Every type of car accident is costly, but with the potential for whiplash, a rear-end accident could result in a lifetime of medical costs. At Gautreaux Law, we help victims of rear-end accidents navigate the complexities of car accident law in central Georgia every day.
If you were the victim of a rear-end accident, you could have suffered injuries you aren’t aware of. A car accident lawyer at Gautreaux Law will help you determine the extent of your injuries and what compensation you are eligible to receive for them. Contact our law firm today to schedule a free consultation with an experienced car accident attorney.
The Danger of a Rear-End Accident
Any accident can result in serious injuries. Rear-end accidents just offer a specific threat: whiplash.
When your vehicle is hit from behind, the sudden impact throws your body forward. That movement is then arrested by your seat belt, causing you to whip back. This motion may cause severe damage to your neck, spine, and nearby soft tissue.
Unfortunately, the damage might not be obvious. Often, people who suffer whiplash don’t experience any symptoms for the first few days. This means they are unlikely to seek medical attention and may further injure themselves due to ignorance of their condition.
Additionally, if whiplash goes untreated, it can worsen, resulting in serious back or neck problems later in life. This can be prevented with early treatment, but many victims never think to see a doctor until it is too late.
Fault for a Rear-End Accident
When you are hit from behind, the other driver is almost always found to be at fault for the accident.
The driver of the front vehicle can be at fault in a rear-end accident, but only in rare circumstances. For example, if you were driving recklessly and cut the other person off, you would be at fault. However, in most cases, insurance companies and juries are more likely to find the other driver responsible for the accident.
This is important because Georgia is an at-fault state. The insurance company for the at-fault driver pays compensation, and you can file a lawsuit against the at-fault party.
Additionally, Georgia uses comparative negligence to award compensation in car accident lawsuits. This means that if you were partially responsible for the injuries you suffered, your compensation is decreased by a percentage equal to how much you were responsible. In rear-end accidents, unless you were reckless or did not wear your seat belt, the other driver was likely 100% responsible for your injuries.
How a Car Accident Lawyer Can Help With a Rear-End Accident Claim
Injury claims after car accidents are more complex than they should be. The insurance company responsible for paying you compensation will likely try to find a way to deny your claim or undervalue it, even when the facts are on your side. A lawyer from Gautreaux Law will guide you through the process and help you avoid the many pitfalls.
Getting the Right Medical Care
While you will not be able to choose your emergency room doctor, you can choose other physicians from whom you get medical care. At Gautreaux Law, we are familiar with experienced physicians in Macon, Port Valley, and other parts of central Georgia.
We’ll connect you with the right doctor to evaluate and treat your injuries. This will be a doctor who is skilled in treating your type of injuries and knows how to create medical records that are useful for pursuing car accident claims.
Navigating the Insurance Process
When you file an insurance claim, you are expected to provide tons of information to the insurance company within specific, arbitrary deadlines. It is easy to accidentally skip a step in the process or miss a deadline. And when that happens, your claim suffers.
A car accident attorney from Gautreaux Law will take the lead and handle most of your interactions with the insurance company. This has the dual benefit of ensuring the process goes smoothly and preventing you from accidentally providing information that the insurance company can use to decrease your benefits.
Typically, we can also cut through a lot of the red tape and negotiate directly with the insurance company. When these negotiations are successful, we get compensation for our clients in much less time than it would take to get a court verdict and of higher values than you would get from going through the process normally.
Contact a Car Accident Lawyer at Gautreaux Law in Central Georgia Today
If you were involved in a rear-end car accident in central Georgia, you may have suffered injuries that aren’t immediately apparent. Delaying medical attention or not talking to an attorney could cost you money. Protect yourself by contacting our law firm immediately to schedule a free consultation with an experienced car accident lawyer.