Road safety is more than just steering clear of danger. Much of it involves keeping everyone else, including pedestrians, safe. Unfortunately, some motorists overlook their part by ignoring basic safety guidelines. Recklessness could cost people dearly in terms of property damage and injuries and victims will have to face the long-term effects of someone else’s carelessness behind the wheel. In Georgia alone, road accidents account for more than $10.8 billion in economic losses in addition to a 10-year fatality estimate of 13,333.
Given these facts, motorists in Georgia like yourself should be adequately prepared to use the necessary legal means to recover their losses in the aftermath of a road accident. The amount of time and effort you put into filing an auto accident claim spells the difference between lifelong suffering and a full physical and financial recovery. If ever you were the victim of a road accident in the state, here’s a simple guide you should follow that can help you get the best outcome in the long run:
1. Document every piece of evidence
In any legal action, the amount of evidence you can gather influences the potential result of your claim. Being a victim of a reckless driver’s actions, you need to show that the other side did fall short of exercising due care which is required of all motorists regardless of state or locality. Doing so would mean gathering quality evidence establishing the other side’s negligence.
This will include everything from photos captured immediately following the accident as well as eyewitness testimonies from other motorists and pedestrians present on the scene. An auto accident claim that’s rich in such detail is likely to conclude in your favor, so take as much time as you need to document every piece of relevant evidence on the scene and right after the accident.
2. Be mindful of the statute of limitations
Being an at-fault state, Georgia penalizes reckless drivers and awards compensation to victims through the other party’s insurance provider. Although personal injury protection coverage isn’t mandatory here, at-fault drivers can pay for the damages they’re liable for depending on the insurance contract they’ve signed with their providers.
In any case, a hefty compensation package is guaranteed so long as you file your auto accident claim within the state’s statute of limitations for personal injury cases. Georgia allows you up to three years to take any legal action but even then, it’s better that you file earlier while evidence is still fresh and the facts remain clear.
3. Get quality legal representation
Even if you think all the facts and details of the accident skew favorably toward your side, you need to be prepared for when the party at fault and their insurance provider aim to diminish the merits of your case. They may reach out and entice you into accepting a settlement offer that’s less than what you deserve.
They may even dispute their liability to throw out your case. To navigate around these challenges, you need a local legal professional to help out. If ever the accident happened within and around Forsyth County, opt to have a Cumming accident lawyer represent your side.
4. Factor in all long-term costs
Keep in mind that winning a car accident case isn’t limited to recovering your medical costs and property losses. Severe accidents may also result in disabilities and long-term health conditions that could reduce your quality of life.
You may lose employment opportunities and struggle to cover your medication expenses, especially if the accident leads to a lifetime of emotional and physical pain and suffering. As you build a strong car accident claim in Georgia, work with your lawyer to include non-economic damages in the computation. That way, you will receive a compensation package that’s more than enough to get you back on your feet.
Endnote
If you’ve been a victim of a car accident caused by someone else’s reckless driving, don’t take the matter sitting down. Consider these tips and recover the amount you deserve to move on with your life.
