Call Hawk Law Group now to discuss your car accident case in Waynesboro and learn how we can help.
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Start Your Free Case ReviewPrior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case is different and must be evaluated on its own facts.
The crash took a few seconds. What comes after can take months: an insurance adjuster may ask to record your statement, your car may be out of service, and medical bills may arrive before you know how long you'll be out of work.
Hawk Law Group handles all communications with the insurance companies and calculates the value of your current and future losses.
Why people choose Hawk Law Group:
Call our Waynesboro office at 706-437-9122 to schedule a free consultation today.
Car accident claims are a specific type of personal injury claim that arise when someone is injured in a car accident due to another party’s negligence.
In Waynesboro, navigating the aftermath of a car accident can be overwhelming, especially when dealing with injuries, insurance companies, and mounting expenses.
That’s why it’s crucial to understand your rights and the steps involved in pursuing compensation.
A skilled car accident lawyer or car accident attorney can provide the legal guidance you need to protect your interests and help you through the claims process.
Whether you’re facing medical bills, lost income, or pain and suffering, having an experienced attorney on your side can make all the difference in securing fair compensation for your injuries and losses after a Waynesboro car accident.
When you hire Hawk Law Group, we will:
Shawn Merzlak worked as a criminal investigator before practicing law.
Clients describe the experience in their own words. One wrote, "Every question I had it's like he answered without me asking." Another thanked the firm for taking care of her medical bills with the insurance company and Medicare, writing that "the whole thing was taken care of without causing me any stress or anxiety."

Under Georgia law, the statute of limitations in most personal injury cases is two years.
This deadline is important. You're required to file a personal injury lawsuit before the two-year time limit expires. If you wait too long, you'll lose your right to compensation, even if someone else was 100% at fault for your crash.
For most people, two years seems plenty of time. However, you risk losing access to valuable evidence as time goes by, and you never know what will happen along the way.
Shorter deadlines apply if a government vehicle was involved, such as a City of Waynesboro truck, a Burke County vehicle or a state vehicle. Georgia requires written notice of the claim within 6 months for a city and within 12 months for a county or the state, long before the two-year lawsuit deadline.
Distracted driving, speeding and impaired driving are among the leading causes of crashes identified by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
If the crash happened at a known trouble spot, our guide to the [[Most Dangerous Roads/Intersections in Waynesboro]] explains how location, traffic patterns and road design figure into fault.
Some injuries don't show up at the scene. Whiplash, most often caused by rear-end crashes, usually produces symptoms within days, according to Mayo Clinic. Get checked promptly even if you feel fine.
For a deeper local breakdown, our guide to Waynesboro Car Accident Statistics explains what the crash data shows and why even seemingly minor accidents can lead to serious medical issues that may not be immediately apparent.
We represent people hurt in every type of motor vehicle crash in Burke County:
| Accident type | Common causes |
|---|---|
| Head-on collisions | Distracted driving, DUI, wrong-way driving |
| Rear-end crashes | Tailgating, distracted driving, sudden stops |
| T-bone accidents | Running red lights, failure to yield |
| Rollover accidents | Speeding, sharp turns, vehicle defects |
| Hit-and-run accidents | DUI, uninsured drivers |
| Sideswipe collisions | Improper lane changes, blind spots |
| Truck and commercial vehicle crashes | See Section 8 |
That includes cases involving brain injury, spinal injury and wrongful death.
US 25 connects Waynesboro to Augusta and Millen, and GA-80 and GA-23 lead to Plant Vogtle.
Truck cases differ from car cases in three ways:
To recover, you have to show the other driver was careless (ran a light, failed to yield, followed too closely) and that the carelessness caused your injuries. The proof usually comes from four sources:
At Hawk Law Group, we have a strong track record of securing significant compensation for car accident victims. As shown in our proven results, we've recovered:
These results demonstrate our commitment to maximizing compensation for our clients, though each case is unique and results may vary.
No matter how serious your injuries, our Waynesboro car accident attorneys will work tirelessly to ensure you receive fair compensation for all your losses.

Putting a dollar value on physical injuries can be difficult.
Any number of things can influence the value of a personal injury claim--and your lawyer will need to evaluate the facts before giving you an estimate.
Relevant facts may include:
Your emotional and physical well-being are important. In the end, the nature and severity of your injuries are often the most important factor in calculating the value of your claim.
Our Waynesboro car accident attorneys have the experience and resources to fight the insurance company and win. We’ll hire experts in finance, medicine, accident reconstruction, and other relevant specialists when needed. With their help, we’ll be prepared to get you for the maximum compensation you deserve.

Georgia law allows three kinds of damages after a crash: economic, non-economic and punitive.
Economic damages repay your financial losses:
Non-economic damages compensate personal losses that do not come with a bill:
Punitive damages punish a defendant whose conduct was especially reckless. Courts award them only in exceptional cases. In Georgia, punitive damages are usually capped at $250,000, but the cap does not apply when the at-fault driver was under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
We pursue every category your facts support.
Sharing some of the blame does not automatically end your claim.
Georgia uses modified comparative negligence. You can recover as long as you are less than 50% at fault, and your award is reduced by your share of fault. If you are found 15% responsible for a crash with $100,000 in damages, you can recover $85,000. At 50% or more, you recover nothing.
Since Georgia's 2025 tort reform, evidence that you were not wearing a seatbelt can be used in deciding your share of fault. Do not agree to any fault in a recorded statement before talking with a lawyer.

You don't need to know whether you have a case before you call. Tell us what happened in a free consultation.
The consultation is free. We work on a contingency fee, so you pay nothing until your case is resolved.
Call (706) 437-9122 for a free consultation or contact us online.
Hawk Law Group
827 Liberty St
Waynesboro, GA 30830
Phone: (706) 437-9122
Business Hours: 9AM-5PM Monday-Friday
We represent accident victims throughout Burke County and the CSRA, with offices in Waynesboro, Augusta, Evans and Thomson, GA, and Aiken, SC.
As stated on our website: "All of our personal injury work is done on a contingency fee basis. This means that our clients pay nothing until your case is resolved, either through negotiation and settlement, mediation, or at trial."
While you should notify your own insurance company, avoid giving recorded statements or accepting settlement offers without legal advice. Insurance adjusters are trained to minimize payouts.
You may still have options through:
We'll help identify all possible compensation sources for your case.
Usually in the county where the at-fault driver lives. If that is Burke County, or a trucking company is sued where the crash happened, the case is filed in the State Court or Superior Court of Burke County, both at the Burke County Judicial Center, 200 East 6th Street, Waynesboro. Most cases settle without a trial, but if yours does not, our attorneys try it there.
Did you sustain an injury at work or develop an occupational illness? If so, hiring an experienced Waynesboro Car Accident Lawyer can be essential for your fight for benefits.
(888) 771-1110The personal injury lawyers at Hawk Law Group represent accident victims throughout the Central Savannah River Area, including Augusta, Avera, Belvedere, Blythe, Crawfordville, Davisboro, Evans, Gibson, Grovetown, Harlem, Hephzibah, Jackson, Lincolnton, Louisville, Martinez, Millen, New Ellenton, North Augusta, Sandersville, Sparta, Stapleton, Thomson, Warrenton, Waynesboro, and all surrounding communities in Aiken, Edgefield, and Richmond Counties.
Hawk Law Group is a personal injury law firm serving clients in Augusta, GA, and surrounding areas. With over 71 years of combined experience, we have recovered hundreds of millions on behalf of injury victims. Contact us for help today.