Georgia Car Accident Lawyer

How do I choose a car accident lawyer in Georgia?

Choose a Georgia car accident lawyer on evidence you can check: results in car cases, readiness to take a case to trial, clear communication and independent reviews. You can see The Scott Pryor Law Group's car accident results, check its attorneys' admissions to state and federal courts, and read its 3,200+ Google reviews.

Most car accident claims settle, but insurers decide what to offer partly on whether a firm will take the case to court. That makes trial readiness worth checking even if you never expect to see a courtroom. So is communication: you should know who answers your calls and how often you will hear about your case.

Check any firm the same way. Confirm each attorney's license in the State Bar of Georgia's member directory. Read the firm's Google reviews as well as the testimonials it picks. Ask whether each result was a verdict or a settlement, and what kind of case it was. Here is what you will find with us.

• Results. Our car accident results are on this page and on the case results page.
• Trial readiness. We prepare claims for trial when a case requires it. Andrew and Zane Bradford are admitted to Georgia state courts and federal court in Georgia. Scott Pryor is recognized by the Litigator Awards and named to Super Lawyers (Super Lawyer Magazine) from 2014 to present.
• Communication. Your first call is a conversation. You tell your story, and the team explains next steps in plain language and gives you an honest answer, even a hard one. No one is pressured to sign.
• Reviews. 3,200+ Google reviews across the firm's two offices.
• Cost. You don't pay unless we win your case.

How do I file a car accident claim in Georgia?

To file a Georgia car accident claim, report the crash to police and your own insurer, get medical care, and open a claim with the at-fault driver's insurer. Talk to a lawyer before giving any recorded statement. The Scott Pryor Law Group can open and run the claim for you, through settlement or a lawsuit.

The adjuster on the other side may sound friendly. That does not make the insurer your ally: the adjuster's job is to protect the company's bottom line. Three requests deserve caution. A recorded statement can be used to minimize your injuries. A blanket medical authorization lets the insurer search your full history for an earlier condition to blame. And a request for your bank details can lead to a small direct deposit the insurer later calls a settlement.

When we handle your claim, here is how it goes:

• Notice and evidence. We notify the insurers, gather the police report, photos, surveillance footage, vehicle data and witness information, and track your treatment.
• Valuation. Once the extent of your injuries is known, we value your economic losses, such as medical bills and lost wages, and your non-economic losses, such as pain and suffering.
• Negotiation. We present the claim with a detailed analysis of why you are entitled to your damages, and answer any offer the same way.
• Lawsuit, if needed. If the insurer refuses to be fair, we file suit. The case then moves through discovery (about 6 to 12 months) and mediation to trial, and it can settle at any time.

Should I accept the insurance company's first offer?

Usually not, and never before you know the full extent of your injuries. A first offer in a Georgia car accident claim often comes before anyone knows whether an injury is lasting. Accepting it means signing away the right to claim more later, even if new problems appear. The Scott Pryor Law Group advises you on every offer.

An early offer shows what the insurer wants to pay. Insurers have every reason to offer less, especially when they can see you do not have a lawyer. One common way to lower an offer is to claim you were more at fault than you were. In practice, the adjuster makes that call first, and usually in the company's favor.

Some injuries also take time to show their full effect. Whiplash, spinal injuries, hairline fractures, traumatic brain injuries and psychological trauma, including PTSD, can appear or develop complications well after a crash. Once you settle, you cannot go back and claim the medical costs those injuries bring.

Before you answer any offer, we review the police report, the scene, your medical records and the property damage, then value both your economic and non-economic losses. If the offer is too low, we respond with a detailed analysis of why you are entitled to more and negotiate from there. We advise you on whether to accept or reject each offer.

Is Georgia a no-fault state?

No. Georgia follows an at-fault system: whoever caused the crash is liable. O.C.G.A. § 51-1-6 In a Georgia car accident claim, The Scott Pryor Law Group pursues compensation from the driver who caused the crash and that driver's insurer, which is why insurers so often try to shift the blame.

Fault can also be shared. If you are less than 50% at fault, you can still recover damages, reduced by your percentage of fault. O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33 Adjusters use that rule as a guide when they value a claim, so a stray comment that suggests you share the blame can lower an offer. Do not discuss fault at the scene, and do not give the other driver's insurer a recorded statement before you talk to a lawyer.

Proving fault takes evidence. For common causes such as distracted driving, speeding and tailgating, that means photos, video, the police report, medical records and witness statements. We gather that evidence early and push back when an insurer tries to shift the blame onto you.

People ask the same question after truck and motorcycle crashes, and the firm gives the same answer. For who can share liability in a commercial vehicle crash, see the Georgia truck accident lawyer page.

How long do I have to file a car accident claim in Georgia?

The Scott Pryor Law Group tells Georgia car accident victims to start well before the legal deadline. Victims generally have two years to file a personal injury lawsuit. O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33 Evidence can disappear much sooner, including surveillance footage, vehicle data and witness information.

The deadline is for filing a lawsuit, and most car accident claims never get that far. But settlement talks with an insurer can run for months. Having a lawyer track the deadline from the start keeps the choice to file in your hands.

A spouse's claim for the injury's effect on the marriage has its own deadline. Spouses may pursue damages for loss of consortium (companionship and intimacy), which has a longer limitation of four years. O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33

Whether and when to file suit is a decision to make with an attorney, and mediation can also resolve a case without a trial. Early medical records matter too, because they make it harder for an insurer to blame your injuries on an earlier condition. If a lawsuit is needed, the case moves from filing through discovery and mediation, and it can settle at any time along the way.

If months have already passed, call anyway. We want to hear from you, and we will give you an honest answer about where your claim stands.

What if the other driver has no insurance?

When the at-fault driver in a Georgia car accident has no insurance, too little, or cannot be identified, you may still have a claim. The Scott Pryor Law Group looks for other sources of recovery, including your own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage where it applies.

How much is a car accident case worth in Georgia?

The value of a Georgia car accident case depends on your injuries, the insurance available, who was at fault and how the crash changed your life, so The Scott Pryor Law Group does not promise a number before it reviews the facts.

What happens if someone else crashes my car?

When someone else crashes your car in Georgia, which insurance pays for the car accident depends on whether you gave permission, whose policies cover the car and the driver, and who was at fault. The Scott Pryor Law Group can explain which policies apply to your crash, and when an owner can be held responsible.