Albany Car Accidents

Albany is one of the largest cities in Georgia, and its streets are regularly occupied by residents and visitors traveling for work or recreational purposes. Albany is also home to some of the most dangerous roads and intersections in Georgia, like Sylvester Road and the intersection of Nottingham Way and Westover Boulevard, where car accidents are a common occurrence. Car accidents also regularly occur on other roads that run through Albany, such as Route 19, Route 82, and Georgia State Routes 91, 133, 234, and 520. Although some accidents are minor, other accidents cause lasting emotional and physical harm, as well as significant financial losses. Fortunately, however, people who suffer losses due to car accidents can seek recourse via a civil lawsuit. If you sustained damages in a car accident, the Albany car accident lawyers at Cook Law Group can assist you in striving to hold the parties responsible for your accident accountable for your damages.

An important component in any lawsuit arising out of a car accident is evidence that establishes liability for the accident. Thus, many people injured in car accidents in Albany should try to obtain any police reports that pertain to their accident. Albany is part of Dougherty County. Thus, people who wish to obtain a police report must request a report from the Dougherty County Police Department. The Department is located at 2106 Habersham Road, Albany, Georgia 31701, and people wishing to contact the Department can call (229) 430-6600. The cost of an accident report is $5.00. Reports are usually available three to five days from the date of the accident. A person seeking a report must refer to the report number under which the report was filed.

While the specific facts out of which each car accident arises are unique, the root cause of most car accidents is the same. A car accident attorney in the Albany area generally will argue that an accident was caused by driver error. Examples of behaviors that lead to car accidents include texting while driving, drunk driving, fatigued driving, and excessive speeding. In other cases, a vehicle component that was defective may cause an accident, which means that the victim can sue the manufacturer of the component.

In Georgia, to prove negligence, a plaintiff must show that the defendant had a duty to conform to a standard of care to protect others, that the defendant breached the standard of care, and that harm proximately resulted from the breach. In other words, the plaintiff must prove that the breach directly caused the plaintiff’s injury and that the injury would not have occurred without the breach. Frequently, a defendant will assert that the plaintiff caused the accident that led to his or her harm, and therefore the plaintiff should not be awarded damages. In Georgia, though, even if a plaintiff was partially responsible for causing the accident that led to his or her harm, an Albany car accident attorney can still recover damages on the plaintiff’s behalf, as long as the plaintiff’s fault is less than 50%. Any damages awarded to a partially at-fault plaintiff will be reduced proportionally, however. For example, if a plaintiff who sustained damages worth $1,000,000 is deemed 25% at fault, the damages award will be reduced to $750,000.

Thousands of car accidents occur in Albany each year, many of which are serious, and anyone injured in a car accident should contact an attorney as soon as possible. At Cook Law Group, our seasoned attorneys have ample experience litigating cases arising out of Albany car accidents, and we will work tirelessly to help you seek any damages that may be recoverable. We also handle car accident lawsuits in Gainesville, Atlanta, and other cities in Georgia. You can contact us through our online form or at our office at 678-928-3899 to set up a consultation with a car accident lawyer in the Albany area.