If you or a loved one has suffered serious injuries in a car wreck, you may be surprised at how reluctant the insurance company is to make proper payment for your losses. For-profit insurance companies work hard to keep their costs low by short-changing accident victims who may have high-value claims.
Insurance companies deal with car accident claims every day, and they know how to use the law and language in insurance policies to their advantage ─ and against you. Our car accident lawyers can help.
After a catastrophic car crash, you need a legal team that has the knowledge, the skill, and the will to fight for you. Since 1984, our Savannah car accident attorneys have successfully secured millions of dollars in compensation for individuals and families who have suffered life-altering losses.
We limit the number of cases we accept so we can focus on each client’s needs, and we pride ourselves on treating every client like they are a member of our own family.
Don’t put your financial future at risk by trying to fight auto insurers on your own. Contact the car accident attorneys at Spiva Law Group for strategic legal representation that focuses on meeting your needs for a true financial recovery.
Set up a free case consultation with our law office today. Our car accident attorneys in Savannah can meet with you at any time and can visit you at home or in the hospital.
As a policy, our car accident law firm does not charge any upfront fees to start work on car accident claims, and we only collect payment if and when we recover money for you.
An unfortunate number of Savannah car accidents happen because drivers ignore traffic laws or make careless decisions. Some of the most common causes of these accidents include:
These collisions can give rise to valid personal injury claims. Proving negligence and recovering maximum compensation requires the knowledge and experience of a skilled Savannah car accident attorney. Our team at Spiva Law Group can investigate the cause of your crash, identify all liable parties, and advocate for their accountability.
What Are Common Injuries That Result from Car Crashes in Savannah?
It doesn’t take a high-speed collision to cause severe injuries. Even a crash that seems “minor” can change a victim’s life forever. Some of the most common physical car accident injuries our Savannah car accident lawyers see include:
In many cases, the psychological harm that a car accident victim suffers has just as great an impact on their lives and their families as the physical harm. Anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms are common.
Our experienced car accident attorneys will fight for compensation that reflects the full impact of the incident on your life. We will aggressively pursue compensation for your medical expenses, lost income, physical pain and suffering, emotional distress, and more.
What Evidence Can Prove Fault for a Car Accident?
To seek maximum compensation through a judgment or car accident settlement, you must provide evidence of the harm the at-fault party caused. In an auto accident claim, your personal injury attorney can gather and review evidence such as:
Police reports
Accident scene photos and videos
Surveillance and traffic camera footage
Witness testimony
Medical and financial records
Cellphone records
Expert analysis
By taking decisive action after an accident, you allow your attorneys to build the strongest case possible. Our team can launch an immediate investigation to gather evidence before it’s lost or destroyed.
What Steps Should You Take If You Get Injured in a Savannah Car Accident?
You can significantly impact the outcome of your auto insurance claim by taking the following steps in the moments, days, and weeks after the accident:
Call 911 – Report the incident to the police as soon as possible. The responding officer will create an accident report that your attorney can use as the foundation of your car accident lawsuit.
Seek prompt medical attention – Some car accident injuries worsen over time, and others don’t show symptoms until well after they occur. See a healthcare provider right away.
Document the accident scene – Take photos and videos of vehicle damage, vehicle positions, accident debris, skid marks, traffic signs and signals, road and weather conditions, and visible injuries.
Gather witness information – If anyone witnessed the accident, collect their names and contact information. They may provide valuable testimony when pursuing your auto insurance claim.
Be cautious when speaking with insurers – Many car accident victims make the mistake of speaking with insurance adjusters before consulting an auto accident lawyer. Insurers will use various tactics to weaken your claim. You should hire a lawyer and refer the insurance company to them. If you must speak with them, never admit fault, never accept quick settlements, and avoid recorded statements.
Finally, contact an experienced car accident lawyerin Savannah. An attorney can protect your rights and help you avoid critical errors when seeking damages after an accident. Most attorneys offer free consultations and work on contingency, which means you don’t pay them unless they secure compensation for you.
What Are Georgia’s Car Insurance Requirements?
Georgia law requires all drivers to carry a minimum amount of auto insurance coverage. The state requires drivers to carry:
$25,000 for bodily injury per person
$50,000 for bodily injury per accident
$25,000 for property damage.
Unfortunately, these minimums often fail to provide full compensation after a serious accident. Hospital bills and lost wages following a severe injury can exceed these limits. If the responsible party’s insurance policy does not cover all damages, our team will explore other potential sources of compensation.
What If the At-Fault Driver Has No Auto Insurance?
While the law requires drivers to carry auto insurance, that doesn’t necessarily mean every driver on the road complies. However, when the at-fault party lacks insurance, you do have other potential legal options for recovering damages. Those options include:
Seeking a recovery from the driver’s personal assets.
Spiva Law Group will review your case carefully to identify all potential sources. We work aggressively to pursue all compensation you deserve, even when there are insurance gaps.
Does Georgia Have a Deadline for Filing a Car Accident Claim?
Georgia law enforces strict deadlines for car accident lawsuits. In most cases, you have two years from the date of your accident-related injuries to file. Missing this deadline can bar you from recovering compensation. While this deadline applies to lawsuits rather than insurance claims, you will have no leverage over an insurance company without the ability to file a lawsuit.
Certain factors, such as claims involving government entities or minors, can shorten or extend the filing deadline. However, acting quickly to pursue your claim is always critical, regardless of how much time you have. The sooner you contact an attorney, the stronger your case can be.
How Long Can It Take for a Car Accident Case to Settle?
No two car accident claims follow the same timeline. Some claims resolve relatively quickly, within months. Others may take significantly longer, particularly those that go to trial. In these cases, it may take more than a year for an accident victim to receive compensation.
Factors that affect a case’s timeline include:
Severity of injuries
Length of recovery
Disputes over fault
Insurance company cooperation
Whether the case goes to trial
At Spiva Law Group, we prepare every case as if it’s going to trial. This approach enables faster resolution without compromising compensation.
How Our Car Accident Law Firm in Savannah Can Help You
We believe the difference between a lowball or mediocre car accident settlement and a maximum payout is the level of detail and dedication an accident lawyer puts into a case.
At the Spiva Law Group, you can count on our experienced car accident attorneys to:
Promptly inform insurers and creditors that we are pursuing a legal claim on your behalf. We will let them know that they should contact us about your case from now on, including questions about payments for bills.
Connect you with the resources you need day-to-day. Our team can work with you to obtain certain services in the Savannah area, such as temporary transportation arrangements and/or repairs to your vehicle. We can also refer you to medical professionals, including specialists, to ensure you have access to the care you need.
Thoroughly investigate the car crash. We will identify the party or parties legally responsible for the car wreck that injured you. In many cases, one driver is responsible for the car accident, and we can quickly work to collect evidence to prove it. However, there may be multiple parties legally responsible for a car accident, and each of them should be held accountable to you. During our investigation, we may collect police accident reports, cellphone records, crash scene photos, surveillance videos, and other evidence to strengthen your claim.
Analyze your medical records. Once you have achieved your fully anticipated medical recovery, we will calculate the total cost of your injuries up to then and project additional costs, if any, based on your prognosis for life ahead. In cases of permanent disability, we work with medical and vocational consultants who can project your likely medical and/or life care needs in the future.
Account for your total costs and losses. We will develop a full accounting of all of your expenses and personal losses caused by the car accident, including property damage, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Identify applicable insurance coverage. We will find and analyze all insurance coverage held by the at-fault driver, including auto liability insurance and any additional coverage that may be applied, such as “umbrella” insurance policies that provide coverage beyond auto liability. We will also identify coverage held by third parties with responsibility for the wreck, such as business liability insurance. For example, in a drunk driving case, Georgia law says a business or individual might be liable if they sold or gave alcohol to the driver after he or she was already intoxicated or if he or she was not old enough to drink legally (at least 21 years old).
File claims and manage communication with insurance carriers. We will deal with all paperwork and communications with insurers so adjusters and others do not continue to hound you while you work on your recovery. We will stay on top of insurers and negotiate aggressively in pursuit of a full and fair car accident settlement. We will advise you of any settlement offers we receive and give you our honest opinion about them. It is always your decision whether to accept a settlement.
Pursue personal injury lawsuit(s). Most insurers do not agree to settlements right away, and some may employ delay tactics to try to get you to abandon your claim. We will not hesitate to pursue just compensation through the courts. In a car accident lawsuit, we will outline for a judge and jury all the evidence and present a strong argument for maximum compensation. Contact our Savannah car accident lawyer today.
It is best to be prepared for a car accident. A catastrophic injury is a life-changing event for the injured person and for all those around him or her.
This is why a car accident claim must be based on a comprehensive approach to assessing the compensation you need and deserve for now and for your future.
Schedule a free consultation today with our Savannah car accident lawyers to discuss how we can help with your claim. You should know that Georgia law limits the amount of time you have to file a personal injury claim, so it is in your best interest to consult with a knowledgeable auto accident attorney as soon as possible.
Compensation Available in Car Accident Claims in Savannah
Along with the pain and stress associated with catastrophic injuries suffered in a car accident, the injured individual — and his or her family — face the daunting prospect of paying steep and growing medical bills, repairing or replacing a vehicle, and managing other financial hardships. If the wreck has resulted in a permanent disability, the victim’s future financial stability is threatened as well.
At Spiva Law Group, our car accident lawyers demand full and fair compensation in every car accident case we handle. This may include payment for:
Past, current, and future medical expenses
Lost income, wages, and earnings, including past losses and future income that will be unrealized due to disability and reduced earning capacity
Costs related to repairing or replacing your wrecked vehicle
Loss of consortium (loss of your spouse’s companionship and services, such as income or child care assistance)
Injury to your reputation (such as if your credit rating is damaged because you can’t work and pay bills, etc.)
The defendant’s egregious behavior, which led to or caused the motor vehicle accident (known as punitive damages)
Unfortunately, the insurance company that is responsible for compensating you for an accident will want to pay out as little as possible on your claim. It is important that you understand your rights and what your car accident claim is truly worth; otherwise, the insurer will take advantage of you. Contact a Savanna traffic collision attorney today to learn how we can help.
Get Insurance Help from a Car Accident Attorney in Savannah
Insurance companies are for-profit businesses. Auto insurers are not necessarily there to help you after a motor vehicle accident, particularly after a crash that is serious and costly.
Insurance adjusters know they must continually pay out less for claims than the company takes in through premiums in order for the company to remain profitable.
If you have been hurt in a serious auto accident, you may have already heard from an insurance adjuster who has made what looks like an attractive settlement offer.
Here are two things to keep in mind about a quick car insurance settlement:
The insurance adjuster does not know the full extent of expenses and losses you will face as a result of the car accident.
The adjuster does know what the insurance company wants to pay for car accident injuries like yours. Insurance companies have past payments and current statistics to tell them what claims should cost. An adjuster knows what to offer you before even talking to you.
A quick settlement offer made for a catastrophic injury — a case the company very much wants to be settled as cheaply as possible — cannot accurately account for what you deserve.
There are often unforeseen complications in cases of serious traumatic injury. For example, non-emergency surgery is often delayed until a patient grows stronger. In cases of disabling injuries, such as severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) or spinal cord injury and paralysis, the patient will need therapy and care for the rest of his or her life.
The true medical requirements and costs of a serious injury cannot be determined until the patient has reached maximum anticipated recovery.
An insurance adjuster is under the gun to close car crash cases and will offer what is very likely an inadequate settlement, knowing that most people will accept it without a fight.
Never accept an insurance settlement offer or sign anything from any insurance company after a serious accident unless you have had it reviewed by an experienced personal injury lawyer. You could be signing away your right to recover compensation that you deserve and need.
Call our Savannah Car Accident Lawyer For Help Today!
The Savannah car accident lawyers at Spiva Law Group, have more than three decades of experience investigating car accident cases and obtaining proper insurance settlements and verdicts for accident victims.
Our car accident law firm works only for accident victims who have suffered catastrophic injuries or lost a loved one in a wrongful death accident. We never represent insurance companies.
Our car accident attorneys can review your accident and injuries — and any settlement offers you have received — for free. We’ll advise you of the legal options available to you and explain how we would fight for the compensation you truly deserve.
Schedule a free consultation with our skilled car accident lawyers in Savannah today. We do not charge anything upfront to start working on a car accident case, and we only seek payment after we recover money for you. Contact a Savannah car accident lawyer now.
Here are some resources that can be helpful for victims of car accidents in Savannah, Georgia:
Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT): GDOT offers various resources related to car accidents, including crash data, road conditions, and information on reporting accidents. Their website provides valuable information for accident victims. Visit their website: dot.ga.gov/Pages/default.aspx
Georgia Office of Highway Safety (GOHS): The GOHS is dedicated to promoting safe driving and reducing accidents on Georgia roads. They provide educational resources, statistical data, and information on traffic laws. Their website can be accessed here: www.gahighwaysafety.org
Georgia Legal Aid: If you require legal assistance following a car accident, Georgia Legal Aid may be able to provide guidance. They offer free legal services to low-income individuals and can help with car accident injury claims and related issues. Visit their website for more information: www.georgialegalaid.org
State Bar of Georgia: The State Bar of Georgia offers a lawyer referral service that can help connect you with experienced car accident attorneys in Savannah or other parts of the state. You can find their lawyer referral service on their website: www.gabar.org
Victim Advocacy Organizations: Organizations like Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and the Georgia Victim Assistance Network (GVAN) provide support, resources, and advocacy for victims of car accidents. They can offer assistance with emotional support, navigating the legal system, and connecting with other relevant resources.