If you were injured in a car accident in Duluth Georgia, you may have a personal injury case against the at-fault driver, or rather, the at-fault party’s insurance company because rarely do the individuals pay out of pocket if they are insured.

When we get calls from accident victims asking if they have a case, we ask and talk about the following topics during our initial free consultation.

  • Who was at fault for the accident?
  • What injuries did you suffer?
  • Where did the accident happen?
  • What medical treatment have you had so far and when?
  • Did you suffer vehicle damage (in the event of a car accident) and what does it look like?
  • Did you miss any time from work?

Let us discuss each of these questions so you can understand what we are trying to identify and why.

Who was at fault for the accident?

This is one of the first things we need to figure out. If the accident is not your fault, and the fault is clearly someone else’s, the insurance companies will usually make a good faith effort to resolve your claim. But this is not always the case, especially if fault is not immediately clear or the other party blames you.

Our job is to build your injury claim to its maximum value and then negotiate with the insurance company for you. If the accident was in any way your fault, or a police officer did not give out a ticket in the event of a car accident (a ticket helps show fault), then it becomes much harder to get our client a good settlement offer without filing a lawsuit.

That does not mean we will not take your case to litigation though. Call us and talk directly to personal injury lawyer David Brauns and walk through the facts of your particular case.

What injuries did you suffer?

You need to be injured in order to have a personal injury claim. If you were in a car accident, for example, but not injured, then the only claim you will have is for property damage, or damage to your car.

Keep in mind though that some injuries take awhile to manifest or their full extent might not be immediately clear. See a doctor (we can help you get treatment even if you do not have insurance) and talk to David Brauns about your case.

Where did the accident happen?

Where your accident happened can determine in what county a lawsuit would have to be filed. This is called “venue.” Even though we try to settle our clients’ accident claims without filing a lawsuit, venue can change your claim’s value. Some counties have a reputation for giving bigger verdicts. The insurance companies know this and it might affect how they negotiate your settlement.

What medical treatment have you had so far and when?

Your medical treatment directly drives your accident claim’s value. There are a lot of issues and questions surrounding your treatment that we need to talk about. We need to identify such things as:

  • Have you followed your doctor’s orders?
  • How long was it between your car accident and when you first saw a doctor?
  • What type of treatment have you been receiving?

Medical care is critical to developing your claim and getting you back to 100 percent. It is actually what we end up talking about with our clients the most, besides talking about getting their cars fixed or replaced.

Did you suffer vehicle damage and what does it look like?

Damage to your car, called property damage by the adjusters, is a great indicator of how bad your car accident was. The more damage to your car, the easier it is to argue your injuries and pain and suffering. We always want to get a feel for what your car looked like because we know it is the first thing the adjuster will look at when offering you a settlement on your case.

Bring any pictures of the accident scene or your vehicle, as well as any vehicle repair estimates you already received, when you talk to David Brauns.

Did you miss any time from work?

You are entitled to lost wages, or time missed from work, if you have been in an accident in Georgia. We want to make sure your claim properly documents this so the adjusters give you full “credit” for missed time from work. It would seem this is relatively straightforward, but it is not always the case.

When we take your accident case, we need to get to work right away getting all your lost wage evidence into place. One of the things our clients are always surprised to hear is that you are entitled to lost wages even if you were actually paid during your missed time from work. That is right. Even if you had sick days or paid time off that permitted you to get paid while missing work, you are still entitled to lost wages from the at-fault driver.

Find Out Today if You Have a Personal Injury Case

Call us at 404-418-8244 or submit your information online for a free evaluation of your case. David will tell you if you have a case and how he can help you.

We do not charge our clients any money up front. There are no strings attached to talk to David. We only take a contingency fee out of whatever money we get for you from the insurance company. We just want you to have good information so you can make good decisions. Call today.