When new clients come into the office, one of the first questions they ask us is how much their car accident claim is worth. The second question is how fast they’ll get their money. As much as we would love to answer these questions, it’s impossible to do that. Every car accident claim is different. Of course, we can give you an idea of what your case is worth. However, we can’t even do that until we have a chance to review your claim. The question you should be asking your car accident attorney in Buckhead is how long you have to file your claim.
When it comes to a case, there are two claims you could be referring to. The first is your insurance car accident claim claim. If you believe the other driver caused the crash, then you would pursue their insurance carrier for damages. The second type of claim is your personal injury lawsuit. Georgia has its own set of rules when it comes to filing deadlines. These rules are governed by something called the “Statute of Limitations.” There is a statute of limitations in every state. This statute is what determines how long your injury attorney in Buckhead has to file your personal injury lawsuit.
Here, we’ll discuss the major differences between the two types of accident claims. We will also explain how long you have to file each type of claim. Finally, we will talk about the different types of damages you can demand in your car accident lawsuit. If you still have questions or concerns about your car accident case, feel free to contact our office directly. We can always schedule your free, initial consultation right over the phone or via email. You can even reach out to us through our website.
You Must File Your Car Accident Claim Within a Reasonable Time
One of the frustrating things about filing your car accident claim is that some policies don’t indicate how long you have to file your claim. There are some that spell it out for you. For example, your policy may say that you have thirty days to file your claim. Other policies don’t specify a particular date. Instead, it says that you must file your insurance claim within a “reasonable” period of time.
The problem with this is that everybody’s idea of what is reasonable is different. You may think 30 days is reasonable. The insurance adjuster may feel that 14 days is more than enough time. What your injury attorney in Buckhead will do is file your claim right away. If the insurance company claims that you didn’t file it in time, your attorney will file an appeal.
If the appeal isn’t successful, you always have the option of filing a personal injury lawsuit. According to the Georgia statute of limitations gives you two years to file suit. The two years starts the date of your accident.
What Will Your Car Accident Attorney in Buckhead Do if You Miss the Filing Deadline?
There are a lot of things your car accident attorney in Buckhead can do. Unfortunately, getting an extension on the statute of limitations deadline isn’t one of them. If you miss the statute of limitations deadline, your case will be dismissed. Not only will it be dismissed, but you won’t be able to file it ever again. This means you will walk away with nothing.
The easy way to avoid this happening is by calling an injury attorney in Buckhead as soon as possible after your car accident. If you wait until there’s only a month or two left before the deadline, you don’t give your attorney enough time to prepare. They can’t just run to their computer and file your case the same day they meet with you. They need to look through the evidence to make sure they include your total damages. If they rush through this, you could miss out on much needed compensation.
Rather than worrying about this, just come see one of our associates sooner rather than later. One of the reasons our lawyers turn down cases is because they are simply too close to the statute of limitations deadline. If we don’t feel we have ample time to adequately prepare your case, we will not take it on. There’s too much at stake to do a haphazard job of filing your complaint.
Call and Set Up a Date and Time to Meet with an Experienced Injury Attorney in Buckhead
If you or one of your children have been injured in a car accident, you may be feeling overwhelmed. Nobody teaches us how to handle a motor vehicle accident when we’re growing up. We all just pray that it never happens to us. So, when that time comes when you’re the one on the side of the road waiting for the police to come investigate the crash, you panic. Even experienced injury attorneys in Buckhead feel this way. Knowing the law doesn’t change anything. It’s only natural to feel shaken up after a car crash.
Once the initial shock wears off, however, you need to do yourself a favor and call our office. One of our car accident attorneys in Buckhead can take some of the pressure off your shoulders. We’ll make sure your auto insurance claim is filed properly and in time. And, if that doesn’t work, we’ll file a lawsuit on your behalf. Thankfully, our associates are intimately familiar with the local court rules and would never miss the statute of limitations deadline. As long as you come to see us early enough so that we have time to prepare, we’d be more than willing to help.
All you have to do is call our office and schedule your free, initial consultation. Let one of our experts help you through what can be a very trying experience. Since the consultation is free, you don’t have anything to lose.
