If you were injured in a car accident caused by another driver, you will need to prove two things in order to win your case and receive the compensation you deserve:
- The other driver was at fault for the accident, either due to negligence or through deliberately reckless actions
- You sustained injuries directly related to the negligent actions which caused the accident
In many car accidents, it may not be obvious who was at fault based on the damage sustained to each vehicle. Therefore, it is important to have a police officer sent to the scene to fill out an accident report. The police officer will evaluate the accident scene for evidence such as skid marks, examine the damage to each car, and take statements from each driver involved. Based on this investigative work, he will fill out an accident report which will generally indicate an opinion as to who is at fault. If the police officer’s accident report indicates the other driver is at fault, it will make it much easier to prove your case in court.
There are certain situations where determining fault in a car accident is fairly easy. If you are rear-ended by another driver, it will almost always be the other driver’s fault. In rear-end collisions, the car that hit you is considered to be at fault since he is required to drive at a sufficient following distance to stop safely at all times. Similarly, if you are injured in a car accident where you were driving straight and the other driver was making a left turn, it will rarely be your fault since the driver making a left turn is required to wait until it is safe to complete the turn before doing so.
In order to prove that your injuries were caused by the car accident, you will need testimony from the doctor who treated your injuries. Your doctor will also need to testify as to the extent of these injuries. For example, if you are going to require ongoing treatment for the rest of your life, you will need a larger damage award than if your injuries were completely cared for in a one-time medical procedure.
The Atlanta car accident lawyer at Robbins and Associates has been protecting the rights of injured accident victims for more than 30 years. We have the skills and experience to help you prove that the other driver was at fault for your car accident, and we will fight aggressively to help you receive the compensation you deserve.
Please contact Robbins and Associates today to schedule your free initial consultation. We serve clients in Atlanta, Georgia.