Answers to Your Questions about Georgia Accident Reports
When a pedestrian, driver or passenger suffers significant injuries in a collision caused by a speeding, distracted, aggressive, intoxicated or otherwise unsafe driver, an injury victim often suffers significant short-term and long-term consequences. The most immediate impact will be dealing with the intense pain and emotional distress caused by the collision, while long-term problems might include financial hardships from lost earnings and costly medical bills and permanent limitations on one's quality of life. Given the obstacles for victims who suffer broken bones, traumatic brain injury, paralysis, dismemberment, extensive burns and similar injuries, accident victims often rely on receiving a full financial recovery for their injuries and loss so that they can rebuild their lives.
Georgia Accident Reports typically comprise the most immediate comprehensive record of vehicle damage, visible injuries, road conditions, perceptions of observers and other evidence that is essential to obtaining the financial compensation to ease the hardships caused by a serious traffic accident. Despite the fundamental role of these law enforcement documents that memorialize key information gathered in the wake of a collision by the law enforcement officer that investigates the collision, many people know little about these reports. We have provided answers to important questions about these reports that are prepared based on an experienced officer's investigation of the crash scene.
Do I need to get the police accident report before talking to a car accident lawyer?
While the report is helpful, there may be reasons not to wait until the report is available to obtain legal advice. The report will generally be completed so that it may be obtained by the parties to the accident within a few days to maybe a little more than a week after the collision. If you have the accident report, our personal injury lawyers can review the information so that we can provide a preliminary evaluation of your personal injury claim. (We get the report for our clients, so if you dont' have it, it is not a problem). However, there are many mistakes that people make without legal advice, such as disclosing potentially damaging information to the other driver or his or her insurance adjuster or neglecting to obtain proper medical attention. Obtaining legal advice prior to receiving Georgia Accident Reports can prevent these types of mistakes.
What types of information are included within the report prepared by the officer?
The officer typically will conduct a full investigation which may include taking photographs, interviewing witnesses, diagraming the accident, measuring tire marks and more. If either motorist violated a traffic law and received a citations, this information will also be included in the report. While there may be opportunities to return to the accident scene, the vehicle and debris from the accident will have been moved and other physical evidence may also be lost. Since Georgia Accident Reports can comprise the fullest record of evidence at a crash site, motorist typically benefit from calling for emergency assistance.
Should I contact a personal injury lawyer even if the report says I caused the accident?
While law enforcement officers that handle auto accidents are knowledgeable about interpreting the evidence at a crash scene, they are certainly not infallible. Some physical evidence may be open to multiple interpretations. Further, police investigations are subject to some degree to the "garbage in, garbage out" dilemma. If the account of witnesses are not accurate, the officer may form opinions about the cause of the accident based on these faulty reports. Our personal injury lawyers understand that these mistakes can occur so we do not simply accept such opinions regarding fault. Further, there are many auto collisions where multiple parties engage in conduct that contributes to a collision so you may still be able to seek financial compensation even if the officer is correct that you engaged in driving behavior that was a factor in causing the crash.
Put Our Law Firm's Over 39 Years Experience to Work For You
If you or someone close to you is involved in an auto collision, our Georgia motor vehicle crash attorneys at Montlick and Associates have been representing injury victims for over thirty years throughout all of Georgia and the Southeast, including but not limited to all smaller cities and rural areas in the state. No matter where you are located our attorneys are just a phone call away, and we will even come to you. Call us 24 hours a day/7 days a week for your Free Consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333). You can also visit us online at www.montlick.com and use our Free Case Evaluation Form or 24-hour Live Online Chat.