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Motor vehicle accidents can leave you with serious injuries and damages. Georgia law empowers you to file a claim against the party responsible for your accident, allowing you to recover financial compensation. You should never have to pay out-of-pocket for an accident you did not cause.
Insurance companies will often try to get you to settle for less than what your accident is actually worth. You should never accept the initial offer they make after you report your accident, perhaps unless it is for the limits of liability insurance available, and then only after consultation with an attorney.
Get in touch with The Dixon Firm’s experienced Augusta motor vehicle accident lawyers. We will help you fight for the compensation you rightfully deserve.
What Can an Augusta Motor Vehicle Accident Lawyer Do For Me?
Even though you can file a claim against the at-fault motorist on your own, it is heavily recommended to get a lawyer to help you instead. The at-fault motorist and their insurance company are likely going to refute your claim that the accident was their fault and will try to give you the bare minimum for your damages.
Insurance companies have strong legal teams and analysts on their side that can make it extremely difficult for the average person to mount a successful appeal for their initial settlement offer. While you focus on recovery and moving forward from your accident, an Augusta motor vehicle accident lawyer can assist you in several ways:
- Assist you in gathering evidence that is critical for your claim, such as CCTV recordings, witness statements, accident reports, medical documentation, etc.
- Represent your best interests at all times and help you avoid pitfalls that insurance companies try to use to get you to settle for less.
- Accurately calculate all of the damages you sustained and ensure that nothing gets left out.
A lawyer can provide immense advantages that will help you fight for a fair settlement. It is highly recommended that you obtain reputable and strong legal representation to increase your chances of success with your claim.
Damages You Can Sustain After a Motor Vehicle Accident in Augusta
There are several damages you can sustain due to a motor vehicle accident. In Augusta, you can separate damages based on three distinct categories: economic, non-economic, and punitive.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are the damages you sustained that have a dollar value that is easily calculated. For example:
- Medical expenses
- Vehicle damages
- Lost wages
- Property damages
Medical expenses will have invoices from doctors and hospitals, receipts from repair shops for vehicle damages, pay stubs for lost wages, and appraised values for property damages. All of these can get factored into your settlement, which the at-fault party or their insurance company will be legally liable for.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are the opposite of economic damages. They do not have a dollar value that is easily calculated. Some examples of non-economic damages include:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Wrongful death
You may wonder, “How do you calculate something like wrongful death or pain and suffering?” With non-economic damages, our Augusta motor vehicle accident lawyers will typically utilize a formula and do a holistic overview of your case and how these non-economic damages have impacted your life. From there, they will calculate an amount that is truly reflective of the suffering you have endured.
Insurance companies like to downplay non-economic damages by offering very meager amounts for them. Motor vehicle accidents are traumatizing and can leave long-lasting or permanent damage to innocent people. You should never allow the insurance company to minimize the pain you endured due to the negligence of another driver.
Punitive Damages
In Augusta, punitive damages work by punishing the negligent party for their actions. In certain motor vehicle accident cases, extreme negligence can result in punitive damages. The court will order the defendant to pay a fine with a maximum cap of $250,000 that goes to the plaintiff as punishment. This cap will be removed in certain specifically egregious situations, such as driving under the influence.
Your Augusta motor vehicle accident lawyer will help you determine whether punitive damages can potentially be brought in your case.
The Statute of Limitations for Motor Vehicle Accidents in Augusta
The statute of limitations for motor vehicle accidents in Augusta is generally two years from the date of the injury, though it can be longer. Even though this is plenty of time, people still wait too long to take action and lose their ability to file a claim. Once the statute of limitations passes, very rarely are exceptions made.
This is why it is critical that you get in touch with our lawyers as soon as possible to ensure that you have time to prepare and fight for your case. The sooner you take action, the better.
As time passes, evidence degrades, and it becomes harder and harder to fight for compensation. Time is always of the essence.
Get Help for Your Augusta Motor Vehicle Accident Today
After your motor vehicle accident, you may feel lost or unsure of what to do. Our lawyers want to help you focus on healing and your recovery while we handle the next steps on your behalf. With our experienced Augusta motor vehicle accident attorneys, we will fight hard and represent your best interests at all times against the insurance company, and if necessary, we will even go to trial.
At The Dixon Firm, we have won tens of millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts for our clients. With decades of experience, you can trust us to give you the best legal representation possible in Augusta. Do not hesitate to reach out to us today for a free consultation at absolutely no risk to you.
