Were you hurt in a car accident in Roswell, GA, due to someone else’s negligence? An experienced Roswell car accident lawyer at Hammers Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers can help you get the compensation you deserve. Call us today at 770-900-9000 to schedule a free consultation.
Our legal team has over 50 years of combined experience. Since 2015, our car accident attorneys have recovered tens of millions of dollars for medical bills, lost wages, and even mental and physical suffering. This money has helped our clients get justice after a car crash.
Call our office to learn more about our law firm and your rights in a free consultation.
How Hammers Law Firm can help you after a car accident in Roswell
After a car accident in Roswell, GA, Hammers Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers can help you get your life back on track.
We can stand up to insurance companies and bad drivers who try to skirt their responsibilities and get out of paying what you deserve. Our number one goal is to help our clients get the resources they need to recover and move on after a car crash.
Every case is different and may require a different strategy.
However, in most car accident cases, our Roswell personal injury lawyers will:
- Explain the law and your rights
- Investigate what caused the car crash
- Find out who is responsible
- Collect evidence
- Calculate your damages
- File insurance claims
- Negotiate with insurance companies
- File a personal injury lawsuit
- Keep track of deadlines and paperwork
- Represent you in court
While we hope that you will get fully compensated without the hassle of going to court, that’s not always the case. We are prepared to file a lawsuit and go to trial in every single case. At the end of the day, we do what is best for our clients, even if it takes hard work.
Call our office to schedule a free consultation with our Roswell car accident attorneys and learn more about how we can help you after a car accident in Roswell, GA.
Why Should I hire a car accident lawyer?
If you have been hurt in a car accident, you should hire a lawyer. A car accident lawyer can help you recover damages from the negligent driver. You are entitled to payment for your losses caused by the crash or your injuries.
A car accident lawyer can help you file insurance claims and negotiate with tricky insurance adjusters. Many insurance companies make lowball offers to people who don’t have lawyers. With a car accident attorney on your side, you are likely to get more from an insurance settlement.
If your lawyer can’t reach a full and fair settlement with insurance, they will file a personal injury lawsuit on your behalf. Your lawyer will represent you in court, take depositions, review discovery, and negotiate with the defendant and their lawyer.
This can be a long and time-consuming process, especially if you aren’t familiar with the legal process. A lawyer can take the burden of handling the lawsuit while you focus on healing.
How much money can I get from a car accident case?
Every car accident case is different. Generally, the more serious the crash and your injuries, the more money you will get. However, calculating your case value can be complicated.
Several factors may impact the amount of money you get at the end of the case.
Some of these factors include:
- The insurance policy limits
- The severity of your injuries
- Whether you are permanently disabled or disfigured
- If you are partially responsible for causing the accident
- Your ability, or inability, to work and earn income
- If the crash caused you emotional trauma or mental illness
- If you are no longer able to enjoy life or the same activities as before the crash
Ultimately, car accident cases are about getting justice. That justice comes in the form of monetary payment. Hammers Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers can help you find out how much money you should get from a car accident case and help you get it.
How long do I have to file a car accident case?
You have two years to file a car accident case in Georgia. This is called the statute of limitations. It is a formal deadline with the court. If you miss this deadline, your case is dismissed. It is the most important deadline in any car accident case.
Long before filing a lawsuit in court, your attorney will probably file an insurance claim. They will file this claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance company. If the insurance company agrees to pay for your damages, then they won’t need to file a lawsuit.
However, if the insurance company denies your claim or only offers partial payment, your best bet may be to file a lawsuit.
What type of compensation (or, damages) is available after a car accident?
Georgians who are hurt in car accidents have many different options for compensation. The most common type of compensation is called compensatory damages. Compensatory damages compensate a victim for their actual and reasonably predicted future losses.
Compensatory damages are made up of sub-categories: economic damages and non-economic damages. You are entitled to recover both types of damages.
Economic
Economic damages are financial losses. These losses happen as a direct result of a car accident or the resulting injury. Usually, economic damages are pretty easy to calculate. That’s because the value is tied directly to a known dollar figure.
Examples of economic damages may include:
- Emergency medical bills
- Surgery costs
- Follow-up medical treatment
- Rehabilitation and physical therapy
- Cost of medicine
- Cost of medical devices (like a wheelchair, crutches, or prosthetic)
- Property damage (usually to your car)
- Lost wages (past and future)
- Lost future earning capacity
- Transportation to and from the doctor’s appointments
Economic damages also include other out-of-pocket expenses that may be specific to your case.
For example, primary caregivers often get out-of-pocket expenses. If they can no longer care for their children because of their injuries or numerous doctor’s appointments, they may need to hire outside childcare. Childcare is expensive, and they are entitled to payment for increased childcare costs.
We will help you calculate your economic damages by reviewing bills, credit card statements, invoices, pay stubs, and other types of documentation. You should keep all relevant paperwork so that we can prove every dollar that you are entitled to recover.
Non-economic
Non-economic damages vary significantly from economic damages. Non-economic damages are payments for non-financial losses. These damages are intangible, meaning they are often unseen or may not be obvious.
After a car accident, some of the most common non-economic damages are:
- Physical pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Fear of driving
- Permanent disfigurement or scarring
- Permanent disability
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of companionship
- Mental illnesses like anxiety, PTSD, or depression
It can be hard to calculate non-economic damages. There are two common ways to calculate non-economic damages.
The first is to use this multiplier method. This is when you take the value of your economic damages and multiply it by a number that represents your non-economic suffering. The result is the value of your non-economic loss.
The second method uses the per diem method. This is when you assign a value to your daily pain and suffering and multiply it by the number of days that you experienced it. This method is generally more difficult when someone has an injury that will impact them for the rest of their life.
How much does it cost to hire a car accident lawyer?
Hiring a car accident lawyer varies in cost.
Most car accident lawyers charge a contingency fee. This means that their payment is contingent upon the outcome of the case. If the lawyer wins the case, then you will pay them a percentage of the damages. If they lose the case, then you won’t pay them at all.
Ultimately, the amount that you pay a car accident attorney depends on how much you win. The higher your settlement or jury award, the higher the lawyer’s fee. That’s because most car accident lawyers take between 33% – 40% of the damages as their fee.
The exact percentage will vary depending on the type of work that the lawyer performs. For example, if the case is settled with insurance, then your lawyer will probably take less than if it goes to trial. That’s because going to trial is more work for your attorney.
Can I get money If I was partly at-fault for my car accident?
In most cases, you can still get money if you are partly at fault for a car accident. However, there are certain limitations.
This rule is called modified comparative fault. Georgia law says that you can get money as long as you are less than 50% responsible. If you are 50% or more responsible for the crash, then you lose your right to recover anything.
If you are less than 50% responsible, your damages are reduced by your percentage of responsibility. For example, if you are 25% responsible, you will recover 75% of your damages. However, if you are 51% responsible, you get nothing.
It’s best to avoid accepting any blame after a car accident. You want to be careful with what you say to insurance companies and other people involved in a crash. By hiring a lawyer immediately after an accident, you can get advice on how to protect yourself from getting blamed.
Will my car accident case go to trial?
Most car accident cases are settled before trial. This is usually best for both the plaintiff and the defendant. That’s because it’s quicker to resolve cases outside of court. However, some cases do end up going to trial.
Usually, a car accident case goes to trial when the plaintiff cannot reach a fair agreement with the insurance company. The insurance company might reject the claim or make a low settlement offer.
Furthermore, if the plaintiff’s injuries exceed the policy limits, it might go to trial. The plaintiff will ask for the remaining amount directly from the defendant. In this case, there will be an opportunity to negotiate with the defendant and their lawyer.
Additionally, an accident case may go to trial if there is a dispute about who caused the crash. If the defendant believes that the plaintiff shares fault or is entirely at fault, it may go to trial for a jury to decide. If the jury concludes that the plaintiff is partially responsible, the damages may be reduced, or they might get nothing at all.
What should I do after a car accident in Roswell?
Nobody expects to get into a car accident. However, everyone should have a plan in case they do get into a crash.
After a car accident in Roswell, GA, you should:
- Immediately stop in a safe location
- Call the police and file an accident report
- Get the other driver’s contact and insurance information
- Seek medical treatment
- Photograph the crash scene and the vehicles
- Collect witness information
- Call a lawyer
If you have been in a severe accident, you may have lost consciousness or been transported to the hospital for emergency medical treatment. In those cases, you will rely on the police report and crash investigation for evidence.
Even if you haven’t been seriously hurt, you should always get medical treatment as soon after the crash as possible. A doctor will conduct a full evaluation and document your injuries. This documentation may become extremely important in a car accident case. If you wait too long to see a doctor, it will be harder to win your case.
Types of Car Accident Claims We Handle
We handle all types of car accident claims. Below are some of the most common types of accident cases that come into our law firm. However, if you have experienced a different type of car crash, do not hesitate to reach out for help.
Rollover Crashes
Rollover crashes usually happen when a car is speeding. The force combined with the crash causes the car to flip. Rollover crashes can also happen when a driver attempts to overcorrect to avoid an obstacle on the road or during distracted driving.
Regardless of how it happens, rollovers are very serious. We can help you recover compensation after getting hurt in a rollover accident.
Speeding Crashes
Speeding is a contributor to many car accidents. Speeding not only causes crashes but also increases the dangers of negligent driving behaviors. We can help you after a speeding crash or a crash made significantly worse because the other driver was speeding.
T-Bone Crashes
T-bone crashes are also called side-impact accidents. We normally see this type of crash in intersections when a driver runs a red light or speeds through a yellow light.
T-bone crashes can seriously hurt a passenger or a driver. We can help you after getting hit in a T-bone accident by a negligent driver.
Left Turn Accidents
Left turns are surprisingly risky maneuvers. We help many clients who have been hurt while making a left turn or by someone else who failed to yield to the right of way. Left-turn accidents can cause significant damage.
Drunk Driving Accidents
Drunk driving accidents cause many serious injuries and fatalities in Roswell every year. We represent people who have been hurt by drunk drivers and families who have lost a loved one in wrongful death lawsuits.
Aggressive Driving Accidents
If you have been hurt by an aggressive driver, we can help you hold them responsible for your damages. Whether it was tailgating, cutting you off, or some other dangerous driving, they shouldn’t get away with intentionally putting you in danger.
Uber And Rideshare Accidents
Uber and rideshare apps are becoming increasingly popular in Roswell. Unfortunately, many drivers are inexperienced and get into accidents. We can help you stand up to Uber and other rideshare companies after getting hurt in an Uber accident.
Who could be liable for my injuries resulting from a car accident?
In most car accident cases, the negligent driver is liable for your injuries. However, not every car accident is straightforward.
Some other parties who might be responsible for your injuries are:
- Other drivers
- Pedestrians
- Bicyclists
- Motorcyclists
- The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT)
- Auto manufacturing company
- Car maintenance or auto body shop
Ultimately, liability depends on who caused or contributed to the accident. If your crash happened because the city failed to put up proper signage, the city might be responsible. If it happened because of a defective car part, the car manufacturing or maintenance shop might be liable.
This is why you need to thoroughly investigate the cause of the accident so that you seek damages from everyone responsible.
Common types of car accident injuries
Car accidents can cause many different types of injuries. It’s normal for a plaintiff to have coexisting and complex injuries.
Some of the most common car accident injuries include:
- Whiplash
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Broken bones
- Amputations
- Crush injuries
- Back and neck pain
- Head injuries
- Burns
- Cuts and bruising
- Nerve damage and paralysis
- Spinal cord injuries
Many of our clients experience catastrophic injuries. This is an injury that is debilitating, disabling, or life-altering. In fatal car accidents, we represent loved ones filing a wrongful death lawsuit.
We can help you regardless of the type of injury you have. Call our office to schedule a free consultation today.
Most common causes of car accidents
While some car crashes happen out of the blue, negligent driving causes most car accidents.
The most common types of poor driving behavior include:
- Distracted driving
- Drunk driving
- Speeding
- Running red lights or stop signs
- Unsafe lane changes
- Failure to yield to the right of way
- Swerving
- Aggressive driving
In addition to poor driving behavior, sometimes external factors cause car accidents.
For example:
- Poor visibility
- Obstructions in the road
- Vehicle defects
- Improper signage
- Bad weather
Even if an external condition caused your car accident, you might still be entitled to damages. We can investigate how your crash happened and identify everyone who may be held responsible.
Roswell Car accident stats
According to the Georgia Department of Transportation crash data, there were 2,669 car crashes in Roswell in 2022. These accidents caused 864 injuries and four fatalities. This means that almost 5% of all car accidents in Fulton County happened in Roswell.
This data makes sense since Georgia State Route 400 travels through Roswell. This highway is notoriously dangerous, and many people die or are seriously injured while driving on GA 400 every year.
Call our Roswell Car Accident Lawyers today for help
There’s no reason to handle a complex insurance claim and car accident lawsuit without legal help. Call our Roswell car accident lawyers at Hammers Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers for candid advice and fierce representation.
During our initial consultation, you will learn more about your legal rights to compensation and how our attorneys will fight to get it for you. Our lawyers are passionate about helping injured people get their lives back in Roswell, Georgia. Call us to schedule a free consultation today.