Getting into a car wreck is a traumatic experience, especially if you or a loved one was hurt. Besides potentially long-lasting physical injuries, you may also be dealing with vehicle damage, missing work, and recovering compensation.
Insurance companies begin investigating accidents immediately after they occur, so it is a good idea to contact a skilled personal injury attorney right away to represent your interests. A Winder car accident lawyer at Smith Hulsey Law could work tirelessly to secure compensation for your injuries and other losses. En español
In Georgia, a driver must carry liability insurance to cover losses if they cause a traffic accident. Georgia Code § 33-7-11 requires drivers to have a minimum of $25,000 coverage for the bodily injury of one person, and $50,000 coverage for the injuries of two or more people per accident. Drivers also must have $25,000 in coverage for property damage.
However, these limits often do not cover the full cost of treating injuries. For this reason, uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage will pay a person’s accident expenses up to coverage limits when an at-fault driver does not have insurance or has inadequate coverage. All Georgia drivers have uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage unless they specifically decline it.
Depending on the circumstances, there could be other types of insurance available to cover an injured driver’s expenses, such as umbrella or commercial policies. An experienced attorney could advise on what coverage might be available for a particular car crash in Winder.
Georgia is an at-fault state, which means that the insurance of the driver who is responsible for an accident will pay the claims of those who suffered losses in the wreck. After a traffic crash, the responding police will generally determine who is responsible. However, if police are not called, insurance investigators will decide which driver is at fault. Unfortunately, they have incentives to hold anyone other than their insured responsible for the accident.
For this reason, those injured in car accidents should call the police as well as a local attorney to investigate even seemingly minor collisions. Sometimes, injuries or property damage may only become apparent later on. A police report that assigns responsibility to the other motorist could be important evidence for a vehicle crash lawyer in the area to claim damages on behalf of the injured victim.
Georgia law allows injured victims two years from the date of their accident to sue for damages in a personal injury case. Even if negotiations with an insurer are ongoing, an injured person loses their right to sue once two years has passed. In this short period of time, a person’s legal counsel must investigate the Winder car accident, identify all potentially liable parties, look into insurance coverage, and depose witnesses in order to build a strong case for recovery.
In some cases, the local government or state may be a potential defendant in a car accident case. This could happen if the at-fault driver was a government employee on the job, or if poorly maintained roads or unclear signs contributed to the crash. For these scenarios, an injured person must present a notice of claim to a government entity within twelve months of the injury to maintain their right to sue.
Trying to negotiate with insurance after a car accident is a difficult task for anyone, let alone a person recovering from serious injuries. The insurance company adjusters and lawyers are well-practiced at protecting their own interests. You need a legal professional who will work just as hard to represent yours.
A Winder car accident lawyer could fight for the compensation you deserve. Call to schedule a consultation with Smith Hulsey today.
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