Car Accident
Fry | Goehring successfully helps the injured recover the compensation they deserve.
Cases We Handle
Personal Injury
Car Accident Insurance Claims
Auto insurance provides a safety net for drivers and anyone involved in a car accident. However, the antics insurance companies employ to avoid settling claims can be very frustrating and may require you to enlist an experienced Atlanta car accident lawyer to fight for your rights and help you get the compensation you are owed.
Suppose you feel your car accident insurance claim was unduly rejected or undervalued. In that case, hiring a personal injury lawyer in Georgia to seek a fair resolution outside or inside the court will be in your best interest. Legal battles involving insurance companies can drag on, especially when the insurance company is looking for ways to underpay or deny your claim. The whole reason for taking up car insurance is to get help in the event of an accident. You deserve to be compensated for a valid car accident insurance claim.
The car accident lawyers at Fry | Goehring are conversant with Georgia insurance laws and will zealously advocate for you to recoup the money you are owed. Our knowledgeable and qualified car accident lawyers in Atlanta will conduct an independent investigation into the accident to obtain evidence that proves it was another party’s negligence that resulted in your injuries.
Fry | Goehring can oversee the negotiations with the insurance company and ensure you get a favorable settlement. If negotiations break down, we are ready to go to court and demand the maximum possible compensation.
If you’ve been involved in a car accident, our legal team can help when dealing with insurance adjusters. To arrange a free initial consultation and case review with our friendly insurance claims lawyers, please contact us at 404-969-1284 or fill out our online form.
Atlanta Insurance Claims
The most common way for auto accident victims and their loved ones to recover compensation for damages after a crash is through auto accident insurance claims. Getting your car fixed after a fender bender is usually a straightforward process.
But if you sustained severe injuries or lost a loved one in a car wreck, there’s a lot more at stake for everyone involved, including insurance companies. Errors can be expensive during these types of Atlanta insurance claims, and you may find it challenging to get just compensation.
Work with our seasoned Atlanta car accident attorneys from the very beginning after your car accident. Our legal team is experienced in handling auto insurance claims and recovering fair settlements for our clients. We will explore all available insurance claim options for recovering the compensation you deserve, including:
Filing an Insurance Claim With Your Insurance Company
Georgia first-party claims include underinsured and uninsured motorist benefits. A common problem following a car accident in Atlanta and during claim negotiations is finding out the at-fault driver is uninsured. Uninsured motorist benefits may reimburse you for injuries or losses suffered if the at-fault driver did not have insurance at the time of the car accident. You may also pursue an insurance claim for uninsured driver benefits if the motorist who caused the crash fled.
Georgia’s required auto insurance is not high. In the case of a severe accident, your property damage and medical costs can exceed the policy limit. When the insurance coverage of the liable driver isn’t enough to reimburse you for all your damages and injuries, this is referred to as an underinsured motorist claim. You may file an auto insurance claim with your insurance agent, depending on your car insurance coverage.
At Fry | Goehring, our experienced insurance claims lawyers can assist you in filing a first-party claim against your insurance provider and help you recover damages in car accident cases that involve underinsured or uninsured motorists.
Filing Third-Party Insurance Claims
Georgia follows the fault-based doctrine when it comes to auto accidents. This means that if another motorist’s negligence or carelessness resulted in an accident, victims have grounds to pursue a third-party claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance company.
When you present a claim to the insurance agent, the insurance company will assign a claims adjuster to investigate the accident. They may reach out to you seeking more information regarding the car crash. The adjuster may:
- Assess the vehicle damage (and take photos)
- Speak to accident witnesses
- Speak to other passengers or drivers
- Obtain medical records
- Obtain a duplicate of the police report
If the insurance company accepts liability, which is not always the case, the adjuster handling the claim will generally make a settlement offer.
The skilled car accident lawyers at Fry | Goehring can assist you in filing a third-party claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance agent. A third-party claim will recover damages related to medical care and bills accrued, pain and suffering, lost earnings, and inconvenience.
Filing a Lawsuit Against the At-Fault Driver
If the insurance provider rejects your claim or awards a settlement amount that is too low, you can sue the at-fault driver and demand reimbursement from them directly. To succeed in your lawsuit against the at-fault driver, you must prove that the other driver’s negligence caused the crash and your car accident injuries.
Whether the case will yield a favorable outcome will depend on a range of things, including the motorist’s assets and income. If they were uninsured or underinsured, then the chances are they have limited assets to cover the damages.
Do's and Don'ts When Dealing With Insurance Companies
Car insurance claims can entail intricate legal issues. Moreover, insurance companies don’t always make it easy for accident victims to obtain compensation. Knowing the dos and mistakes to avoid when dealing with insurance adjusters helps you safeguard your rights and ensure maximum compensation following a crash.
Insurance Claim Do's
- Obtain as many details regarding the accident scene as possible
- Call law enforcement
- Call a lawyer before reporting to your insurance company
- Contact your insurance company
- Save bills and receipts
Insurance Claim Don'ts
- Don’t assign or admit fault
- Don’t give a recorded official statement
- Don’t accept or sign waivers without a lawyer present
- Don’t volunteer additional information
- Don’t negotiate with the other motorist
- Don’t engage with the insurance company alone
Understanding Your Insurance Policy
Even though carrying auto insurance is a requirement in Georgia, most drivers don’t understand their insurance policies. Even a personal insurance policy can be challenging to understand if you only review it upon renewal.
Nevertheless, drivers need to know the nitty-gritty of their insurance policies since they will affect their compensation in case of accidents.
Required Minimum Georgia Insurance Coverage
Drivers in Georgia are required by law to purchase liability insurance that meets the required minimum limits. Given that Georgia follows a fault-based doctrine, this coverage will offer restitution and protection for other parties involved in the accident. Georgia drivers’ minimum insurance coverage requirements are divided into three parts, denoted as 25/50/25. The limits and coverages include:
- $25,000 in bodily injury coverage per individual
- $50,000 in bodily injury coverage per accident
- $25,000 in property damage coverage per accident
You should note that liability insurance doesn’t include any injuries sustained to you, your passengers, or your property in the event of an auto accident. If you’re found to be responsible for the accident and fulfill your coverage limits, you’ll be held accountable for any additional medical costs or damages for the other party.
In addition to the mandatory Georgia minimum auto insurance limits, you can add optional auto insurance coverage to your policy for comprehensive protection for you and your car. Other auto insurance add-ons to consider include:
- Comprehensive insurance
- Collision insurance
- Underinsured/uninsured motorist coverage
- Personal injury protection
- Medical payment coverage (MedPay)
Who Is Covered in an Injury Car Accident With Your Insurance Policy?
You may be under the notion that you’re the only individual who will receive coverage because it is your insurance policy. In truth, your car insurance covers a broad range of parties if you are found to be at fault for the accident. Depending on the coverages included in your policy, your insurance policy may provide coverage for:
- Yourself
- Other driver(s) involved in the accident
- Passengers in your vehicle
- Passengers of other cars in the collision
- Drivers you permit to drive your car
Negotiating a Settlement
Insurance companies will actively go out of their way to delay, devalue, or deny your car accident insurance claim. Insurance companies retain teams of accident attorneys who work to prolong and complicate the claims process, wasting your resources and time. If you get a settlement offer immediately after the crash, don’t accept it without legal counsel. The insurance company may be offering less than what you actually deserve.
To ensure you are made ‘whole’ again, hire the seasoned personal injury attorneys at Fry | Goehring to oversee the claim negotiations and ensure you are fairly compensated. We know the tactics insurance companies use to delay the claims process. Our attorneys will handle all communication with the insurance companies and be assertive during negotiations to get you the maximum compensation. Let us spearhead the negotiation of your settlement as you focus on your recovery.
What To Do if Your Claim Is Denied
Each year, thousands of car accident victims get their compensation claims denied. Often, car accident victims who take on insurance companies without help are left dealing with the financial liability of accidents that weren’t their fault.
Some of the reasons why your claim may be denied include:
- You were wholly or partly responsible for the crash
- The policyholder didn’t cause the accident
- The accident didn’t directly cause your injuries
- The claim goes above your maximum insurance coverage
- Your injuries are from underlying conditions
- You got unreasonably or unnecessarily costly treatment
- Not informing the insurance company within a reasonable timeframe
- Lack of medical records for your injuries
If your car accident insurance claim is rejected, don’t panic. In Georgia, a person can appeal the decision, submit a complaint to the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire, or file a lawsuit against the responsible driver. When the insurance company rejects your auto insurance claim, they must send you a denial letter explaining the grounds for their rejection. If the company requires additional evidence and information, obtain it and file the appeal.
You should consider filing a complaint if you believe your claim was illegally or unjustly denied. Include all the information and evidence in the original claim and duplicates of all pertinent communications between you and the insurance company.
Insurance claims are complicated. If you are experiencing difficulty with your insurance claim, a car accident attorney from Fry | Goehring can help. We have experience working with insurance companies and can help obtain the evidence the adjuster requires to settle your claim. Our attorneys can help you resubmit your denied claim and ensure you recover maximum compensation. After a denial, make sure to retain legal help.
How Our Atlanta Car Accident Lawyers Can Help You Deal With Insurance Companies
Insurance companies usually have a team of legal representatives who are specialists when it comes to dodging insurance claims. You can level the playing field when going against insurance companies by working with our experienced Atlanta car accident lawyers. Here are some ways our legal team can help you deal with insurance companies:
- Collect evidence to prove the other driver’s fault and your losses
- Handling all communications and engagements with the insurance carrier
- Evaluating any settlement offers
- Negotiating a fair settlement that reflects all your losses
- Filing a personal injury lawsuit
Don’t be left with the financial burden of the consequences of a crash that wasn’t your fault. Get an attorney who will ensure your rights are protected. Our Atlanta car accident advocates can assist you at every step of claim negotiations.
Get Qualified and Aggressive Legal Representation Today
Most car crashes occur so quickly that it is difficult to comprehend what occurred and who the guilty party is. The accident can leave you in a state of shock and confusion. If you have suffered an injury, get medical treatment immediately so your injuries are documented. Still, before you recover, chances are that you’ll already have received calls and be dealing with insurance adjusters. Don’t answer any of their questions before calling our insurance claims lawyers.
At Fry | Goehring, we know the underhanded tactics insurance companies use to avoid paying injury claims. We offer qualified and aggressive representation that ensures you receive all the money owed to you. Get in touch with our firm at 404-969-1284 to schedule your free case review and learn precisely what options are available to you.
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- Our Firm is Dedicated to Giving Back to the Community We Serve
- We Communicate Effectively & Take the Time to Understand Your Pain
- Our Attorneys Are Backed by Over 20 Years of Legal Experience
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Whether you have questions or you’re ready to get started, our legal team is ready to help. Complete our form below or call us at (404) 969-1284.
