Car accidents can be painful experiences that often leave a person with heavy medical bills, vehicle repairs, and other costs. If you are involved in any type of accident in which you were not at fault, you can pursue a personal injury claim to recover the damages.
Georgia is an at-fault state the person liable for the accident is responsible for all the damages. If the victim faces any expenses caused by the accident, it is their legal right to recover these damages.
The most common damages that a victim can recover in a car accident claim in Georgia include:
- Medical Costs
This includes present and future medical expenses resulting from the accident such as hospital bills, prescription medications, surgery, examination, etc. Serious injuries require years of treatment. The car accident lawyer in Atlanta may consult medical and financial experts to estimate the medical costs arising from the injuries.
Certain injuries can lead to temporary or permanent disability and may require a lifetime of medical care.
- Loss of Wages
If you are the victim of an accident caused by the negligence of another person, you are entitled to receive compensation for lost income or lost profits.
This amount depends on your employee type. You will be entitled to reimbursement for lost income because of the time you have been absent from work due to your injuries.
The right to reimbursement for lost wages includes past, present, and future instances.
- Other Expenses
The victims of accidents are also entitled to receive expenses other than medical costs and lost income. This includes the cost of transportation for medical appointments, house help, childcare, etc. To claim these expenses, you need to store all documents and receipts securely.
- Damages for Pain and Suffering
As a victim of an accident due to another driver’s negligence, you are also entitled to receive damages for pain and suffering. These are called non-economic damages because you won’t have a receipt to produce.
Standard formulas are followed to determine a monetary amount for the pain and suffering damages.
- Vehicle Repair Costs
If your vehicle was damaged in the accident, you can also claim vehicle repair costs.
- Punitive Damages
They don’t apply to every personal injury case or accident. Punitive damages are applied when the other party has shown willful misconduct, fraud, or willingly tried to harm another person. The at-fault driver pays these damages to the victim as a punishment for their reckless act.
Conclusion:
The settlement amount depends on the severity of the damage as well as the circumstances of the accident. Speaking to a car accident lawyer in Georgia will help you get an idea of the settlement you can expect. In Georgia, most accidents are handled by insurance companies and there is no reason to sue.
You need to make an insurance claim against the insurance company of the driver. If you fail to reach a settlement with the other driver’s insurer, you can seek the help of a personal injury lawyer to negotiate a fair settlement or move the case on to trial to seek damages.
At Hines Law Firm, we specialize in providing the best legal presentation for clients in a variety of situations. Our team of personal injury, workers’ compensation, and criminal attorneys in Atlanta helps secure the best possible outcome for clients.
