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Vehicle Accidents
Vehicle Accident Attorney in Dalton, Georgia
In a Car or Truck Accident?
Call Us Today to Know Your Rights
Vehicle Accident Attorney, Joshua J. Smith
Whether you drive into and out of Atlanta every day, or just in and around the Dalton area, a motor vehicle accident is something you, like most drivers, will experience at least once in your life. If you are lucky, it will be a fender bender with minimal injury and consequences.
But a major collision that injures you or someone you love can result in medical expenses and injuries that can take years to heal. The terrible physical and emotional toll from injuries suffered can greatly diminish the quality of your life. In addition, many accidents like these can cause financial hardship because of the inability to return to work and you lose wages. You may also be so injured that you can no longer perform your previous job tasks, meaning a permanent disability.
An accident can upend your life, leaving you with thousands in medical expenses, lost wages, property damages, and damages to your personal relationships and lifestyle.
You may need long-term care, including physical therapy and rehabilitation. At the Joshua J. Smith Attorney at Law offices, we are prepared to give you the right advice and help you get the financial compensation you need and deserve.
Common Causes Of Motor Vehicle Accidents
Accidents can happen at any time, for any reason. The most common reasons include:
Distracted drivers
DUI
Inclement Weather
Road construction
Intersections
Bad roads
Incorrect traffic lights or signs
Improper maintenance
Tire blowouts
Whiplash, cuts and lacerations, bruising, broken bones, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries (TBI), and burns are just some of the injuries that accident victims have in the aftermath. Surgeries, permanent disfigurement, and loss of limbs as well as, unfortunately, loss of life are all devastating possibilities.
After An Accident
- The most important thing is getting immediate medical attention, even if you don’t think you’re injured. Many injuries don’t manifest themselves immediately, such as concussions, back pain, and whiplash. When you need to recover medical expenses, visits to the ER, hospital, local urgent care facility, or your own physician, all create documentation for proof of injury and treatment.
- If possible, take pictures of the accident scene, if you can with your cell phone. If you are unable to do so, ask someone available to help before you leave for the hospital.
- Call the police. A police report may be needed and include information such as witness names and their accounts that you would be unable to gather, as well as the other driver’s contact information, that your attorney will be able to use to help with your claim.
- When you return home from the hospital, make sure to secure any and all of your discharge papers, receipts, bills/invoices, and any other accident-related documentation. You may need these for your claim.
- Your next step is to contact our office at 706-217-2095 to schedule your free consultation to discuss your accident. We can arrange to come to you or we can meet in our office. We can review your situation and handle any communications between you and the the party that caused the accident including insurance companies. If you were seriously injured, a family member can contact us on your behalf.
Be Cautious Talking with the Insurance Company
Did someone from an insurance company call to chat? No matter whose insurance company called, including your own, politely decline the call. Their call is not actually a friendly one to check on your well-being, but intended to gather any information to reduce or deny your claim.
For instance, the insurance representative asks, “How are you feeling today?” Many people instinctively answer with “Fine, thanks.” This answer alone might be enough for them to deny your claim. Let Attorney Smith speak with them instead.
Insurance companies have multiple delay tactics to stall or prevent paying anything or paying the lowest they can get away with. This includes your own insurer that you’ve been paying premiums to for years. When you’ve got bills piling up and no way to pay them, that’s when they’ll offer you a fast check before you may even know the extent of your injuries. If you take that fast check and sign the papers, you probably won’t have enough to cover any long-term rehabilitation, pain therapy, or retraining for a new job. Do not sign away your rights to your case, losing thousands of dollars in needed compensation. Talk with us first!
No matter what you’re told by an adjuster, speak with us before accepting, agreeing to, or signing anything.
Getting Fair Compensation After the Accident
Because insurance companies are always working to make money, not pay it out, they are tasked with paying the least amount of compensation. Insurance companies have their legal teams working to protect their bottom line, not to protect you.
Again if you are asked to speak to an insurance adjuster, refer them to your attorney first and be extremely careful about anything you say or simply decline to speak and let your attorney handle it for you. Don’t let anyone pressure you into signing or saying something before speaking to motor vehicle accident attorney Joshua J. Smith because you have the right to temporarily hold back that information.
Even if you never speak to an insurance company representative, we, as your attorney, will protect your rights. We will help negotiate the best compensation and discuss with you all the factors before you decide to accept an offer. Negotiations are handled for you so that you can concentrate on your recovery. If we must go to trial, we can handle that for you as well.
The deadline for filing in Georgia is two years, which means you must file your lawsuit within 2 years of the accident. If you try to file your lawsuit after the two-year window, your claim will almost certainly be denied, no matter how serious your injury is.
How We Can Help
You have enough to deal with after an accident. As an experienced personal injury attorney, we will handle the case for you, including:
- Evidence gathering that shows the party at fault
- Identify and locate other possible liable parties to the accident
- Handle communications with insurance companies
- Keep track of medical bills and other accident-related expenses
- Estimate future medical and other accident-related losses
- Represent you in depositions, hearings, and at trial
- Handle other accident-related functions as needed
Since Georgia’s personal injury law allows just two years to file a claim, insurance companies know they can stall so that you’ll give up and accept a payout that is minimal or until the statute of limitations expires and they’re off the hook. If you wait too long, you could lose out on compensation entirely. Let us get you the compensation you deserve and need.
Contact Joshua J. Smith, Attorney at law
We work on what’s called “contingency.” That is, our payment is contingent upon winning the case. A contingency fee basis means that our fee comes out of the settlement, so you will not have to pay us upfront. We take your case and get our payment from the proceeds of the settlement. Feel free to discuss fees during our free consultation. We want you to have a full understanding before hiring us.
We will work hard to obtain the greatest amount possible for you.
Let Joshua J. Smith Help After Your Vehicle Accident
Since 2002, Joshua J. Smith has helped thousands of people after they’ve been injured in a car, truck or motorcycle accident. He understands the difficulties victims face and is well versed in Georgia’s personal injury law. Our firm works to get the best settlement for our clients.
If an insurance company is messing around, we will take your case to trial if necessary. We fight hard for our clients and will fight hard for you.
If you’re ready for someone who takes care of business, call Joshua J. Smith, Attorney at Law at 706-217-2095 or send a message through our website’s contact form. We offer free consultations.
