An Atlanta Lawyer Fighting For Compensation In Complex Car Accident Cases
From 18-wheeler accidents to high-speed impacts, a motor vehicle collision can have devastating impacts on your physical, mental and financial health. At Newbern Law Firm, I help injured clients in the Atlanta metropolitan area fight for the compensation they deserve after suffering in a car accident.
My name is Christopher Newbern, and I have over a decade of experience representing clients in personal injury cases, so you can trust me to represent you in and out of the courtroom. Prior to founding my firm, I worked on behalf of insurers in personal injury and property damage cases. This experience has given me valuable insight into the arguments and tactics that insurance companies will likely use against you. I use this experience to guide my legal strategies and provide the aggressive representation you deserve.
Common Injuries From Car Accidents
Car accidents are the most common type of personal injury accident, and they produce the full gamut of injuries that I’ve represented clients in. The most common injuries I’ve seen are:
- Broken bones: A broken bone is one of the more straightforward injuries a person can have, but it is still incredibly painful and potentially disabling.
- Traumatic brain injuries: From mild concussions to long-term disabling brain damage to death, any injury to the head demands medical attention and legal representation.
- Spinal cord injuries: The spine is a sensitive part of the nervous system, and any damage can mean lifelong complications such as paralysis.
- Wrongful death: If you lost a loved one in a car accident, then I can help you file a wrongful death claim on their behalf. In a wrongful death claim, you can obtain damages for medical expenses, funeral costs, lost income and loss of companionship.
Your injuries are not minor in any way, even if they do not appear on this list. I want to hear about your accident and help you fight for the compensation you deserve.
What Should I Do Immediately After A Car Accident In Atlanta
In the immediate aftermath of a car accident, you have several important steps to take, but aside from the first, they do not need to be done in any particular order:
- Get medical care: This is important for you physically, because your medical team will make sure you are safe and cared for, but also legally important because it is the documentation of your injuries and treatment that will make up a major piece of your case.
- File a police report: The police report must be filed quickly to comply with Georgia law, and in a serious accident, there will be on-scene officers who will have to investigate. This report is the “neutral view” of the events of the accident.
- Gather evidence: Accident photos, medical bills, witness statements, and even the police report must be compiled to effectively argue any kind of liability in the accident.
- File a claim: It is inevitable that you will have to speak to the insurance company to inform them of your claim. However, saying too much at this point will jeopardize your ability to recover compensation.
If you contact my office immediately after you are medically able or before then if you are the loved one of someone who has had a serious car accident, I can immediately act to help at every stage of this recovery. It’s my job, I’ve got the experience and I’m ready to help.
What Types Of Compensation Can I Recover For My Injuries?
While no amount of money can erase your suffering and trauma, it can help you move forward. In Georgia, you can file a personal injury claim to recover compensation for:
- Medical expenses
- Rehabilitation costs
- Lost wages
- Lost future earning potential
- Pain and suffering
- Punitive damages
These damages are a mix of economic damages, those that are backed up by hard evidence of medical treatment,recovery by medical bills, payment statements and noneconomic damages. Noneconomic damages can include pain and suffering, loss of companionship and many other hard-to-define and hard-to-calculate pains that come from an accident.
Another category is punitive damages, which are damages awarded in matters of gross negligence or intentional acts that cause injury. These damages are designed to hold liable parties at fault for their extraordinarily negligent actions.
How Does Liability Work In A Georgia Car Accident Claim?
Georgia law requires an at-fault driver to pay for the damages and injuries they cause in an accident. However, because fault is often a complicated calculation, the state has a modified comparative negligence rule, which allows some leeway. In the event that both parties in the accident are partly at fault.
What comparative negligence means is that if you are partly at fault for your accident, as long as you are no more than 50% at fault, you can recover a reduced amount of compensation. This is a good thing for victims of car accidents. However, one of the leading tactics that insurance companies use is to imply that your potential fault completely disqualifies you from recovery at all.
I’ve fought these allegations time and again, especially when the contractual mandatory liability minimums do not and cannot cover the full amount of your injuries. I will persevere and pursue the compensation you deserve for as long as it takes.
Let’s Discuss Your Personal Injury Claim
When you work with me, you will always receive the thorough representation you deserve. From examining the evidence and finding expert witnesses to ensuring that you receive the medical treatment you need, I will be by your side throughout the process. Call me at 943-245-8801 or complete my online contact form to schedule a free consultation. I can meet you at my Atlanta office or at the hospital for your convenience.