When you’ve been in a car accident, it can be hard to know what to do first. You may be dealing with injuries that require treatment. Sometimes this becomes more complicated if your health insurance doesn’t cover some or all of the bills. Will your car insurance cover it? What about the other driver’s insurance? Many people aren’t even sure who to call next.
Meanwhile, if your injuries have left you out of work, your bills may be piling up fast, and your bank account is dwindling faster. Once your paid time off is used up, you may be scrambling for another solution. Do you have short-term disability insurance? What if you don’t? Just trying to figure out how to pay your expenses can be exhausting, especially when you may still be in pain from your injuries. You need the experience and skill of an Atlanta car accident attorney who can help you sort out what happened and how to seek damages for your injuries.
Attorney Ali Awad is one of the youngest attorneys to bring a brand new firm from inception to 8-figures in only three short years! He and his team at the CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm bring their years of experience to your car accident case, whether you need a legal team to negotiate with an insurance company or file a lawsuit.
Have you been hurt in a car accident, or is someone you love suffering because of one? If so, please contact the CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm today for a free consultation to discover the options for addressing this difficult situation. The CEO Lawyer and his team of injury and accident attorneys work on a contingency basis, so you have no upfront cost. Don’t hesitate to call (833) 254-2923 to discuss your accident and how you can get the compensation you deserve to pay for your recovery costs.
How Can You Receive Compensation for Your Injuries in a Car Accident?
First, you should gather all the paperwork pertaining to the accident, starting with the police report. If you have not received a copy, you can call the law enforcement agency that responded to the scene of the accident, and they should be able to get you one. Then collect your medical bills and try to figure out how long you’ve been out of work and how much pay you’ve lost so far. Also, include any bills for repairing damage to your vehicle and any possessions harmed in the crash.
Next, you should contact an Atlanta car accident lawyer and ask for a free consultation. An experienced attorney should be able to figure out where to seek compensation. Often this is the other driver’s insurance company, but in some cases, they may advise you to sue other parties who may have been responsible for the accident.
How Is Fault Determined in a Car Accident in Georgia?
Georgia is an at-fault state. In general, there are some basic rules about determining fault:
If one driver breaks some traffic law, such as speeding, running a red light, driving while impaired, etc., then they are usually found to be at fault.
When a driver was behaving negligently, such as being distracted by their phone while driving, they will usually be found to be at fault.
When one of the cars didn’t receive appropriate maintenance, and this directly led to the accident, that car’s driver is generally at fault. For example, if the other driver had a bad light they didn’t fix, and this caused a crash, they would probably be at fault.
In most cases, rear-end accidents are assumed to be the rear driver’s fault for failing to maintain a safe following distance.
However, these basic rules may be complicated because Georgia is also a modified comparative negligence state. This law recognizes that in many cases, more than one party may be partly responsible for an accident. For example, maybe the other driver was speeding or looking at their phone, but your car had maintenance issues that may have affected the accident. The other driver’s attorney will likely argue the crash was all your fault, and your lawyer will argue it was their fault. In reality, you may both have had some responsibility.
With modified comparative negligence, you can still recover damages from the other driver if you are found to be less than 50% at fault. In this case, your recovery will be downsized by the amount you were found to be at fault. If you are 50% or more at fault, you will not be able to collect any damages.
People often have questions about whether some issue may have made them partly at fault in an accident and by how much they might be at fault. This is really a question the jury will have to decide, but a car accident lawyer in Atlanta can help you understand the issues of your case. They can also advise you on whether your claim is likely to be successful.
It’s also important to remember that the other driver’s attorney will need to prove not only that you did something wrong but that it contributed to the accident occurring. If the other car hit you head-on, it probably wasn’t because your tail light was out, for example. Even if there was some fault on your end, the jury might not find that you were more than 50% at fault.
This is a common question. If you were not at fault at all, your recovery depends on a wide array of factors, including how severe your injuries were, the number of your medical bills, if you’re expected to need future medical care, how much time you missed at work, if you are permanently disabled, how much property damage your car sustained, and sometimes other factors. Here are some specific damages you might ask for in a settlement:
Medical expenses. This includes all of your existing bills, such as hospital bills, doctor’s visits, prescriptions, physical therapy, etc. It may also include an estimate for future care if you are still in treatment.
Missed wages. This includes all time you’ve already missed at work and possibly an estimate of the future time you may miss if you are still out of work.
Disturbance of your quality of life. If the accident has reduced your ability to live and enjoy your life, you may seek damages for this.
Pain and suffering. This includes both physical and mental pain and suffering.
Disfigurement or permanent disability. If this has caused you to be permanently unable to work, you may also request damages for lost earning potential, whether or not you were employed at the time of the accident.
Loss of companionship. If a car accident victim died as the result of the crash, their loved ones could seek damages.
Damage to your vehicle and any possessions that were damaged in the accident.
Do You Need to File a Lawsuit to Recover Damages?
Not necessarily. In many cases, we can secure a settlement from the insurance company. This is actually more common than going to court to settle a car accident claim. However, there are some circumstances where filing a lawsuit may be necessary:
Insufficient insurance. Under Georgia law, motorists are only required to carry $25,000 in insurance. Some may have more than this, but not everyone does. Additionally, you may be involved in a crash with an uninsured driver. Even if the other driver has the minimum coverage, if your medical bills alone are in the six figures, $25,000 isn’t going to be close to compensating you for the other driver’s negligence. In these types of situations, you may need to file a lawsuit against the party you believe is responsible for the accident.
A settlement can’t be reached. Sometimes the insurance company disagrees with the amount you’re seeking or with their obligation to pay. In this case, it may be necessary to sue the insurance company.
If a third party is also responsible. Less commonly, an accident may be caused not by either driver but by a third party such as a car manufacturer. For example, maybe you bought a new car, and a few weeks later, your brakes inexplicably failed, causing you to crash. Or, the accident may have been caused by one or both drivers, but your injuries were made worse by some defect in your car, like an airbag that didn’t deploy. In this type of situation, you may have a case against a third party.
If the Insurance Company Has Already Made An Offer, Do You Still Need a Car Accident Attorney in Atlanta?
Yes. Many people make the mistake of thinking they only need a lawyer if they want to file a lawsuit. Unfortunately, this is not true. If an insurance company has made you an offer after an accident, it’s very important that you discuss your case and their offer with an experienced attorney before accepting or declining it. There are several reasons for this.
One difficulty you may run into with an offer is that an insurance adjuster’s job is to save as much money as possible for the insurance company. This means paying out as little as possible. Sometimes that may mean refusing to pay a claim entirely, but other times it means offering the claimant less than their claim is really worth. In some cases, the adjuster may call and make you an offer while you’re still in the hospital dealing with your injuries. At this point, you probably haven’t seen the hospital bills yet and have no idea what you’ll owe. You also probably don’t know how much more care you’ll need. Will you need one follow-up appointment with your doctor or six over the next year? Will you need another operation if you don’t recover as well as you hoped? How long will you need to be in physical therapy?
Most people don’t know the answers to these questions until days, weeks, or even months after their accident. Even your doctor may not be able to predict exactly how much care you’ll need, as people can recover at different rates, and not everyone responds to treatment in the exact same way. If you accept an insurance company’s offer without knowing what your total costs will be, you may not have enough money to cover your medical costs alone, let alone any of the other damages listed above.
Another potential issue is that insurance adjusters may call to talk about your settlement then start asking you questions about the accident. These may seem innocent, but the adjuster often tries to twist your words or get you to say something that can be construed as indicating the accident was your fault. Worse, this conversation could take place when you’re unable to think clearly because you’re either in pain from your injuries or taking strong medication for the pain. Keep in mind that you don’t have to talk to them the minute they call. If you’re in a lot of pain or groggy from painkillers, it may be helpful to let a trusted loved one screen your calls until you feel better. Otherwise, you can simply let the insurance adjuster’s calls go to voicemail until you’ve had a chance to speak with a lawyer.
Additionally, insurance adjusters can be pushy if they want you to accept a settlement. If you do answer the phone, they may want you to commit to accepting an offer right away. The best thing to do is ask them to send you the offer in writing and promise to read it and get back to them when you’re feeling up to it. Then hang up the phone and call an attorney. This serves two purposes: You won’t accept an offer without knowing if it’s reasonable, and you won’t be able to say anything the insurance company may use against you in the future.
Before making any decisions about a possible settlement, contact a personal injury lawyer for a free consultation to better understand what kind of damages you should be seeking. You may feel overwhelmed during these moments, but attorney Ali Awad, the CEO lawyer, is here to stand up for your legal rights. Don’t accept lowball offers, and don’t take insurers at face value. The benefit of having an experienced car crash lawyer on your side is that they can negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf if you realize the offer is too low. With the CEO Lawyer, you will not have to call the insurance company back and argue with them. Contact us online or call (833) 254-2923 to get started today.
Testimonial
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Posted by Dan Carter
You are in good hands with Ali Awad. He is a professional who knows what it takes to get the insurance company’s attention and maximize results for his clients. He is knowledgeable, an excellent communicator and truly cares about his clients. If anyone needs a personal injury attorney in the Atlanta metropolitan area, I would have no hesitation in recommending Ali Awad and his talented staff.
Posted by Christian Hope
If you are looking for a professional but compassionate lawyer Ali Awad Law will definitely get everything back in order for you. Richard was outstanding and determined to help me get the best help he could. I will definitely be recommending Ali Awad law in the near future.
Posted by Dalia Rodriguez
I was involved in a car accident where my kids and myself were injured. I reached out to Ali Awad law. They have been so helpful and friendly and I am very satisfied with my outcome in my case. I am so satisfied and happy that anyone who asks me for help in this kinds of situations I always refer them to Ali and his team. They were always there…
Posted by Lauren Kesten
I was highly recommended by a coworker to contact Ali Awad Law when I was injured in a car accident. I am so glad I did. Julixza Acevedo has been such a pleasure to work with. She is extremely knowledgeable and professional. She makes the process with the insurance companies seamless. All information about my case is related to me so that it is easy to understand. Most importantly, Julixza…
Posted by Heather Brown
After I got in my car wreck, I decided to call Ali Awad as my personal injury attorney. I’d never been in a wreck before but after calling this firm and having Rebecca and Mohammad assist me with my case, I’ll never use another car wreck lawyer other than Ali Awad (hopefully I won’t need to). They were extremely communicative and let me know exactly what was happening with my…
Posted by Tiara Carter
I had a horrible experience with a previous lawyer and was told that there was money money to be gained from my case because the person responsible for the auto accident did not have insurance and the car was a total lost. I felt that it was about the money and focusing on the principal of what has happened has altered my life and never will be the same again.…
Posted by Arjorie Stewart
Ms. Julixza Acevedo is truly a life saver with her good quality information, we truly value her professional and on time help that she have giving us over the years,back in March 2021 my son was in a car accident here in NC.and we needed some professional advice, From someone that we could trust and depend on in trouble time, and we call on Ms. Acevedo someone with good value…
Posted by Roxie
I was in an accident where the at fault party drove away. He was tracked down and police ticketed him. I didn’t know what to do for damages to myself and car. Ali took my call and had his team was on my case immediately! Everyone has been so helpful in walking me through the process and I’ve had to do very little. The case is still pending, but I…
Posted by Lindsey Mcfalls
I highly recommend William Lorenzo and the Awad team, Mr. Lorenzo and the Awad team have been taking excellent care of my daughters case. The attention to detail and professionalism is second to none!!!
Posted by C Lopez
Ali Awad are the best personal injury lawyers. They made things so much smoother and easier and have made me feel like family. I don’t know what I would’ve done without them! Melody and Andy have been so helpful and polite, I recommend them to anyone who is need of a personal injury lawyer. They really care about you and are always making sure your in good hands!!
Posted by Muhammad Rahman
First I would like to give a HighFive to the entire Ali Awad law Team. Also I would like to give a special mention to Amer Abukhdeir who was specifically assigned to my case. Amer was very informative and professional. Even though my case wasn’t a very huge case, he made me feel like I was going to receive a million bucks and that was important to me.The firm will…
Posted by Ricke Willis
Where would I like to start. My oh my, what a great law firm. I came from a different law firm referred to Ali Awad law, by an employee. The other law firm was not responsive or professional; I made numerous phone calls, my calls were not returned. However, here at Ali Awad, I was handle with care. Ali Awad, called me on a Sunday because I was in a…
Posted by Jay B
Ali and his team are the best in the business when it comes to personal injury, especially automotive accidents. The knowledge of the insurance and medical processes are unmatched and they can connect you to healthcare and rehab professionals to get you on track to recovery. Julixza worked hard to get my costs down and make sure everything was ready to go. Highly recommended.
Posted by Belinda White
I was involved in an accident earlier this week and I spoke to Michael and he was amazing! He is very knowledgeable, professional and has great customer service. He answered every question and then some I thought I was speaking to an actual lawyer excellent experience!
Posted by Michael Gulisano
Jessica Moss is amazing, she listened to our situation and was very informative for what our next steps are during the process. Everyone we have talked to from Ali Awad law have been a huge help and very kind. We instantly felt more comfort after hiring Ali Awad law, thank you for making this stressful event more easy and simple to understand.
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Frequently Asked Questions
After a personal injury, you're bound to have legal questions. The CEO Lawyer Ali Awad can provide you with answers to these questions, just as he's given answers to his millions of curious social media followers. Take a look at some of the most common personal injury law questions for general information, and then reach out to one of our seasoned attorneys for specific guidance on your case!
To quickly resolve matters following an accident, insurance companies will offer you less than you deserve in compensation for your injuries. Many victims feel pressured to accept these offers as the bills begin to pile up, but that is rarely a good idea. The insurance company is looking to protect its bottom line; and will offer injured victims less than they deserve. An experienced personal injury attorney understands how to negotiate with the insurance company and can look out for your best interests by getting you the compensation you deserve after an injury. If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, it is important to avoid negotiating or providing recorded statements to the insurance company without first seeking help from a qualified personal injury attorney.
Do You Have a Personal Injury Case?
The best way to determine if you have a personal injury case is to speak with a knowledgeable attorney. Our legal professionals have the expertise to evaluate your case and determine a strong legal strategy so that you can obtain the greatest amount of compensation possible under the law. We will enlist investigators, assistants, and other specialists to collect accident reports, speak with witnesses to your accident, and put together a plan. While you focus on your physical recovery, we will remain committed to fighting for the compensation that you deserve.
Georgia's Personal Injury & Accident Firm
Accident victims have a limited time to file a personal injury lawsuit. This time period is referred to as the statute of limitations, and in Atlanta, it lasts only two years. This means that if you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, you have only two years to pursue a personal injury suit. If you wait too long to reach out to an experienced attorney, you might be forever barred from seeking the compensation you deserve.
What to Expect From Your Initial Consultation With a Personal Injury Attorney?
During your initial consultation with CEO Lawyer team, we will go over the important details of your personal injury accident, which include the nature and extent of your injuries, how your injuries have impacted your ability to earn a paycheck, the cost of your medical treatment, and whether further medical treatment will be required. We will answer any questions you might have, as well, in regards to our experience, our track record of success, and what to expect from the legal process.
Many personal injury victims wonder if they will be able to afford the legal fees required to pursue a lawsuit. CEO Lawyer injury and accident attorneys will not ask for any type of upfront fee unless we are successful in obtaining compensation for you. That means that if you have been harmed in a motor vehicle accident, slip and fall accident, defective product accident, or any other type of personal injury accident, you can absolutely afford to contact our law office today for assistance. In fact, you cannot afford to wait. Reach out today.
We understand that some accident victims might have already obtained the assistance of an attorney but may be dissatisfied with the services provided. We are standing by and prepared to help you change legal representation, regardless of where you are in the process.
Speak to an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney Today
If you or a loved one has been injured in any type of personal injury accident, you should not hesitate to speak with the experienced attorneys at CEO Lawyer personal injury law firm. Call, email, or fill out our online contact form today so that we can begin helping you pursue the compensation you deserve.