Auto Accident Lawyers

Explaining What to Do After a Crash

Car accidents occur every day, and on average approximately 187,000 people are injured in car accidents somewhere in the state every year. As a result of this reality, thousands of people need help after a crash, and that need for help starts with what they should do immediately after a collision has occurred. Below are a few suggestions to keep in mind if the situation allows for them, but if you or someone you love has been harmed in an accident you need to seek the help of an experienced auto accident lawyer as soon as possible.

Get to Safety
If you can
After a crash has occurred and if you’re able to move, the first step you should take is to get yourself and anyone in your vehicle to safety. This usually means proceeding to the side of the road, but you need to get out of the way of oncoming traffic if possible. This will minimize the risk of another crash occurring. More information on this website

Contact Authorities
In the age of cell phones, many people mistakenly assume that someone else will contact police after a car accident has occurred. You should not make this assumption and should instead contact authorities yourself. When you do, provide your name, the model and make of your car, the model and make of the other vehicle and your location. You should also specify as to whether medical personnel will be needed.

Make Contact with the Other Party
If it’s possible, attempt to make contact with the other party to the accident. You will need his or her contact and insurance information, and it’s best to get that handled as soon as possible. However, if the other party appears agitated, do not attempt to push the situation. In addition, do not under any circumstances begin to debate the accident. Anything you say at this point could harm your legal rights later.

Provide a Statement
When the authorities arrive, provide a statement. Simply give a factual account of what you think occurred, and do not embellish or attempt to tie anything together at that point. All the authorities want to do is make sure everyone is safe, to put a record together of what occurred and to clear the scene.

Seek Medical Attention if needed
Even if you feel that you are not seriously injured, you should seek medical attention to be sure. There are certain types of traumatic brain injuries that can occur that do not begin with any outward physical symptoms, and you’ll need medical records of the injuries you and/or your passengers suffered.

Contact an Auto Accident Attorney
Finally, after your medical evaluation is complete but before you speak to any insurance company representatives, you need to contact experienced auto accident lawyers to make sure that your rights are properly protected and enforced if necessary. You should start by seeking the help of attorneys who have been fighting for the rights of the injured for 40 years. Contact us today to schedule a free initial consultation. Please find more detailed information on this website

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By State Law Trucks need to Have strong Insurance Coverage

State law with respect to the financial responsibility for common carriers needs to be changed and it needs to be changed quickly. Simply stated, the minimum limits of insurance protection that is now available to the public is grossly inadequate and far less than federal limits. It is high time that states enact legislation which is at least as effective as federal law in protecting innocent members of the motoring public when it comes to the type of carnage that can be inflicted by a negligent trucking company. More Information about Truck Accident Attorneys click here

In order to operate as a motor carrier, a company must first obtain a certificate of public convenience pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 46-7-3. Under rules adopted by the state Public Service Commission, in order to obtain a certificate of public convenience, a carrier must provide the State with a surety bond of only $100,000.00 for bodily injury or death of one person and $300,000.00 for bodily injury or death of all persons involved in an accident. This standard was issued by the State Public Service Commission (PSC) under its Rule 7-2.1. Alternatively, the PSC stated that a motor carrier could present the PSC with proof of insurance in the same amount and that the proof could be the actual policy itself or a certificate of coverage from the insurance company.

The Certificate of Insurance is known as a Form E (Uniform Motor Carrier Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability Certificate of Insurance). The purpose of this insurance is to protect the innocent members of motoring public who may be damaged by the carrier’s operations. Unfortunately, in a case involving serious injury or death, $100,000.00 is clearly inadequate to address such a situation. Indeed, in any serious case where the injured victim remains in the hospital sometimes for days or weeks, the $100,000.00 minimum limits of insurance coverage is hardly sufficient to even compensate the victim for his or her medical expenses much less lost wages, pain and suffering and/or permanent disability caused by the injury. Unfortunately, the state Legislature which is dominated by a business lobby mentality, does not seem very interested in calling for an amendment to this Rule. “Let them eat cake” seems to be the attitude which we have a hard time understanding. After all, we are talking about innocent victims of Tuck Accidents

Under federal law, the minimum limits of insurance coverage for the protection of the public is $750,000.00. Most responsible trucking companies carry much more by way of liability insurance coverage than the minimum limits because their assets are at risk in a serous case. Many responsible trucking companies carry 5 – 10 million dollars in coverage, and sometimes more. In a serious case where amputations are involved, paralysis, death or other truly severe injuries, such coverage is necessary to compensate the innocent third party victim who may be involved in an accident with a large truck.
If a driver loses control, is speeding, crosses the centerline or otherwise strikes the innocent third party who has done absolutely nothing wrong, one can be assured that with the size of some of these rigs, the innocent third party will be severely damaged. If the person survives the injury, that person may undergo months, if not years, of pain and suffering not to mention a loss of their lifestyle, their job and the emotional stress attendant to such a situation which literally always affects the entire family. In such circumstances, it is ludicrous for the State to have coverage limits of $100,000.00 to cover a serious injury or death. Indeed, $100,000.00 is the most any single person can collect from such an accident and even if ten people were killed in a van, let’s say, coming back from a church, the most the family members could receive would be a total of $300,000.00 to be divided ten ways from a minimum limits carrier. In short, if a trucking company is irresponsible enough to carry minimum limits, they are still within the law and can operate legally. If they have no assets at risk because they are a “fly by night carrier,” they are not likely to carry more coverage. More information about Truck Accident Law here

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