Rafi Law Firm

After a car accident, you should call the police. If you are injured, request an ambulance to take you for immediate medical treatment. If you do not think you need immediate medical treatment, then make sure a police officer comes to the scene. The police officer will investigate, which usually includes looking at the property damage to the vehicles, speaking with witnesses, and making a police report. The police officer will typically give you a business card with the police report number on it--make sure you save this. Depending on the police department, it usually takes 7-10 days for the report to be available. You can contact the police department's records department to obtain the police report. One benefit of hiring a personal injury lawyer is that your case becomes the lawyer's full-time job. Personal injury lawyers will get the police report for you so you don't have to, and can often get it faster since we have resources that are not publicly available.

After an accident, you should call police/911. If you are injured, ask for an ambulance to take you for medical treatment right away. If you do not think you need immediate medical treatment, then make sure you speak to the police officer who is investigating your crash. Tell the police officer what happened, so he can include your statements in his report. A lot of people who think they are not injured after a car accident later realize they are, in fact, hurt. For example, later that night or the next morning you may feel pain. If that happens, get medical attention as soon as possible. You should NOT talk to any insurance companies that call you. Insurance companies are not calling to help you; they are trying to pay as little as possible for you to settle your case. You should call a personal injury lawyer as soon as you can. A lawyer can help you get medical treatment, investigate your case, negotiate with the insurance companies, file your lawsuit, and help you win your case.

A personal injury can help you in many ways after a car accident. First, a lawyer can help you find quality medical treatment quickly through your health insurance plan or from other doctors. Second, a lawyer can investigate your car accident for you. A lawyer can speak to police, gather important evidence, and find witnesses. A lawyer can make sure that you will be able to prove the other driver was the one who caused the crash. Third, a lawyer can help you negotiate your case with the insurance company, so that you recover as much as you can as quickly as you can. And, of course, if the insurance company will not offer you a fair settlement, then a lawyer can file a lawsuit on your behalf and litigate your case so you can get a fair settlement or have a trial. These are just some of the ways a personal injury lawyer can help you after your car accident.

There are a few different people who can be sued after a car accident. First, you can sue the driver of the vehicle that hit you, because that driver's negligence caused the crash and your injuries. If the driver was working at the time of the crash, you can sue the driver's company. This is important, because the company will likely have more insurance coverage than the driver himself. In trucking cases in Georgia, you can sue the truck company's insurance carrier. This is helpful, because then the jury will know the truck company has insurance. While you cannot name your own insurance company as a defendant, you may need to include them in the lawsuit, so you can recover money from your uninsured motorist (UM) coverage. UM coverage is insurance you should buy to protect yourself in case another driver hits you, but does not have enough insurance to pay for your medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages, and other damages.

The statute of limitations is the deadline by which you must file a lawsuit. If you do not file your lawsuit by the deadline, then you forfeit the right to bring a lawsuit and recover for your injuries. In Georgia, you usually have 2 years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit. The deadline can be shorter or longer in some situations. For example, if the Atlanta Police Department issued a citation to the other driver after an accident, then you have more than 2 years to file, because the 2 years does not begin to count down until after the citation is resolved. It is not always easy to tell when the statute of limitations ends, and that is one reason to contact a personal injury lawyer if you have been hurt in an accident. Plus, the more time a lawyer has to work on your case before the statute of limitations, the more options the lawyer can use to try to get you a larger recovery and in a shorter amount of time, hopefully without having to file a lawsuit.

Not always. Sometimes claims can be resolved with a few phone calls or letters. Many times, however, you will not obtain full compensation until you file a lawsuit. Your chances of a fair settlement increase when a defendant knows that your lawyer is willing and able to take your case to trial.

That depends. If you have been injured by the negligent actions of a third party you generally are entitled to be compensated for past lost earnings, future lost earnings and earning capacity, past and future medical expenses and pain and suffering. When you have been injured by the intentional actions of a third party you might be entitled to punitive damages. A big part of your lawyer’s job is to thoroughly assess and prove your damages.

Yes! Drop by our Atlanta office, give us a call at (404) 800-9933, or fill out our contact form on our website for a free consultation.