St Mary’s, GA, Car Accident Lawyer

St. Mary’s Car Accident Attorney

Car accidents are a leading cause of accidental injuries and deaths in South Georgia each year. While some accidents only result in minor property damage, others leave victims with catastrophic, life-changing injuries. Under the state’s fault rule, the driver responsible for causing an accident is liable for all damages they inflict on others. When you or a family member is struggling in the aftermath of a car accident that someone else caused, it is vital to understand the importance of consulting a St. Mary’s car accident attorney who can help you recover.

Helping Victims of Car Accidents in St. Mary’s, GA, Recover Their Losses

Spohrer Dodd Trial Attorneys has years of professional experience representing personal injury clients in St. Mary’s, GA. Our firm has a strong record of successful cases because we provide client-focused legal counsel, always putting the client first in every claim we represent. When you choose our team as your legal representation for a car accident case, we will do everything we can to help you establish liability for your accident and hold the at-fault driver appropriately accountable for any damages they inflicted with their actions.

Benefits of Hiring a St. Mary’s Car Accident Attorney

You have the right to try to manage your recovery efforts on your own without hiring an attorney, but you face several risks if you do so. You would be compelled to meet strict court filing deadlines and other procedural requirements as you struggle with your injuries and related medical complications. You might be able to identify immediately recognizable losses, but you may struggle when it comes to accurately assessing the full long-term impact of your damages.

When you have a St. Mary’s car accident attorney representing you, you can focus on your medical needs and recover with peace of mind. Your legal team can handle all of your case proceedings on your behalf, from filing an initial insurance claim against the at-fault driver’s policy to building a comprehensive personal injury case when insurance alone is not enough to fully compensate your losses.

Spohrer Dodd Trial Attorneys can assist you with every aspect of your recovery efforts, from identifying the driver responsible for your accident to filing your insurance claim and building a personal injury case. We take the time necessary to get to know each client we represent so we can appropriately address their unique needs and concerns in their case. When you choose our team as your legal counsel, our goal is maximum recovery in the shortest time possible.

Proving Liability for Your Car Accident in St. Mary’s

Before you can recover any compensation for the losses you sustained in your recent accident, you must prove exactly how the accident happened and identify the driver responsible. Georgia upholds the fault standard for resolving car accident cases, so the driver at fault for an accident is liable for all damages they inflicted on others. Most car accident claims pertain to acts of negligence, or failure to exercise reasonable care in certain situations. However, it is also possible for illegal misconduct to cause a serious car accident. Some of the most commonly cited causes of car accidents include:

• Distracted driving, the leading cause of all accidents in the United States.
• Speeding, which increases the damages from an accident and is a leading contributing factor to the number of fatal accidents in the United States each year.
• Moving violations, such as failure to yield or running red lights, which can startle drivers in areas with heavy traffic congestion.
• Driving under the influence (DUI), which is illegal and likely to lead to felony prosecution of the at-fault driver if they cause serious injuries to others.

No matter how your recent crash occurred, your St. Mary’s car accident attorney can be crucial for helping you gather the evidence you need to firmly establish fault. You may need digital evidence like cell phone records, traffic camera recordings, and vehicle computer data. If witnesses saw the accident happen, their statements will be invaluable to your case. When a car accident involves complex details or unclear liability, a good attorney may consult expert witnesses to help their client assert liability.

Filing an Insurance Claim for a Car Accident in South Georgia

Every driver must have auto insurance that meets the state’s minimum coverage requirements for property damage and bodily injury liability. At a minimum, a driver must have at least $25,000 in coverage for bodily injuries to a single person, at least $50,000 in coverage for bodily injuries to multiple persons, and at least $25,000 to cover property damage. These coverage amounts could be enough to fully cover the damages from a minor accident, but there is no guarantee that the at-fault driver will have insurance at all, let alone enough coverage to fully repay your damages.

Your St. Mary’s car accident attorney can help you file your claim against the at-fault driver’s auto insurance policy, maximizing the compensation you obtain from the claim. Dealing with insurance companies can be difficult, and most insurance company representatives are trained to encourage claimants to accept the lowest possible settlement offers. However, an insurance carrier is unlikely to try bad faith tactics when a claimant is represented by counsel. Your St. Mary’s car accident attorney can help you obtain a fair settlement offer, and if this cannot fully repay your damages, you can rely on them to help you build your civil suit against the at-fault driver.

Claiming Compensation With a Personal Injury Claim in St. Mary’s

After securing as much compensation as possible with your insurance claim, any remaining damages can be claimed from the defendant through a personal injury action. The plaintiff must show proof that their claimed damages directly resulted from the defendant’s negligence or misconduct. Georgia law allows the plaintiff to claim full repayment of any economic losses the defendant inflicted, which are likely to include:

• Property losses not covered by insurance. Your claim against the at-fault driver’s auto insurance policy may cover your vehicle repair costs, but if you have any outstanding property losses not covered by insurance, you can include these in your personal injury suit.
• Medical treatment costs. When another party has physically injured you, you have the right to hold them accountable for any medical care you need to fully recover. If you suffered serious injuries that require long-term treatment, the defendant is liable for these ongoing medical treatment costs as well.
• Lost wages. Many people who suffer serious injuries in car accidents cannot work for extended periods of time. If this applies to your case, the defendant is liable for the income you were unable to earn during your recovery. They can also be held accountable for future income you are no longer able to earn if they permanently diminish your earning capacity with their actions.

A St. Mary’s car accident attorney can carefully examine the effects of your accident, helping you to uncover all immediate and future economic damages you can seek from the defendant. In addition to these economic losses, you also have the right to claim compensation for the pain and suffering you experienced.

There is no limit on pain and suffering compensation in most personal injury cases filed by the state. Your legal team can help you determine an appropriate figure based on the overall severity of your damages and the scope of long-term or permanent effects the accident will have on your life. For many plaintiffs who sustained catastrophic injuries in their car accidents, pain and suffering compensation exceeds the total of their claimed economic damages. For example, if you suffered a permanently disabling injury, your attorney might seek several times the total of your economic damages in pain and suffering to reflect the severity of the long-term complications you face after your accident.

Ultimately, every car accident victim will face unique challenges and opportunities when it comes to recovering from these incidents. You likely have many questions in the aftermath of your recent accident, including how you can hold the at-fault driver accountable and what type of compensation you may be able to claim from the defendant. Spohrer Dodd Trial Attorneys can answer these questions and provide the guidance and support you need to approach your case with confidence. We aim to settle our clients’ cases quickly whenever possible, but as experienced litigators, we are not afraid to represent you in court if necessary.

Car Accident Lawyer FAQs

Q: Do I Need to Hire a Lawyer After My Car Accident in St. Mary’s, GA?

A: The state does not require you to hire an attorney after a car accident, but doing so will make recovering from the accident much easier. Instead of trying to manage an insurance claim, civil court filing requirements, and your medical needs all at once on your own, you have an experienced St. Mary’s car accident attorney handle your legal affairs on your behalf so you can focus on your personal needs. You will also be more likely to maximize your total compensation with their assistance.

Q: How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Claim for a Car Accident?

A: If you plan to file a personal injury suit in response to the car accident you recently experienced in Southeast Georgia, you must do so within the two-year statute of limitations. It may take time to gather all of the evidence and documentation you will need for your case, and you have a much shorter time limit for filing an auto insurance claim after your accident. It is generally advisable to seek legal counsel you can trust as soon as possible after your accident to ensure you meet all procedural deadlines for your recovery efforts.

Q: How Much Compensation Can I Claim for a Car Accident?

A: Once you have proven that another driver is responsible for the car accident you recently experienced, you have the right to hold them accountable for any economic losses they caused. These can include vehicle repair costs and other property losses, medical expenses and future medical care costs, lost income, and lost future earning potential if you cannot return to your job due to your injuries. You can also seek pain and suffering compensation. Your St. Mary’s car accident attorney can estimate your claim’s total potential value.

Q: Can I Still Claim Compensation if I Partially Caused the Accident?

A: The state upholds a modified comparative fault rule for personal injuries. This means that the plaintiff can still recover compensation for their damages as long as they are less than 50% at fault for causing those damages. If the plaintiff is assigned a fault percentage, this percentage is deducted from their case award as a penalty, so bearing 10% fault means the loss of 10% of the total damages claimed from the defendant. If the plaintiff is 50% or more at fault, they cannot seek compensation from the defendant. Your St. Mary’s car accident attorney can help you determine whether comparative fault could arise in your case and, if so, help you preserve your case award as much as possible.

Q: How Much Do Car Accident Lawyers Charge?

A: Most of the personal injury attorneys accepting clients operate on a contingency fee basis. This means a client only pays a fee after the attorney wins their case, and there is no fee at all if the attorney cannot obtain compensation for their client. Some attorneys charge hourly rates, and some offer specific legal services for flat fees. Verify a potential attorney’s billing policy before you agree to their representation so there are no surprises when it comes to the cost of your legal representation.

The team at Spohrer Dodd Trial Attorneys has successfully helped many past clients navigate some of the most complex civil claims in South Georgia. We take time to learn as much as possible about each client we represent, helping them understand the unique legal mechanisms in play in their case. If you believe you have grounds for legal recourse in response to a car accident someone else caused, we can help. Contact us today and schedule your free consultation with a St. Mary’s car accident attorney.