If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident in Atlanta, Georgia, now is the time to call Goldstein Hayes & Lina Accident Lawyers. You got hurt because someone else was careless. Now, our experienced Atlanta car accident lawyers are here to help you hold them accountable for the full cost of your medical care, lost wages, and more difficult-to-value suffering.
Goldstein Hayes & Lina, LLC is a nationally recognized personal injury law firm known for compassionate and effective legal representation. Backed by 85+ years of experience, our award-winning Georgia trial lawyers have helped injury victims and families win over $600 million in settlements and jury verdicts.
Don’t settle for less than you deserve after a crash. Demand the best outcome by having our experienced legal team in your corner. We offer a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your case. Contact our Atlanta office today or call (404) 869-8600 and speak with an Atlanta car accident lawyer who will fight for the compensation you deserve.
How Goldstein Hayes & Lina, LLC Can Help You After a Car Accident in Atlanta, GA
Even though you may have the right to pursue compensation after a crash in Atlanta, the claims process won’t be without its challenges. In fact, you should expect the insurance company (and anyone else from whom you’re seeking damages) to fight your claim at every turn. That’s where Goldstein Hayes & Lina, LLC can help.
Our Atlanta personal injury lawyers are recognized for excellence in civil litigation by Fortune Magazine, The National Trial Lawyers, the American Institute of Personal Injury Lawyers, and the National Academy of Personal Injury Lawyers. We appreciate that you have a single opportunity to recover compensation for your crash-related damages. We want to offer the experience, resources, and knowledge you’ll need to make the most of it.
Our client-focused representation means you’ll have the time to focus on your physical health and emotional well-being while our legal team handles the rest. You can count on us to:
- Coordinate a timely independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding your car crash
- Hire expert witnesses and specialists to weigh in and offer insight as we build your legal claim
- Evaluate evidence we’ve gathered during the claims process, including the accident report, medical records, forensics reports, cell phone records, vehicle maintenance and inspection records, witness statements, and property damage
- Carefully assess your damages and determine what your car accident case is worth
- Determine the best way to neutralize claims of comparative fault that could potentially limit your ability to recover compensation
- Ensure your legal claim complies with procedural guidelines established by Georgia state law
- Engage in meaningful settlement negotiations with the defense
- Provide the support and advice you need throughout the claims process
- Argue the merits of your car accident lawsuit before a Fulton County jury, if necessary
Car accidents are stressful. Our Atlanta personal injury attorneys are here to help make your road to recovery as easy as possible. We offer a free case evaluation, so do not hesitate to call our Atlanta law office to speak with a member of our team today.
Why Should I Hire a Car Accident Attorney?
The insurance company wants to negotiate a claim with you, not an attorney. Why? They know that you’re more likely to win your case and secure a more substantial settlement when an experienced Atlanta car accident attorney gets involved. Here’s why:
- The insurance company loses the advantage it once had and can’t rely on tactics of fear or manipulation to get you to accept a lowball settlement offer
- You put the law firm’s resources and experts in your corner, which sets the stage for a more meaningful financial recovery
- Unsubstantiated claims of shared fault won’t hurt your chances of recovering the full value of your legal claim
- You’ll know what your car accident claim is worth and, in turn, be better prepared to accept or reject settlement offers
Hiring an attorney also gives you a very important opportunity to focus on getting better. The more time you can invest in yourself, the more likely it is that you’ll make a full recovery. While you concentrate on yourself, you’ll be able to rest assured that your legal claim is in good hands.
Choose your legal advocate wisely. Choose a law firm that will be genuinely invested in making a positive difference in your life, not just negotiating a quick settlement that won’t cover the full extent of your costs. At Goldstein Hayes & Lina, LLC, our case results include more than $600 million in damages, and that includes several million-dollar and multi-million dollar awards. We’re here to help you achieve the best results possible, too.
How Much Money Is My Car Accident Case Worth?
There is no standard value for car accident claims in Atlanta. That makes sense since every crash and every victim is different. However, there will always be certain factors that become relevant when determining how much money a crash victim might be able to recover through insurance or a lawsuit. These factors include:
- The types of physical injuries you have sustained
- Whether your injuries are permanent or catastrophic
- The length of time you will require medical treatment
- Whether you can continue working during your recovery
- The reduction in your earning capacity, if any
- The amount of income you have missed out on since the car wreck
- Your age
- Your life expectancy
- The cost to replace or repair damaged property
- The steps you have taken to mitigate your damages
- Whether you have been blamed for the auto accident
- How your quality of life has been affected
- The insurance benefits available to you
Your injuries–the type and severity–will typically have the greatest influence on the value of your car accident claim. The more serious the trauma, the more your life will change. In turn, the more money you can reasonably expect to recover when your personal injury claim is resolved. It is, however, important to keep in mind that some factors–including contributory negligence or a failure to mitigate damages–can limit or prevent a financial recovery.
The best way to know what your car accident case is worth and maximize your recovery is to hire an experienced car accident lawyer near you in Atlanta to represent you. Call Goldstein Hayes & Lina, LLC to arrange a time for a complimentary case evaluation now.
How Long Do I Have to File a Car Accident Claim in Georgia?
Once you’ve been involved in a car accident in Atlanta, you will usually have up to two years to file a legal claim for damages. Georgia’s two-year statute of limitations also applies to matters of wrongful death when a car accident in Atlanta is fatal. There are certain exceptions, such as in cases where a child is injured in a car accident. In these instances, the statute of limitations may be tolled until the child turns 18 unless a claim is filed on their behalf.
If you want to recover compensation from an insurance company or another liable party, it’s critical that you file your claim before the statute of limitations expires. When time runs out, you lose the ability to seek compensation for your costly medical care, loss of income, and more subjective suffering. An experienced attorney can help you bring your claim in time and let you know if any exceptions apply.
What Types of Damages Are Available to Atlanta Crash Victims?
Crash victims in Atlanta can typically request two types of compensatory damages: economic and non-economic. Each type of award is designed to help a victim cope with different aspects of their crash.
Economic Damages
Car accidents are expensive. Economic damages are intended to alleviate the financial stresses you experience because you’ve been involved in a wreck.
Commonly awarded economic damages include:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages, income, and benefits
- Temporary and/or permanent disability
- Reduced earning capacity
- Property damage
- Nursing care
- Rehabilitation
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Costs related to a funeral when a car accident in Atlanta is fatal
Economic awards can be paid to offset both current and future financial losses as long as they’re supported by evidence.
Non-Economic Damages
Just because a consequence of a car accident doesn’t have a set financial cost doesn’t mean it’s not important.
In Georgia, non-economic damages are designed to help crash victims cope with harder-to-value trauma, such as:
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of consortium
- Reduced quality of life
- Emotional distress
- Chronic physical pain
- Disfigurement
- Physical scarring
- Embarrassment
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
Since these types of experiences affect everyone differently, it’s important to bring in experts to support requests for non-economic losses.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Car Accident Lawyer?
It costs absolutely nothing out-of-pocket to hire an Atlanta car accident lawyer at Goldstein Hayes & Lina, LLC. We represent our clients on a contingency fee basis. This means:
- You pay nothing upfront
- Our law firm fronts the costs of litigating your car accident claim
- We only get paid when we recover compensation on your behalf
When we win, our fees are deducted from your financial recovery. Attorney fees must be reasonable, so you can typically expect your lawyer to receive between 33 and 40 percent of your award (plus reimbursement for case-related costs), depending on the specific circumstances of your case.
Call our law office in Atlanta, Georgia, today to learn more about our contingency fee representation and why there’s no other legal team you’ll want fighting for you after a wreck.
Can I Get Compensation If I Was Partly At Fault For My Georgia Car Accident?
It’s possible to recover if you were partially at fault, but Georgia’s modified comparative negligence statute applies to civil personal injury claims. Under the law, a crash victim is not able to recover compensation from a third party when their own shared fault is equal to or greater than 50 percent.
Damages can be awarded on a reduced basis when your shared fault is less than half. In these situations, the reduction is proportionate to the fault. So, you could expect to recover 90 percent of the value of your legal claim if your shared fault was equal to 10 percent.
It’s common for insurance adjusters to point fingers and attempt to shift blame. If these tactics aren’t challenged, they can significantly reduce a victim’s award or bar a recovery altogether. Our Georgia personal injury attorneys know these tactics all too well and will be ready to dispute claims of shared fault and work to protect your opportunity to get compensation at all costs.
Will My Car Accident Case Go to Trial?
While most car accident claims are settled privately without the need for a trial, every case is different. At the end of the day, the choice to settle or go to trial belongs to you. Some factors that could influence your decision might include:
- Whether the insurance company has offered you a fair settlement
- Whether your car accident claim has been handled in bad faith
- Whether you are being blamed for the crash
- The difference in valuation between the parties involved
- Whether you are represented by a respected and successful trial attorney
Hiring a litigator to handle your car accident claim can help you accelerate the claims process, secure better offers during settlement negotiations, and avoid a costly trip to court. Why? When you’re represented by a trial attorney, it shows the insurance company that you’re not afraid to be patient and go the distance to get the case results you deserve. In turn, this can force more meaningful settlement negotiations and get more money in your pocket sooner rather than later.
What Should I Do After a Car Accident in Atlanta?
Don’t underestimate just how much power your choices and decisions have once you’ve been involved in a car accident in Atlanta. Here’s how to protect your health, your future, and the future value of your car accident claim:
- Call 911 to report the car crash to the Atlanta Police Department and, if appropriate, ask to have first responders sent to the scene
- Remain near the scene of the accident while you wait for the police to arrive
- Exchange insurance information with other parties
- Provide short, concise answers to officer questions but refuse to accept blame or apologize for the crash
- Take photographs of damaged property, vehicle damage, injuries, roadways, tire tracks, and other potentially helpful evidence
- Seek prompt medical treatment at the closest emergency room in Atlanta if you’re not transported from the scene by an ambulance
- Deny the insurance company’s request for a recorded statement unless your attorney specifically instructs you to provide one
- Obtain a copy of your car accident report
- Think twice before accepting the insurance company’s preliminary settlement offer, especially if you haven’t consulted an attorney
- Hire an experienced car accident lawyer near you in Atlanta to help you make the most of your fight for compensation
At Goldstein Hayes & Lina, LLC, we recognize that car accidents are stressful, inconvenient events. We want to be available to help you no matter when your crash takes place. So, do not hesitate to call our law office in Atlanta in the morning, noon, or night. Members of our team are available to help 24 hours a day.
Types of Car Accident Claims We Handle
Increase the odds of maximizing your financial recovery by hiring a law firm with a proven ability to win tough cases just like yours. Goldstein Hayes & Lina Accident Lawyers’s award-winning legal team has over 85 years of experience representing clients in all types of car accident claims, including:
- Rollovers: Rollover accidents typically occur when a vehicle’s tire “trips” on a hazard on the road surface or because a driver makes a sharp turn without slowing down. Given the violent nature of these accidents, it’s common for crash victims to sustain serious, life-threatening injuries, not limited to spinal cord injuries, amputated limbs, paralysis, and severe crushing injuries.
- Rear-end collisions: Rear-end collisions are the most commonly reported car accident in the nation. While they are not typically the most dangerous, it is not unusual for victims of rear-end crashes to report debilitating whiplash and soft tissue injuries.
- Frontal crashes: Head-on crashes occur when the front ends of two vehicles collide. It’s common to see frontal collisions occur at intersections and when a vehicle is driven on the wrong side of the road, often as a result of driver distraction, drunk driving, or falling asleep at the wheel.
- Side impact collisions: Side impact collisions, which include T-bone accidents and sideswipes, occur when the side of a vehicle is struck or grazed by another car. Many times, these accidents are serious because there is very little to protect occupants from impact on the side. Rather, the front and rear of vehicles are designed to crumple and/or absorb the force of impact in a crash.
- Hit and run accidents: Even though Georgia requires all motorists to exchange information and/or remain at the scene of a crash, this does not always happen. Sometimes, drivers leave the scene, often because they’re uninsured or fear the consequences of causing a crash. In these situations, it can make it difficult for car accident victims to recover compensation needed to pay for medical care and offset lost income during their recovery.
- Uber and Lyft rideshare accidents: Taking an Uber or Lyft can make it easier to navigate Atlanta’s busy roads. However, Uber and Lyft rides aren’t always the safest option since drivers are more likely to be distracted, tired, or in a rush. When rideshare drivers cause accidents, it can be important to work with an attorney to ensure that all of your options for getting compensation are exhausted.
No matter what kind of accident you or your loved one were involved in, our experienced car accident attorneys can help.
Who Could Be Liable For My Car Accident?
It’s important to conduct a prompt and thorough investigation into a car accident. That’s because, pursuant to Georgia state law, anyone who plays a part in causing an accident–even indirectly–can be liable for crash-related damages. Given the specific facts of your car accident, potentially liable parties could include the following:
- The driver of a passenger car
- Motorcyclists
- Vehicle passengers
- Truck drivers
- Bicyclists
- Pedestrians
- Uber or Lyft rideshare drivers
- Transportation companies
- Government agencies
- Negligent party’s employers
- Property owners
Liability is proportionate to fault. So, you will have the right to seek damages from everyone who contributed to your car accident. Our car accident attorneys in Atlanta will work hard to ensure that anyone who’s at fault is held accountable for your sizable losses.
Common Types of Car Accident Injuries
At Goldstein Hayes & Lina, LLC, we represent crash victims and families who are struggling with the following:
- Broken bones
- Soft tissue injuries
- Nerve damage
- Cuts and lacerations
- Eye injuries
- Crush injuries
- Concussion injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Neck injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Quadriplegia injuries
- Back injuries
- Thoracic injuries
- Herniated disc injuries
- Chest injuries
- Burn injuries
- Degloving injuries
- Amputation injuries
- Catastrophic injuries
- Deep vein thrombosis
- Wrongful death
You shouldn’t have to struggle with your car accident injuries on your own. Call Goldstein Hayes & Lina, LLC and discover how our top-rated law firm can help you fight for the financial justice you need and deserve.
What Are the Most Common Causes of Car Accidents?
Most car accidents in Atlanta are the result of driver negligence, including:
- Speeding
- Distracted driving
- Drunk driving
- Drowsy driving
- Aggressive driving
- Tailgating
- Unsafe passing
- Illegal turns
- Running red lights and stop signs
- Rolling stops
- Failing to yield the right of way
- Braking errors
- Blind spot errors
There are some exceptions, including road defects (e.g., potholes, obscured signs, poorly designed roads), vehicle defects, and bad weather conditions.
Atlanta Car Accident Statistics
According to the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), 34,182 car accidents were reported in the city of Atlanta in 2023. These crashes caused at least 14,434 injuries and 72 fatalities. On an average day in Atlanta, there are between 93 and 84 car accidents, in which 39 people are killed. A death is recorded on an Atlanta roadway once every five days.
Call Our Atlanta Car Accident Lawyers Today For Help
You deserve to be compensated if you’ve been injured in a car accident in Atlanta, Georgia, because someone else was careless. Goldstein Hayes & Lina, LLC is here to help you assert a powerful legal claim to get you a top-tier financial award.
Our Atlanta car accident lawyers have more than 85 years of collective experience fighting for injury victims and families. Together, we’ve helped clients win over $600 million in damages from insurance companies, employers, manufacturers, and government agencies.
Today, we’re prepared to be the tireless legal advocate you need and fight to get you top results, too. Contact our law office in Atlanta today to schedule a free consultation and learn more.
Visit Our Personal Injury Law Office in Atlanta, GA
Goldstein Hayes & Lina Accident Lawyers
3060 Peachtree Rd NW UNIT 1000,
Atlanta, GA 30305
(404) 869-8600
