But a DUI accident lawyer can still advocate for your rights and hold that drunk motorist liable for their negligence. If you didn’t sustain any injuries, a traffic accident can still leave you with damages like emotional trauma. In some cases, you can file a claim for this as well.
Full Answer
Immediately Notify Your Insurance Company of a Lawsuit If another party accuses you of causing a car accident or you receive a lawsuit summons, you should immediately contact your insurance provider. Georgia car insurance policies require the company to provide you with an attorney to defend the lawsuit.
A driver who is injured in a car accident in Michigan can bring a lawsuit to sue the at-fault driver for pain and suffering compensation but in Michigan the injured driver must first be able to show that he or she has suffered a “serious impairment of body function.”
Georgia is a “fault” state when it comes to auto insurance claims, which means when you get hurt in a car accident due to someone else's negligence, you have three options for seeking compensation for injuries and damages.
The average settlement amount for a car accident is approximately $41,783.00. This figure may be high in comparison to national averages across the United States because the data includes more car accident settlements involving serious injuries.
three yearsIf you've been injured in a Michigan auto accident, you generally have three years from the date of the crash to file a lawsuit against the at-fault driver for the injuries you sustained. This three-year period is known as the “statute of limitations.” It applies to both bodily injury and wrongful death claims.
According to the Insurance Information Institute, the average personal injury car accident claim in 2019 settled for $18,417. The average property damage car accident settlement came in at $4,525 that same year.
Insurance companies in Georgia have 40 days to settle a claim after it is filed. Georgia insurance companies also have specific timeframes in which they must acknowledge the claim and then decide whether or not to accept it, before paying out the final settlement.
two yearsThis time period is referred to as the “statute of limitations,” and in Georgia, the statute of limitations for car accident claims is two years.
If someone hit your parked car in Michigan you need to call the police to report the accident and document the damage to your vehicle. If possible, get the at-fault driver's name, address, e-mail, phone and auto insurance information.
Michigan has no-fault laws regarding car accidents, which means that your own car insurance will cover your injury-related costs whether or not you were at fault in causing or contributing to your accident.
What should I do after a car accident in Michigan? Following any car accident in Michigan, a crash victim should definitely contact the nearest police department, file a police report and seek any medical treatment if needed. After everything settles down, it's important to obtain a copy of the police report.
If you happen to be in a No-Fault accident in Michigan, your no-fault insurance pays for medical benefits, wage loss, replacement services, medical mileage and attendant care benefits. It doesn't matter who caused the crash.
In some car crash cases, your car insurance company will hire an attorney to handle your car accident case. Even though you don’t hire the attorney yourself, you can still ask questions about the process and what kind of outcome you can expect.
One of the first questions that will cross your mind as you’re thinking about impending litigation is how this will all work out. What kind of judgment will you receive? Will the other party settle with you or will this have to go to trial?
Plaintiffs Want Payment Quickly. The plaintiff in a car accident suit wants to get their payment as quickly as possible. After all, money now is worth more than money later. Additionally, plaintiffs probably have expenses. These include medical bills and lost wages.
If you are getting sued for a car accident, it means that the other driver believes you are at fault for the accident. If you accept fault for this accident, it is in your best interest to settle the claim outside of court. If you do not believe you were responsible for the accident and want to fight these allegations, you may be inclined to take the case to court and fight for your innocence.
It is always better to settle because when an insurance company agrees to an amount, they will pay it out quickly. If you receive a judgment in court, there is no guarantee of collection.
They will give your insurance company all the evidence they have that their client sustained an injury and that your negligence and recklessness caused it. From there, your insurance company and the plaintiff’s attorneys will begin negotiations. If your insurance company believes the evidence is compelling, they will probably want to settle early.
Anything can happen in a trial. To avoid an unexpected result and to reduce their own risks, both plaintiffs and defendants will look to settle a lawsuit.
The long answer is a little more complicated. About 95% of personal injury cases settle before trial. The same is true for car accident lawsuits.
This will continue until the number satisfies both parties. If the two cannot reach an agreement, the case will go to trial.
What Happens If Someone Sues You after a Car Accident? While most car accident cases are resolved through the insurance claim process, and no lawsuit needs to be filed, drivers do often pursue their right to sue another driver.
Another common reason for being sued for a car accident is due to not having any insurance. If the other driver is injured and wants their medical expenses and lost wages to be covered, but you do not have the auto insurance policy to cover those damages, then they can sue you directly.
Similar to drunk driving is reckless driving. All drivers are expected to follow all traffic safety laws when getting behind the wheel, but when a person drives with willful or wanton disregard for the safety of other persons or property, then they can become liable for any damages or injuries that they cause.
But if your plan does not cover enough damages to other people or property when you have caused an accident, then you risk being sued for the additional costs.
Everyone knows that drinking while driving is illegal and dangerous. But it’s not just alcohol that drivers need to abstain from. Prescription drugs or even over-the-counter medications can cause drowsiness, lack of focus or come with warning labels telling users not to take them while operating machinery or driving. If you are taking a medication that you know will affect your driving or motor skills, then you need to discuss with your physician if there are safer alternatives. You do not want to be in a situation where you are liable for a personal injury or property damage when you can switch to a different brand of medication.
The car insurance coverage that your friend or family members living in another state have may not cover what you need.
Contact and Consult with a defendant's personal injury attorney from your local bar association.
You will turn it over to your insurance company who will defend you and cover your losses up to the policy limits. If you have no insurance, you will need a private attorney to defend you. Tim Klisz
If you have auto insurance, you should immediately call your insurance company and report the accident to them. They will take care of everything. If you don't have auto insurance, she can certainly sue you for money; but more likely, she'll go after her own insurance company (under her Uninsured Motorist coverage).
Eugene Ray Critchett (Unclaimed Profile) Generally, if a person is at-fault for a collision and had insurance at the time of the collision, the person can submit the claim to their insurance carrier to defend them. This will help avoid a judgment against you, avoid attorney fees and possibly avoid judgment against you.
Contact your insurance agent. If you were at fault and you had insurance they will go after your insurance first not you personally.
Either way, you can choose to settle with her or not. If not, the worst thing that happens is she files a lawsuit. If she does, and yes she can win since the accident was your fault, you need to show up in court and make her prove her damages. The worst thing you can do is ignore her suit, thus allowing her to take a default judgment against you for basically any amount she wants, since you did not contest any of her claims. Your ability or lack of ability to pay a judgment will not be a factor in her suit, but it will come into play if and when she attempts to collect money from you after she obtains a judgment.
It is their obligation to represent your best interests and to help protect you from any personal liability. Of course, this answer presumes that you maintained the mandatory liability limits. If you did not, then she can definitely bring suit against you to hold you liable for her damages. If you are unable to pay, then there are several options that she has to attempt to get the money that she was awarded.
Contact and Consult with a defendant's personal injury attorney from your local bar association.
You will turn it over to your insurance company who will defend you and cover your losses up to the policy limits. If you have no insurance, you will need a private attorney to defend you. Tim Klisz
If you have auto insurance, you should immediately call your insurance company and report the accident to them. They will take care of everything. If you don't have auto insurance, she can certainly sue you for money; but more likely, she'll go after her own insurance company (under her Uninsured Motorist coverage).
Eugene Ray Critchett (Unclaimed Profile) Generally, if a person is at-fault for a collision and had insurance at the time of the collision, the person can submit the claim to their insurance carrier to defend them. This will help avoid a judgment against you, avoid attorney fees and possibly avoid judgment against you.
Contact your insurance agent. If you were at fault and you had insurance they will go after your insurance first not you personally.
Either way, you can choose to settle with her or not. If not, the worst thing that happens is she files a lawsuit. If she does, and yes she can win since the accident was your fault, you need to show up in court and make her prove her damages. The worst thing you can do is ignore her suit, thus allowing her to take a default judgment against you for basically any amount she wants, since you did not contest any of her claims. Your ability or lack of ability to pay a judgment will not be a factor in her suit, but it will come into play if and when she attempts to collect money from you after she obtains a judgment.
It is their obligation to represent your best interests and to help protect you from any personal liability. Of course, this answer presumes that you maintained the mandatory liability limits. If you did not, then she can definitely bring suit against you to hold you liable for her damages. If you are unable to pay, then there are several options that she has to attempt to get the money that she was awarded.