Were you involved in an accident caused by another party or entity? If so, you may wonder if you can recover compensation for your damages and injuries.

To do this, you must file a personal injury lawsuit. While there’s no legal requirement to hire personal injury lawyers in Atlanta, it’s recommended. At the Law Offices of Matthew C. Hines, you receive legal services from a team with years of experience in this field. We will work on your behalf to help you recover the compensation you are entitled to.

Understanding what steps you must take to file a personal injury lawsuit will pay off in the long run. Knowing what to expect from this process is imperative when it comes to getting a fair settlement offer. Remember, if the insurance company is unwilling to provide you with the compensation you deserve, our legal team will take your case to court to help you secure a fair amount.

Understanding Georgia Requirements for Filing Personal Injury Lawsuits

While there are some exceptions, Georgia law states that you must file your personal injury lawsuit within two years of the accident. This likely seems like a lot of time at first. However, building a solid personal injury lawsuit takes a lot of time and preparation. To ensure you do the process properly, you should work with experienced personal injury lawyers in Atlanta who can help you navigate the complex legal system and ensure you don’t make mistakes that may cost you in the long run.

At the Law Offices of Matthew C. Hines, we are here to help you recover the monetary compensation you deserve for the damages and injuries you sustained. Keep reading to learn more about the process of filing a personal injury lawsuit to give yourself the best chance of a successful outcome.

Steps to Take After Sustaining an Injury During an Accident

Accidents happen every day. When they occur, victims (like you) may wonder what steps to take next. In every situation, the best step is to speak to personal injury lawyers in Atlanta. They can help ensure you start the process of recovering compensation on the right foot.

The steps to follow after being involved in an accident include the following:

Report the Incident

Make sure to report the incident immediately to the authorities. The authorities you should report the incident to vary based on what happened.

For traffic accidents, report the incident to the police. Doing this will have a report created that can be used to show what happened and who was at fault in your personal injury lawsuit.

However, if you are involved in an accident on someone else’s property, it’s necessary to report the incident to the person who was responsible for keeping the property safe. Also, if the accident happened while you were on the job, report it immediately to the human resources department or your supervisor in writing.

Exchange Relevant Information

While at the accident scene, you must gather important information about what happened.

This is true for all accidents. For example, you must get information from the other driver in a car accident. In a slip and fall incident, get information from witnesses and the manager or owner who creates a report about the incident.

Gather Evidence While You Are at the Accident Scene

If you can, document the accident scene while you are there. When you do this, the goal is to gather evidence related to the incident to help show who was at fault. It will also help to substantiate the severity of the injuries you sustained.

The first step is to take photos and videos of your injuries. You should also take pictures of equipment that may have captured the accident when it occurred. This includes traffic or surveillance cameras before someone removes or tampers with them.

If the situation involves a car accident, be sure to document the damage to the vehicles, weather conditions, road conditions, and anything else that may be relevant to your case.

When you are collecting evidence, it’s okay to be creative. An example would be taking a screenshot of your weather app close to the time when the accident occurred. This can be beneficial if the accident was caused by a speeding driver who should have been more careful based on the conditions.

Get Medical Care Immediately

After an accident with an injury, your top priority should be your health and well-being. Even if you don’t think your injuries are severe or that you were injured at all, it’s important to seek medical treatment immediately.

Some accident-caused injuries, such as concussions and whiplash, may not be apparent until later. Going to the doctor ensures these delayed injuries are found and treated right away.

If you don’t seek medical treatment after an accident immediately, it could cause problems for your personal injury lawsuit. The treatment you receive and billing statements from doctors will provide evidence of what happened and how severely you were injured. This is important when determining how much compensation you should receive. Remember, even seemingly minor injuries can receive compensation. Make sure you don’t leave anything out.

Failing to get medical treatment immediately may also give the at-fault party something to use against you and undermine your case. For example, if you don’t get medical treatment quickly, the insurance company for the at-fault party may argue that your injuries weren’t as severe as you claimed. They may also claim that they were not caused by the accident.

Create a Pain Journal

Take time to document the ongoing impact of the injuries you experienced in the accident in a personal pain journal. In some situations, you may be entitled to receive compensation for reduced quality of life, emotional distress, pain, suffering, and more. Having a daily journal will help your injury attorney show the full impact of your injuries when negotiating a fair settlement with the at-fault party’s insurance company.

Contact Your Insurance Company

If you are involved in a motor vehicle accident, the insurance policy you have in place may cover some of your losses. However, for this to happen, you must notify your insurer by a certain deadline. Sometimes, the deadline is as short as just a few days. If you don’t, you may be disqualified from receiving this compensation.

If you have already talked to personal injury lawyers in Atlanta, they will handle this communication for you.

Be Careful with All Insurers

After an accident, you may be contacted by an insurance adjuster who seems friendly and like they are looking out for you. However, you should remember that they work for a for-profit business. Because of this, their priority is ensuring they protect the company’s bottom line.

Usually, insurance adjusters will find any reason possible to reduce your compensation or deny your claim. Even your own insurer may do this.

Let personal injury lawyers in Atlanta handle any communication with insurers is always best. However, if you haven’t yet hired an attorney to help with your case and an insurance adjuster contacts you, make sure you don’t admit fault, provide a written or recorded statement, or accept a settlement offer.

Avoid Posting the Wrong Thing on Social Media

You may be tempted to post about the accident and your injuries on social media. However, lawyers and insurers representing the at-fault party may look online to find something they can use to undermine your case. Because of this, it is a good idea to avoid discussing your case on any social media platform until it is resolved.

Don’t Wait to Hire an Attorney for Help with Your Personal Injury Case

If you are involved in an accident that was caused by someone else’s negligence or fault, you may be able to recover compensation for your damages and injuries. At the Law Offices of Matthew C. Hines, our personal injury lawyers in Atlanta can help with the legal process.

We have years of experience handling personal injury cases and can evaluate your case, gather evidence, and negotiate with insurance adjusters to help you get the maximum compensation possible for your case and situation.

The first step is to contact our legal offices to schedule a free initial consultation. There is no commitment, and we never require payment upfront. With our legal services, you can feel confident that you have an experienced and professional legal team working on your behalf to help you secure the damages you deserve. With our help, you can focus on your recovery while we work to handle all aspects of the legal process.

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