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The state of Georgia follows a comparative negligence doctrine if you are injured in an auto collision. This means that if you are partially at fault for the crash, you will likely be able to collect monetary damages. However, if you are more than 50% at fault, the judge or jury may find you entirely responsible for your injuries and not award any compensation. To understand this further, let’s first understand what comparative negligence is:
Comparative negligence, also called modified negligence, is a legal standard that states that if two people are involved in an accident, each will bear proportionate responsibility for the damages. Under comparative negligence, an injured party cannot recover for any loss attributed to her negligence. This legal standard prevents a lawsuit from turning into a blame game while ensuring that each party is responsible for her actions.
The hold-out rule in Georgia provides that a person may still seek financial compensation after an automobile accident even if their negligence contributed to the circumstances of the collision. If you were partially at fault for the crash, the amount of damages you may be entitled to receive might be reduced. Understanding how a comparative fault law affects a personal injury claim can be a highly complex undertaking. If you have been injured in an accident due to the negligence of another party, contact an experienced personal injury attorney for additional information on filing your claim.
If you’re involved in a crash and believe that the other driver might be at fault, the police report and witness statements might help you prove it. Physical evidence and photos can also play a key role in determining fault. But what if both drivers were partially to blame? In modified comparative negligence states like Georgia, this means you could be entitled to partial compensation as long as the amount is less than 50 percent of the total collision damages.
This means that if the crash occurred partly because of something you did wrong, then your injuries can be lessened by considering the amount of harm caused by the other person’s negligence. For example, if you are judged to be 40% at fault for an accident, your compensation might only include 60% of your economic losses and none of your noneconomic losses.
Contributory negligence is a legal doctrine that bars a victim from recovering damages from an at-fault party in a lawsuit. In essence, if you’re even 1 percent at fault for your injury, you’re barred from recovering from the person who caused the injury. Most states no longer use contributory negligence as their guiding legal principle, but some states do. Therefore, we recommend reading up your state’s laws regarding contributory negligence before filing a claim.
In some states, hybrid negligence applies. That means that an injured party may collect compensation only if the other driver is more than 50% at fault for the accident. Thus, if your contributions to causing the accident were near 50-50 with the other driver’s, you would not be able to recover compensation. You’d have to prove that the other driver was over 50% responsible for the collision in a hybrid state.
In a somewhat more contributory negligence-friendly system such as Georgia, the contributory negligence standard states that a victim’s compensation claim is reduced in proportion to their degree of fault. This standard treats people as equal under the law but still gives a little leeway to those who could have acted to avoid an accident.
John and Susan barreled past one another as they made left turns across the oncoming traffic at the corner of Buford Highway and Spring Street. Each believed that the other would allow them to complete their left turn, but they were wrong. They both applied their brakes, but John’s car slammed into the passenger side door of Susan’s car almost head-on.
Susan also realizes that John has started to turn left from the southbound lane. In an attempt to avoid a collision, Susan swings her car to the right in a motion that will take her across the northbound lane and into the right shoulder. After he has begun his left turn, John realizes that he will hit Susan’s car and make no attempt to turn further or stop his vehicle. This leaves Susan no other option than to return her vehicle onto the highway and collide with John’s vehicle.
Susan sustains significant injuries and is unable to return to work for an extended period. She’s filed suit against John Doe to recover compensation for physical and financial damages.
A Georgia court may find John 80% responsible for the accident. Because of his poor judgment, John has a higher degree of responsibility for causing the accident than Susan. However, her evidence still shows that he was not entirely responsible for the accident. But the judge may find that Susan is only partially responsible for the accident because she was speeding. After a jury decides how much a victim should be compensated, a judge will reduce this amount to account for any fault by Susan.
After an accident, you must seek medical attention immediately. Avoid any strenuous activity. If you suddenly feel short of breath or weak, sit or lie down right away. The last thing you want to do is freak out and make matters worse. Call 911 and report the incident. Stay at the scene of the crash until police arrive. It is also crucial that you obtain all witnesses’ names and contact information at the scene. This will help your attorney when they attempt to reconstruct the accident in court. Exchange your insurance details with other motorists and take photos of the accident site and damage to your vehicle.
You must file a claim with your insurance company as soon as possible. In most cases, you will be expected to contact your insurer within a timeframe prescribed by your policy. Insurance representatives from the other party’s company might contact you for details regarding the accident. It’s essential not to make any statements or accept any form of compensation until you contact your attorney. Your injuries may take time to show, making it difficult to assess them right away correctly. Let your injury lawyer guide you through the claims process once your medical practitioners thoroughly evaluate your injuries.
Because Georgia is a modified comparative fault state, you will have to address contributing factors of your injury as part of the settlement process. If you have been injured in Atlanta from a car accident, don’t hesitate to speak with an attorney from the CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm. Our knowledgeable attorneys have the experience to gather evidence and build a strong compensation case. An attorney can help you stand up for your rights against insurance companies.
An insurance company can use several defenses to limit its liability for an accident. For example, the insurance company may structure your settlement offer, so you must agree to a certain “permissible percentage” of fault for the other driver to receive the total settlement. This could require you to admit that your negligence contributed in some way to the accident, even if it was just 1% or 2% of the total blame. By comparison, your attorney can help present evidence and show how much fault should be attributed to each party.
A modified comparative negligence system is different. In this system, even if you are partly at fault, as long as your actions did not cause the accident by themselves (i.e., as long as the other driver was still more at fault), then your recovery is not affected. If both of you were speeding and failed to stop in time, the court will decide which of you might be more at fault. If you are involved in an accident, it is crucial to understand what defenses might be available. If you do not understand the law, you could end up accepting a settlement that is far lower than the sum you deserve.
If you’re looking for more information about Georgia’s new comparative negligence laws, contact our Atlanta injury and accident attorneys at the CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm. We can explain the ins and outs to you so that you don’t have to worry about whether or not you’re getting the best advice. To schedule your appointment, please complete our online contact form or call us today at (833) 254-2923.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.