Car accidents injure thousands of people every year. One of the most common car accident injuries is head trauma. When cars collide at significantly high speeds, the human body also moves with similar force.
What makes matters worse is if the insurance company doesn’t accept your claim, even if the other driver caused it.
Do you want to know your legal options after you hit your head in a car accident? This guide will explain what they are and why you should hire a car accident attorney.
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The Severity of Head Injuries
Severe head injuries can lead to trauma, which can result in chronic health issues such as:
- Chronic headaches
- Memory loss
- Seizures
- Behavioral issues
- Light sensitivity
- Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE)
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
These health conditions can prevent you from returning to work, functioning normally, and caring for yourself.
After a car accident that wasn’t your fault, you don’t deserve to face these consequences alone.
Hiring a car accident attorney gives you the best chance at securing maximum compensation for your injuries.
The Economic Toll of Severe Head Injuries
Car accidents leave victims struggling with high medical bills and rehabilitation costs. As most victims can’t work after the accident, they lack the financial options to ease their situation.
As a result, hiring a car accident lawyer is often the best chance to secure compensation for your injuries. For example, you can use your settlement award to pay your medical bills, eliminate debt, and improve your financial well-being.
You can also hold the responsible party accountable for their role in your accident.
Why You Should Hire a Car Accident Attorney
Your best legal option for suffering a head injury during a car accident is hiring an attorney. Here are the reasons why you need to hire a car accident lawyer:
A Lawyer Can Help You Maximize Your Settlement
Hiring a car accident lawyer helps victims find out the true monetary value of their claims. Without them, an insurance company can dupe them with a low-ball settlement.
What’s more, is that an experienced car accident attorney can bolster your claim by demonstrating your financial losses and the emotional toll you’ve endured because of a head injury.
When you hire a car accident attorney, you can increase your odds of securing a maximum settlement for the head injuries you’ve endured. Otherwise, you’re at the insurance company's mercy, which will determine how much they think your claim is worth.
You Can Better Prove Negligence and Liability
If you build a successful car accident claim, you’ll need to show that the defendant was negligent during the accident. As a result of their negligence, they caused your head injuries and must pay for damages.
In civil cases, the burden of proof lies on the plaintiff. This means it’s your job to prove something in your claim, not the defendant’s.
Consequently, you must show concrete proof of the defendant’s negligence and legal liability. A car accident attorney has the experience and tools to build a solid claim.
Once they finish their investigation, they’ll issue a demand letter outlining your entire claim and stating the amount you’re seeking in legal damages.
An Attorney Can Show the Correlation Between Negligence and Your Injury
Another major aspect in building a successful car accident claim is showing that the defendant’s negligence was the core cause behind your head injury.
The defense will attempt to strike down your argument in the following ways:
- They’ll refuse to acknowledge a correlation between the car accident and your head injury.
- They’ll insinuate that your head injury isn’t severe.
- The defense will assert that your head injury could’ve been due to other factors, such as old age or a previous injury.
This is why you must hire a competent car accident attorney to win your claim. A car accident attorney will use expert witnesses, medical testimonies, and other forms of evidence to prove your claim.
In addition, they’ll form valid counterarguments just in case the defense tries to contradict the facts. With a car accident attorney, you can show tangible proof that a defendant’s careless actions led to your head injury.
You Can Access a Law Firm’s Tools and Resources to Bolster Your Claim
A trustworthy car accident law firm can use several tools and resources to build a successful claim. For example, attorneys rely on expert witnesses and specialists to validate your claim.
Some of these specialists and resources include:
- Medical experts, such as doctors, who can testify about the extent of your injuries and their correlation with the accident.
- Accident reconstruction specialists, who can reconstruct an accident scene and determine fault.
- Witnesses and police officers, who can give an account of what happened leading up to the accident.
If you hit your head in a car accident, you can rest easy knowing that a law firm has plenty of resources to fight for fair compensation. In fact, they stand a better chance of securing a maximum settlement than if you filed your own claim.
A Law Firm Can Level the Playing Field Against the Insurance Company
Usually, car accident claims must get compensation from the other driver’s insurance company. Insurance companies are notorious for undermining legitimate claims to protect their interests and bottom line.
After your accident, an insurance adjuster to reach out and get your side of the story. Unfortunately, this is a ploy designed for you to incriminate yourself.
If you reveal too much information, they can use it against you in court. Also, an adjuster may try to convince you to take partial fault for the accident.
Never speak to an insurance adjuster until you hire an attorney. Hiring an attorney allows you to level the playing field against powerful insurance companies.
Experienced car accident attorneys in Atlanta know insurance companies' tricks against injury victims. An attorney will protect you from these tricks, and you can avoid sabotaging your claim.
An Attorney Can File Your Claim on Time
In Georgia, you have two years from your car accident to file a claim. Without an attorney, two years isn’t enough time to build a solid claim against a powerful insurance company.
A legal investigation is both comprehensive and time-consuming. Only experienced lawyers have the resources available to gather evidence to prove a defendant’s negligence.
They are also well-versed in building successful car accident claims within the statute of limitations in Georgia.
A Lawyer Can Add More Liable Defendants to Your Claim
Not all car accident claims are cut and dry. Some involve multiple responsible parties.
Here are some scenarios in which others may cause your head injury:
- Your car's defective airbag or brakes contributed to your car accident.
- Your car accident involved multiple parties, such as a semi-truck driver that caused another driver to hit you.
- Poor roadways, exacerbated by rainy weather, caused another car to slide into yours.
As you can see, several scenarios exist where you could hold another party liable for your head injury. A car accident attorney has the experience to pinpoint each responsible party.
You’ll Need a Lawyer if Your Claim Goes to Court
More than 90% of civil claims settle out of court. This means an insurance company will probably choose to settle your claim, especially if you hire a lawyer.
However, there is still a possibility that an insurance company won’t take your claim seriously. They may even submit a low settlement offer, hoping you won’t take them to court.
An insurance company with a team of lawyers on their side will take their chances with a solo claimant. When you hire a lawyer, you can ensure that your claim will receive the consideration it deserves.
You can also prepare for the possibility of heading to court if negotiations fail.
What Kinds of Compensation are Available for Head Injury Victims
If you file a car accident claim for your head injury, you can receive a maximum settlement that includes damages for your:
- Medical expenses: Your settlement can cover your medical and rehabilitation costs.
- Lost wages: If you miss work time, you can sue the defendant for the lost wages you would’ve otherwise received.
- Pain and suffering: Severe head injuries can cause immense physical pain and mental trauma. You can recover compensation for this grief in accordance with pain and suffering.
- Punitive damages: These damages punish the defendant for egregious acts of gross negligence, such as driving while intoxicated or drag racing.
Drivers owe a duty of care to to drive safely at all times. When drivers fail their duty of care, you can hold them liable for some or all of these damages.
Why Choose the Atlanta Personal Injury Group
Deciding to file a car accident claim for your head injury is a monumental decision. At the Atlanta Personal Injury Group, we understand the grief and pain you had to endure.
This is why we’re dedicated to helping head injury victims secure fair compensation for their pain and suffering. Here are a couple of reasons why you should pick up the phone and call our law firm:
We Have Several Years of Experience in Filing Car Accident Claims
Going toe-to-toe with a large insurance company isn’t an easy feat. If you want to file a successful claim, you can rely on the experienced legal team at the Atlanta Personal Injury Group.
We have worked with hundreds of clients over the years, and our team knows the ins and outs of the claims process. We have also seen all the tricks the defense is likely to throw at us.
With our battle-tested legal approach, we can help you create a strong legal claim and fight for a maximum settlement.
We Can Gather Evidence to Support Your Claim
The entirety of your claim will depend on concrete evidence. This evidence must prove that your car accident was caused by the defendant’s negligence. It must also prove that the car accident contributed to a substantial head injury.
To assert these claims, we will gather:
- Police reports
- Witness statements
- Expert testimonies
- Photographic or video traffic footage
- Medical reports
We’re determined to reach an equitable settlement, or we’ll go to court to protect your interests.
We’re Always Prepared for Court
Not all civil negotiations end in a settlement. Sometimes, the insurance company will take their chances in court. If this happens, you’ll need an experienced lawyer by your side.
The Atlanta Personal Injury Group always prepares for these challenges. Our team will work diligently to build an ironclad case in front of the judge and jury.
This way, you can receive the peace of mind you deserve during the legal process.
We Work on a Contingency Basis
When you choose to work with us, we don’t get paid until you do. This means you don’t have to pay any initial costs. We will file a car accident claim at no upfront cost to you.
There is no risk involved in filing a claim if you received a substantial head injury. This also means that we’ll do our best to secure a settlement to cover legal costs and your personal expenses.
Schedule a Consultation with the Atlanta Personal Injury Group
If you hit your head during a car accident, you may seek legal damages. Hiring an attorney gives you the best chance of building a strong car accident claim.
If you’re ready to start the claims process, we’d love to hear from you. Contact our law office today for a consultation with our personal injury lawyers.