Brunswick Car Accident Lawyer

No one is ever prepared for a car accident, but they unfortunately still happen in Brunswick.  Being on the road at all means there’s a risk of an auto accident. Driving carefully and defensively helps you avoid trouble, but sometimes other drivers are not as responsible for their actions. 

If you do find yourself the victim of a car accident, you’re likely entitled to financial recovery for your damages. But being prepared for the aftermath of the accident helps you protect your rights and also seek a FULL recovery for expenses related to your injuries, vehicle damage, and more. Don’t get left paying for someone else’s carelessness on the road.  Contact a Brunswick car accident lawyer today.

At John Foy & Associates, our car accident lawyers in Brunswick have more than two decades of experience helping personal injury victims seek FULL financial recovery.  We focus solely on these types of cases, and we know how to handle insurance companies who are less than willing to pay out what you deserve.  For a FREE consultation to talk about your case and your options, contact us today. Call 404-400-4000, or fill out the online form to your right to speak with an attorney for free.

What Can I Do to Protect My Rights After a Car Accident?

To legally protect yourself after a car accident, you will need to document the accident, gather evidence, get your injuries treated as soon as possible, and seek legal help.

Documenting the Scene

After the accident happens, you will need to:

• Call the police to report the accident and tell responding officers what happened
• Take pictures of the accident scene, your injuries, and vehicle damage to your car
• Avoid admitting any blame or apologizing to the other driver until you have all the facts
• Talk to witnesses and get their names and contact information

Each of these steps can help create a record of the car accident, which is crucial for your insurance claim.

Getting Your Injuries Checked Out

After you’ve left the scene, see a doctor as soon as you can to have your injuries checked out. Some car accident injuries take time to fully show up, so you should see a doctor even if your pain is minor. The sooner you can get treatment and create a record that you saw someone for your injuries, the better it is for your case.

Also, keep track of all medical bills, doctor notes, and other records of your injuries and medical expenses.

Taking Notes On the Accident

Keep a record of what happened before, during, and after the car accident. Write down how the accident made you feel and how your injuries have impacted your day-to-day life. Also, record any names and contact information of people you’ve communicated with about your accident.

Getting a Car Inspection

Assess how much your vehicle damage will cost to repair (or replace, if your car was totaled). You might see a few different inspectors for an average estimate of how much your vehicle damage is worth before the other driver’s insurance company steps in.

Documenting Your Damages

Keep track of all costs associated with your car accident. Use a file or folder to save documents and notes in one place. This should include:

• Your claim number
• The insurance adjuster’s name
• All medical bills and records
• Quotes for vehicle damage repairs
• Full names, phone numbers, and addresses for all relevant contacts

Calling a Car Accident Lawyer

Schedule a consultation with an experienced car accident lawyer who can make sure you are doing everything to protect your rights after the accident. It’s easy to get taken advantage of if you don’t know how to handle the insurance company, so a lawyer can make sure that doesn’t happen. They can also help fight for the fair settlement you deserve.

If the insurance company or other driver fights against your claim, your lawyer will be there every step of the way—even if you need to take the driver to trial.

Basically, be cautious in everything you do or say after a car accident. Avoid admitting blame, apologizing, or downplaying your damages—and get a trusted lawyer on your side who can help you take the right actions for your case. The goal is to protect your legal rights to full compensation for all the damages you face because of the other driver’s negligence that led to your accident.

Getting Your Injuries Checked Out

After you’ve left the scene, see a doctor as soon as you can to have your injuries checked out. Some car accident injuries take time to fully show up, so you should see a doctor even if your pain is minor. The sooner you can get treatment and create a record that you saw someone for your injuries, the better it is for your case.

Also, keep track of all medical bills, doctor notes, and other records of your injuries and medical expenses.

Why does My Neck Hurt?

If your neck hurts after a car accident, it could be a symptom of whiplash. Whiplash is one of the most common car accident injuries, and it can be very serious. It’s a fairly general term that can refer to various upper back and neck injuries.

Whiplash results from your neck being suddenly whipped back and forth, such as when you’re in rear-end accidents or other collisions where your head and neck get thrown forward. The impact can come from the front, back, or side, though. When this happens, your neck muscles are pushed beyond their regular ranges of motion, causing their soft tissues to stretch or tear.  Another term for whiplash is “sprained neck.”

Insurance companies may try to brush a whiplash injury off as not that serious, but it can, in fact, be very severe and cause a lot of pain and suffering.

Causes of Whiplash

• Pain and stiffness in your neck, shoulders, and upper back
• Trouble sleeping
• Exhaustion and fatigue
• Headaches
• Blurred vision or dizziness
• Ringing in the ears

Another important fact to know about whiplash: the symptoms don’t always manifest right away. It can take hours for inflammation from whiplash to fully set in, meaning you might think you’re okay right after the accident in Brunswick but have serious pain later.

If you experience whiplash after a car accident, see a doctor right away—even if your pain is mild. And if you don’t have any pain at all, until the next day, see a doctor as soon as you experience any pain. This is very important for ensuring your whiplash injuries are included in your insurance claim. Having a record that you saw a doctor and were treated for the whiplash will help demonstrate it’s true damage from the accident.

Do I Need to Go to the Doctor if My Accident Was Minor?

Yes, seeing a doctor is one of the first things you should do after a car accident—even if your injuries are minor. 

If you don’t have injuries that require immediate treatment, do call Brunswick police to report the accident and stay at the scene until officers arrive.  After the details of the accident have been recorded, you should then see a doctor who can check you out of injuries.

If you experience any pain at all from the accident, mention this to the doctor. As we’ve covered above with whiplash, some injuries can take time to manifest. When your body goes through an accident, it releases “feel good” hormones like adrenaline to increase focus and help numb the pain. But that will wear off over time, and you may feel more of your injuries hours after the accident. 

For these reasons, you should always see a doctor after a car accident. It will increase your chances of full financial recovery for your injuries.

Do I Have to Sue Someone to Recover Money for a Car Accident?

Most of the time, no. 

In Brunswick, most car accident cases end at the insurance claim process. However, you’ll still need to work with a good car accident lawyer to ensure you get what you deserve for your costs.

After a car accident where the other driver is at fault, you’ll likely get some push-back from that driver’s insurance company. Insurance companies are for-profit businesses, meaning they will look for ways to reduce what they pay out for your claim. They might use tactics like trying to:

• Deny your injuries were as bad as you said
• Blame you for some of the accident
• Call you after the accident and get you to admit fault
• Offer you an upfront settlement amount (which is never enough to cover your costs), hoping you’ll take it in desperation

A car accident lawyer can investigate the truth, help you compile evidence, and negotiate with the insurer for a fair insurance claim.

If your lawyer is able to negotiate a fair claim for your damages, there will be no need for a lawsuit. However, if you aren’t able to come to an agreement that is good enough for you and your lawyer, you have the right to sue the other driver. This rarely has to happen, though.

Talk to a Brunswick Car Accident Lawyer for Free

Don’t get left paying the costs of a car accident that wasn’t your fault. Get an ally on your side who knows Georgia’s car accident laws. At John Foy & Associates, we’ve been helping car accident victims seek full financial recovery for more than 20 years. We know how to win cases, and we’re always on the side of the victim. 

Let us give you a FREE consultation to talk about your case and discuss your options. Contact us today by calling 404-400-4000, or by completing the online form to your right. We look forward to helping you with your car accident claim.