A minor motor vehicle crash can be frightening, inconvenient, and expensive. When the accident is more serious and results in injury, the consequences on the victim and their family are even greater.
If you were recently injured in an auto wreck due to someone else’s negligence, contact a skilled personal injury lawyer as soon as possible to help seek compensation from the responsible parties. A Roswell car accident lawyer could advise you on seeking damages for your particular case.
A car crash victim could seek damages from any negligent party who contributed to their accident or injuries. The burden is on the injured person (plaintiff) to prove that the other party (defendant) was negligent. To prove negligence, the plaintiff’s attorney must establish that:
All drivers have a duty to drive with care and follow all traffic laws so as not to endanger others. If another driver failed to obey the law or did not exercise reasonable caution, a skilled attorney could gather evidence of this to prove the breach of duty.
Under Georgia law, a driver who was at-fault in a car accident is responsible for compensating other parties who suffered losses because of the accident. If multiple parties share the blame, each negligent party is responsible for damages in an amount proportional to their share of the fault. A negligent plaintiff could collect damages from other at-fault parties as long as the plaintiff is less than 50 percent responsible for the accident.
Importantly, drivers are not the only ones whose negligence causes car wrecks. Injured people could seek damages from anyone whose carelessness might have contributed to the crash. An experienced car accident attorney could investigate the circumstances of a crash in Roswell to identify all potentially responsible parties.
If a vehicle part failed, the plaintiff could seek damages from its manufacturer for selling a defective product. If road conditions contributed to an accident, a plaintiff and their local attorney might be able to hold the local government liable for their damages.
The Official Code of Georgia Annotated §51-1-40 makes bars or restaurants liable for a car crash victim’s damages under certain circumstances. If a bar or restaurant gives alcoholic beverages to an underage person knowing that they will soon be driving, the establishment could be liable to pay damages to anyone they injure in a subsequent car crash. Similarly, a bar or restaurant could be liable to someone injured by a drunk driver if the establishment serves alcohol to a noticeably intoxicated person, knowing that they will soon be driving.
If you were injured in a car wreck, you could seek extensive damages in a civil claim to cover your lost wages, medical expenses, and losses you expect to incur in the future. A skilled attorney could also help you pursue compensation for the pain, suffering, and permanent changes to your lifestyle resulting from your injuries.
However, Georgia law gives injured people only two years to bring a lawsuit seeking damages, so it is important to act quickly. Contact a Roswell car accident lawyer today to discuss your case.
