Best Atlanta Car Accident Lawyer

Best Auto Accident Attorney Near Me

If you or a family member have been injured in a car accident, it is natural to want to work with the best Atlanta car accident lawyer you can find. The right attorney can help maximize your recovery in the shortest possible timeframe, and you will be prepared to address any unexpected complications you encounter with your recovery efforts. The attorneys at Merritt & Merritt are ready to provide the comprehensive and compassionate legal counsel you need in this situation.

Best Atlanta Car Accident Attorney

We can’t say we are the absolute best but we have been handling accident cases for over 40 years and assisted thousands of clients. Our goal is to ensure each client is treated respectfully and satisfied with our services. If you have been in a car accident in Atlanta, Savannah, Statesboro, Decatur or ANYWHERE in Georgia call us today at 1-800-738-WE-WIN.

All drivers know what it feels like to fear a car accident. Drunk drivers, distracted drivers, and near misses have left us all fearful of the possibility that we might someday find ourselves in a serious accident.

Unfortunately, far too many people in Georgia have already experienced an auto accident. In fact, accidents happen here every single day. According to highway statistics, more than 1,720 drivers are involved in Georgia auto accidents every day. That equates to 70 drivers an hour!

Victims are often injured and not able to provide for their families. Car crashes usually happen in a split second, so the surprise alone can be horrific.

Careless Drivers are the #1 cause of car accidents in Georgia. “Negligence/Careless” refers to another driver’s failure to act reasonably, failure to take proper care, drive safely, or simply follow the rules of the road.

Every driver is obligated to exercise care when traveling the roadways. That includes other car drivers, truck drivers, passengers, pedestrians, motorcyclists, and anyone else in the vicinity. Georgia is an “at fault” state meaning if you breach your duty of care you can be held legally accountable for the damages caused — even if by accident.

From time to time, car wrecks happen because someone other than the driver was negligent. For example, passengers often times cause car accidents. Other times it can be a local government, business or a distracted driver.

You deserve to be fully compensated for the losses you’ve sustained. While the law can never undo the accident, it can at least provide you and your family with the financial resources you need to move on with your life.

At the Merritt & Merritt Law Firm we understand how difficult the aftermath of a car accident can be. With our experienced Georgia auto accident attorneys on your side there is nothing to fear. You can expect responsive communication from our team, ongoing support through every stage of your recovery efforts, and protection against any bad faith you encounter from insurance carriers. We can help build a compelling civil suit if necessary to ensure full recovery.

Call us toll-free at 1-800-738-WE-WIN to schedule a free case consultation or fill out the free case review form. During your consultation with our team, you can ask whatever questions you feel necessary to gauge our suitability as your legal counsel. We can provide an initial impression of your case and let you know how we can help recover your damages as efficiently as possible.

How to Proceed After a Car Crash in Georgia

Car accidents occur every day. A serious car accident can result in permanent injuries or even wrongful death. If you have been involved in a car accident in Georgia, there are several things that you should do:

• Call 911 – Make sure that you and any other people involved in the car accident are safe. When the police arrive do your best to describe how the accident happen.
• Move Vehicles From Roadway – If the vehicles involved in the car accident are blocking traffic and can be moved safely the vehicle should be moved to the side of the roadway.
• Collect Witness Information – If there are any witnesses to the accident collect their name, phone number, and address.
• Do Not Make Any Admissions – Never admit fault for causing the accident.
• Contact a Car Accident Lawyer Near You – Our attorneys at the Merritt & Merritt Law Firm are ready to assist you.

Unfortunately, many people wait too long after an auto accident to find out if they have a case or they attempt to handle the claim on their own. This can cost you thousands of dollars in the end. Contact our attorneys who know the law and will gladly assist you throughout the process.

Waiting for the insurance company to contact you could be the biggest mistake made after an auto accident. You need to notify an insurance carrier of your intent to file a claim as quickly as possible after your accident. However, you should refrain from discussing a settlement with an insurance claim adjuster until you have trustworthy legal counsel on your side.

Gathering Evidence to Build Your Case

Perhaps the most vital function your Atlanta car accident lawyer can perform is gathering evidence for you. Attempting to do this on your own while recovering from painful injuries would be exceedingly difficult. Even if you think you know exactly how the accident happened, gathering the evidence you will need to firmly establish liability is likely to be far more challenging than you may expect.

Your attorney can secure traffic camera footage from the area around where your accident occurred. This can help prove the exact circumstances surrounding the accident and prove how the other driver caused the crash. Witness statements are also crucial, and your attorney can help secure statements from anyone who saw your accident happen. Your attorney can also seek cell phone records and other evidence to build your case.

Once you have the proof of fault you need, your attorney can help file a claim against the at-fault driver’s auto insurance policy to recover your losses. Dealing with any insurance company can be very difficult as these organizations typically do everything they can to avoid liability at all costs. They may even engage in bad faith tactics, hoping to take advantage of an injured claimant’s desperation in the face of mounting financial losses.

If an insurance company in Atlanta sees that you have legal counsel, they are far less likely to attempt any such mishandling of your claim. Our firm can provide a higher level of legal representation than many other attorneys in the area due to the fact that our extensive experience means we know exactly how major insurance carriers try to deflect liability and the tactics they often employ against unwary injured claimants.

Auto Insurance Companies

Car accident victims are sometimes tempted to take the first offer from the adjuster. This is a huge mistake. The adjuster handles accident cases everyday all day, most individuals on the other hand have not been in an accident so they do not know accident law therefore putting them at a disadvantage.

Insurance adjusters are not on your side. They do not represent your best interests. They represent the interest of the insurance company only that means they are only interested in saving money at your expense. The adjuster may sound nice, but their job is to pay you as little as possible. Be very careful about what you say to an adjuster, and never accept a settlement offer without consulting an Atlanta accident lawyer first.

Remember: insurance policies can be complex. Even for experienced and educated policyholders, understanding your policy can be difficult. An experienced attorney can not only help you understand the policy, but they can also ensure that an insurance claim adjuster does not attempt to take advantage of you when you are struggling with painful injuries and expensive economic losses.

Do not assume that you can manage negotiations with an insurer on your own. You’re likely to make critical errors that can result in tremendous losses. Those errors often cost a lot more than an attorney’s representation will. Legal counsel from our team is an affordable safeguard against mistreatment from an insurance carrier. At Merritt & Merritt Law Firm you don’t pay anything unless we win.

FAQs

Q: Is Georgia a No-Fault Car Accident State?

A: No, Georgia is not a no-fault car accident state, meaning the driver at fault for causing an accident is liable for the resulting damages. You must be ready to prove fault for your recent car accident before you will be able to secure any compensation for your losses. The fault rule in Georgia also requires drivers to have auto insurance with appropriate liability coverage, and this insurance will go toward paying for any damages they cause to others.

Q: How Do I Prove Fault for My Recent Car Accident?

A: You prove fault for a car accident by leveraging evidence. Your Atlanta car accident lawyer can help gather the evidence you will need to establish liability. They can help secure physical evidence from the scene of the crash, traffic camera footage if available, cell phone records, and statements from witnesses who saw the accident happen. The sooner your attorney can begin gathering this evidence, the easier it will be for you to establish liability.

Q: How Much Is My Car Accident Claim Worth in Georgia?

A: The value of any car accident claim depends on the extent and severity of the victim’s damages. When you choose Merritt & Merritt to represent you, our goal will be to maximize your recovery as fully as state law allows and do so within the shortest possible timeframe. Every case is different, and every injured driver faces different challenges when it comes to maximizing their recovery, which is why we take time to listen to each client’s unique story.

Q: Can I Claim Compensation if I’m Partially at Fault?

A: You can still claim compensation if you’re partially at fault. Georgia follows a modified comparative fault rule in any civil claim in which more than one party is at fault for the damages. Under this rule, a plaintiff can still recover compensation for damages as long as they are less than 50% at fault. Whatever fault percentage they hold is what is deducted from their case award as a penalty. If they are 50% or more at fault, they lose the right to claim compensation.

Q: What Is a Contingency Fee?

A: A contingency fee is a common billing practice for personal injury attorneys. When you hire an attorney under a contingency fee agreement, their fees are contingent upon their ability to recover compensation for you. You only pay a percentage of your final award as their fee if and when they win your case, and you pay nothing if your attorney is unable to secure compensation for your damages.

The team at Merritt & Merritt approaches every case with the goal of helping our client maximize their recovery. While no attorney can ever promise a specific result to any client, we can promise compassionate and responsive communication, close attention to detail, and meticulous handling of every aspect of your claim.

Call us toll-free at 1-800-738-WE-WIN to schedule a free case consultation.