arrangement also protects clients from assuming unnecessary financial risk by hiring car accident attorneys in Decatur, GA.

How a Real-Life Example Proves the Worth of Decatur Car Accident Lawyers

The case of Mabry v. State Farm Mutual Auto Insurance Company highlights the way these cases can involve legal nuances that require a professional’s understanding of the law to navigate.

Specifically, because the plaintiff had already been compensated before taking legal action against the defendant, the defendant was initially granted a motion of summary judgment in their favor. Fortunately, an appeals court reversed this judgment, allowing the case to move forward. Achieving such an outcome requires hiring a skilled Decatur car accident lawyer in most instances.

What to Do After a Decatur Car Accident

That said, a car crash lawyer in Decatur can help you build the strongest possible case if you take certain essential steps in the immediate aftermath of your accident. They are:

  • Getting to a safe spot
  • Calling the police and waiting for them to arrive (resist the impulse to exchange harsh words with those you believe may have caused the accident)
  • Documenting the scene and your injuries with pictures/video
  • Getting the contact information and names of witnesses
  • Seeking medical care right away, even if you seem to be unharmed

Again, while you’ll hopefully never be the victim of a Decatur car accident, there’s no guarantee someone else’s negligence won’t result in you being injured. Consult with a Decatur car accident lawyer if you ever find yourself in these circumstances.