[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.sherrodandbernard.com\/blog\/should-i-get-a-lawyer-for-a-car-accident-that-wasnt-my-fault\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.sherrodandbernard.com\/blog\/should-i-get-a-lawyer-for-a-car-accident-that-wasnt-my-fault\/","headline":"Should I Get a Lawyer for a Car Accident in Georgia That Wasn\u2019t My Fault?","name":"Should I Get a Lawyer for a Car Accident in Georgia That Wasn\u2019t My Fault?","description":"We all think we know how car accidents are supposed to work. The drivers involved exchange insurance information, then go their separate ways and let the insurance companies sort it out. But what if the accident wasn\u2019t your fault, and you\u2019re facing serious medical bills, but can\u2019t go...","datePublished":"2025-07-10","dateModified":"2025-08-07","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.sherrodandbernard.com\/blog\/author\/kenbernard\/#Person","name":"Ken Bernard","url":"https:\/\/www.sherrodandbernard.com\/blog\/author\/kenbernard\/","identifier":7,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2c8989e3a6ded75e4fe0fae6e90fc6dfec65eaf7676e8cefa113ad6e8e2d6c66?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2c8989e3a6ded75e4fe0fae6e90fc6dfec65eaf7676e8cefa113ad6e8e2d6c66?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Sherrod & Bernard, P.C.","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.sherrodandbernard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/SB-Logo-1.png","url":"https:\/\/www.sherrodandbernard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/SB-Logo-1.png","width":300,"height":109}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.sherrodandbernard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/report-car-accident.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.sherrodandbernard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/report-car-accident.jpg","height":627,"width":1200},"url":"https:\/\/www.sherrodandbernard.com\/blog\/should-i-get-a-lawyer-for-a-car-accident-that-wasnt-my-fault\/","video":{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"VideoObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=tqUpr-AwI1c#VideoObject","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=tqUpr-AwI1c","name":"How Is Fault Determined After a Georgia Car Accident? - Sherrod & Bernard, P.C.","description":"For more about car accident cases, visit: https:\/\/www.sherrodandbernard.com\/blog\/how-is-fault-determined-after-a-georgia-car-accident\/\n__________________________________\nSherrod & Bernard, P.C. - Personal Injury Lawyers in Douglasville\n8470 Price Ave \nDouglasville, GA 30134\nPhone: (770) 920 - 8350\nwww.sherrodandbernard.com","thumbnailUrl":["https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/tqUpr-AwI1c\/default.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/tqUpr-AwI1c\/mqdefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/tqUpr-AwI1c\/hqdefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/tqUpr-AwI1c\/sddefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/tqUpr-AwI1c\/maxresdefault.jpg"],"uploadDate":"2025-07-10T18:31:15+00:00","duration":"PT2M50S","embedUrl":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/tqUpr-AwI1c","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCNK4EK-AuNLyADEP1Gsgx7w#Organization","url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCNK4EK-AuNLyADEP1Gsgx7w","name":"Sherrod and Bernard","description":"When you are in a legal bind, you need an experienced attorney you can count on to provide you with skilled representation and sound legal counsel. Every lawyer under the sun will tell you that he or she is the right person for the job, but you need a firm backed with a successful track record. You need the firm of Sherrod & Bernard, serving the Douglasville area.\n\nAfter attending the University of Georgia together, attorneys John Sherrod and Ken Bernard founded the law firm of Sherrod & Bernard, P.C. in 1992. From the very beginning, the goal of our firm has been to provide each and every client with the quality personal service and skilled representation they deserve. You can count on our work ethic and our commitment to our clients.\n\nYou need a highly skilled attorney to successfully resolve your legal issues. One of our lawyers can help. Schedule a free consultation by calling our Douglasville office at 770-920-8350.","logo":{"url":"https:\/\/yt3.ggpht.com\/uK-5K9pyHHwlk4D1Wclej9JOOudzsipnxVRsoc1u0fyFTl1Ykw0P1mMXhCw6PbtfZAwzpbuF_A=s800-c-k-c0x00ffffff-no-rj","width":800,"height":800,"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=tqUpr-AwI1c#VideoObject_publisher_logo_ImageObject"}},"potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=tqUpr-AwI1c#VideoObject_potentialAction","target":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=tqUpr-AwI1c&t={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"},"interactionStatistic":[[{"@type":"InteractionCounter","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=tqUpr-AwI1c#VideoObject_interactionStatistic_WatchAction","interactionType":{"@type":"WatchAction"},"userInteractionCount":12}]]},"about":["Auto Accident"],"wordCount":1096,"articleBody":"We all think we know how car accidents are supposed to work. The drivers involved exchange insurance information, then go their separate ways and let the insurance companies sort it out.But what if the accident wasn\u2019t your fault, and you\u2019re facing serious medical bills, but can\u2019t go to work? The \u201cnormal\u201d process may not be enough, or the insurance company may come back and say you\u2019re to blame when you know that\u2019s not right.The truth is, you\u2019re better off hiring a lawyer after any serious car accident that wasn\u2019t your fault. At\u00a0Sherrod & Bernard, P.C., we\u2019re committed to helping accident victims pursue their full, rightful compensation after they\u2019ve been injured due to someone else\u2019s negligence.If you\u2019ve been injured in a crash in Douglasville or surrounding areas of Georgia, call our office right away. We\u2019re passionate about helping accident victims. We\u2019re ready to fight relentlessly on your behalf.Why Do I Need a Lawyer After a Car Accident?The primary reason to hire an attorney after a car accident is to protect yourself and your legal rights.Perhaps everything goes smoothly, the other driver\u2019s insurer pays up, and everyone goes on about their business. Assuming this will be the case, though, is dangerous. The other driver may not speak truthfully about the circumstances of the accident, and it\u2019s in the interest of their insurer to pay as little as possible after an accident \u2013 and it\u2019s even better for them if they can avoid paying anything at all.If you\u2019ve been involved in a major accident, the insurer could be on the hook for thousands of dollars in medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other compensation. They\u2019re not likely to cover your full losses if they aren\u2019t made to.Hiring a lawyer shows you are serious about making sure your rights are upheld, and it gives you a better chance of succeeding, should you need to\u00a0file a claim.Will the Other Driver\u2019s Insurance Handle the Claim?The willingness of the other driver\u2019s insurance company to pay your claim may depend greatly on the circumstances of the case. If it\u2019s clear that the other driver was at fault \u2013 say, if the police determined they were intoxicated and there\u2019s sufficient evidence to prove it \u2013 they may quickly offer you a settlement. But if the insurance company believes that they can fight the claim and avoid paying you for your losses, then that\u2019s what they\u2019re likely to do.Even if the insurance company does make an offer, however, chances are it\u2019s not for the full value of what you\u2019re owed.An attorney can explain the extent of the damages you\u2019re owed following your accident and make a strong case to seek a higher payout for you.What Evidence Do I Need for My Car Accident Claim?The more evidence you have for your\u00a0car accident\u00a0claim, the better your chances of success and the more money you can potentially receive.\u00a0If you\u2019re involved in an accident, do your best to take photos at the scene. If you\u2019re too injured to take pictures and need urgent medical care, try to find someone else to take pictures for you.You\u2019ll also want to save any medical bills you receive as you heal after the accident. Along with the bills, any records you can provide from doctors or hospitals, prescription medication records, and similar documents should be preserved. If you\u2019re forced to miss work as part of the recovery process, any records you can obtain from your employer can bolster your case.Another powerful source of evidence in\u00a0car accident claims can include reports from law\u00a0enforcement agencies.\u00a0Along with police records, your attorney will try to secure any available security video or photo surveillance records, as well.Collecting this kind of evidence can be a lengthy process, but a good lawyer can speed things along and make sure no mistakes are made along the way.\ufeffHow Do I Know If I Need A Lawyer?If you\u2019re involved in a minor accident, and nobody is injured, you may not need a lawyer (though you should at least consult with one, all the same, just to be thorough). If you\u2019re hurt in an accident, though, we highly recommend you hire an attorney.Insurance companies are for-profit businesses. While the people who work at insurance companies may be very personable and friendly, it\u2019s in their interest and the company\u2019s interest to pay out as few claims and as little money as possible.The greater your injuries, the more medical bills and other expenses you\u2019re facing, which means the insurance company will be paying out more money.If the insurer is facing a significant loss in paying out your claim, they\u2019ll fight hard to avoid doing so. Hiring a lawyer may be the only way to recover the compensation you\u2019re entitled to in a timely manner.What Happens If I Don\u2019t Get a Lawyer Involved?Here are a few things that can happen if you don\u2019t hire a lawyer after your accident:The insurer delays paying your claim.\u00a0If you\u2019ve been seriously hurt in a car accident, you need money quickly to cover medical bills, lost income due to missing work, and other losses. The at-fault driver\u2019s insurer can drag their feet on a claim for months or years if you don\u2019t have an attorney to force them to pay out more quickly.You get less than what you deserve.\u00a0Insurers can use all sorts of tricks to avoid paying you what you deserve. A lawyer will fully investigate your case and build a solid claim to seek the full damages you\u2019re entitled to for all the losses you\u2019ve suffered.You may not get anything.\u00a0Insurance companies are massive organizations with significant resources at their disposal. They can and will use any means available to them to avoid paying a claim. To make sure you are left with nothing after going through an accident, you need a skilled lawyer on your side.Have you recently been injured in an automobile accident? Don\u2019t wait to speak with a\u00a0Douglasville car accident lawyer, as evidence can quickly disappear if you don\u2019t move quickly. Call\u00a0Sherrod & Bernard, P.C., today for a free, no-obligation consultation.Visit Our Douglasville Car Accident Injury Law Offices"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.sherrodandbernard.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Should I Get a Lawyer for a Car Accident in Georgia That Wasn\u2019t My Fault?","item":"https:\/\/www.sherrodandbernard.com\/blog\/should-i-get-a-lawyer-for-a-car-accident-that-wasnt-my-fault\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]