Medical bills add up, wages are lost, and insurance companies complicate the situation. If you sustained an injury due to another person’s reckless actions, consulting with an Atlanta personal injury lawyer can be the difference between receiving full compensation and nothing at all.
Understanding Personal Injury Claims
A personal injury case occurs when an individual suffers harm due to another’s negligence. These incidents include car accidents, slip-and-fall, workplace injuries, and medical malpractice. In Atlanta and throughout Georgia, personal injury stands as a fault-based system, which holds the at-fault party liable for damages.
Georgia uses the rule of modified comparative negligence. If you are found to share any fault in causing your injuries, a jury may reduce your damage reward. Being educated on your case rights should be a main focus in order to ensure that you receive a fair outcome. Knowing common law gives you the edge. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explain unintentional injuries are among the leading causes of emergency room visits in the U.S., highlighting the importance of knowing your rights if something happens.
The Role of an Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyer
Hiring a personal injury attorney in Atlanta will make sure your case moves ahead. They will assess whether your case is valid of any kind; they will also collect any supporting documentation and evidence. Clear communication and experience are beneficial when dealing with insurance companies, and an attorney can negotiate to limit the policy.
Insurance companies are not exactly known for paying out what they are required to. The personnel you speak with work for the company, and what they are willing to pay you is not binding until signed by you. Without a lawyer, you may accept a settlement that is much less than you could have been owed.
Steps to Take After an Injury
Your main objective should be to seek out medical treatment. By seeing a physician early, you can ensure that any seemingly minor issue does not result in something worse. Medical records are also excellent pieces of evidence. Speaking with witnesses and taking photos of the accident or injury site can also help solidify your claim. Speaking with the police or anyone in charge of a property site can also give you a resource to add to your pocket about the incident. Lastly, it is best not to speak to the insurance adjuster — they are working against you and may try and twist your words.
Common Challenges in Personal Injury Claims
Once you have hired a lawyer, there are still hoops for you to jump through. Insurance adjusters will likely claim that your injuries are from a pre-existing condition, or they will push off your claim in the meantime, all the while building a case against you. You also only have two years to file a claim against a party. If you don’t, then under O.C.G.A. 9-3-33, you are barred from ever suing in the future.
A lawyer can help prove that your injuries were the cause of an accident and help push your settlement through. They can do this by working with the insurance company’s attorneys if they don’t come to a fair amount in your settlement package, or if a reasonable amount cannot be agreed upon, taking the company to court.
Compensation in Personal Injury Cases
There are a number of categories and types of damages you may be able to receive when you suffer injuries in a personal injury case. However, insurance companies build their business model by denying, disputing, and defending cases. With the exception of the most basic, uncontested cases, you will likely have to fight to fully recover the value of all these damages, including economic damages (medical bills, lost wages, etc.); non-economic damages, and even possibly punitive damages.
In this complicated legal area, the options are often equally as complicated and intertwined. Ultimately, an experienced attorney can make sure they’re all on the table when a demand is made of the insurance company or in a complaint filed with the court.
Empowering Yourself After an Injury
A personal injury has the potential to change your life permanently. But by understanding your rights and knowing what steps to take, you can hopefully get back on your feet both physically and financially. An Atlanta personal injury lawyer will help to recover the damages that you are owed while you work to recover. Plus, the more you know about the legal process, the less likely it is you’ll be taken advantage of in dealing with an already major problem. You may be only one legal consultation away from obtaining justice and financial relief.
