CAR ACCIDENT ATTORNEY SERVING LAWRENCEVILLE, GA
Are you searching for a Lawrenceville, Georgia, car accident attorney? If you were injured in a car accident because of someone else’s negligence, the experienced attorneys at Williams Elleby Howard & Easter are ready to assist you. We specialize in helping our clients maximize their financial recovery after a car accident in Lawrenceville and across the state of Georgia.
Most injury victims struggle with a lot of questions after a Lawrenceville car accident: What should I do first? Where do I go for medical treatment? Who will pay my medical bills? Can the insurance companies involved be trusted? To add to the confusion and create more questions, you will probably begin receiving telephone calls and correspondence in the mail from both your insurance company and the at-fault insurance company.
Let the car accident attorneys at Williams Elleby Howard & Easter answer these important questions during a free initial consultation. Attorney Joel Williams or Chase Elleby will meet with you to evaluate the merits of your case and help set your mind at ease. Our skilled team is ready to assist you through the entire claims process and all way through litigation, if necessary.
For immediate answers to some of your most pressing questions, read on for some helpful tips:
AVOID THESE MISTAKES AFTER A LAWRENCEVILLE, GEORGIA CAR ACCIDENT
- Delaying treatment: Not seeking immediate medical attention after your Lawrenceville car accident is bad for your health and your personal injury claim. Delays in treatment can exacerbate injuries and cause them to last longer or become permanent. Obtaining medical treatment also creates medical records, which serve as powerful documentation of your injuries. Finally, if you delay treatment, the at-fault insurance company will assume you were not injured badly enough to seek treatment.
- Providing a recorded statement: You are under no obligation to provide the at-fault insurance company with a recorded statement. In fact, contact a Lawrenceville car accident attorney before speaking to them. As empathetic as the at-fault insurance adjustor may seem, he/she is not on your side. However, you should contact your own insurance company to open an uninsured or underinsured motorist claim.
- Signing documents: Never sign any documents sent by the at-fault insurance company without first letting your attorney look over them. You could accidentally be signing away your rights or accepting a low settlement offer.
- Accepting payments: In addition to not signing any documents from the at-fault insurance company without your Lawrenceville car accident attorney’s approval, do not accept any check payments from them. In some cases, at-fault insurance companies will send a small check to quickly settle your claim. The offer amounts are typically much lower than the value of your Lawrenceville car accident case. If you cash the check, you may be giving up your rights to pursue additional damages.
SECRETS TO GETTING A BIG SETTLEMENT AFTER A LAWRENCEVILLE CAR ACCIDENT
- Seek medical care quickly: The medical records generated during your visits will document your injuries and help prove your case.
- Contact an attorney quickly: Even if you do not immediately hire an attorney, at least contact one to get advice on how to pursue your case. Contacting an attorney is especially important before speaking to insurance adjustors who will ask a lot of questions that are designed to get information from you and make your case less valuable.
- Stay in touch with your attorney: Keep your attorney updated on your medical treatment throughout the pre-litigation process. If you have to file a lawsuit in your case, work closely with your attorney while preparing for any deposition or trial testimony. Your attorney can help better present your testimony and make it more effective. The better your testimony, the more likely you will receive a larger settlement. Finally, send copies of any correspondence you receive and documents showing lost wages to your attorney.
- Avoid social media: Stay off social media from the time of your wreck to the time your case is resolved. The insurance company will be looking for ways to use your social media posts against you.
- Secure all the evidence you can: Photograph the property damage on your vehicle and the other vehicle(s) involved in the wreck. Also, photograph your injuries and share them with your attorney. Finally, allow the at-fault insurance company to inspect your vehicle before fixing it.
- Avoid pre-litigation loans if possible: A pre-litigation loan is an advance on any settlement you will get in the future and should be avoided. Pre-litigation loans come with high interest rates and other costs that will reduce your net recovery. Seek alternate ways to obtain funds while waiting for your case to settle.
- Be careful what you tell the insurance company: Never tell the insurance company that you are not the type of person to sue or that you just want your medical bills paid. The insurance company will flag you as someone who will accept a low settlement offer.
THE 3 STAGES OF A LAWRENCEVILLE CAR ACCIDENT CLAIM
Your Lawrenceville car accident claim can potentially go through 3 stages: (1) Pre-suit, (2) Litigation, and (3) Trial and Appeal.
The Pre-suit Stage
Your Lawrenceville car accident claim will begin in the pre-suit stage. This is an investigative stage in which your attorney will gather all available records pertaining to your case. The motor vehicle accident report, police dash and body camera footage, and 911 recordings and CAD report will all be ordered from the appropriate agencies. The Lawrenceville car accident attorney will order declaration pages from all the insurance companies involved to determine the available coverage amounts. Your medical records and bills will also be ordered to determine your damages.
Once your attorney has investigated and collected all the pertinent information, he/she will send a pre-suit settlement demand with your approval. This is a legal document outlining your injuries, your financial losses, and demanding a specific sum of money. It is an attempt to settle your case before having to file a lawsuit. If a fair settlement amount can be negotiated, then with your approval, your case will settle.
The Litigation Stage
If the at-fault insurance company refuses to offer a fair settlement amount for your case, then with your permission, your attorney will file a lawsuit on your behalf and the litigation stage will begin. The first 6 months will consist of the discovery period in which both parties in the lawsuit exchange information and take depositions. At the end of this stage, the judge in the case will often order the claim into mediation. If your Lawrenceville car accident claim cannot be resolved during mediation, then your case will go to trial.
The Trial and Appeal Stage
The final stage of a Lawrenceville car accident claim is the trial and appeal stage, which is often the most intimidating stage for injury victims. Rest assured that the car accident attorneys at Williams Elleby Howard & Easter will prepare you for trial and put your mind at ease. They will be fully prepared with your evidence, have witnesses subpoenaed, and all pre-trial motions filed.
Most Lawrenceville car accident cases are tried in State Court of Gwinnett County. Once the verdict in your case is rendered, either litigant has the right to appeal. Appeals can be made to the Court of Appeals of Georgia. If the plaintiff or defendant thinks the decision from the Court of Appeals of Georgia is incorrect, he/she can then appeal to the Supreme Court of Georgia.
CALL A LAWRENCEVILLE CAR ACCIDENT ATTORNEY TODAY
Jury trials are complicated, so you need to hire a Lawrenceville car accident attorney with the necessary experience. Call Williams Elleby Howard & Easter today at 833-LEGALGA or (833-534-2542) to schedule your free consultation. You can also utilize our 24/7 online chat located in the lower right hand corner of your screen.