If you’ve been in a car accident, you’re probably scared and a little bit angry. Someone decides to drive too fast or talk on the phone and you end up in the hospital. Most car accidents are based on negligence. People don’t do what they’re supposed to do and innocent people get hurt. If you’re one of these people, you need to call a Georgia car accident attorney.
The point of having an attorney is to get compensation for your injuries. If the other driver’s insurance doesn’t pay your claim, you’ll have no choice but to file suit. You don’t want to try to handle this yourself. You should rely on an experienced professional to do this for you.
Your Atlanta car accident lawyer will do a few things for you:
- He’ll try to negotiate a settlement with the insurance adjuster
- He’ll file suit if need be and try to settle the case with the defendant’s lawyer
- If he has to, he’ll go to trial on your behalf and try to win your case
Most car accident cases do settle. Very few of them actually go to court. This is because the lawyers for both sides know it’s the right thing to do. The courts actually do everything in their power to make you settle. They hate the idea of cases like this clogging up the court system.
This is why there are things like mediation and settlement conferences. The court will give you every opportunity to settle your case out of court. It’s the best thing for everyone involved.
Why Would You Want to Settle?
When people think of car accident lawsuits, they see one of two things. Either they see dollar signs or they see justice. Some see both. It’s not like what you see on television or in the movies. You don’t walk into a courtroom wearing a neck brace and walk out with a million dollars.
Real cases require real proof. You have to show that you’re injured in order to recover. You also have to prove the defendant is responsible for your injuries. This isn’t always so easy. Some cases are complicated. And, very rarely is one driver 100% responsible for the accident.
You may be absolutely sure that the accident wasn’t your fault. However, there is always the risk that a jury will see things in another way. If this happens, you could lose at trial. If you lose at trial, you get nothing. You’ll be solely responsible for your medical bills.
This is why settling your case out of court is a good idea. It’s not as if your car wreck attorney in Atlanta is going to settle without asking your opinion. He won’t entertain a settlement offer that isn’t fair. But he also has to be realistic. Remember – it’s your lawyer’s job to make you whole. It is not his job to make you rich.
Settlements Don’t Take as Long as Trials
If your case goes to court, it could be well over a year before you see a dime. In fact, you may even lose and get nothing. The court system takes an awfully long time to hear car accident cases. It could be months or even years before your case actually makes it to trial.
In order to get to trial, you have to deal with things like:
- Motions to dismiss
- Hearings
- Settlement conferences
- Mediation
- Arbitration
- Pre-trial conferences
These things take time. The court is in no rush to hear your case. There’s little your attorney can do to fast track things. The one thing he can do, however, is try to settle your case with the defendant’s lawyer.
It’s in everyone’s best interest to settle. Your attorney will demand that you receive a certain amount of money to cover your bills and lost wages. The other driver’s counsel will say that the case is worth much less. The two will have to meet somewhere in the middle.
Once they agree on an amount, your lawyer will draft a settlement agreement. Both parties will sign it and submit a copy to the court. Once it’s entered into the record, you can expect to receive your settlement payment.
Contact a Car Accident Lawyer in Atlanta Today
If you’ve been hurt in a car accident, you need to call a car accident lawyer in Atlanta. You probably have medical bills to pay. You want the other driver to be held liable for these bills.
The best way to do this is the have your lawyer handle your case. He’ll negotiate a fair settlement on your behalf. Call and schedule our free initial consultation today. You pay nothing until you settle your case.
