If you were hit by another car, your main concerns are recovering from your injuries and getting compensation from the at-fault driver. You know that doctors will take care of your accident injuries. But who will help you with your insurance claim for damages? Should you hire a Cordele car accident lawyer?
Here are the questions you should ask yourself before making this decision:
1. Do I Know Georgia Personal Injury Laws?
Car accident claims are governed by personal injury law. In Georgia, this law stipulates that you have to prove:
- That the other party owed you a duty of care
- That they breached their duty through negligence resulting in the accident
- That the accident caused your injuries
- That the injuries resulted in economic damages
Moreover, according to the comparative negligence principle, only the driver who is less than 50% at fault for the crash has the right to recover damages.
All these must be proven with legal arguments and factual evidence. And this last part sends us to the next question.
2. Do I Know How to Find All Necessary Evidence?
Most people know that they should exchange insurance information with the other driver, take photos and videos of the crash scene and obtain a copy of the police report. But some accidents are not clear-cut cases of one driver hitting the other. For example, one driver tried to avoid a pothole and ended up hitting your car.
Or, the driver’s brakes suddenly stopped working, and this is what caused the accident. In such instances, and others, more evidence is needed to identify the at-fault party or to prove the driver’s fault with a preponderance of evidence.
An attorney would look for and be able to obtain:
- The technical expertise of the cars
- The other driver’s mobile phone long
- Traffic camera footage
- Expert witness evidence on the role of poor road condition in the crash
3. Can I Evaluate My Damages Accurately?
There is an undeniable truth in the fact that people with lawyers get larger compensation than those who file their claims on their own. It is not just that attorneys know how to negotiate with insurance companies (more on this a little later).
Another undeniable fact is that many people who consult with a Cordele car accident lawyer have no idea how much to ask in their claim. They either come up with a large amount that they cannot justify, or say that they just want reimbursement for medical care bills and the cost to fix their car.
In reality, car crash victims are entitled to recover several types of damages:
- Present and future medical care costs, if their injury may require surgery or specific treatments in the months or years to come
- Lost wages while they were recovering from the accident injuries
- Loss of earning potential, if your accident injuries result in impairment and you cannot return to work
- Non-economic damages for pain and suffering
4. Can I Handle an Insurance Adjuster’s Questioning?
Insurance adjusters are not your friend. Their job is to deny or devalue as many claims as possible, protecting their employer’s profits. They adopt various tactics:
- Questions that trick you into admitting fault
- Confusing questions that make you contradict yourself
- Lowball offer of settlement that covers only a fraction of your damages
Without a lawyer guiding you, most probably you will give the adjuster all the ammo they need to deny your claim or reduce its value.
5. Can I Be Sure that I Negotiate a Fair Settlement with the Insurer?
Even if you manage to avoid the adjuster’s trick and they have to analyze your claim and make an offer, you won’t be sure that it is a fair one. If the adjuster says that a specific expense is not covered by the policy, do you know if it is true? Or, if the adjuster assigns you a specific percentage of fault, can you prove that it is too high?
Lawyers have both the knowledge of law and the hands-on experience in many similar cases. This is what gives them the confidence to reject unfair offers and push towards getting a fair settlement amount.
Schedule a Free Case Review with an Experienced Cordele Car Accident Lawyer!
Even if you feel that your claim is simple and easy to settle, don’t file it on your own. Reach out to an experienced Cordele car accident lawyer at Joe Durham Jr., P.C and let them evaluate the merits of your case.
You really have nothing to lose. The initial appointment is free for every new client. And if we accept your case, you do not have to pay advance fees, because we work on a contingency fee basis.
Call us today to schedule your free case review at 229-210-6226!
