Being involved in a car accident is always a harrowing experience. You may have suffered injuries and vehicle damage. Because of this, it’s important to file a claim with your insurance company after involvement in an auto accident. Here we go over important information about filing a car accident claim in Georgia.
Immediately After The Accident
First, there’s some things you should do immediately following an automobile accident to gather the information you will need for your claim and to ease the claims process.
- Contact the police and make sure you get the officer’s badge number and name. Also, ask when the accident report will be filed and make sure to obtain a copy when it is filed.
- Obtain the information of the other driver and any eyewitnesses. This should include name, address, phone number, license plate number, and insurance information. It’s important you get the insurance company name, policy number, and phone number of the insurance agent.
- Don’t make any statements of responsibility and don’t disclose how much liability insurance you carry.
- Document the scene of the accident, injuries, and vehicles involved. Taking pictures at the scene of the accident is wise and be sure to document any medical attention you receive.
- Contact a car accident attorney. If you will be filing a claim or personal injury lawsuit in Georgia, it’s important to have an attorney who can help you navigate the process.
- Contact your insurance company. It’s important to contact your insurance company or agent as soon as possible so as to obtain the necessary documents and steps on how to proceed with your claim.
Georgia’s “Fault” System
According to the car accident attorneys at Dan Chapman & Associates, LLC, Georgia’s “modified comparative fault” law allows the claimant to receive financial recovery if they were less at fault than the other party. This means that if a driver is found to be less than 50% at fault for the accident, they can still recover damages. After a car accident, you can look to recover compensation for damages in one of these ways:
- Filing a claim with your own insurance company.
- Pursuing a claim with the other driver’s insurance company.
- Filing a personal injury lawsuit.
Filing A Claim With Your Insurer
When you file a claim with your own insurer following an accident, a claims adjuster will be assigned to your claim and will:
- Investigate the details of the accident
- Communicate with witnesses
- Examine damage
- Obtain information on insurance coverage of all drivers involved in the accident.
Once fault is determined, the insurance companies will negotiate in order to decide who is responsible for paying for the damages and expenses incurred.
Time Limit For Filing A Claim In Georgia
Although there is a statute of limitations for filing a lawsuit after a car accident in Georgia (2 years for bodily injury; 4 years for property damage), this does not apply to insurance claims. Your insurer will have a specific time limit, so you should consult your insurance policy. If you fail to follow the time limit in your policy, you may be unable to recover compensation.