Marietta Car Accident Lawyer

 

The Law Offices of Andrew E. Goldner’s car accident lawyers handle car accidents, personal injury, and wrongful death claims across Marietta, GA. Contact a Marietta car accident attorney to ensure your rights are protected. 

The aftermath of a car accident in Marietta and Cobb County can be devastating. Not only could you be dealing with property damage and physical injury, but you may soon find yourself dealing with financial difficulty. You may be forced to take time off work or be unable to return to work at all.

At the Law Offices of Andrew E. Goldner, we represent victims of car accidents in Marietta and all of Cobb County to ensure their rights are protected and they receive fair compensation.

If you or a family member has been injured in a Marietta car accident, don’t trust that an insurance company will make things right. An insurance company is only out for profits, not your interests. They do not stay in business by paying out fairly on claims.

Our team is here to help you fight the insurance company and, if necessary, take your case to court. Contact a Marietta car accident lawyer at the Law Offices of Andrew E. Goldner today.

 

We Hold Negligent Drivers Accountable

Our firm works tirelessly to hold at-fault drivers accountable for their actions. We will fight for the compensation you deserve, even in the case of an uninsured or underinsured driver. We will represent you if you are the victim of a distracted driver, a reckless driver, or an impaired driver. 

When the circumstances of your accident are not your fault let us help you.

A car accident does not leave victims with only physical scars. The emotional scars are very real. We understand this and will offer you resources for treatment. Whether you choose to fight the insurance company and take your case to court, or you are attempting to settle your matter without a trial, we are here. We will use the knowledge and experience we have gained to help make things right again.

Call today at 404-869-1580 to speak with a Marietta car accident attorney.

 

Your Initial Consultation is Free

We understand that you may be experiencing financial difficulty in the aftermath of a car wreck. We do not believe that hiring a Marietta car accident attorney should make your situation more difficult. That’s why we will speak to you at no cost to you or your family. You should not have to dig in your pocket to pay for legal advice and guidance.

At the Law Offices of Andrew E. Goldner, our Marietta car accident lawyers do not get paid until we win your case. Because we work on a contingency basis, we are able to help victims when they need assistance the most. If you or a loved one has been injured in a vehicle collision, reach out to our team. 

You can rest assured that everything you discuss with your Marietta car accident attorney will remain confidential.

When you speak with a member of our team, we will explain your legal options and discuss how we can help you move forward. You are under no obligation to hire us after your Marietta car wreck case evaluation.

 

Speak to a Marietta Car Accident Lawyer Today

No matter the cause of your Marietta car accident, we believe that your best results will be achieved through expert legal representation. The insurance companies do not have your best interests in mind, but we do. Please reach out to our office before you accept any settlement offer.

You may not be dealing with medical issues today, but that doesn’t mean they won’t arise in the future. Once you accept what an insurance company offers, your case is over. Symptoms that arise weeks or months later will not be covered. Accepting a settlement offer eliminates your right to seek compensation in the future.

Call the Law Offices of Andrew E. Goldner and schedule your free case evaluation with a Marietta car accident attorney. You can reach a member of our team by calling 404-869-1580. You can also fill out our online contact form at your convenience. 

You deserve nothing less than expert legal representation from a Marietta auto accident lawyer you can trust. Call us today.

 

How common are car accidents in Marietta, GA?

The Atlanta area is one of the most congested and accident-prone regions in the entire United States. A 2015 report from Vox media analyzed data of 2013 crashes from all over the country. Atlanta’s I-285 “perimeter” emerged as the deadliest stretch of road in America in terms of fatal accidents per mile. 

Metro Atlanta congestion also ranks as one of the worst in the country based upon time lost to sitting in traffic.

Looking specifically at car accident figures for Marietta and Georgia in general, the state has seen a relatively flat trend in traffic fatalities from 2007 to 2016. In 2015, one of the most recent years studied by the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety in Georgia, 385,221 total crashes occurred. These crashes led to 19,405 serious injuries and 1,430 deaths.

Cobb County, where Marietta is located, saw 35,140 crashes in 2017, leading to a total of 12,496 serious injuries. In terms of accident rates, that’s an average of 96 accidents per day and 34 injuries requiring serious medical care. These accidents also resulted in 53 deaths, an average of about one per week.

Based on this data, accidents in Marietta, GA, Cobb County, and the state in general are all too common – with often deadly consequences.

 

What to Do After a Car Accident in Marietta

1. Call 911

As soon as you can, call 911 to make sure first responders are on the way in case there is any need for emergency services. Getting police on the scene as soon as possible will also help. You want to give the officers as clear of an idea as possible so the police record is accurate. 

2. Gather Evidence

Once you’ve called the police, assess damage to your car and any injuries you may have. Take pictures and gather eyewitnesses’ contact information. In addition to taking photographs of your injuries and car damage, take pictures of the road, weather conditions, and anything that might be important to your case (fallen sign, faulty traffic lights, etc.).

3. Collect Information

Swap insurance information with the other driver. Take pictures of the insurance card and driver’s license as well as their license plate. You don’t want to forget to get any information because it may delay getting compensation for your injuries and property damage. 

4. Seek Medical Attention

Immediately following your Marietta car accident, seek medical attention. When a person is in an accident, the adrenaline shot from being in danger can dull the pain of any injuries. It’s important to tell your doctor about any pain you are experiencing and not brush off anything that may not seem important. If you’re feeling dizzy, tell your doctor. Even just feeling out of breath could mean you have an internal chest injury. Get any tests your doctor recommends and follow their orders. 

5. Call a Marietta Car Accident Lawyer

Reach out to a Marietta car accident lawyer like Andrew Goldner for a free consultation on your case. It is best to get legal representation as soon as you can so that your case can be prepared for presenting a claim to the insurance company for the at fault driver. Once you’ve spoken to an attorney, you’ll know what to say and not to say once insurance adjusters start calling. 

6. Contact Your Insurance Company

You should contact your insurance company to give a brief statement after retaining a Marietta Car Accident Lawyer. Do not allow them to record your statement. Especially in cases of defendants and plaintiffs having the same insurance agency, it’s important to secure legal representation because the insurance companies will be looking out for their bottom line, not your interests. 

7. Keep Track of Everything

As soon as you can, get multiple copies of the police report and keep receipts and bills relating to the car accident. To be reimbursed, it’s always better to have a paper trail to follow. And don’t worry, Andrew Goldner will make sure your intangible losses are taken care of as well. 

 

What types of damages can I recover from my car accident?

The term “damages” refers to the injuries and loss of property resulting from the car accident. These accidents don’t just mean physical loss, but the mental and psychological damage must also be taken into account. There are three types of damage that can be awarded. 

Economic damages refer to when there is a bill or receipt of some kind relating to the accident. These damages are quantifiable, so they are easier to prove. 

Economic damages include:

• Medical fees
• Emergency department costs
• Follow up appointments
• Diagnostic tests
• Physical therapy
• Counseling
• Property damage to the car or other belongings
• Lost wages due to injuries 
• Loss of earning capacity or earning potential

 

Non-economic damages refer to intangible losses that don’t have price tags attached to them. This is attributed to different types of suffering and pain a person can experience resulting from a car accident.

Non-economic damages may include: 

• Mental anguish
• Emotional distress
• Depression and anxiety
• Pain
• Suffering
• Loss of companionship/consortium
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Loss of quality of life

 

Punitive damages are awarded in cases of extreme and wanton behavior as a punishment to the defendant for acting in a preventable way. 

If you would like to learn more on how to seek compensation after a car accident, read here “How Do I Seek Compensation After a Car Accident?”

Car Accident Cases Andrew Goldner Handles

For over 18 years, Andrew Goldner and his team of experienced Marietta car accident lawyers have handled a large number of personal injury cases stemming from collisions, defective vehicle systems, commercial vehicle wreck, tractor-trailer and dump truck collisions, and a number of other injury-causing events.

We always approach each case with the client’s best interests in mind. The strategies we use give them the highest chances of recovering the maximum amount of compensation available under the law. 

Our past successes have shown that our client-focused approach works and that our services can help accident victims and their families regain control of their lives after a devastating event.

Past case types we have successfully represented include:

• Driver mistakes: Actions taken by drivers that either directly broke the law or revealed a breach in their “duty of care” to drive responsibly.
• Drunk driving: Drunk driving accidents led to 77 fatalities in Cobb County from 2013-2017. Andrew Goldner uses police-obtained evidence and personal investigators to build strong cases and vigorously seek damages from intoxicated drivers who chose to put others at risk.
• Speeding: Sixty-seven drivers in fatal Cobb County accidents from 2013-2017 were speeding. Physical evidence at the accident scene combined with police investigation findings can establish whether a negligent driver was violating speed limits or going too fast for conditions, building a strong case for liability.
• Commercial carrier negligence: A truck accident attorney can often attribute mistakes made by company drivers and other employees to their employers. These cases can reveal patterns of administrative neglect and result in significant damages.
• Vehicle recalls & defective cars: Some accidents are caused by flaws in vehicle design or their critical safety systems. These complex injury cases could see multiple claims against both at-fault drivers and vehicle manufacturers.

Distracted Drivers

In the city of Marietta, distracted driving is a very real problem. A person who does not have their full attention on the road is at a high risk for causing an accident that can cause severe injury. When a person is found to have been driving while distracted and causes an injury accident, they can be held legally liable to compensating the victims of that accident.

There are many types of distracted driving. Many people believe that the biggest problem in a vehicle is the cell phone, and this may be the case. Unfortunately, it is not the only case of distracted driving. Eating, drinking, grooming and texting behind the wheel are all distracting. So are loose pets in the vehicle and children fighting in the back seat. In fact, anything that takes someone’s attention off of the primary task of driving is considered a distraction and can cause a serious car accident in Marietta, GA.

An accident can happen in the blink of an eye. A person, when distracted and traveling at highway speeds, can travel the length of a football field or more without their attention on the road. Traveling this distance without focus can be incredibly dangerous.

If you have been involved in an accident in Marietta that can be attributed to a distracted driver, contact our experienced and dedicated Marietta Car Accident Lawyers. Reach out to an experienced car accident attorney for assistance in determining what you may be entitled to under state law. You may be entitled to compensation for injuries, property damage and more.

4 Elements of a Car Accident Case

Every car accident case handled at the Law Offices of Andrew E. Goldner is unique, but most will fall under the legal doctrine of negligence. Georgia’s Title 51 Torts section allows victims of accidents to reclaim their losses from a harmful event caused by an individual, company, or other third-party that acted negligently.

The basic premise of a negligence case is that someone did something that a “reasonable person” exercising “ordinary care” wouldn’t have, contrary to their established “duty of care.” This act must have then directly caused damages.

Breaking each of these concepts down to their core components reveals the following four elements of every negligence case:

1. Duty of care

A person, corporation, or other entity had a “duty of care” to control their behavior in such a way as to reduce the likelihood of causing harm. Drivers have a duty of care to follow traffic laws, for instance, and to avoid distractions and other forms of carelessness on the road.

2. Breach in duty

A breach in a duty of care happens when someone breaks the law or acts contrary to what a “reasonable person” would do, such as merging too closely with another vehicle or driving while intoxicated. Their breach creates a dangerous situation likely to cause harm.

3. Direct causation

The breach in the duty of care must “proximately” cause the injuries for which compensation is sought. In plain English…did someone else’s negligence actually cause the injury or was it something else?

4. Real damages

Victims of the accident must have real damages that can be compensated for using the legal system, insurance, or some other form of financial remedy. Real damages can include economic losses, such as the cost of medical bills and vehicle repairs. They may also include non-economic concepts, such as pain and suffering.

Insurers are more likely to honor the full value of an injury claim if they believe that the injured party is represented by counsel, like Andrew Goldner, who will take the case to trial if necessary.

For this reason, our Marietta car accident attorneys always approach each case with the idea that it could progress to a lawsuit and a jury trial. The result of preparing each case for trial is that, usually, we don’t have to take cases through the full litigation process. The insurance companies know that we’re serious and often settle.

This approach gives your car accident attorney in Marietta an advantageous position to secure all available compensation for your damages.

 

Common Car Accident Injuries

Several types of common car accident injuries may be covered in your claim. These injuries can range from small to life-changing depending on the severity. 

Don’t pay for someone else’s mistake. Your Marietta car accident attorney will make sure your car accident injuries are covered in your claim as well as any lingering psychological damages that may be affecting your life.

1. Whiplash – This type of injury happens when the head and neck are whipped forward and back again, overextending and stressing the soft tissues in the neck and upper back. This can leave the victim with headaches, limited mobility, pain, and stiffness. 
2. Traumatic brain injury – A traumatic brain injury is anything that causes damage to the brain. This can be in the form of blunt trauma, oxygen deprivation, or pressure buildup inside the skull. These injuries can leave victims with speech and communication problems, nerve issues, in a coma, or worse. 
3. Broken bones – Sometimes the easiest to diagnose, a broken bone can also be overlooked for months. Stress fractures that cause cracks in the bone instead of a straight break can cause pain, limited mobility, and future complications with the bone if not treated. 
4. Contusions and cuts – Scrapes, cuts, and bruises are common in car accidents due to bodies absorbing the force of the car crash. Being thrown against the car door or steering wheel can leave marks behind, but remember to have any open wound, even small cuts, treated properly. Infection is a real possibility and can lead to several complications. 
5. Neck and back injuries –  Serious injuries can also be ones to your neck and back. Why? Because if you hurt either severely enough, spine injuries could change your life. A bad neck or back injury could leave you paralyzed, handicapped, or in extreme pain for the rest of your life. 

5 Common Types of Car Accidents

1. Head-On Collision

A head-on collision occurs when one car strikes the front of another car. These accidents can cause significant damages and severe injuries. If you are ever in a head-on collision, go to the doctor to be examined regardless of how you feel. Pain may be numbed or blunted by the rush of adrenaline you experience after a car accident. It’s better to be safe than sorry. 

2. T-Bone Accident

When the front of one car impacts the side of another (creating a “T” shape), this is called a t-bone accident. Also called side-impact accidents, these wrecks are common in various types of intersections and normally occur when one or more parties are confused about who has the right-of-way. 

3. Sideswipe Accident

A sideswipe accident happens with one car veering into another’s lane and their sides impact each other. This type of accident happens due to distracted driving, drunk driving, or fatigued drivers. Calling a police officer to the scene is the best way to determine fault in these types of accidents. 

4. Multi-Car Collisions

When several cars are involved in a chain-reaction car accident, blame and fault can spread like wildfire. As soon as the police leave the scene, contact a Marietta car accident lawyer to ensure that your claims process is done correctly and that you are not assigned more fault than you should be. 

5. Rear-End Accidents

When one car slams into the back of another, this is called a rear-end collision. These kinds of accidents often result in spine and other orthopedic injuries.

 

Additional helpful information :

Can Parents be Sued for a Child’s Car Accident in Georgia?

Does a Personal Injury Claim Affect Insurance?

If you have been in a Marietta Car Accident, call your trusted Marietta Car Accident Attorney right away.