Auto accidents can cause serious, even catastrophic injuries. The Atlanta injury lawyers at Link & Smith, P.C. have represented people injured in car wrecks since 1991.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration there are approximately people killed in car a43,000ccidents each year in the United States. Roughly 40 percent of the fatal crashes are alcohol-related. In addition to fatal accidents, about 2.9 million people injured each year. In 2005 there were almost 6,420,000 auto accidents in the United States.
The financial cost of these crashes is more than $230 billion. About 115 people die every day in vehicle crashes in the United States.
It is generally agreed that the six most common causes of car accidents are 1) distracted drivers, 2) driver fatigue, 3) drunk driving, 4) speeding, 5) aggressive driving and 6) weather. One increasingly serious cause of driver distraction is cell phone use, as more than 85 percent of the estimated 100 million cell-phone users regularly talk on their phone while driving, according to a Prevention magazine survey. In 2004, an estimated 16,654 people were killed in alcohol-related crashes, according to NHTSA. Drunk drivers were responsible for 30 percent of all fatal crashes during the week in 2003, and note that this percentage rose significantly over the weekends to 53 percent of fatal crashes which were alcohol-related. Texting while driving is considered as dangerous, or more dangerous than drunk driving.
Your accident doesn’t necessarily have to be caused by another driver to be considered a personal injury case. Some single-car accidents are due to negligence, and therefore Atlanta injury lawyers could represent your case. Such cases could include road conditions (standing water where road design should have prevented it; a large dip in the shoulder of the road) in which case the government may be liable for your claim. Other cases may involve automobile mechanical failures and the manufacturer may be held responsible.
If you have been injured in a car accident, it’s important to contact an injury lawyer as soon as possible. According to the Georgia statute of limitations for personal injury, a victim has two years to file suit after an accident with few exceptions. If the other driver was issued a ticket, the deadline is extended by the number of days between when the ticket was issued and paid. However, once the two years are up, it is almost impossible to receive compensation.
Filing a claim against a public entity (the government) consists of very specific steps. In these types of cases, it’s especially important to contact a personal injury lawyer immediately because government claims require notice to be given six months to a year after the accident depending on the municipality. Therefore, the sooner you get a knowledgeable lawyer on your case, the better your chances of receiving compensation. We have the experience and the know-how to navigate the law for your case.
Perhaps the most important advice is to contact your Atlanta injury lawyer before speaking to an involved party’s insurance representative. Many people do not understand that the insurance adjuster’s first loyalty is to the insurance company. Simply put, the job of the insurance adjuster is to pay as little as possible to settle any car accident claim. Our car accident lawyers understand the claims process, an understanding they learned by working for insurance companies for nearly a decade. Our lawyers would like to put this knowledge to work for your benefit.
In any car wreck there are several types of insurance that may apply to pay for property damage, medical bills, lost wages and the change in lifestyle often caused by a wreck. Automobile liability coverage, uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, resident relative liability coverage and umbrella coverage are all possible sources of recovery. In some cases the employer of the person who caused the wreck will also contribute to a settlement.
We understand that the injuries and damages resulting from car accidents can include soft tissue injuries, broken bones, traumatic brain injury, wrongful death, pain and suffering, medical bills, and lost wages. Spouses of those injured in car wrecks also have a claim for damages called loss of consortium.
The attorneys at Link & Smith, P.C. have the experience and knowledge you need. We take care of the complicated legal issues and negotiate through the insurance company minefields. We protect our clients and advocate for them with the ultimate goal of providing superior service and counsel.
What to do after you have been injured in a car wreck.
For a free consultation, contact us toll free at 404-315-8840.
At Link & Smith, P.C. our goal is to provide exceptional legal services. We strive to achieve the highest standard of legal ability and ethics for the protection of our clients through team work, extensive resources, and 40+ years experience. We believe that serious injuries deserve superior results. For a FREE no-obligation consultation regarding your legal concerns, contact us today or call us toll-free at 404-315-8840.
