If you have been involved in a rear-end collision, you may be experiencing injury or property damage. These are not incidental issues and may prompt you to consider getting compensation.
If the car accident was caused by another driver, you may be entitled to compensation. This can be financial compensation that can help you deal with the physical and financial implications of an accident, such as medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and property damage.
However, before you can receive compensation, you must prove the legal concept called ‘negligence.’ Talking with a personal injury lawyer in Marietta may help ease your concerns and understand your legal options.
Understand the Law of Negligence in Marietta
Negligence is the legal term that covers the concept that a driver failed to act like a reasonable driver would, given the circumstances. What is reasonable? It is the ideal driver who does everything according to the law.
A reasonable driver would obey traffic laws, use the rearview mirror before backing up, and drive without inflicting injury or property damage. In simple terms, if the other driver was reasonable, you wouldn’t be thinking about negligence, as they would have prevented the accident.
Learn The Requirements for Proving Negligence in Marietta
Proving negligence can be broken down into four areas. Car accident compensation in Georgia relies on evidence, data, and proof that supports the claim of negligence.
The other driver had a legal duty to protect you. In Georgia, a reasonable driver has the legal responsibility not to drive into another car. This concept is pretty straightforward. As you probably recall from Driver’s Education classes, drivers should check the rearview mirror before backing up.
The other driver breached their legal duty in causing a rear-end collision. If you had nothing to do with the rear-end collision, it is likely that the other driver drove into your car. This may have been under various circumstances. For instance, your car was parked in a parking space, and another car rammed into yours. Or, perhaps you were in the middle of the road, making a left turn, and a car did not slow down but drove into your car.
While the circumstances vary, the issue of negligence remains. The other driver drove into the rear end of your car or truck.
The rear-end collision caused you harm. This harm varies from minor cuts and bruises to massive injuries such as brain damage, spinal cord damage, whiplash, or a slipped disk. You may have received burns or broken bones. Some rear-end collisions result in psychological trauma, severe injury, or even death.
In addition to physical and psychological damage, your car may have sustained damages. These may be light scratches and dings. Or massive damages that require substantial repair or replacement.
The fourth dimension of negligence is that you require compensation, also known as damages, to pay for your injury. In Marietta, injuries from a rear-end collision may present initially as relatively small but can linger and develop into ongoing issues. For example, herniation or a slipped disk can be the beginning of a permanent injury.
What Does it Cost to Talk With a Personal Injury Lawyer in Marietta?
Talking with a personal injury lawyer to discuss a rear-end collision does not cost anything. Personal injury lawyers are paid when a case settles. This is a customary policy for personal injury lawyers, known as ‘payment on contingency.’