There is no way to predict when your life and the life of your family will be impacted by an accident that ends in personal injury. The consequences of a bad accident can be severe and recovery can last for months or years if a full recovery is even possible.
There are times that accidents can result from the negligence of a certain individual or entity, but there are also times that accidents occur from malicious intent. But one thing is always true, accidents rarely happen for no reason at all and invariably involve some sort of human instigation.
When it comes to facing the consequences of accidents, victims are entitled to seek compensation from the party or parties responsible for the incident that resulted in injury. While this is your right, having an experienced Decatur personal injury lawyer at your side to provide guidance, can prove invaluable to your quest for compensation.
We are here to help if your family has been impacted by a personal injury. If you have any other questions or doubts, you can arrange for a FREE consultation with the SHElaw firm® in Decatur, Georgia. Call 470-788-8930 to learn more about the details of personal injury law as they pertain to your case.
What Should I Do After an Injury?
If you or someone in your family has been impacted by a personal injury, it is only natural that you will feel a certain degree of shock and bewilderment. But keep a clear head, this is the time to act decisively to protect your interests and preserve the integrity of your case.
Here are a few things to remember in the aftermath of an accident:
Get Medical Attention
The injuries sustained in an accident may appear minor or severe, but only a medical professional can provide you with a clean bill of health and rule out the potential for any latent complications that can cause serious problems later on. Even if you feel the injury is minor, it is always best to get a professional medical examination.
Injuries sustained in an accident can be severe or mild, but only an experienced medical professional has the perspective to diagnose the extent of damage and recommend a path to full recovery. Even if you feel the injury is minor, the adrenaline of the moment could be clouding your judgment. Don’t take chances with your health, have all injuries examined by a medical professional.
Collect Evidence if You Can
If you are serious about getting compensation, then you will need to act fast to build a strong case. The strongest cases are those with a wealth of hard evidence and this is best collected while it is still fresh.
If you can, use your mobile device to take as many snapshots of the scene of the accident and the details that contributed to what went down. If you have parking stubs, receipts, and anything else that supports your claim and case, begin collecting this evidence now.
Talk to Witnesses
The testimony of eyewitnesses is one of the most important points that can shed light on the incident in question. Take a moment to look around and ask any eyewitnesses for their contact information, their testimony may prove important.
Report the Incident
Notifying the proper authorities is important to building a case as well. The police and emergency services should be called in for any severe accidents. But other incidents can be reported to managers, security staff, employers, etc. In case of animal attacks, animal control services should be notified.
Do Not Admit Fault!
You may be confused or bewildered about the situation in the wake of an accident, but you must be very careful not to say or do anything that can put your case in jeopardy. Even a seemingly innocuous comment like ‘sorry’ could be misconstrued as an admission of guilt. It is imperative to speak with your lawyer about the events and allow them to be your contact point with the legal process about to ensue.
Call a Decatur Personal Injury Lawyer
You are entitled to compensation for the damages you sustained in an accident caused by another party. But enacting these rights is a whole different thing. It takes skill and experience to effectively navigate the particulars of personal injury law and arrive at the best possible solution for your case and recovery.
If you are looking for a skilled and experienced personal injury lawyer who will fight tenaciously for every penny afforded you by the law, call SHElaw firm® at 470-788-8930 and arrange your FREE consultation TODAY!
Why Do I Need a Personal Injury Lawyer?
Personal injury is never a straightforward process no matter how clear and well-defined the situation seems to be. Insurance adjusters will pull all the stops to protect their interests and minimize the payments they will be required to make. An expert personal injury lawyer will know how these crafty insurance adjusters operate and can greatly increase the value and the chances of success in winning your case.
Some common personal injury cases we handle include car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, Uber accidents, premises liability claims like slip and fall accidents, and wrongful death.
Here are some of the most important ways a seasoned personal injury lawyer from SHElaw firm® in Decatur, Georgia can help you come out on top:
Case Preparation / Filing a Lawsuit
To the uninitiated, filing a lawsuit and compiling a strong case can be a difficult task, but this is something we do all the time. We have the attention to detail and a well-defined process that will ensure that your case stands well in negotiations and carries heft in courts if it is brought to trial.
Settlement Negotiation
More often than not, a personal injury case will be settled out of court through negotiations with the insurance providers. Insurance adjusters will seek out every loophole and detail that allows them to shave dollars off their payments plan and will go so far as to prove the victim was responsible for their own injuries.
You can count on our experienced personal injury lawyers to defend your rights and fight for every penny you deserve.
Trial Preparation
If a settlement cannot be reached through negotiations, the matter will be settled in court. At SHElaw firm® we prepare all our cases as if they will be taken to court and our team of legal professionals has many hours of experience in swaying the judgment of the court in favor of our clients.
What Type of Damages Can I Recover?
All cases are different and without a thorough review of your case it will be impossible to say what damages you will be entitled to. The State of Georgia categorizes the damages available to accident victims in three categories:
Economic Damages
Economic damages are those that can be calculated into a financial figure from financial records. This can include the payments for medical treatment, surgical procedures, medications, and other medical expenses. These damages can also cover lost wages and loss of earning capacity. Economic damages cover the financial implications of the accident for the past present and future.
Non-Economic Damages
There are other damages that can’t be placed into a financial figure quite so easily. For example, it is hard to place a number on the pain and suffering inflicted in an accident. Non-economic damages cover things like mental anguish, loss of consortium, pain, and the loss of capacity to live a normal life. Like economic damages, non-economic damages cover damages in the past, present, and future.
Punitive Damages
There will be some situations where the accident that resulted in injury was caused by behavior that was hateful, extremely reckless, or otherwise intolerable. Punitive damages are in place to punish this sort of egregious behavior.
How Is Liability Determined?
Georgia applies the concept of “modified comparative negligence” to determine liability in personal injury cases. This means that the victim of the accident may still receive compensation for their damages so long as their involvement in the accident didn’t surpass 49%.
But the fundamental point that should be noted here is the subject of negligence and how it is defined in legal terms. In a personal injury case, it is essential to prove that the at-fault party was “negligent” and failed to act in a way that any reasonably minded person would act in a similar situation.
The following points must be established to prove negligence:
Duty of Care
There is a “duty of care” that allows the member of our society to interact safely and harmlessly. For example, motorists have to drive safely and within the traffic laws to ensure that everyone is safe on the roads. Proprietors of gyms, theaters, malls, and restaurants also have a duty of care for their patrons.
Breach of Duty of Care
The next step will be to prove that the duty of care the defendant had for the plaintiff was breached. This means that the defendant failed in their duty to protect the plaintiff from harm by acting or not acting in a certain way.
Causation
The actions or inactions of the defendant resulted in the accident that caused injury to the plaintiff. This is where the negligence of the incident is connected to the consequences which were injuries to the victim.
Damages
It is not enough to prove that someone was acting negligently or in a threatening manner. To make a personal injury case, it is necessary that the negligence on the part of the defendant directly resulted in injury.
How Much Time Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Claim in Georgia?
Every state has a time limit in which accident victims must file their lawsuits. This is called the “statute of limitations.” In Georgia, the statute of limitations for submitting a personal injury lawsuit is within two years of the accident. Contact our experienced Decatur personal injury lawyers for more information on filing your claim promptly for maximum chances of success.
How Much Will a Decatur Personal Injury Lawyer Cost?
In the aftermath of a serious accident that has injured you or your family members, it is only natural to be overwhelmed by the potential implications of even a smaller accident. In addition to the pain and suffering, there are the future implications of lost wages, high medical costs, and dealing with insurance adjusters plotting to keep you from a fair payout.
The last thing you need is to face the high costs of legal representation.
This is why SHElaw firm® offers a full range of services on a contingency fee basis. This means we will not charge you for our considerable investment of time, effort, and resources required for building a strong case and carrying it through to completion through negotiations or court trials.
As a matter of fact, we will not charge you anything for the gamut of our professional legal services, unless we win the case and obtain the compensation you need to make a full recovery. When we win, we collect a portion of the winnings already included in the settlement — it will not be taken from the damages you need to make a recovery.
This is why it is called the contingency fee basis — because payment for our hard work and dedication is contingent on winning the case.
Call SHElaw firm® Today for a Free Case Review!
If you or your family has been struck by an accident that resulted in injury, don’t take a chance. Even though you have a right to compensation, only an experienced personal injury can draw up a full account of your damages from a legal perspective and pursue your interests to obtain your compensation.
This is where SHElaw firm® can assist in your quest for rightful compensation. As the local experts in all things related to personal injury law, we are well-qualified to advise you. We can tell you about the strengths and weaknesses of your case and present it to the opposition and courts in convincing terms.
Call 470-788-8930 and arrange a FREE consultation Today!
