Macon, GA Car Accident Lawyer

When one driver’s negligence harms another in Macon, the victim may file a car accident lawsuit against the at-fault party.

Right after the accident, talk to the other driver. Ask for their name and insurance information, but do not discuss the accident’s details. Then, talk to police officers when they arrive. Tell officers what happened and if you are injured. If there are eyewitnesses, talk to them too. After you have had the necessary conversations at the scene, go to the closest hospital, where medical professionals can diagnose and treat you. Our lawyers can prepare your case soon after the incident so you file well within the statute of limitations, which is two years in Georgia.

To get a free analysis of your case from our Macon, GA car accident lawyers, call (410) 694-7291 and speak with Rice, Murtha & Psoras today.

Who to Talk to After Your Car Accident in Macon, GA

Immediately after auto accidents in Macon, victims should speak to several people at the scene. Do not leave the site before having the necessary conversations, as that could hurt your case in the future.

The Other Driver

As you wait for law enforcement to arrive, you can talk to the other driver. Keep these conversations minimal so that you do not mistakenly say anything the other driver could take out of context and use against you in your future case. Ask for the basic information, like their name and insurance details. Do not discuss the accident itself or go over what happened with them. If you cannot talk to the other driver because you are seriously injured, police officers can help you get this information when they arrive.

The Police

Law enforcement must be informed of certain accidents in Macon, such as those that cause injury or death. Even if you appear uninjured, call the police, especially if your vehicle is damaged.

Law enforcement officers will process the accident scene and record pertinent information in a crash report. Be thorough when speaking with the police and tell them everything you remember about the accident. Tell them if you are hurt and, if so, how badly. Some car accident injuries are so serious that victims cannot talk to police officers at the scene. In that case, emergency medical professionals can take you to the closest hospital, and police officers can contact you if they need additional information to finish the report. We can then get the accident report from the police and review it for information that could help as we prepare your case.

Eyewitnesses

Try to talk to eyewitnesses as well. Their statements may help prove the defendant’s liability. While you will not interview eyewitnesses or record their statements at the scene, you can ask for their contact details and confirm if they saw what happened. Then, in the following days, our car accident lawyers can contact eyewitnesses and interview them.

In addition to asking people if they witnessed the accident, you can also ask whether they took any pictures or videos of the crash, as those images could help your case.

Where to Go After Your Car Accident in Macon, GA

You should not go directly home after a car accident, even if you feel relatively okay physically. Instead, you should go to the nearest hospital in Macon, where medical professionals can assess you for injury.

Not all car accident injuries are immediately apparent. For example, whiplash, which is exceedingly common in rear-end accidents, is a soft tissue injury in the neck. Whiplash is often confused for general stiffness or discomfort following an accident but could indicate a more serious injury.

Of course, some injuries are obvious right away, like broken bones. Regardless of how hurt you feel, get medical treatment. Doctors can fully assess you, identify all injuries from the crash, and begin documenting those injuries in your medical record.

Go to the emergency room for treatment rather than your general practitioner’s office. A general practitioner’s office might not have the equipment necessary to treat catastrophic injuries, but a hospital will.

In the days, weeks, and months that follow, you should continue to get medical care as necessary. For example, if you sustained a back injury and need extensive physical therapy, continue your treatment. Stopping or pausing your care unnecessarily could hurt your chances of making a full financial recovery in Macon.

When to File Your Car Accident Lawsuit in Macon, GA

Auto accident claims are held to a statute of limitations, meaning victims must file lawsuits within a set timeframe to get compensation for their various damages.

The statute of limitations for car crash lawsuits is two years, according to O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33. You must bring your case before the deadline, or the court may dismiss it. In fact, you should file your claim even sooner than the final deadline. Waiting until the last moment to sue could invite questions about the cause of your injuries, the defendant’s involvement in the accident, and whether or not you need compensation.

Furthermore, delaying filing could cause some issues with evidence. When victims do not initiate their claims immediately in Macon, evidence, like surveillance footage, might get lost.

Moreover, the longer you wait to file, the longer you will be without compensation. Victims might continue incurring damages throughout their claims as well. In anticipation of this, our lawyers can consult experts to calculate your likely future damages due to injury so you can also recover compensation for losses not yet incurred.

So, while you will have up to two years from the accident’s date to sue, you should not wait that long if you do not have to. Our lawyers can promptly investigate your case to preserve evidence so you can file as soon as possible following the crash.

Call Our Auto Accident Attorneys in Macon, GA Today

Call Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (410) 694-7291 for a free case assessment from our car accident lawyers.