In order for your car accident lawyer in Atlanta to prove your case, you need evidence. The kind of evidence you need is different from the kind of evidence they use in a criminal trial. Your Georgia injury attorney must produce physical evidence demonstrating that the defendant caused your injuries. This can come in a variety of forms.
Sometimes, this involves pictures of the accident scene. Or your Atlanta car accident lawyer may have a video of the crash. While there are certain rules about what you can and can’t use in court, your Georgia injury attorney is very familiar with these rules. As long as the facts of your case back up your claims against the defendant, you shouldn’t have a problem producing the necessary evidence.
Here, we will focus on the information contained in the police report. Most of this information would not have been available without the police report. We will explain how this evidence can help prove your case.
If you still have questions about your own motor vehicle accident, contact our office directly. Our car accident lawyers in Atlanta have spent years gaining the skills, knowledge, and experience necessary to get you the compensation you deserve. Take advantage of the free. Initial consultation we offer and get the process started.
The Police Have the Only Opportunity to Talk to Eyewitnesses
When you call 911 after your car crash, the dispatcher will send out a team of officers to the accident scene. Once there, the police will do a thorough investigation of the accident. They’ll speak to bystanders and other motorists who witnessed the crash. Once the accident scene is cleared, there will be no way to get in touch with these witnesses. In fact, if you don’t call the cops, you will have no idea if anybody did witness the accident.
Your Atlanta car accident lawyer sure won’t have any way to track them down. Even if they did find their contact information somehow, there is no guarantee the witnesses will want to talk to your Georgia injury attorney. It is one thing to talk to a police officer. It is quite another to talk to a stranger’s lawyer. Most people would rather not get involved.
Your Personal Injury Lawyer in Atlanta Will Rely on the Police to Describe the Road Conditions
Sometimes, there are indicators and marks on the road itself that can help prove fault. For example, if the police report indicates that there were skid marks trailing behind the defendant’s vehicle, it may help show that they were speeding at the time of the collision. Your car accident lawyer in Atlanta can use this to prove fault.
To prove negligence, you must demonstrate that the defendant owed you a duty of care and that they breached this duty. Clearly, all drivers owe a certain duty of care to other motorists. If the police report offers proof that the other driver was, in fact, speeding, it will prove the driver failed to uphold this duty of care.
If the Police Arrest the Other Driver for DUI, It Will Certainly Help Your Case
One reason the other driver may ask you to not call the cops is that they are under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The last thing they want is for the cops to come out to the scene. However, when the cops do arrive, they will meet with each of the drivers to get their statement.
They will also check to see if either driver seems impaired. If the other driver is drunk or high, the cops will make a note of it in their report. They will also arrest them and charge them with DUI. This will be incredible proof of fault that your Georgia injury attorney can use in court.
The Cops Can Confirm if the Defendant’s Insurance Policy is Valid in Real Time
When the cops arrive on the scene, they will ask both drivers for their license, registration, and insurance information. They will run this information through their computers at the accident scene. If the information comes back as fake, or if the insurance policy isn’t valid, the police will know right away.
They will also put this information into their final report. Your Georgia injury attorney will certainly make use of this in your case.
Your Georgia Injury Attorney Will Take Advantage of Any Statements Made to Police at the Accident Scene
One final piece of information that is extremely useful for your Atlanta car accident lawyer is statements made by the drivers. Each driver will have to make a statement to the cops. Your attorney can compare these statements to what the other driver told the insurance adjuster. If things don’t match up, it will help show that the defendant was deceptive and likely at fault.
Rely on Your Atlanta Car Accident Lawyer to Negotiate a Settlement of Your Case
As much as you may have looked forward to having your day in court, that rarely happens. More than 90% of all personal injury lawsuits settle long before trial. Not only is it cheaper to settle your case, but it is a lot quicker than waiting for your case to go before a judge.
As long as your Georgia injury attorney has access to the police report, they should have a great starting point in preparing your case. The information obtained in the police report is something your personal injury lawyer in Atlanta would not have access to any other way. This is why it’s so important that you contact the police immediately after your accident.
If you’re concerned that you can’t handle your personal injury lawsuit on your own, don’t fret. All you have to do is call our office and we can schedule your free, initial consultation. It can be overwhelming to try to take on something of this magnitude. This is especially true if you aren’t familiar with the law. One wrong move and you could jeopardize your entire case.
That’s why we suggest you at least meet with an experienced Georgia injury attorney before you make any final decisions. The last thing you want to do is go up against the large insurance companies by yourself. Since the initial consultation is free, and since we don’t charge you anything upfront, what do you have to lose?
