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The Brown Firm is moving to a new office in Atlanta: 197 14th St. Suite 200, Atlanta, GA 30318

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What To Do After a Car Accident in Georgia That Was Not Your Fault?

Table of Contents

  1. Call The Police
  2. Gather The Necessary Information
  3. Contact The Insurance Company
  4. See a Medical Professional
  5. Contact An Experienced Personal Injury Law Firm
  6. Get A Repair Estimate For Your Car

Unfortunately, we live in a world today where car accidents are very common.  We see them on the road every day; however, when it happens to you it can quickly become scary and overwhelming, especially when it’s your first one! 

So, what do you do?  Do you call the police? What information do you need to gather? What do you say to your insurance company? 

All of these questions can be very overwhelming right after an accident.  We know!

We want to help by walking you through this process step-by-step on what to do after your car accident.

So take a deep breath and continue reading!

I met with Harry Brown personally and he sat with me for 20 minutes at our initial consultation to explain everything. He even called after my surgery to see how I was doing. I met with him several more times after that and was kept informed about my case throughout. I highly recommend Harry Brown as an attorney.

STEVEN SWEENY, SAVANNAH 

Call The Police! 

As soon as you are in a car accident in Georgia the police should be contacted.  Even though you were not responsible for the accident, you want to make sure that a report is filed because it gives credible evidence that you were not at fault in the accident and it is useful for insurance purposes.

Make Sure You Gather ALL the Necessary Information at the Scene

By law, whoever was responsible for the accident is responsible for reporting the accident to their insurance company.

However, we know that not everyone does what they are supposed to, and often those who are at fault are reluctant to report their mistakes.

To avoid this issue, make sure that you gather the following information from the other driver so that you can report the accident if they fail to.

  1. Name
  2. Contact Information
  3. License Plate Number
  4. Driver’s License Number
  5. Vehicle Information
  6. Insurance Company name and policy Information

Also, be sure to gather:

  1. Statements from witnesses and their contact information. If you can, get them to stay at the scene of the accident until the police arrive to take their statements.
  2. Photos of the damages to both vehicles, injuries that were sustained, and evidence of the road conditions and traffic signals to prove you were not at fault.
  3. If possible, you should ask the driver responsible for the accident to give you a written statement admitting that the accident was their fault.  This will help you in case they try to change their story later.
The next step can be a little difficult…
should I take first settlement offer

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Contact Insurance Company

Again, the guilty party is responsible for contacting their insurance company to report the accident but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t report it too.

The insurance company needs to be notified of the accident so that you can get a claim number for your case and so they are aware that there was an accident, you were not at fault, and where it took place.

However after this, we at The Brown Firm do not recommend that you talk to any insurance company anymore about settlements or compensation until after talking with your lawyer.

So, now that you have spoken to your insurance company you need to get yourself checked out by a medical professional!

See a Medical Professional that Specializes in Car Accident Injuries

Even if you do not believe that you were injured from the car accident, it is smart to see a doctor.  Often injuries sustained in a car accident take a few days to show symptoms such as whiplash.

To learn more about different injuries that can occur because of a car accident click here.

When you have written documentation that the accident caused your injuries the insurance company is not able to ignore it.

This is why it is very important to go to the doctor as soon as possible after the accident.  If you wait to long to seek medical treatment then the insurance company might be able to claim that the injuries happened after the accident and therefore they are not responsible for them.  

If this happens then you will receive no compensation for your injuries and be forced to pay the medical bill yourself!

You don’t want to do that!

So, after you get yourself checked out by a medical professional 

Contact an Experienced Personal Injury Law Firm 

One of the hardest decisions to make after a car accident is whether or not to contact a lawyer to help you with your case.

Is it really necessary? Isn’t it expensive? Can’t I do this by myself?

The truth is, you can do it yourself, but if you were a victim of a car accident, sustained injuries in the accident, have damage to your vehicle, or any combination of these issues then you should contact a lawyer to help you with your case, especially if you were injured in the accident.

Filing for compensation is a lengthy legal process, and working with insurance companies can be very difficult.  If you hire a Car Accident Attorney then you are able to let them deal with all the legal issues so you do not have to worry about it and just focus on your recovery.

If you do not contact a lawyer you are completely responsible for proving that the other driver was at fault.  To learn more about all the different aspects of proving fault in a car accident check out .

When you contact a car accident attorney you don’t have to worry about any of this!  You can focus only on getting better and rest easy knowing that you are getting the best compensation possible.

Remember, based upon Georgia’s statute of limitations you have only two years to file a personal injury claim against the at-fault party.

So now that you are getting better, how about your car?

Ready to Talk to a Lawyer Who Has Your Back?

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Get a Repair Estimate for Your Car

If the accident left your car in bad shape you are entitled to have the driver who caused the damage pay for the repairs! Once you take your car in and get the estimate make sure there is proper documentation that you can give to your car accident attorney to ensure that you are fully compensated for the damages.

Note: you may have to go to a specific mechanic that is certified by your insurance company for the estimate.

By following all of these steps you are giving yourself the best possible chance at a fair settlement.  But hiring the right attorney to represent you will always be the best option for your car accident.  

Let your attorney fight for your right to financial compensation so that you can focus on your recovery.      

Our Georgia personal injury attorneys at The Brown Firm are anxious to help you obtain the settlement that you deserve.

Click the link to schedule a Free Car Accident Consultation today with our Trusted Attorneys!

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