Covington Car Accident Lawyer

Covington Car Accident Lawyer

Were you injured in a Covington car accident? Chances are that this collision was no accident; statistics show that car crashes are primarily caused by human error, and it is very likely that one or more parties are responsible for your damages.
Proving fault and battling the negligent driver’s insurance company is where we come in. We invite you to contact our Covington law offices today to speak with one of our experienced car accident attorneys.

What You Need to do After a Car Wreck

The first steps that anyone should take after being involved in a traffic collision generally all happen on the day of the crash. And, the first third of these steps outlined below are taken with the goal of safety and attending to injuries:

• Attend to your and your other passengers’ injuries;
• Help any other parties that were involved;
• Call 911 if necessary or a non-emergency police number if the wreck was less severe; and
• Potentially move your vehicle out of traffic if safe and possible.

The second series of steps are orientated around preserving evidence of the crash:

• Next, you need to write down the other driver’s contact information, including license plate number and insurance;
• Take pictures of your car’s damage;
• Get the contact information of any witnesses to the crash; and
• Give your statement to the police.

The final third is to begin dealing with the legal and medical aspects of the crash.

• Refrain from arguing with the other party;
• Seek medical attention for the obvious reason that you need medical help, as well as acquiring medical proof that you were in fact seriously injured and that your injuries are not fabricated or exaggerated;
• Call your insurance company; and
• Reach out to an attorney.

How Did the Crash Happen?

One of your car accident attorney’s primary goals is to find out how the crash occurred and to hold the responsible party accountable for causing the crash, while fighting off false allegations that you had a hand in causing it.

It may be easy to prove that the other party was speeding, by analyzing their skid marks, but it can be more difficult to prove that you were not doing something unlawful as well, such as sending a text or drifting out of your lane of traffic. The other party, including the driver as well as their insurance company, may use any excuse to place as much of the blame onto your shoulders as possible.

Our job is to see through these falsehoods and, if necessary, help the court see through them as well. We work closely with law enforcement, private investigators, witnesses, and expert witnesses when the occasion calls for it. Car crashes generally happen due to distraction, aggression/impatient or recklessness, DUI, or drowsy driving.

• Distracted Driving – According to the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, Georgia has some of the most distracted, irresponsible drivers in the nation. In fact, our state ranked third highest amongst those who reported texting and driving, which increases a driver’s chances of being involved in a traffic collision by 23 times, according to the New York Times. Texting and talking on the cell phone are not the only ways in which drivers distract themselves and cause crashes. Reaching for a moving object increases a driver’s chances of crashing by nine times, looking out the window at an object increases the chances of crashing by 3.7 times, and grooming or applying makeup increases the chances of crashing by three times.
• Aggressive/Impatient or Reckless Driving – It is common to get on the highway and see driver after driver cut others off and weave in and out of lanes, all while going 15 or 20 miles per hour over the speed limit. Aggression or impatient driving is another leading cause of motor vehicle collisions. Behind the wheel of a car, nearly everyone can feel powerful, particularly because identities are hidden and people feel like they can get away with rude or improper behavior. Research has also shown that those who view their car as an identity of themselves are more likely to be aggressive drivers, according to Consumer Reports.
• Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol or Drugs – Alcohol and drugs, particularly prescription opioid medication, which has become an epidemic in recent years, both cause serious impairment of a driver’s reaction time and decision making. Driving under the influence is a large problem in Georgia and across the country.
• Drowsy Driving – Falling asleep at the wheel, or nodding off for a few seconds at a time, is just as dangerous as driving drunk. Even driving on an impaired level of sleep slows the driver’s reaction time and decision making abilities. And, many drivers admit to falling asleep at the wheel or driving drowsy. It is a common contributing factor to many car crashes.

Assessing Your Injuries and Other Damages

Your financial compensation is based, in part, on your damages. The following are damages that you may be compensated for:

• Medical costs;
• Future medical procedures;
• Lost wages;
• Lost earning ability;
• Pain and suffering; and
• Property damage.

Contact Our Car Accident Lawyers in Covington

The Covington car accident lawyers of MG Law will ensure that your voice is heard, and that your best interests are upheld throughout this trying ordeal. Where other attorneys take short cuts, we work tirelessly to achieve the best possible results for our clients, meaning that we are prepared to take on the largest insurance companies either in or out of the courtroom.

How To Determine How Much Car Insurance Is Enough

Everybody hates paying for car insurance, but they love it when they are involved in an accident and need it. Suddenly, injured victims have expenses that they have no way of covering. They can’t work, they can’t walk, and they can’t get their car repaired. Or they have hurt someone who is taken away in an ambulance and images of a lawsuit suddenly dance before their very eyes.
In either situation, insurance is a life saver. But how much insurance do you need? This is a very complicated question to answer, but our Georgia car accident lawyer reviews some key considerations.

Buy The Minimum At Least

If you are registering a vehicle, you need the minimum insurance. Currently, Georgia requires that you carry the following:

• $25,000 in bodily injury liability per person injured
• $50,000 in bodily injury liability per accident (two or more people injured)
• $25,000 for property damage

Let’s break these down. Bodily injury liability will cover costs associated with another person’s bodily injuries. Think medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Because it’s liability, a victim can only make a claim on your policy if you are at fault for hurting them. If you aren’t, they can’t make a claim.

The same with property damage. If you are at fault for a wreck, they can make a claim on your policy for car repairs and repairs of any other damaged property.

The above limits look pretty low, to be honest. A broken bone that needs surgery can easily eat up $25,000, possibly more. A more serious spinal cord injury could cost well over $100,000.

Consider Whether To Buy More Liability Coverage

Although the above are minimums to be in good standing with the law, you might want to buy even more. There is a simple reason for this.

Anyone who causes a wreck can be sued for compensation. However, most cases settle because the injured victim comes to an agreement with the at-fault driver’s insurance company. Reaching a settlement is faster and less stressful, so most people will happily avoid the lawsuit.

However, there are some situations where they will go ahead and sue. For example, their losses might dramatically exceed your coverage limits. As stated above, $25,000 is not a lot of coverage. A couple nights in the hospital and a few weeks away from work, and suddenly a person has $100,000 in losses or more. Why should they settle for a measly $25,000 if that’s all you have?

Instead, they could sue. And if they win their lawsuit, they could seize property that you own, including your bank accounts, home, vehicle, etc.

Of course, you might have few if any assets, which means you are “judgment proof.” That’s the lingo in legal circles. If you are judgment proof, then buying only the minimum makes sense. No one will sue you because no one can collect anything from you. But people with more assets should get more.

Analyze How Much Liability Coverage You Need

It’s hard to generalize how much coverage you should buy. But take stock of your assets. Under Georgia law, a person who wins a lawsuit against you is a judgment creditor, and they can seize most assets in your name.

Some general rules of thumb:

Few Assets

If you are just starting out in life or are retired with few assets, you might purchase $50,000 in bodily injury liability, up to $100,000 per accident, and $50,000 in property damage. This is basically double Georgia’s minimums. It provides some decent protection in the event you hurt someone in a wreck. The property damage number should be adequate for most car accidents.

Middle Class

However, if you are an average middle class person with a home, savings, retirement, and other assets, you should consider buying $100,000 in bodily injury liability, up to $300,000 per accident, and $100,000 for property damage. This provides much more protection. Even if someone had a little more than $100,000 in losses, they might quickly settle rather than go through the expense of a lawsuit.

Wealthy

Wealthy individuals should probably discuss buying an umbrella policy with an insurance agent. This type of policy will provide much more protection, up to $1,000,000 or more. It also covers home insurance and lawsuits for things like defamation.

Consider Costs

You shouldn’t buy more insurance than you can afford. There’s no point going bankrupt and losing your home in bankruptcy all because you wanted to buy more insurance than you can reasonably pay.

Look at your budget and assess whether you can eat the increased costs. The more insurance you buy, the more you will pay. However, many people can cut elsewhere to free up the cash for more insurance.

According to The Zebra, bumping up to 50/100/50 coverage costs the typical driver roughly an extra $6 a month. This is very affordable. Going up to 100/300/100 costs close to an extra $100 a month—which might be harder for some people to stretch.

The premium you pay will depend on many factors, including your age and driving history. You can shop around to check different offers from different insurers.

Buy Optional Insurance Products

To this point, we have discussed only liability coverage. But there are other insurance products on the market that you might want.

For example, every liability policy should come with uninsured/underinsured motorist insurance. You will get it unless you reject it in writing. Don’t reject it. You will not save a lot by rejecting it, and it is excellent coverage to have. For example, uninsured motorist insurance kicks in if an uninsured driver is at fault for a wreck and hurts you. Underinsured motorist coverage will pay compensation if you exhaust the other driver’s policy.

You should also consider buying:

• Collision. This insurance will pay to repair your car after a wreck, even if you are at fault.
• Comprehensive. A comprehensive policy pays to repair damage sustained in something other than a crash with another driver. It can cover fire damage, flood damage, and theft.
• Medical payments. If you were to blame for the wreck, you have few options for getting someone to pay for your injuries. But medical payments will.

The costs of these policies vary. Check whether they fit your budget.