Finding A Columbus Car Accident Lawyer

How Can a Lawyer Help Me in Columbus, Georgia?

One of the common fears of humanity is that a sudden dangerous event will happen and completely change your life. Car accidents can have an effect like that, leaving your life a chaotic mess. You are left overwhelmed and forced to juggle medical bills, lost wages, healing from injuries, and more taxing tasks. A trusted car accident lawyer can help make this process easier by handling conversations with insurance companies, building a case, and getting you compensation from the fault driver to help with the monetary losses of a car accident.

Choosing a lawyer who has experience in auto accident law in Columbus, Georgia will ease the tension caused by a car accident. Insurance companies are built on minimizing payouts and maximizing their profits, and because of this, they can be very difficult to deal with. Lawyers who deal with car accident law are trained specifically in having these conversations, so you don't have to.

Dealing with the legal system is another hefty ask for someone who is recovering from a debilitating accident. Building an air-tight case, handling all necessary paperwork, and working through the settlement and lawsuit processes are just some of the things that a lawyer can take off your plate so you can focus on recovery.

Frequent Causes of Car Accident in Columbus, Georgia

Car accidents always have a cause; cars don't just suddenly crash into each other without reason. There are niche reasons, like "acts of god", but the most common causes are distracted driving and speeding. Distracted driving can be the result of many things, from texting to adjusting music/GPS or other activities. Distracted driving and speeding are clear causes of accidents, with well-defined fault drivers in Columbus, Georgia law. If someone was distracted while driving or driving in other unsafe ways when they hit you, they are very likely to be responsible for the accident.

Proving that someone else was responsible for the accident is the key to your case. If you can prove someone else was responsible, you will be able to get compensation for the trouble they have caused you. Your compensation can include direct financial causes like present and future medical bills, emotional struggles like trauma and therapy, and more.

Types of Car Accidents Common In Columbus, Georgia

Your case could be very different depending on the type of car accident you were in. While rear-end collisions typically have a legally defined responsible party, other types are more up in the air. Knowing which type of car accident you were in will help determine who was responsible. Below are a few common types of car accidents.

Rear-end Collisions

Collisions caused by one vehicle hitting another from the back are incredibly common. Typically, these accidents are caused by distracted driving or tailgating. The law in Columbus, Georgia, presumes the fault of the driver who rear-ended the other driver. If you were in front of a rear-end accident and were hit from behind, you are likely to be seen as innocent for the accident. This is not the case for every rear-end accident, but the majority end this way.

T-bone Accidents

Car accidents that result from one car hitting another on the side are caused when one driver fails to yield the right of way. These accidents are typically caused by one driver ignoring a stop sign or red light due to distracted driving. These accidents can be particularly devastating because the sides of a car have much less protection than the front and the back. Cars are designed to have impact protection on the front and the back, but the sides can't have the same level of protection.

Hit-and-Run Incidents

Hit-and-run accidents can be any type of car accident. A hit-and-run is defined by one of the parties involved fleeing the scene. This is likely because the fault driver knew they were at fault or didn't have car insurance. Accidents like this are especially frustrating. Tracking down and holding the responsible driver accountable can be very difficult. A good lawyer can help with the process and gives you the best chance at finding them.

Columbus, Georgia: Injuries From Car Accidents

Driving is one of the most dangerous things you can do and likely the most dangerous thing that most people will ever do in Columbus, Georgia. Car safety design has improved incredibly since the "golden age" of cars. Airbags, crumple zones, lane obstruction detection, and other safety features help cars keep you safe but unfortunately, when you're in a car accident, these safety features can only go so far.

The accidents you can receive from a car accident are incredibly varied. The scale of injuries can range from mild bruises and scratches to life-altering spin injuries that can leave you paralyzed. The more severe your injuries are, the more likely you will need an experienced lawyer.

Minor Injuries Like Whiplash and Bruises

Even the least severe car accidents can cause injuries that have lasting effects. Whiplash, an injury caused by sudden neck movement, can lead to long-term pain. After an injury like this, you could be dealing with chronic pain, headaches, and reduced spine mobility. Concusions and severe bruising can also come from any car accident.

Serious Injuries Like Spinal Cord Damage and Traumatic Brain Injury

The potential injuries from a car accident are not always minor. Moving at such high speeds and suddenly being hit can lead to spinal cord damage and traumatic brain injuries. Medical treatment and rehabilitation for injuries like this can be very expensive in Columbus, Georgia and consume large portions of your life. If you have to spend months recovering from an accident injury caused by someone else, you deserve to receive fair compensation for that.

Emotional Trauma

Physical injuries are only one of the possible consequences of being in a car accident. Emotional trauma like post-traumatic stress, anxiety about driving, and depression caused by injury recovery are just a few of the potential emotional injuries that car accident victims suffer. Invisible injuries like this can affect your life as much as or even more than physical injuries.

What to Do If You are Injured in a Car Accident in Columbus, Georgia

Not many people are prepared for what happens if they are involved in a serious car accident. While there are many steps to take, here are a few of the most important.

Know the Details of Your Accident

Immediately after the accident, your first priority should be gathering information. The more, the better. You should get the exact location of the accident scene, current time and date, insurance information of the other people involved in the accident, what caused the accident, if you can, and more. Collecting information later will be much more complicated than at the time of the accident in Columbus, Georgia. Many people will react to an accident with fear, confusion, and anxiety. If you can, put those feelings to the side and focus on gathering information.

Build a Compelling Case with Your Lawyer

After the accident has settled and you have time to think, you should reach out and search for a lawyer to represent you and help build your case near Columbus, Georgia. Once you have found a lawyer you can trust with your situation, they can aid you in building out your case, talking to the insurance companies, and gathering additional info. Part of building out your case is assessing all the damages you have had to deal with. Your lawyer will help build out a comprehensive list of damages. A strong case will make a personal injury claim that much more likely to succeed.

Seek Compensation

Once your case is built and you are firm on all of the details, you and your lawyer will actively seek out compensation for the things you have had to deal with. Compensation should include your medical costs, vehicle damage costs, emotional trauma injuries, lost wages, and more.

Seeking compensation might look like your lawyer discussing with the other parties and reaching a fair accident settlement. If everyone is not able to agree on a fair settlement, then your lawyer will help file an accident claim so you can take your case to court. A lawyer with detailed knowledge of Columbus, Georgia law won't accept any settlement that isn't completely fair, and if they believe you can benefit from a lawsuit, that's the direction they will encourage you to go.

Best Practices to Find a Car Accident Lawyer in Columbus, Georgia

Finding a lawyer can be a daunting process because every lawyer is suited for a different situation. Choosing the right lawyer is one of the most important decisions you can make to ensure that you are compensated properly.

Comparing Different Lawyers

Choosing a lawyer is, in most cases, a game of compare and contrast. You will likely speak to many lawyers who all have pros and cons. It's important to keep detailed notes about specialties, availability, and dedication to a case. In the end, you are looking for a lawyer who is best suited to your case specifically. Even if a lawyer would do a great job, if they can't meet with you when you are free, then they are not the right lawyer for the case.

Does Experience Matter?

Choosing the lawyer with the most experience seems like the no-brainer answer.

Unfortunately, the correct choice is often much more complicated than that. A lawyer who has 20 years of experience in general personal injury lawsuits and a lawyer who has 15 years of experience, specifically in auto accident law, are two very different types of lawyer. Be wary of where experience lies.

There is also something to be said about lawyers with less experience. A new firm that is just starting out that can dedicate all of their efforts to you may be the right choice. If a new lawyer spent all of their time in law school focusing on issues that directly relate to you they could be a far better choice than a lawyer who is experienced in another field of law.

What Do Other People Think of Your Potential Lawyer?

Getting a comprehensive idea of the reception of a lawyer is very important. For example, an accident attorney's website may detail them as the perfect fit for your case but in reality they might be more suited to another type of case. There are three main sources of information to consider when choosing an attorney: The information they have created, the online reviews, and a specific review.

Information that is created by a law firm can include their website, social media posts, and advertisements. These ads are a good way to discover a personal injury attorney, but you should also consider the reviews of people they have worked with.

The online reviews can be a good way to see what the general public thinks of an attorney. You can see many reviews coming from many people in different situations. You should be careful when reading online reviews. Online reviews can be written by anybody with any motivation, and may not be entirely factual. Comparing these reviews with other things you know about the firm can be a great way to gauge if they are the right fit.

Finally, getting a tailored review of the firm is incredibly helpful. If you know someone who has partnered with the firm before, getting a review from them can be the best way to know if they are the right fit for you. If you don't know anyone who has partnered with a firm before, you can still get a tailored review. When you meet with an attorney for the first time, ask the attorney if they can give you the contact information of one of their clients. A good lawyer will gladly connect you with one of their former clients so you can get a review from them.

Partnering With The Cotto Law Group

Dealing with a car accident can be incredibly overwhelming. We can help with that. The Cotto Law Group is a law firm serving Columbus, Georgia with over a decade of experience dealing with auto accident law. If we decide to take your case, we guarantee dedication in everything we do. If you're interested in a free consultation to see if we are the right fit for you, click the link below.