Even though your Acworth car accident lawyer will be representing you, that doesn’t mean you aren’t nervous to meet them. Many of our clients are terrified to come in for a first meeting.
Here, we’ll explain how you can prepare for this initial meeting. This way, you’re not only comfortable meeting with your Acworth accident lawyer, but you’re excited.
You’ll Have to Provide Your Acworth Accident Lawyer With a Description of Your Crash
Prior to your initial meeting with your attorney, you should send them a copy of all paperwork related to your accident. This gives them a chance to review this information ahead of time.
Some of the information you may want to forward to your accident attorney in Acworth includes the following:
- A copy of the police report
- Any letters and other correspondence from the insurance companies
- Pictures and videos of the accident and its aftermath
- A copy of your insurance policy
- A copy of the denial letter from the insurance carrier (if your claim was denied)
- Your medical records
- Copies of any bills or explanation of benefit forms related to your case
- A copy of your payroll records showing your lost wages
This may seem like a lot of information. If you would rather not email or fax it, you can always make a copy and physically drop it off at our office.
Make Sure You Tell Your Car Accident Attorney in Acworth Where You Stand With the Insurance Company
In order to know how to proceed, your Acworth car accident lawyer will need to know what happened with your insurance claim. If your claim was already paid, odds are, you wouldn’t be meeting with an accident attorney in Acworth.
If your claim was denied, you should have a copy of the denial letter. Make sure you can explain why your claim was denied. Also, be prepared to explain why they should’ve paid your claim.
Don’t Forget to Ask How Long You Have to File a Lawsuit
One of the most important questions you should ask your Acworth auto accident lawyer is how long you have to file your claim. It’s safe to presume that you will have already filed your insurance claim.
When it comes to filing a civil lawsuit against the other driver, there is a strict filing deadline. The good news is that your accident attorney in Acworth is very familiar with this rule. As long as you retain them with plenty of time left, it shouldn’t be a problem meeting the filing deadline.
Your Acworth Auto Accident Lawyer Knows How Long You Have to Sue Under the Statute of Limitations
Every state has something called the statute of limitations. This is the law that dictates how long a plaintiff has to sue another party. According to OCGA §9-3-33, you have two (2) years from the date of your accident to file suit.
It will be very difficult for your lawyer to get the court to extend the filing deadline. The statute of limitations is very clear about this. Unless you meet one of the few exceptions, you’ll be required to file your complaint before the statute of limitations period has expired.
Ask Your Accident Attorney in Acworth if You Can Sue More Than One Party
You should ask whether you’ll need to sue more than one party. Your Acworth car accident attorney will review your information to determine if there is more than one responsible party.
For example, if you were involved in a multi-vehicle accident, you may need to sue more than one driver. Since you’ll have to name all possible defendants in your initial complaint, this is something you need to resolve early on.
You Should Find Out What Kind of Damages You May Be Entitled To
The main reason you hire an accident attorney in Acworth is because you believe you’re entitled to compensation. If the other driver was at fault, they should be held accountable.
When you first meet with your accident attorney in Acworth, they may be able to explain what types of damages you can demand. Some of these may include:
- Medical bills
- Future medical bills
- Lost wages
- Lost future income
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Punitive damages
Since every case is different, there’s no way to know upfront what you may be entitled to. Your Acworth accident lawyer will need time to thoroughly review your case before they can answer this question.
Ask Your Acworth Car Accident Lawyer What Happens if You’re Found to Be Partially at Fault
One question a lot of clients forget to ask has to do with being partially at fault. In some states, a plaintiff is barred from filing suit if they were partially at fault. Thankfully, this isn’t the case in Georgia.
According to Georgia Statute §51-11-7, a plaintiff can still collect damages, as long as they’re less than 50%. However, your damages will be reduced by your percentage of fault.
For example, imagine you sue the other driver for $100,000. The court finds that you were 20% at fault. This means that your damages will be reduced by 20%, or $20,000.
You’ll Obviously Want to Know What Your Case is Worth
One of the first questions a new client asks our accident attorneys in Acworth is how much their claim is worth. It’s only natural that you would want an answer to this question. After all, the only reason you hire an Acworth car accident lawyer is so they can get you compensation for your injuries.
Just keep in mind that, until your lawyer has a chance to talk to the defendant’s attorney, they may not know what your case is worth. For example, if the defendant has proof that you were partially at fault, it will impact the value of your case.
Don’t Forget to Ask Your Car Accident Attorney in Acworth How They Will Be Paid
One of the nice things about hiring an accident attorney in Acworth is that you don’t have to pay anything upfront. We offer all new clients a free case review. This gives us a chance to review a potential client’s case before we agree to represent them.
The consultation is also important for you. Our clients have the opportunity to meet with one of our Georgia accident lawyers before deciding if they want to hire our firm. If you decide you do want us to handle your case, we will have you sign a contingency agreement.
Our contingency agreement spells out how our Acworth accident lawyers are paid. Our firm is not paid unless you win or settle your case. You won’t have to pay anything upfront.
We recommend that you call our office as soon as possible after your motor vehicle accident. This will ensure that your accident attorney in Acworth has ample time to prepare your case.
