Westwood Hills sits just west of the Athens Perimeter, off Auburn Parkway, with quick access to Loop 10 and GA-316. Highway speeds and heavy merges near those roads can turn a small mistake into a serious crash. If you were hurt, a car accident lawyer in Westwood Hills can deal with the insurers so you can focus on your recovery.
Van Sant Law has represented injured Georgia residents since 2008, and our Athens office is close by. Our advice is simple: Make the Right Call, and talk with our personal injury lawyer in Westwood Hills before you talk with an adjuster.
Car Crashes on Loop 10 and GA-316 Near Westwood Hills
Crashes on fast, busy roads like Loop 10 and GA-316 can involve rear-end hits, sideswipes during merges, and cars leaving the road. In 2022, Georgia had 7,253 crashes with serious injuries, according to the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety.
Who responds depends on where the crash happens. The Athens-Clarke County Police Department handles many local crashes, and the Georgia State Patrol may also work crashes on state highways. Ask the officer for the report number before you leave the scene.
How Much Insurance Do Georgia Drivers Have to Carry?
Georgia drivers have to carry at least $25,000 in bodily injury coverage per person, $50,000 per crash, and $25,000 for property damage, under O.C.G.A. § 33-34-4. Those limits can run out fast after a serious highway crash.
A common myth is that the other driver’s policy will pay for everything. If your bills go over $25,000, you may need to look for more coverage. Money for your claim may come from:
- The at-fault driver’s liability coverage
- Your own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage under O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11
- Your medical payments coverage, if your policy has it
- An employer’s policy, if the other driver was working
- A rideshare company’s policy, if an Uber or Lyft driver caused the crash
Finding every policy takes work, and insurers do not always share what coverage exists. Van Sant Law can read your policy, ask the other side about theirs, and track down every source of payment so you are not left with unpaid bills.
What Should You Do After a Crash on a Busy Highway?
What you should do after a crash on a busy highway is get out of traffic if you safely can and call 911. If no one is hurt and the cars can still move, Georgia law generally requires drivers to move them out of the travel lanes, under O.C.G.A. § 40-6-275.
If anyone is hurt or a car will not move, stay buckled in with your hazard lights on until help arrives. Standing on the shoulder of Loop 10 or GA-316 can be dangerous with traffic passing at high speed.
Once you are safe, take photos, swap insurance details, and get the names of any witnesses who stopped. Van Sant Law can pick up your case from there and speak with the insurers on your behalf.
Should You See a Doctor After a Minor Car Accident?
You should see a doctor after a minor car accident, because injuries like whiplash and concussions may not cause pain until hours or days later. Emergency care is available at Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center on Prince Avenue and at St. Mary’s Hospital on Baxter Street.
Insurers look for gaps in treatment, so if you wait weeks to see a doctor, the adjuster may argue that something else caused your pain. Going early and following your doctor’s plan can protect both your health and your claim. Keep every receipt for medicine, braces, and trips to appointments.
Our car accident attorneys serving Westwood Hills can collect your medical records and bills for you. That way, the insurer sees the full picture of what the crash did to you.
Why Drivers Choose Our Westwood Hills Car Accident Attorneys
David M. Van Sant once worked for insurance companies that covered trucking companies, and he now uses that experience for injured people. Here are some of the results and honors behind our team:
- $3 million car accident result: Van Sant Law recovered $3 million in a car accident case. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
- $579,000 rideshare result: Van Sant Law recovered $579,000 for a rideshare passenger. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
- Top 100 Trial Lawyers in Georgia: The National Trial Lawyers has named Van Sant Law founder David M. Van Sant one of its Top 100 Trial Lawyers in Georgia.
- Million Dollar Advocates Forum: David M. Van Sant of Van Sant Law is a life member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
These results do not predict the outcome of your case. They do show that our team is ready to go to trial if an insurer will not make a fair offer. Our team also offers services in Spanish and can meet you at home or in the hospital.
What Is Your Car Accident Claim Worth?
What your car accident claim is worth depends on your injuries, your medical costs, your lost pay, and how the crash changed your daily life. There is no set formula, and online calculators cannot see the details of your case, such as how a hand injury affects a mechanic or a nurse.
Insurers often start with a low number and wait to see if you push back. A claim for a broken bone that needs surgery and months of therapy may be worth far more than the first offer suggests.
We build the value of your claim from your records, your doctors’ opinions, and your own account of the pain. Then we press the insurer to pay a fair amount, and we prepare to go to court if it will not.
What If You Were Partly at Fault for the Crash?
If you were partly at fault for the crash, you can still recover money in Georgia as long as you are less than 50% at fault, under O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33. Your award is reduced by your share of the blame.
Since Georgia’s 2025 tort reform law, Senate Bill 68, a jury may also hear whether you wore a seat belt. Not wearing one does not end your claim, but it may affect how much you recover.
Insurers often try to push more blame onto the injured driver, because every percent of fault they shift to you lowers what they pay. You can learn more about how Van Sant Law handles these fights and the people on our team.
Get Help From a Car Accident Lawyer in Westwood Hills
A crash near Loop 10 or GA-316 can leave you with bills, missed work, and a long recovery. A car accident lawyer in Westwood Hills from Van Sant Law can take over the insurance fight while you heal. We work on a contingency fee basis.
Contact Van Sant Law today for a free consultation. We are available 24/7 and can sign your case electronically. Injury claims in Georgia generally must be filed within two years under O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33, so do not wait to get answers.
