Car accidents tend to happen when drivers least expect them, so safety precautions must always be followed. If you were hurt in an accident, an attorney can help you file a lawsuit against the responsible driver.
There are probably infinite ways in which a car accident could happen, although a few are more common than others. Distracted driving, drunk driving, and traffic violations are common causes of accidents. Liability is often determined by negligence. In many cases, one other driver is negligent and may be held liable. In other cases, multiple drivers share negligence, and they can all be sued. Depending on the circumstances, you might also sue a driver’s employer for their on-the-job negligence. The purpose of a lawsuit is to recover damages. You can recover special, general, and punitive damages in a car accident case. To get compensation for your damages, you must have strong evidence proving the defendant was negligent.
Our Valdosta, GA car accident lawyers can help you determine who should be held liable for your crash. Contact our team for a free review of your case. Call Howe Law at (844) 876-4357.
Common Causes of Car Accidents in Valdosta, GA
Anyone who has ever driven on the road knows car accidents can come out of nowhere. There are some common causes of car accidents to always be wary of. Even so, sometimes accidents happen no matter how cautious you are because other drivers are negligent. Our Valdosta, GA car accident attorneys can help you determine how your accident happened and how to hold negligent drivers liable.
Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of car crashes in Georgia and the entire country. Drivers must maintain their focus on the road and traffic to remain safe. When drivers are distracted, often by things in their vehicle, they might cause a crash. Cell phones are perhaps one of the biggest contributing factors to distracted driving.
Intoxicated driving is another common cause of accidents and is not only likely to cause a serious crash but is also a criminal offense. Alcohol is a significant factor in many intoxicated driving accidents. However, negligent drivers are also sometimes intoxicated with controlled substances.
Drivers on the road must obey the traffic laws, and traffic violations often lead to serious collisions. For example, failing to stop at a red light might lead to a severe crash in the middle of an intersection. If the other driver is speeding dangerously, they might be unable to stop if you pull out in front of them. Things like traffic citations can be used to help you prove the other driver was negligent.
Liability in Car Accident Lawsuits in Valdosta, GA
It is not always easy to determine who should be held liable in a car accident lawsuit. When multiple drivers are involved, or if the other driver fled the scene, it might be difficult to know who you should sue. Our Valdosta, GA car accident lawyers can help you figure out who is liable and how to sue them.
A lot of car accidents happen between two drivers, and it is easier to identify the defendant in these kinds of collisions. For example, if one other driver rear-ends you causing severe whiplash and damage to your bumper, you can sue that driver and hold them liable.
Liability becomes harder to determine when multiple drivers are involved. Take the rear-ending example from before. Suppose the first driver rear-ended you, causing severe whiplash, pushing your vehicle into a busy intersection when they hit you. Next, suppose another vehicle sped through the intersection and T-boned your car. In that case, one or both other drivers might be liable.
If the defendant was working at the time of the accident, you might be able to sue their employer. Our Valdosta, GA car accident attorneys can help you hold employers vicariously liable for the negligent actions of employees. For example, if a pizza delivery driver hit you while they were out making deliveries, you might be able to sue them and the pizza place that hired them.
Damages You Can Claim in Valdosta, GA Car Accidents
Your damages are the heart of your case and perhaps the biggest reason we file the case in the first place. Car accidents are not only dangerous, but they are also very expensive. Injured accident victims need help covering all the losses and injuries sustained in a crash, and filing a lawsuit is sometimes the only way to cover these damages.
Special Damages are the financial losses you incurred after the accident. Medical bills, the cost to repair or replace your vehicle, and lost income from being too injured to work are all considered special damages. Our Valdosta, GA car accident lawyers can help you add up these damages, so you do not miss out on any valuable compensation.
General damages can be trickier to calculate because they do not relate to actual money lost due to the car accident. Instead, general damages encompass your subjective experiences surrounding the car accident. Mental and physical pain and suffering, humiliation, and damage to your reputation are just a few examples of general damages.
Punitive damages are more unusual and tend to be available only when defendants acted with gross negligence. Under Georgia Code § 51-12.501(b), punitive damages are available only if the defendant’s action were so negligent as to constitute malice, willful misconduct, fraud, oppression, wantonness, or such a lack of care or regard to be conscious indifference.
Evidence to Support Your Claims in a Valdosta, GA Car Accident Case
Holding the other driver liable for their negligence and getting them to cover your damages is almost impossible without evidence. Drivers snap photos and record videos of their cars and the surrounding areas to submit to insurance companies as part of insurance claims. These recordings might preserve important details from the crash site lost when law enforcement clears the scene away. If you took some photos of your accident, our Valdosta, GA car accident attorneys can review them with you for useful information and evidence.
Witnesses are extremely important to your case as they may shed light on the situation from a new perspective. Witnesses who saw the crash happen while in other vehicles or from the side of the road can testify about what they saw. Even if someone did not see the accident, they might have first-hand knowledge about the defendant. For example, suppose the defendant was drunk but never submitted to chemical testing when the accident happened. In that case, a witness who saw the defendant drinking heavily shortly before the crash can testify.
Contact Our Valdosta, GA Car Accident Lawyers for a Free Case Evaluation
You can talk to our Valdosta, GA car accident attorneys about your crash in a free case review. Negligent drivers should not be allowed to place others at risk on the road. Call Howe Law at (844) 876-4357 for help today.
