When you are involved in a car accident that was not your fault, you can get paid for a variety of injuries, expenses, and losses you incur. You will need to establish all the ways your injuries and the collision itself has affected your life to determine what your car accident claim is worth. This will include your financial, emotional, and physical damages.
A car accident lawyer from our firm can help you identify and calculate your car accident damages so you know how much compensation to seek. We can also determine who is responsible for compensating you and build a case against them.
What Damages Can You Recover After a Car Accident?
It can be difficult to determine how much your car accident claim is worth until your losses are carefully evaluated by a car accident attorney. Still, there are some common damages you may be able to recoup as part of your car accident settlement or court award. Some of these include:
- Medical expenses, including diagnostic imaging fees, surgical fees, cost of prescription medication, hospital bills, rehabilitation fees, doctors visits, transportation costs, and medical equipment, among others
- Property damages, including the cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle and any property that may have been damaged in the accident
- Pain and suffering, including the physical pain of your injuries, the emotional trauma you went through, and the psychological toll your Injuries and the Accident had on your life as a whole
- Loss of income, including diminished earning capacity which consists of potential salary increases, bonuses, contributions to your retirement savings accounts, and other future earnings
These are only a few of the more common types of economic and non-economic damages you could recover after your car accident. You have a right to seek financial recovery for the damages you suffered and the injuries you endured as a result of the accident.
Liability for Car Accident Damages
Establishing liability for your car accident is critical if you hope to recover compensation for your damages. Georgia and South Carolina—the states our firm serves—are both fault states, which means you can file a liability claim with the other party’s insurer to seek a financial settlement.
Depending on the type of car accident you were involved in, it may seem clear who is responsible. However, only an in-depth investigation into the collision can reveal the truth.
In many car accident cases, driver negligence is the cause. Some examples of unsafe driving known to cause car accidents include:
- Cell phone use behind the wheel or other forms of distracted driving
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Driving while fatigued
- Failure to yield to the right of way
- Failure to stop at a red light or stop sign
- Following too closely
- Making illegal or unsafe lane changes
Other Parties May Be Liable for Your Car Accident
Other parties could also share liability for your injuries. Depending on how your accident occurred, one or more of the following parties could have contributed to the injuries you sustained:
- Government agencies, such as a municipality
- Motor vehicle parts designers
- Motor vehicle manufacturers
- Maintenance technicians
- Safety inspectors
- Other third parties
Our attorneys can identify all potentially liable parties when we investigate your case and collect evidence against them.
What to Expect From the Insurance Company Following Your Car Accident
Dealing with the insurance company can be one of the most tiresome and tedious aspects of the car accident claims process. Negotiations can go on for several weeks or months, and there are many opportunities for mishaps to occur. In general, you’ll want to avoid:
- Making a statement to the insurance adjuster without your lawyer present
- Except the first settlement offer if it doesn’t accurately reflect your damages
- Admitting fault or speculating about what caused the collision
Any of these could give the insurer an opportunity to reduce or deny you the benefits and compensation you seek.
How to Maximize Your Car Accident Injury Settlement
If you hope to get the most out of your car accident case, you can take these steps to build your claim or lawsuit:
- Report the car accident to the police and file a car accident crash report.
- Use your cell phone to take photos and videos of the accident scene, any damage to property and vehicles, and your injuries.
- Obtain the contact information of any witnesses who may have seen the accident.
- Be seen by a healthcare provider so you can address and treat any invisible injuries.
Further, your attorney can gather the support needed to build your case by working with expert witnesses, going over forensic evidence, and otherwise obtaining the evidence needed to show that your losses are worth the amount you are seeking in your claim.
Meet With a Car Accident Lawyer Serving South Carolina and Georgia
You have the right to seek compensation when someone else caused your car accident. Make sure you have a strong car accident lawyer by your side, advocating for full and fair restitution.
Schedule your no-cost, risk-free consultation with George Sink, P.A. Injury Lawyers when you are ready to get started on your case. Give our office a call to find out what your car accident claim is worth.