A negligent driver’s split-second decision can leave you struggling with pain, medical bills, lost income, car repairs, and more challenges. But while you’re going to doctor’s appointments and physical therapy, using up your paid time off and possibly unpaid time as well, the other driver’s insurance company is working to save money—at your expense.
They could claim you caused or contributed to the accident, undervalue your damages, or both. How can you make sure you get the car accident settlement you deserve?
Relying on the insurance company to pay your claim doesn’t always work out, but fighting the insurance company on your own can be challenging. The best solution is to speak with an experienced car accident lawyer who can investigate your accident, gather evidence, and establish a strong case.
Our team will also learn about your injuries and losses and correctly calculate the value of your claim, and then we’ll work to achieve a fair settlement.
If you or a loved one have been hurt in a car accident, please contact the CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm for a free consultation. We’ll evaluate your case and advise you of your options for pursuing compensation.
Attorney Ali Awad and his legal team have over twenty years of combined experience helping injured people and their families get the settlements they deserve.
Insurance companies want you to believe that filing a claim and getting a check is as simple as snapping a few pictures with your phone and hitting Send. However, many people experience challenges with actually recovering their damages from the at-fault driver’s insurance company for several reasons.
Here are some common issues:
You could be blamed for causing the accident by the other driver, their insurance adjuster, or both. Disputes about fault are at the heart of many car accident cases we handle.
Unfortunately, people who call the insurance company to argue their side may unintentionally make things worse when the insurance adjuster picks apart everything they say. An innocent comment might be misinterpreted to indicate fault, for example.
Luckily, you don’t have to deal with the insurance company yourself to fight the insurance company’s inaccurate view of your contributions. An experienced legal team will study photos captured at the scene, review collision videos (where security, doorbell, or dash cameras are available),
consider witness testimonies, and examine data retrieved from each car’s event data recorder (EDR). Next, we’ll construct a compelling case to establish that the other driver is responsible for the collision.
Although we’re always prepared to argue your case at trial, our attention to detail and careful planning allow us to settle most cases out of court. Once the insurance company representatives understand how strong our case is, they are usually willing to make a reasonable settlement offer.
A car accident doesn’t have to be the fault of only one driver. We frequently see situations where both drivers took actions that contributed to the collision.
Georgia law accommodates these circumstances with modified comparative negligence statutes, under which each driver is assigned a percentage of fault. You might be 10 percent responsible, while the other driver is 90 percent at fault, for instance.
If you are 50 percent or more responsible, you can’t collect damages from the other party (although you may be able to collect from your own insurance, depending on what kind of coverage you have). When you are less than 50 percent at fault, you can recover from the other party but will lose your own percentage of fault from the final settlement.
If you’re wondering who decides the percentage of fault, it’s usually one or both insurance companies. Not surprisingly, we sometimes see cases where the insurance adjuster’s estimate of fault seems out of line with the facts of the case, or the insurance adjuster may believe the injured person had a small percentage of fault when they contributed nothing at all to the accident.
It’s easy for an experienced car accident lawyer to notice these discrepancies. However, the average person usually has no reference point for what a reasonable estimate of their contributions should be.
Some people incorrectly believe they were entirely at fault for an accident and are relieved the insurance company wants to pay them anything at all. For this reason, it’s beneficial to speak with a lawyer to ensure your percentage of fault is calculated correctly.
If it isn’t, we’ll work to show the insurance adjuster how little you had to do with the collision.
Settlement offers can be disarming. It seems like you’ll get your settlement, and everything will be fine. But watch out—many first offers from the insurance company severely undervalue your damages. Here are some common issues:
Not all insurance company offers are insufficient, but it can be difficult to know what you’re looking at if you aren’t an insurance expert. We recommend reviewing the offer with a knowledgeable personal injury attorney before making a decision.
If it’s a fair offer, we’ll tell you, and you can accept. If not, we can negotiate for a more equitable resolution.
When this happens, you should always make a police report, even if the other driver promises to pay your bills out of pocket. In Newnan, you can file a report online.
Remember that the other driver has no idea how much your costs might be, and you have no way of knowing if they can pay. A police report allows you to make a claim on your uninsured/underinsured motorist policy (UM/UI).
This is optional coverage in Georgia, and if you don’t have it, seeking compensation will be more challenging. In some cases, your lawyer may be able to sue the driver or a third party, but this is not always a good option.
For this reason, we highly recommend buying UM/UI coverage.
People often think they can’t prove what happened in a car accident before they talk to us. Fortunately, our investigative team is highly skilled and frequently uncovers more evidence in the accident, such as:
If you’re not sure you can prove the other driver was at fault, please talk to an attorney right away. In many situations, we can find evidence to show the other driver was at fault.
Occasionally, there are accidents where we simply can’t find enough evidence to build a strong case. If your accident occurred in a more rural area of Georgia, for example, there might not be any nearby cameras or witnesses.
If our best efforts don’t yield anything conclusive, we may consider other options for recovering damages.
First, we’ll look at your insurance policy. If you have Collision and Medical Payments (MedPay) policies, you can use these no matter who is at fault.
This is also a good option if you made a mistake and caused an accident (but please check with an attorney first to ensure you were indeed at fault).
If you don’t have these optional policies, you may be unable to recover compensation. In rare cases, you might have a third-party claim against someone who isn’t the other driver—the maker of a defective seatbelt, for example.
Your lawyer will explore all avenues for pursuing damages. However, the best solution is to invest in a robust insurance policy covering many situations beyond those addressed by the required liability insurance.
If you’re wondering what to do after your car accident or experiencing difficulties with a car insurance claim, please call the CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm for a free consultation. Our experienced legal team will review your case, investigate further if necessary, and lay out the possibilities for pursuing compensation.
There is no obligation, and we never charge any fees until we win or settle your case, so you have nothing to lose. Contact us today to learn more.
Attorney Ali Awad established the CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm a few short years ago and has turned it into one of the fastest-growing law firms in the country. With the help of his experienced legal team, he has recovered millions of dollars in compensation for injured people and their families.
When he’s not hard at work on a case, Mr. Awad posts educational videos about car accidents and other legal topics for more than a million followers on social media. Work with him today when you call (833) 254-2923.
Tell Us More About Your Injury Below So That We Can Get You The Most Money
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.