If you’re injured in a car accident, there’s really no reason to wait to call an attorney. Once you’ve made sure that you’re okay, the first thing you need to do is call an experienced car accident lawyer in Carrollton. They can review your case right away and let you know if you have a valid claim. They can even deal with the insurance company on your behalf. Since you pay nothing upfront, there’s no good that can come out of waiting. One of the reasons you don’t want to wait is there’s a chance a lawyer will reject your case. If you’re too close the statute of limitations period expiring, no attorney is going to want to take your case. If they can’t get the case prepared and filed in time, the case will be dismissed. They’ll have done a ton of work for nothing. And, even worse, you won’t receive a dime.
The general rule is, a car accident lawyer in Carrollton won’t take a case if it’s within six (6) months of the statute of limitations period. This wouldn’t really give them enough time to file the case, prepare the evidence and negotiate a settlement. You have to keep in mind – your case is not the only case your Georgia accident lawyer is handling. Yes, your case is very important. But so are all of the other cases they’re handling.
That’s why you should do the following three (3) things following your Georgia car accident:
- First, call the police. They’ll come out to the scene and do a thorough investigation. They’ll check to see if either of the drivers are under the influence of alcohol or drugs. They’ll get accurate and current license and insurance information from everyone involved. They’ll also prepare a police report.
- Second, seek immediate medical treatment. Even if you don’t think you’re hurt, you need to get checked out. If you don’t go to the hospital, your Carrollton car accident lawyer will have no way to prove you were injured. Your medical records is the best evidence they can use to prove your damages. Plus, if you wait too long to get treatment, the defendant will claim something other than the car accident caused your injuries.
- Finally, call an experienced Carrollton car accident lawyer. They’ll review your case and let you know what to do next. They’ll also work on negotiating a settlement with the insurance company. This way, you can focus on getting better while they handle the legal side of things.
As long as you call an attorney right away, there should be little risk of you missing the statute of limitations filing deadline.
What is the Statute of Limitations in Georgia?
If you get injured in a car wreck, you’ll need to file your lawsuit within a certain period of time. The statute of limitations in Georgia for a car accident is two (2) years. This means, if you don’t file suit within two years of the date of your accident, your claim becomes void. A judge will dismiss your claim. And, more than likely, the defendant will file a motion to have your complaint dismissed.
There are very few situations in which the statute of limitations will be extended. And, this doesn’t mean the deadline will be forgiven. It simply means that the statute period won’t start right away. The only times this will be the case is in the following situations:
- The plaintiff or the defendant is not legally competent at the time of the accident. This includes anyone being a minor or being mentally incapacitated. So, if your son is in an accident and gets hurt, the statute of limitations won’t start until they turn eighteen (18). However, as their parent, you can file suit on their behalf.
- The cause of action is delayed due to fraud. For example, if the defendant refuses service because they claim they aren’t the right person, that could be considered fraud.
Póngase en contacto con un abogado experto en accidentes de coche en Carrollton hoy
If you’re involved in a car crash, you only have a certain amount of time to file your claim. You don’t want to wait until the last minute to call an experienced car accident lawyer in Carrollton, Georgia. They are going to need months to prepare your case. They’re also going to want time to try to settle your case. If you wait just a few weeks before the statute of limitations expires, there’s a chance that an attorney won’t be able to help you.