Atlanta Car Accident Lawyers
Working with an Atlanta car accident lawyer to recover your damages helps you focus on recovering from your injuries, while your attorney focuses on getting you the full amount that you’re eligible to receive. An experienced Atlanta car accident lawyer from Butler Prather LLP is standing by to provide a risk-free, cost-free assessment of your accident claim.
Being in a car accident can immediately shift your personal and professional life and may entitle you to compensation for the costs and damages associated with your accident and injuries. At Butler Prather LLP, we’ve been helping accident victims for over 35 years. Our experienced litigators will file a claim or a lawsuit to help you get the money you need to cover your medical bills and other expenses, such as lost wages. If the other side refuses to make a reasonable offer, Butler Prather LLP is always prepared to take them to court.
Butler Prather LLP has won settlements and verdicts for clients in over 30 states. We’ve won nine verdicts that exceed $100 million and over 60 verdicts and settlements of over $10 million.
Call us at (800) 242-2962 to learn more today.
Why Choose Our Atlanta, Georgia Car Accident Lawyers?
Butler Prather LLP has been working to protect the best interests of people injured in car accidents for over 30 years. We understand that a car crash can put the brakes on your personal and professional life and, in some tragic circumstances, could lead to the loss of a loved one. Our dedicated Atlanta car accident lawyers understand what you are going through and are here to provide the legal support you need for your claim to be handled as effectively and efficiently as possible.
A car accident caused by someone or something else can entitle you to compensation for your emotional and property damages, and the loss of a loved one can entitle you to damages through a legal action known as a wrongful death claim. Your Atlanta car accident attorney steps into your shoes and handles the day-to-day communications and negotiations with the liable parties and their insurance companies, removing the stress from your life.
Choosing a law firm after you have been injured in an auto accident can seem like a daunting process, as there are many firms claiming to have the ability to handle your case. With Butler Prather LLP, you won’t just have an attorney on your side to handle your case; you’ll have the support of a firm that is dedicated to helping you and your family recover the full compensation you are entitled to for your injuries.
Our Successful History with Car Accident Clients
Since 1988, Butler Prather LLP has been getting justice for people injured in car accidents and their loved ones. We’ll handle your case every step of the way, from claim through compensation. This includes collecting evidence to accurately calculate your damages, drafting and filing your injury claim, and, if necessary, filing a lawsuit to recover what you are entitled to.
We recovered $280 million in damages for a client who lost her spouse due to a senseless accident. In another case, Moseley v. General Motors Corp. and Ruprecht, we recovered over $105.2 million for our client. To collect the full amount of damages you are entitled to, our attorneys will gather evidence and submit an accident claim to the insurance company of the party responsible for the accident.
Working with an experienced attorney who knows the rules of evidence in your local courts helps to ensure that your claim includes all the information necessary to make the most of your case.
How Much Is My Atlanta Car Accident Case Worth?
The amount that your car accident case is worth depends upon the unique facts and circumstances of your accident, as well as the short-term and long-term costs associated with your injuries. Local law and the outcomes of similar cases provide guidance on how much your claim will be worth, which your experienced accident attorney will know from having worked on many similar cases in the past.
The short-term costs associated with your accident include medical bills and the cost to repair your vehicle, in addition to any lost wages and work benefits while you are recovering.
Long-term costs linked to your Atlanta, Georgia, car accident can include ongoing medical care like treatment, medications, and rehabilitation. If your injuries and their symptoms impact your ability to earn, you are also entitled to compensation equal to the change in your income from the time of your personal injury through your working life.
Calculating the amount your car accident is worth requires follow-up opinions from medical and occupational experts. If you have a long-term injury like traumatic brain injury (TBI), medical experts can determine the long-term implications of your injury and the cost of future treatments. The occupational expert analyzes information from the medical expert to determine how your injuries will impact your ability to earn and support yourself and your family in the future.
Butler Prather LLP will schedule appointments for you with our network of professionals, and then we will calculate the damages caused by the accident.
What Causes Car Accidents in Atlanta, Georgia?
A major cause of car accidents is unsafe drivers who refuse to follow the rules and fail to take precautions to prevent accidents. Drivers must be in the right state of mind when they get behind the wheel of a car, and there is no excuse for making unsafe maneuvers that risk the health and safety of other drivers.
When it comes to car accidents on the roads today, one of the most common causes is distracted driving. A driver is engaging in distracted driving when they are doing anything while driving that takes their attention off of driving. Common examples of distracted driving include texting or talking while driving, using the in-dash display, talking with a passenger, or eating while driving. Drivers have a responsibility to keep their attention on the road so they can drive safely.
Distracted driving causes manual, mental, and visual impairment while driving. For example, if a person is texting while driving, their hands are on their phone, not on the wheel, causing a manual impairment, looking at texts instead of the road visually impairs a driver, and paying attention to texts instead of the road mentally impairs a driver. Drivers who cause accidents while engaging in distracted driving will be liable for the damages they cause.
Another common cause of car accidents is drunk or impaired driving. When a driver is intoxicated by drugs or alcohol and makes the decision to get behind the wheel, they are breaking the law. All Atlanta drunk driving accidents are preventable, and all drunk drivers will be liable for the injuries and accidents they cause.
Unsafe driver behavior that causes accidents includes:
- Driving under the influence (DUI)
- Speeding
- Distracted driving
- Fatigued driving
- Street racing
- Careless lane changes
- Running stop signs
- Ignoring traffic signals
Injuries Caused by Unsafe Drivers
Motor vehicle crashes cause catastrophic injuries. Victims may require several months of costly medical treatment. But even when you receive the best possible medical care, there is no guarantee that you will ever be able to resume your regular day-to-day activities.
Victims of automobile accidents suffer chronic pain and debilitating injuries that dramatically impact their quality of life. When you are injured in a car accident, you are entitled to compensation for your injuries and all the related costs that result from your injuries.
Severe injuries caused by car accidents include:
- Crush injuries
- Nerve damage
- Whiplash
- Severe burns
- Broken hips
- Amputation
- Neck and back injuries
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Fractured bones
- PTSD
How Is Liability Determined After a Car Accident in Georgia?
When it comes to automobile accidents, Georgia is a strict liability state. If your injuries were caused by somebody’s negligent behavior, they can be held liable for damages. An Atlanta car accident lawyer will investigate the accident and prove damages.
Negligence is comprised of four parts: duty, breach, causation, and damages. Each of these four elements must be proven with evidence for you to collect damages:
- Duty. The other party has a duty to take reasonable precautions to avoid harming people.
- Breach. The duty to drive safely was violated by the other party’s actions.
- Causation. The other party’s negligent actions caused your injuries.
- Damages. These injuries resulted in physical injuries or monetary loss.
Damages Available After an Automobile Collison in Georgia
Car accidents can range in severity depending upon a variety of factors, including the speed at which the negligent driver was traveling, the size of vehicles involved, and the location of impact. For example, if you’re suffering from the effects of TBI due to an Atlanta car accident, you may be dealing with long-term medical bills and a permanent impact on your ability to work.
TBI happens when your head experiences a bump, blow, or penetrating wound, and one of the most common causes of traumatic brain injuries is motor vehicle collisions. After the accident, you may require treatment for a cut to your head from a bump on the steering wheel, but in the long term, a traumatic brain injury (TBI) changes your brain chemistry. This can alter your personality, reduce your ability to concentrate, and impact your personal and professional life forever.
The short-term costs of a TBI may include the emergency room visit to treat the bump or blow injury, as well as the lost wages while you are out of work in the short term. If your injury alters your brain chemistry, you can no longer focus, and your level of irritability has increased and changed your personal relationships, you are entitled to long-term damages. You may require ongoing medication to treat the pain, as well as mental health counseling. Your ability to work could be impacted, and any change in your earnings should also be included in your damages.
After our investigation is complete, Butler Prather LLP will file a claim or a lawsuit against anyone who committed a negligent act that contributed to your injuries. An automobile accident claim may include the following types of damages:
- Current and future medical bills
- Medications
- Reduced earning capacity
- Disfigurement
- Pain and suffering
- Rehabilitation
- Lost wages
- In-home nursing care
- Wheelchair ramps for your home
- Occupational therapy
- Wrongful death
Should I Talk to the Other Party’s Insurance Company?
The insurance company has full-time teams of claim analysts and attorneys working to deny whatever claims they can while paying as little as possible on those they cannot deny. Working with an experienced Atlanta car accident lawyer helps to even the playing field. Achieving the best possible outcome on your case without the assistance of an attorney can be difficult. Learning how the law and local case precedent apply to the unique facts and circumstances of your accident can be difficult while you are trying to recover from your injuries.
To protect yourself, we at Butler Prather LLP recommend the following when dealing with insurance company agents:
- Never make a recorded statement about the accident.
- Never sign an agreement without consulting your attorney first.
- Allow your car accident attorney to do all the negotiating.
How Your Atlanta Car Accident Attorney Can Help
There are filing deadlines, statutes of limitations, and other factors that make it important to begin the legal process right away, so you’ll want to meet with a car accident as soon as you can. It’s important for your attorney to examine the physical evidence and speak with witnesses while their memories of the accident are still fresh.
Under Georgia Law, the statute of limitations, or expiration date, for your claim after an accident is two years. In some situations, it’s two years after the discovery of your injury, like in brain injury cases, where it can take some time for symptoms to emerge.
The experienced Atlanta personal injury attorneys at Butler Prather LLP will spring into action to collect the necessary information for building a strong case, including:
- Accident scene photos. Pictures of skid marks and vehicle damage will help determine how fast a vehicle was traveling when the collision occurred. It will also provide evidence of road design flaws and poor maintenance that contributed to the accident, such as missing traffic signs and overgrown foliage.
- Dashcam and surveillance video. Your attorney will collect any available footage of the accident.
- Police reports include vital information about how, when, and where the accident occurred. The officer on the scene will observe road and weather conditions and make an assessment about what caused the accident and who is responsible.
- Event data recorders (EDR). Often referred to as the truck’s “black box,” this device contains crucial information about the truck’s maintenance history and actions taken by the driver leading up to the collision. Your attorney will take steps to secure EDR evidence and prevent the trucking company from destroying it.
- Accident reconstruction. Your attorney will use tools like large-scale models, blown-up photographs of the accident scene, and digital simulations to break down the events that caused the accident and explain it to a jury.
- Witness interviews. Your attorney will collect witness statements and use this information to strengthen your claim.
- Expert testimony. Butler Prather LLP calls upon a team of experts that includes traffic engineers, physicians, accountants, actuaries, economists, mechanics, police officers, and others to build a strong case.
Who Is Liable for Car Accident Injuries?
When a collision occurs, the person who crashed into you probably bears some measure of responsibility for the accident, but other parties may be responsible, too. For example, a trucking and delivery company could also be held liable for committing negligent hiring by failing to check an employee’s safety record and qualifications before handing over the keys to a truck or a large van.
Parties that may share liability for your injuries include:
- Negligent drivers
- Manufacturers of defective vehicles
- Contractors responsible for maintaining safe roadways
- Bars and restaurants that serve alcohol to drivers under 21
- Businesses that fail to inspect and repair faulty vehicles
- Subcontractors that service and load big rig trucks
Road Hazards That Cause Vehicle Crashes
In addition to unsafe drivers, businesses, public officials, private contractors, and others may perform acts of negligence that make them liable for your injuries. For example, unavoidable road hazards frequently contribute to collisions that cause severe injuries. This may include:
- Road defects. Poor road maintenance causes potholes, uneven grades, shoulder drop-offs, damaged or missing guardrails, and road signs and intersection views that are obscured by foliage.
- Construction zones. Poorly marked lanes, falling objects, equipment left in the roadway, failure to mark off unsafe areas with cones or barriers, insufficient lighting, inadequate warning signs, inadequate instructions, and communication errors made by the flaggers who direct traffic can all create hazards.
- Animals. Wild and domestic animals in the roadway are a major cause of traffic accidents in Georgia. If a driver causes an accident by swerving to miss an animal, they may be held liable for injuries caused in a crash. Although, the driver could also be held liable for injuries their passengers suffer after the vehicle crashes into the animal.
- Debris. Construction equipment, tire treads, large objects that fall off trucks, tree limbs, toxic chemicals, broken road signs, and other objects in the road can cause vehicle crashes and injuries.
- Weather. Under Georgia law, no one should drive at a speed that is greater than reasonable or prudent. It’s important to slow down in rainy, snowy, foggy, or icy weather.
What Should I Do After a Car Accident in Atlanta?
The first step to take following a car accident is to contact emergency medical services to ensure the health and safety of everyone involved. After that, reaching out to the police to assist in exchanging insurance information and creating a police report is advised. If possible, take pictures, document any evidence you can, and assess the property damage in front of you. Then, it is time to reach out to an Atlanta personal injury lawyer and file a car accident claim.
How Safe Drivers Can Help Prevent Accidents
Here are some steps you can take to improve traffic safety for yourself, your passengers, and everyone you encounter while driving:
- Buckle up before you start your trip.
- Be polite. Don’t engage with other drivers, even if someone cuts you off or does something rude.
- Don’t drive when upset. Never start driving when you’re angry or distracted by something in your personal life. And pull over to the side of the road and compose yourself if necessary.
- Don’t hurry. Even if you’re late for an important event, nothing is worth risking your safety or possibly harming someone else. Speeding and running through lights and stop signs just doesn’t make sense.
- Obey traffic laws. When you do something unpredictable, it catches other drivers off-guard and can easily result in an accident.
- Be careful when passing. Be extra cautious around trucks, and always signal in advance to give other drivers time to react.
You Won’t Owe Us Anything Unless We Win Your Case
To have an attorney by your side from the start, reach out to one of the experienced Atlanta car accident lawyers from Butler Prather LLP. If we take your case, you pay nothing up-front and nothing out-of-pocket, ever. When we take car accident cases, we take them on contingency, which means that we only get paid if we win on your case. Our payment will be an agreed-upon portion of the earnings we generate for you, so you will never lose any money.
For a risk-free, cost-free assessment of your car accident, schedule a consultation with an Atlanta car accident attorney at Butler Prather LLP. We’ll discuss the unique facts and circumstances of your case, and if your case fits with our firm, we will do everything necessary to recover the resources you and your family are entitled to.
Recovering the full amount of compensation you deserve requires informed legal advocacy, and the experienced Atlanta, Georgia, car accident lawyers at Butler Prather LLP are here to represent your best interests.
We’ve Won Over $1 Billion for Our Clients
Our partners at Butler Prather LLP have been recognized by the independent law firm rating agency Super Lawyers for providing our clients with outstanding service. We appreciate how important your case is, and we will always have time to speak with you about it.
Call (800) 242-2962 to schedule a complimentary consultation today.
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Additional Information
- What Role Does a Driver’s Age Play in Car Accident Risk?
- Why So Many Crashes Occur Near Road Construction Zones
- Taking Effective Photos After a Motor Vehicle Accident
- Whiplash and its Connection to Brain Injury