Menu

Atlanta Car Accident Injury Attorney

With all of the driving and commuting that takes place in Atlanta and throughout all of Georgia, it’s not surprising that motor vehicle accidents are widespread. In Georgia, motor vehicle accidents are the number one cause of death and the second greatest cause of hospitalizations and emergency room visits. If you or a loved one was injured in a car accident or truck accident in Atlanta, you should consider contacting a lawyer as soon as possible. Williams Oinonen LLC has been successfully assisting individuals with car crash cases for years. As a small law firm in the Atlanta area, all of our attorneys genuinely care about the well-being of the community and all of our clients. If you want to ensure that your case is handled competently and with care, contact an Atlanta car accident injury attorney today for a consultation by filling out our online form or calling (404) 654-0288.

Why You Need an Atlanta Car Accident Injury Attorney

According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, there were over 2 million people injured in the United States due to car accidents in 2019. If you get into an accident and suffer from injuries due to someone’s negligence, you will need to seek help from an attorney. When you’re a car crash victim, there are many steps you need to take if you decide to file a lawsuit due to the results of the accident. An experienced attorney can help you in the following ways:

  1. Consult – The first thing an experienced lawyer will do is speak with you about your case. They will gather the facts and hear your side of the story. They will be able to make a determination regarding your claim and they should be able to tell you if they believe you have a chance at being successful if you file a lawsuit.
  2. Investigate – Once you’ve consulted with an attorney and decided to move forward, they can begin investigating. This will probably include viewing the scene of the accident, finding and contacting any witnesses, and retrieving all police reports and any other photos or documents relevant to the case. By investigating thoroughly, they can help you win your case.
  3. Obtain Medical Records – A significant aspect of your car crash injury case will involve obtaining medical treatment records. If you were seriously injured and had to go to the hospital, your lawyer will want to see all of these records. In order to be successful in a personal injury claim, you must show that you actually suffered damages, which will be demonstrated through those records. Additionally, your lawyer will want to speak with doctors and other professionals to learn about your prognosis and to determine if you will be entitled to compensation for lost future wages, ongoing treatment, rehabilitation, and other services you might need in the future.
  4. Speak With Insurance Companies – If you were in a car accident and it was the fault of another driver, the insurance company may want to speak with you and offer you a settlement. You should always have a lawyer prior to speaking to an insurance company. An insurance company’s goal is to pay out as little money as possible and to make any lawsuit go away as quickly as possible. They have their own lawyers whose sole job is to handle the case expeditiously. Without a lawyer, you run the risk of being taken advantage of and not receiving the quality settlement that you truly deserve.
  5. Retain Experts – Many car accident cases will benefit from retaining expert witnesses, such as accident reconstruction experts who can recreate the accident and determine what happened and whose fault it was. Most reputable personal injury attorneys have experts that they work with, so they will easily be able to retain this type of professional for you.
  6. Negotiate – It’s essential to find an attorney who is skillful at negotiating a settlement. In some cases, you and your attorney might decide that a settlement is the best course of action. An experienced attorney can collect documents and present a case to the defendant and their attorney before going to trial to see if a suitable agreement can be reached.
  7. Trial – Many cases settle before trial, but it’s crucial to find an attorney who isn’t afraid to go to court. Settlements can sometimes be a good option, but hiring an experienced trial attorney will give you the opportunity to choose what is best for you and your family. Trying cases is not a skill that every lawyer has, so make sure you do your research and choose a firm that has first-hand courtroom experience.

Minimum Liability Coverage in Georgia

All drivers are required to have a specific amount of liability coverage in the event that an accident or injury occurs. The minimum coverage for the injury or death of a person is $25,000, the minimum coverage for the injury or death of more than one person is $50,000, and the minimum coverage for property damage is $25,000. If you were in an accident and received treatment in an emergency room, those limits can be met rather quickly. Many car accidents easily cause damage and injuries that exceed these amounts. This is why it’s so important to consult with an experienced personal injury attorney.

Keep in mind that filing a claim with an insurance company is different than filing a personal injury lawsuit. When you consult with an attorney, they may suggest attempting to negotiate with the insurance company first and then filing a lawsuit if they aren’t successful in their discussions.

How Long Do I Have to File a Claim?

In Georgia, the statute of limitations for personal injury claims is two years from the date of the accident. For property damage claims, it’s four years from the date of the accident.

What to do After an Atlanta Car Accident

There are various steps that you should take immediately following a car accident and in the days and weeks that follow the crash in order to help recover maximum compensation for your losses. As we go through the steps that you need to take, we understand that the aftermath of these incidents can be chaotic, and you may not be able to take all of these steps in this exact order.

  1. Call 911. Nearly every vehicle accident in Georgia must be reported to law enforcement officials. The police need to come to conduct a preliminary investigation into the incident so you can use the accident report to make your insurance claim.
  2. Seek medical care.  You need to seek medical care as soon as possible following a vehicle accident, regardless of whether or not you feel any pain. The signs and symptoms of some crash injuries do not appear until hours or even days after the crash occurs. Seeking medical care helps ensure that the insurance carriers understand that the injuries occurred due to the vehicle accident.
  3. Contact an attorney. You need to consider contacting an Atlanta car accident lawyer very soon after the crash occurs. An attorney can take over the entire claim and help ensure that you recover maximum compensation for your injuries. If your loved one was involved in a fatal car accident in Atlanta, you will have to proceed accordingly with a wrongful death claim.
  4. Report to your insurance. You or your attorney need to report the crash to your insurance carrier very soon after the crash occurs. Failing to do so could result in a claim delay or denial.
  5. Continue medical treatment. Atlanta car accident victims must continue all medical treatment until after their doctor says they have reached maximum medical improvement. Discontinuing care against medical advice could result in an insurance claim denial. 

Types of Compensation Available for an Atlanta Car Accident

If you or somebody you love has been injured due to the negligent actions of another driver in the Atlanta area, you will likely be entitled to various types of compensation for your losses. Our car accident lawyers work diligently to recover economic and non-economic damages on behalf of every client that we help.

  • Economic damages. This is also referred to as “special damages” and revolves around the types of compensation that are relatively calculable after an Atlanta car accident. This can include, but is not limited to, the following:
    • Medical expenses related to the accident
    • Lost income if a victim cannot work
    • General household out-of-pocket expenses
    • Property damage expenses
  • Non-economic damages. This is also referred to as “general damages” but revolves around more immeasurable types of compensation. We say that these are measurable because we cannot add up bills or receipts to adequately calculate a car accident victim’s:
    • Physical pain and suffering caused by the crash
    • Emotional and psychological trauma
    • Loss of enjoyment of life damages
    • Loss of consortium for a spouse or family member

At Williams Oinonen LLC, we work with trusted medical and economic experts to properly calculate your total losses after a vehicle accident occurs so we can obtain maximum compensation on your behalf.

Williams Oinonen LLC Has the Trial Lawyer You Need

The Atlanta car accident injury attorneys at Williams Oinonen LLC are highly experienced and talented litigators. Unlike many large personal injury firms, we often work a case all the way through to trial. We always ensure that an attorney keeps you updated on your case, and you will never be alone in your fight. We know how difficult it is to be in this situation, and we do everything in our power to make the process as easy as possible for you. Contact a car accident injury attorney today for a consultation by filling out our online form or calling (404) 654-0288.