Dunwoody, GA Car Accident Lawyer

Collisions between vehicles are rarely minor, resulting in detrimental damages for victims. When another driver’s negligence causes your injuries, you can hold them responsible by filing a lawsuit.

Right after an accident happens, get the negligent driver’s information. If they give you an issue, police officers can collect their details when they arrive. Victims should report all motor vehicle accidents to the police, especially if injured. Paramedics can give victims onsite medical care, and law enforcement can help victims take photos of crash sites in some cases. As you physically recover, our lawyers can explain which of your damages are compensable. Typically, a defendant is liable for any loss or expense due to their negligence, including medical bills and lost wages. Defendants may also be liable for victims’ non-economic damages, and our attorneys can use expert statements to help prove victims’ pain and suffering from car accident injuries.

To get a free case analysis from our car accident lawyers, call Rice, Murtha & Psoras now at (470) 287-3070.

How to Respond to a Car Accident in Dunwoody, GA

How you respond immediately after an accident could make laying the foundation of your case easier. For example, victims should get a negligent driver’s information and report accidents to the police, who can help victims collect information from particularly difficult drivers. Victims can also take pictures, with help from first responders, if necessary. Be sure to accept medical care from paramedics and let them take you from the crash site to the emergency room.

Get the Negligent Driver’s Information

After any collision, victims must exchange information with negligent drivers. This includes insurance, registration, and personal information, like names, phone numbers, and addresses. This is the furthest victims’ conversations with negligent drivers should go. Do not talk about the accident with the other driver, as you could risk misspeaking in a way that affects your future claim. For example, if victims apologize to negligent drivers immediately after accidents, defendants might argue for comparative fault to reduce liability. Our car accident lawyers can oversee all subsequent communications with the at-fault party to ensure you do not accept liability for any portion of the accident.

Call the Police

You should also call the police. Under O.C.G.A. § 40-6-273, accidents must immediately be reported to law enforcement if they involve injury, death, or $500 or more in property damage. Do not listen to a negligent driver who tries to convince you not to call 911. Not only is doing so mandatory in many situations but involving the police typically benefits victims in that officers will make an accident report. Our attorneys can obtain this report in the following days and promptly review it for new information or inaccuracies that must be fixed. For example, we might learn eyewitnesses’ identities after reading accident reports, which can let us easily contact them and arrange interviews.

Take Pictures

Seriously injured victims may be unable to take photos and can ask first responders to assist them. Photos of crash sites should capture vehicle damage, debris left on the road, and visible injuries to victims. Do not underestimate how valuable photos can be regarding your recovery, particularly if liability for the accident is unclear. Pictures of the scene can help accident reconstruction experts figure out which vehicle initiated the accident and which driver is liable for the victim’s damages.

Accept Medical Care

When you call 911 to report an accident, the operator will ask if anyone is injured and whether they should send paramedics. Do not deny medical care from paramedics when they arrive, as police officers might note that in their report, along with the apparent severity of your injuries. We can then help you obtain records from paramedics and subsequent medical reports from the emergency room.

Learning Which Damages You Can Recover After a Dunwoody, GA Car Accident

Victims can recover any damages they would not have incurred if not for a defendant’s negligence. This can include various damages, from medical bills to new childcare costs.

The most concerning damages victims face often come from medical expenses. Since car accidents can cause serious injuries, ranging from broken bones to traumatic brain injuries, the cost of treatment is often high. Your claim should cover all necessary medical expenses. This will include the cost of prescription medications, surgeries, diagnostic tests, mobility devices, physical therapy, and checkups with doctors.

Any damages from lost income are compensable, so tell our lawyers if you cannot return to work because of your injuries. We may get medical experts and your doctors to testify that you cannot resume your previous workplace responsibilities with your current physical limitations. Since you likely would have continued earning an income if the car accident had not happened, the defendant would be liable for your lost wages.

There is another type of damages called non-economic damages. Instead of being a financial consequence, non-economic damages are emotional consequences from accidents. These damages concern the pain and suffering victims experience due to serious injuries. Some victims may need to seek support from mental health professionals to work through their feelings of depression or anxiety after an accident. Your claim should cover the cost of these visits, and mental health experts can give statements confirming that you need treatment and have incurred intangible damages.

Other out-of-pocket expenses might come from car accidents, and victims can often get these additional losses covered. For example, suppose your family incurred new childcare costs because you can no longer care for your children in the same capacity after an accident. In that case, the negligent driver might be liable. Identifying all losses stemming from an accident is crucial so that victims are not responsible for covering them alone.

Call Our Car Accident Attorneys in Dunwoody, GA Today

Call (470) 287-3070 for a free case discussion with Rice, Murtha & Psoras’ car accident lawyers.