No one should have to shoulder the weight of a car accident they did not cause. If you’ve been injured because of another driver’s careless behavior, let a Georgia car accident lawyer from Bayuk Pratt fight to get you the fair compensation you deserve.
There’s a reason why we’ve made a difference for accident victims throughout Georgia. Firm founders Frank Bayuk and Bradley Pratt formerly worked as senior partners at top defense firms. That gives us inside knowledge of how insurance companies fight accident cases — and how we can beat them at their game.
We leverage our firm’s 50 years of collective experience on behalf of accident victims, helping them take on powerful insurance companies and defense teams and secure the compensation they need to rebuild their lives. We’ve recovered $300 million on their behalf to date, and we look forward to putting our skills and resources to work for you.
If you’ve suffered a car accident injury in Georgia, get the legal help you need to pursue money for your vehicle repairs, medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Contact Bayuk Pratt for a free initial consultation with a Georgia car accident attorney. Let’s discuss your legal options for pursuing compensation and justice.
Benefits of Hiring an Attorney for Your Car Accident Claim
A serious car accident can leave you in need of expensive, extensive medical treatment and rehabilitation. You might need surgery, therapy, and long-term care, which could put you out of work for a while. At the same time, you deserve compensation from the at-fault driver, but how can you manage your car accident case when you should be healing and recovering? By turning to the team at Bayuk Pratt.
While you focus on getting better, let us fight to secure the financial resources you need for your recovery by:
- Thoroughly investigating the accident to secure evidence for your case
- Identifying liable parties and options for compensation, including applicable insurance coverage
- Documenting your injuries and calculating your ongoing and future anticipated expenses or losses
- Filing your claims and dealing with insurance adjusters and defense attorneys to take the stress of the claims process off you
- Vigorously pursuing maximum financial recovery for you, whether through a settlement or by taking your case to court and trial, if necessary
What to Do After a Car Accident
Taking prompt action after a car accident can put you in the best position to pursue financial recovery from an at-fault. Here’s what you can do:
- Report the accident to law enforcement and request a copy of the police crash report if an officer responded to the accident scene.
- Seek medical attention to document the injuries you suffered in the crash.
- Follow your doctor’s recovery instructions and treatment recommendations.
- Obtain copies of medical records of your treatment and rehabilitation.
- Keep all records of your accident-related expenses, including bills, invoices, or receipts for vehicle repairs or medical care.
- Gather copies of your pre- and post-accident pay stubs or income statements to calculate your lost wages if you need to take time off work or earn less in a modified duty position after the accident.
- Avoid discussing the accident or your injuries on social media or posting photos/videos of yourself during your recovery, as insurance companies might be looking at your feeds for anything they can use against you.
Finally, contact a car accident attorney in Georgia as soon as possible to start pursuing the financial recovery you need after a life-altering car crash.
How We Investigate Car Accident Cases
At Bayuk Pratt, our experienced attorneys know how to thoroughly investigate auto accidents to recover all available evidence. We then review what we’ve uncovered to determine what caused the crash and identify the party or parties responsible. Our accident investigation may include documents and evidence such as:
- Police accident reports
- Arrest/citation records
- Accident scene photos/videos
- Surveillance/traffic camera or dashcam footage
- Car event data recorder (“black box”) logs
- GPS data
- Cell phone records
- Vehicle repair/maintenance records
- Eyewitness testimony
- Post-crash vehicle inspections
In complex cases, our firm may work with accident reconstruction experts to develop reports and opinion testimony to fully understand what happened and who was to blame.
Compensation You Could Recover in a Car Accident Claim
If someone else caused the auto accident that injured you, they could owe you financial compensation for the harm they’ve caused you. Your car accident compensation can provide you with financial recovery for:
- Costs of medical treatment and rehabilitation
- Long-term disability care expenses
- Lost wages/income from missed work or reduced earnings in a modified duty position
- Lost future earning capacity caused by permanent disability from work
- Pain and suffering
- Reduced quality and enjoyment of life caused by physical disabilities or permanent scarring/disfigurement
- Vehicle repair/replacement expenses
Parties Who Could Be Held Liable for a Car Wreck in Georgia
In most cases, the driver or drivers who cause a car wreck will bear liability for any injuries that result from it. However, other parties may also share liability for a motor vehicle accident in certain circumstances.
For example, an at-fault driver’s employer may bear liability for vehicle accident victims’ injuries if the driver caused the crash while driving for work. The owner of the responsible driver’s vehicle may also share liability for an auto collision if the owner negligently entrusted their vehicle to the at-fault driver, such as by lending the vehicle to an intoxicated driver.
In addition, under Georgia’s dram shop law, you might hold a bar, restaurant, or social host liable for a drunk driving accident if the establishment or host provided alcohol to a person under 21 or a visibly intoxicated person who then caused the auto accident.
Could You Recover Compensation if You’re Partly to Blame for a Car Accident?
Are you worried that being partially to blame for an accident will prevent you from recovering compensation from other at-fault drivers? Here’s some good news: Georgia follows a modified comparative negligence rule for car accident cases, which permits an injured driver to recover compensation if their share of fault for the accident does not exceed the fault or combined fault of the other responsible driver or parties.
However, under the comparative negligence rule, any fault you bear for a car crash will reduce your financial recovery in kind. The other driver or insurance company could try to shift the blame for the car accident to you in an attempt to save themselves money. In that case, you need experienced legal representation to fight back and maximize your financial recovery.
How Long Do You Have to File a Car Accident Lawsuit in Georgia?
Under Georgia’s statute of limitations, you typically have two years to file a car accident lawsuit against an at-fault driver or other liable parties. However, if the car crash involved a state government vehicle, the law requires you to file a written notice of your car accident claim with the government within 12 months of the accident.
If you do not file your claim within the deadline, you might lose the opportunity to seek financial recovery. You can protect your legal rights by speaking to a Georgia car accident lawyer from Bayuk Pratt as soon as possible after a crash.
Common Types and Causes of Car Accidents
Car accidents come in many different types. Among the most common types of car accidents are:
- Rear-end collisions
- Sideswipe collisions
- Side-impact/T-bone collisions
- Head-on collisions
- Rollover accidents
- Single-vehicle crashes
- Multi-vehicle/pile-up accidents
- Hit-and-run accidents
- Drunk driving accidents
- Uber/Lyft accidents
- Uninsured accidents
Many car accidents in Georgia occur due to a driver’s carelessness. Some of the top causes of motor vehicle accidents include:
- Speeding or driving too fast for conditions
- Tailgating/following too closely
- Reckless driving
- Aggressive driving/road rage
- Running red lights or stop signs
- Disregarding traffic control devices
- Failure to yield the right of way
- Not using turn signals or mirrors
- Illegal or unsafe turns or lane changes
- Distracted driving
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Drowsy/fatigued driving
Typical Injuries Resulting from an Auto Collision
Depending on the severity of the crash, an auto wreck can cause injuries such as:
- Lacerations and permanent scarring
- Broken bones
- Dislocated joints
- Ligament, tendon, or muscle injuries
- Whiplash
- Nerve damage
- Herniated spinal disc injuries
- Facial injuries
- Traumatic brain injury
- Internal organ injuries and internal bleeding
- Burns from post-crash car fires
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Traumatic amputation or limb loss