Were you or a loved one hurt in a car accident in Columbus, GA? Mark Casto Personal Injury Law Firm can help you fight to recover fair financial compensation. With an experienced Columbus car accident lawyer by your side, you’ll have the best chance of recovering fair compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain, suffering, and other damages.
Our AV-rated lawyer has over 26 years of experience helping clients like you recover fair financial compensation. We’ve proven our value time and again–by recovering tens of millions of dollars on behalf of accident victims.
Contact our law offices in Columbus, Georgia at (706) 940-4030 today to schedule a free consultation to learn more about how we can use our experience to your advantage.
How Can Mark Casto Personal Injury Law Firm Help After a Car Accident in Columbus, GA?
Crash victims often wonder why they should hire a lawyer when the insurance company will pay their damages.
It’s true that most car accident cases settle out of court. That’s not because insurance companies make it easy to recover fair compensation. Far too often, accident victims walk away with less than they deserve because they don’t fully understand their legal rights–or because they aren’t interested in an insurance battle.
In the end, car accident victims often end up with unexpected bills and no way to hold the at-fault party accountable after accepting a lowball insurance deal.
Our Columbus personal injury attorney can fight to make sure that doesn’t happen to you. Our lawyer has earned an AV-Preeminent rating from Martindale Hubbell (the highest ranking a law firm can receive).
When you hire us to protect you, your legal team will:
- Conduct a comprehensive investigation into the crash
- Collect any evidence that can prove liability
- Identify all responsible parties (more than one party can share blame)
- Hire experts to strengthen your personal injury claim
- Document your losses and calculate their value
- Handle all paperwork and insurance negotiations
Dealing with insurance companies isn’t always easy. Our Columbus personal injury lawyer does it on a daily basis–and we know how the system works. If you were injured in a car accident, call to learn more about the benefits of legal representation today.
Statistics on Car Accidents in Georgia
Across the state of Georgia, 1,797 people were killed in traffic accidents in 2021. 8,654 crash victims suffered serious injuries that year.
In Muscogee County alone, 7,624 motor vehicle accidents were reported in 2021. 88 of those crashes caused serious injuries. Unfortunately, 26 people were killed in fatal crashes.
We Handle All Types of Car Accident Claims in Columbus
While car wrecks are common, not all accidents are the same. Different types of car accidents can have different consequences for the victim.
At Mark Casto Personal Injury Law Firm, we handle all types of car crash cases, including those involving:
- Drunk driving accidents
- Distracted driving accidents
- Rollovers
- Highway accidents
- Rear-end collisions
- Head-on collisions
- Sideswipes
- T-bone accidents
- Multi-vehicle accidents
- Trucking accidents
- Rideshare accidents
- Intersection accidents
- Hit-and-run accidents
- Accidents involving uninsured/underinsured motorists
Regardless of how you were hurt, don’t hesitate to call our Columbus car accident attorney for a free case review.
What is My Columbus Car Accident Case Worth?
Some of the most important factors in evaluating your case value include:
- The type and severity of your injuries
- The cost of repairing your damaged vehicle
- Whether the injury interferes with your ability to work
- How the injury is expected to impact your future earnings
- Damage to your quality of life and lifestyle
- Whether you will need ongoing medical care, rehab, or in-home assistance
- Whether you share any blame for the crash
We know that insurance companies like to use “calculators” and “multipliers” to assess your case value. We’ve also handled enough cases to know that every situation is different.
You can count on our lawyer to put in the time and energy necessary to accurately assess your case value. We’ll work with your doctors, speak with your family, and even bring in experts so that we can fully understand how your injuries have changed your life.
What Types of Damages Are Available to Car Crash Victims in Columbus, GA?
The financial costs associated with a car accident can be steep. Your settlement or verdict should account for all of your losses–both financial and non-financial.
Georgia personal injury laws allow victims to recover damages that make them “whole” again after an accident.
From a financial perspective, that includes compensation for:
- Current medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning potential
- Physical therapy
- Nursing assistance
- Medications
- Medical devices
- Ongoing medical care and rehabilitation
- Property damage to your vehicle
Under Georgia law, you can also seek compensation for your more personal and subjective losses, including:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Diminished quality of life
- Anxiety
- Depression
- PTSD
- Physical disfigurement and scarring
- Loss of consortium
Georgia courts rarely award punitive damages. However, if there is clear evidence that the defendant acted with gross negligence or malice, punitive damages may be available as punishment.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Car Accident Lawyer in Georgia?
Like most Georgia personal injury firms, our team at Mark Casto Personal Injury Law Firm works on a contingency fee basis.
Hiring our lawyers won’t cost you anything upfront. We take our attorneys’ fees as a percentage of your settlement or verdict. That way, all accident victims can afford quality legal advice when they’re injured due to someone else’s negligence.
We’ll discuss our fee structure in a free consultation, so there won’t be any surprises.
What Happens If I’m Being Blamed for Causing a Car Accident in Georgia?
It’s possible that you could lose your right to compensation if the insurance company proves you were mostly to blame for the crash.
Under Georgia law, modified comparative negligence rules apply. If you’re less than 50% to blame, your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault. Once your share of fault reaches or exceeds 50%, you lose your right to compensation entirely.
We’ll Fight to Recover Fair Compensation for All of Your Car Accident Injuries
If you were involved in a car accident, your injuries can turn your life upside down.
Common examples of car accident injuries include:
- Whiplash
- Concussions
- Lacerations and facial injuries
- Broken bones
- Soft tissue damage
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Head and neck injuries
- Chest injuries
- Shoulder injuries
- Internal injuries
- Burns
In the most severe car accident cases, catastrophic injuries are also possible. Our attorney handles cases involving amputations, paralysis, and wrongful death of a loved one.
What Are the Top Causes of Car Accidents in Columbus, GA?
Some of the most common causes of car accidents include:
- Driver distraction and texting while driving
- Failure to yield the right-of-way
- Tailgating
- Speeding
- Aggressive driving and road rage
- Unsafe passing
- Dangerous turns
- Inexperienced drivers
- Running red lights or stop signs
- Racing through intersections
- Drug and alcohol use
- Ignoring traffic laws
Of course, accidents can also happen because of dangerous road conditions, poor weather, or even vehicle defects.
How Do I Prove I’m Entitled to Compensation After a Car Accident in Georgia?
Georgia is a “fault” state when it comes to car insurance. The person responsible for causing a car accident is also responsible for paying for damage caused by the accident. All drivers in Georgia are required to carry car insurance.
After a crash, you can file a claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance company. Before they award damages, however, you’ll also have to prove that person was negligent.
Negligence means:
- The responsible party owed you a legal duty of care (as all drivers on the roads do)
- They breached that duty
- The breach caused your accident
- You suffered damages
Regardless of the circumstances, you’ll need evidence to recover a full settlement.
When we’re investigating your accident, our lawyers will search for:
- Eyewitnesses to the accident
- Dash cam footage
- Video footage from traffic lights or surveillance cameras
- Evidence from the accident scene
- Photos of the wreckage
- Drug and alcohol test results
- Cell phone records
- Experts who can testify about various elements of your crash
We’ll also evaluate police reports and your medical records when building your case. We’ll do everything possible to make sure we understand the big picture. That way, we can identify every party who shares responsibility for your damages.
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Car Accident in Georgia?
The statute of limitations in Georgia is two years. Most accident victims have two years from the date of the auto accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. Once two years pass, you’ll lose your right to seek compensation.
Arrange a Free Initial Consultation With a Trusted Columbus Car Accident Lawyer Today
Car accidents happen to everyone–but none are exactly the same as yours. It’s important to have an experienced Columbus car accident attorney by your side when you file a claim with insurance.
At Mark Casto Personal Injury Law Firm, our lawyer knows how to get the fair settlement you deserve. Get in touch today at (706) 940-4030 for your free consultation today. We’re here to help!
