Warner Robins, GA Car Accident Lawyer

Car crashes are, sadly, a daily occurrence in the United States. Somebody, somewhere, is going to get hurt because a driver, car manufacturer or another party was negligent. Victims of car crashes have to deal with very serious injuries, lengthy recovery periods, and unexpected expenses like medical bills, vehicle repairs, and more.

You do not have to deal with the aftermath of a car accident alone. Our lawyers have handled countless car accident cases and represented many plaintiffs in civil legal actions. Let us handle the hard legal work so you can focus on recovering from your injuries and returning to living your life.

Get in touch with Rice, Murtha & Psoras’s car accident lawyers by calling our office at (470) 287-3070.

What Causes Car Crashes in Warner Robins, GA?

Car accidents can happen for many different reasons. Determining the exact reasons for your accident is something our car accident lawyers need to do early on in your claim because you need to file against the right parties if you want a shot at getting financial compensation in court.

Negligent Drivers

Many car accidents happen because a driver acts negligently behind the wheel. “Negligence” refers to when someone is careless and, as a result, hurts someone else. Drivers can be negligent either by violating traffic laws or acting unreasonably behind the wheel. The former would be something like speeding, which is expressly against the law. The latter would be up to the jury, so our lawyers will work hard to demonstrate that the defendant-driver acted unreasonably and caused your injuries.

Vehicle Defects

Even when motorists are doing everything right, accidents can happen because of vehicle defects. A car is considered “defective” when it will cause injury during ordinary use cases. For example, a car with brakes that do not work is defective because when the driver hits the brakes, the car will continue to move and potentially hit someone.

Vehicle defects can be broadly categorized as either design defects or manufacturing defects. Design defects are “baked into” the vehicle’s design, so even a “correctly” made car with a design defect will be dangerous. Manufacturing defects, by contrast, are the result of some kind of mistake made along the way.

Poor Road Conditions

Dangerous road conditions like potholes, broken guardrails, or strewn-about debris can easily lead to car crashes, even when drivers are taking steps to avoid these obstacles.

Who Should I Sue in My Car Accident Lawsuit in Warner Robins, GA?

What parties you elect to sue in your claim is closely related to the cause of your accident. This is because the law only allows you to get damages from parties that actually caused your injuries, so filing against parties that you do not suspect caused your accident does not make sense from a legal standpoint. Some of the parties you may want to sue in your claim include:

Drivers

When a driver is negligent, either by violating a traffic law or acting unreasonably on the road, you can and should sue them for the injuries they cause. Remember that they do not necessarily have to hit you directly. If the driver’s negligence contributed to your car crash, you can include them as a defendant.

Negligent Vehicle Designers and Manufacturers

If an accident was caused by a problem with the vehicle, you should sue the party responsible for that defect. For design defects, our lawyers can look into various parties that may be liable. For example, the name-brand of the vehicle may have designed some parts, but third-party design firms are sometimes also involved in car design and may be liable. For manufacturing defects, the most likely culprit is going to be a mechanic’s shop or similar entity.

Employers

Employers can be held responsible for the negligent acts of their employees so long as that employee is doing something related to their job. This can apply to car accidents in a couple of ways. For example, suppose that the driver who hit you was on their way to deliver a pizza. In that case, their employer would be liable because the driver was doing something related to their job. Alternatively, suppose that a plumber is driving a company vehicle out to fix something, and they hit you en route to their destination. The plumber’s employer would also be liable for similar reasons. However, suppose an office worker leaves their building for the day and hits you on the way home. In that case,

Government Entities

In some circumstances, you may be able to sue a government entity in your claim. For example, if the local government is responsible for maintaining a certain road and you get in a crash because that road is in bad condition, you can sue that government entity. However, you should also know that there are certain rules our lawyers may need to follow for suing government entities, so you should bring up the prospect of doing so early on in talks with our attorneys.

How Long Do I Have to File My Car Accident Lawsuit in Warner Robins, GA?

You need to have a sense of urgency when filing your car accident lawsuit. Pursuant to O.G.C.A. § 9-3-33, plaintiffs have two years from when they get hurt to file most personal injury lawsuits. Once that time is up, plaintiffs cannot go to court or collect damages.

Two years may seem like a long time, but when you consider the time it takes for our lawyers to gather enough information to file a case and the time you must dedicate to recovering from your injuries, this is really no time at all. Therefore, you should make an effort to get your case filed as soon as possible.

Contact Our Warner Robins, GA Car Accident Lawyers

Call (410) 694-7291 and chat with Rice, Murtha & Psoras’s car accident lawyers today.