Atlanta hit-and-run accident lawyer

experienced Atlanta hit-and-run accident lawyers

we will fight vigorously for your rights in an injury crash

As motor vehicle crashes go, hit-and-run accidents are especially upsetting. It is hard to imagine that someone would hit another vehicle, a bicycle rider, or a pedestrian and flee without checking for injuries. Yet these dangerous accidents happen far too often in Georgia and throughout the country.

When you’ve been the victim of such a crash, or lost a loved one, turn to an experienced Atlanta hit-and-run accident lawyer from The Stoddard Firm. We may be able to get you compensation to pay for the damages you have sustained. Our law firm is aggressive in holding negligent drivers accountable for their actions through personal injury and wrongful death claims.

Why You Should Choose the Stoddard Firm

Firm owner Matthew Stoddard and our entire attorney team are passionate about getting justice for people seriously injured by the carelessness of others. When we take your case, you will receive honest, hardworking, and knowledgeable legal representation. Our lawyers:

• Have a long track record of achieving winning outcomes, as you can see on our results page
• Are skilled at negotiating maximum insurance settlements
• Are not afraid to go to trial when full compensation is not forthcoming
• Maintain a small caseload so we have the time to give every client the attention they deserve
• Are responsive and supportive in addressing clients’ concerns.

We offer free consultations. This allows you to learn whether we believe you have a strong case without making a financial commitment.

What Our Atlanta Hit-And-Run Accident Attorneys Will Do

Injury car accidents happen suddenly. They often leave victims in shock and unsure about what to do, especially in cases where the responsible party has fled the scene. When you work with us, you will not have to worry about what to do—our hit-and-run accident attorneys in Atlanta will handle every step of the legal process, while always keeping you informed.

We will help you by doing the following and more:

• Advising you of your rights as a victim of another party’s negligence
• Gathering accident evidence to establish liability
• Working with police and investigators to identify the hit-and-run driver
• Helping you determine what damages to claim
• Communicating with insurance companies of at-fault parties
• Negotiating forcefully with insurers to get you a fair settlement
• Taking your case to trial if the circumstances warrant it.

We understand the physical, emotional, and financial toll that hit-and-run drivers cause to the pedestrians, bicyclists, and motor vehicle occupants who are unfortunate enough to get in their way. We do not back down when going up against these irresponsible individuals.

Damages Available in Hit-And-Run Accidents

The damages you could claim depend on your injuries and overall situation. Damages that may be available in your case include payment for:

• Current and future medical bills
• Rehabilitation and physical therapy
• Nursing care
• Assistance with activities of daily life
• Loss income and benefits
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Reduced quality of life
• Property damage.

Additionally, because you were in a hit-and-run accident, punitive damages may be available. Punitive damages are awarded to punish drivers who have behaved in an especially heinous way, such as by hitting and injuring another person and fleeing the scene.

Wrongful Death Damages

Ride Safe Georgia reports that the state ranks fourth in the country when it comes to fatal hit- and-run accidents. If your family member died and you are an eligible survivor, you may be able to collect damages for medical bills, funeral and burial costs, the pain and suffering of the deceased due to the accident, emotional anguish of survivors, loss of future financial support, and more. Spouses, parents, and children can bring wrongful death claims. If the deceased person did not have any of these relatives, the personal representative of their estate can sue.

Hit-And-Run Attorney in Atlanta Answers FAQs

We know this is a confusing time in your life and you probably have many questions about filing a claim. These Q&As may address some of your concerns.

Can more than one party be held liable in a hit-and-run?

Any party that contributed to causing the crash may be held liable if their negligence can be proven. Examples include the hit-and-run driver, another driver who may have caused the hit-and-run driver to swerve into you, makers of car parts that failed, and government agencies responsible for maintaining safe roads and intersections.

How can I get compensation if the driver left the scene?

Our attorneys will examine the evidence and work with police and accident investigators to try and locate the driver. If the driver cannot be located, you may have to turn to your own insurance for payment—our lawyers can assist you in that circumstance. We will also try to determine if there are other liable parties.

Will the hit-and-run driver go to jail?

They might go to jail. In addition to facing legal liability through personal injury or wrongful death lawsuits, hit-and-run drivers who cause accidents resulting in serious injuries or death are subject to criminal charges and could face jail or prison time as well as other penalties.

Is it better to settle my case or go to trial?

What is better is dependent on all the aspects of your case. In general, by settling you are guaranteed compensation. By going to trial you could potentially get substantially more money if there is strong evidence of fault against the other party, but it is never guaranteed that the jury will rule in your favor.

We are happy to answer questions specific to your case when we meet with you.

What to Do After a Hit-and-Run Accident

In a hit-and-run, you may not have even seen the vehicle that hit you. But if you did, be sure to write down anything you remember about it (if you are physically able) while it is still fresh in your mind, including:

• The vehicle’s color, make, and model
• Details about the driver, such as gender, hair color, age, etc.
• License plate number or partial number, color of the plate, whether the plate was from Georgia or another state.

Give this information to the police to help them find the driver. You should also take photos of your injuries and the accident scene and your vehicle, if you were in one, and other possible vehicles involved. If there were eyewitnesses, be sure to get contact information for them.

If you were not taken by ambulance to the hospital, see a doctor as soon as possible. Keep copies of your medical reports, doctor bills, and everything else pertaining to your injuries.

Our attorneys will perform additional investigations and collect more evidence. We will determine if there were traffic cameras or cameras on surrounding buildings that may have captured the crash. We may engage accident reconstruction experts to analyze the crash. Our goal will be to identify the hit-and-run driver and prove their negligence, as well as prove the negligence of any other parties who were involved in the incident.

How Our Hit-And-Run Lawyers in Atlanta Prove Negligence

Proving negligence is key to getting you compensation to pay for your medical bills and other losses. To do so we will work to show that:

• The at-fault driver had a duty of care to drive safely and not injure you.
• The driver breached their duty.
• The breach of duty caused the accident and your injuries.
• You sustained damages due to their negligent actions.

Our law firm has handled hundreds of car accident cases of all kinds, including hit-and-runs. We know what evidence is needed to successfully prove negligence.

Georgia Statute of Limitations for Filing a Lawsuit

You generally have two years under the Georgia statute of limitations to file a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit but there are exceptions that can sometimes make that timeline shorter or longer. The clock begins running on the date of the crash. For wrongful death cases, wrongful death damages begin running on the date of death. If you miss the deadlines, you could be out of luck in filing a lawsuit.

However, there are some exceptions to these deadlines. If you are close to the deadline, be sure to get legal advice before giving up on your claim. Your attorney will provide specific deadlines for your unique case.

Get Help from a Knowledgeable Atlanta Hit-and-Run Accident Lawyer

Crashes upend people’s lives. When an individual has caused an accident that results in injuries or death and they do not stay to assist victims, they should pay the price, including facing civil and criminal penalties. We will help you hold financially accountable the party that has injured you or your loved one. But for their negligent and misguided actions, you would not be faced with the physical, emotional, and financial turmoil you are not going through.