Did you or a loved one get hurt in Georgia?
Selecting a lawyer with the right experience is essential. Our personal injury attorneys tend to focus on most accident cases.
Accidents happen often, generally without warning and at the worst possible time. There are accidents in everyday life. The term "accident," however, is often misleading since it implies that the event that caused the injuries was inevitable, the product of chance, or just bad luck, whereas in reality, many accidents are preventable.
Individuals in Atlanta or throughout Georgia who suffer financial, psychological, or physical harm as a result of another person or entity's negligent or reckless actions may file a personal injury lawsuit in civil court. The parties that were injured are referred to as "plaintiffs," and they are entitled to demand "damages" or recompense from the defendant.
Have you suffered injuries from an accident or from someone else's negligence? Contact the Julian Lewis Sanders & Associates team for a free consultation. Our firm has successfully defended thousands of accident victims and obtained verdicts and settlements totaling more than $100 million in a number of serious and catastrophic damage cases.
Every case involving personal injuries is unique. Every client at our Georgia accident law office receives the time and consideration they need. We take the time to hear your worries and provide you with the information you need, utilizing our expertise and experience.
Some of the most typical categories of personal injury cases that our firm has dealt with are as follows:
Car Accident
The most common type of personal injury litigation is related to auto accidents. In Georgia alone, hundreds of individuals lose their lives in deadly vehicle accidents every year, and many more suffer critical injuries. The at-fault driver may be responsible for any injuries sustained in your vehicle accident, regardless of the cause (drunk driving, distracted driving, road rage, reckless driving, etc.).
Truck Accident
Due to their enormous size and weight, tractor-trailers, semi-trucks, 18-wheelers, and other commercial vehicles are especially dangerous in collisions. Due to its extensive interstate system and thriving economy, Atlanta is an especially hazardous city for truck accidents. Litigation involving truck crash injuries is challenging for a number of reasons.
Motorcycle Accident
In the case of an accident, motorcyclists are particularly susceptible to severe injuries and even death because they have less protection than other drivers. The most frequent injuries sustained in motorcycle crashes include fractured bones, traumatic brain injury (TBI), paralysis, internal bleeding, and road rash. Litigation is often complicated by the negative societal stigma that motorcycle riders face.
Wrongful Death
Should someone's carelessness result in the death of your partner, parent, child, or another close relative, you might be eligible to pursue a wrongful death lawsuit. While there will never be enough money to make up for your loss, receiving compensation for burial costs, missed income in the future, loss of consortium, and other damages can help you and your family feel secure financially during this trying time.
Work Injury
Georgia's workers' compensation system, which helps injured workers seek quick financial assistance for medical bills and lost pay originating from a work-related injury or occupational sickness, covers the majority of employees. It's critical to comprehend your rights and obligations in the event that you or a loved one sustains injuries at work.
Construction Accident
Atlanta's building sector is flourishing, but there is a drawback to this extraordinary expansion. Of all occupations, construction workers have some of the highest rates of occupational fatalities and injuries. Furthermore, when passing through a building site, careless drivers and pedestrians run the risk of getting injured in crashes or by falling debris.
Premises Liability (slip and fall)
Property owners in Georgia have an obligation to maintain their areas secure and to alert people to potential dangers. Various elements determine the exact responsibility owed, including the visitor's category (licensee, invitee, or trespasser). Claims pertaining to slip and fall premises liability frequently target establishments such as supermarkets, eateries, pubs, retail stores, and shopping centers.
Product Liability (defective product)
It is the responsibility of product producers, distributors, and manufacturers to alert customers to potential risks and not market a product that is known to be harmful. A business that disregards this duty could be held accountable for any resulting harm and losses. These companies often pay teams of lawyers to dispute injury claims, which is why victims need expert representation.
Nursing Home Negligence
Care standards in nursing homes are very stringent in order to protect the residents' health and well-being. See a skilled nursing home negligence lawyer right away to go over your legal options and take action to safeguard your loved one if they were mistreated, ignored, or taken advantage of at a long-term care facility, senior center, or nursing home.
What is Personal Injury Law?
A wide area of tort law known as "personal injury" covers civil disputes involving both property damage and physical harm. In general, personal injury law enables a victim of an accident or other incident to bring a civil action and pursue damages. A legal foundation for the majority of personal harm torts is "negligence." It is described as when someone hurts someone else as a result of someone else's failure to execute a needed duty of care.
In a personal injury litigation, the injured party's financial situation should be restored to its pre-accident state rather than their initial financial position. Even if money cannot take away the suffering and loss experienced by accident victims after a catastrophic injury or death, it can contribute to a certain amount of justice and accountability.
Put another way, personal injury law aids in holding careless people and organizations liable for the monetary harm they inflicted onto the victims of their injuries.
How Much is my Personal Injury Case Worth?
People frequently want to find out as soon as possible how much their case could be worth. Despite the fact that this makes reasonable, calculating this amount is unfortunately not that simple. Since each case is different, no lawyer can fairly evaluate the value of your injury claim unless they have had a chance to speak with you and gather important details about your injuries, such as the extent of your injuries, your degree of fault, your insurance company's limitations, and other relevant details.
Ultimately, the specific amount of damages granted in each case is determined by a variety of unique factors, therefore there can never be a "average" personal injury settlement.
For instance, to determine the complete value of your case, we'll use the following costs:
● Past and future healthcare costs
● Lost wages
● Loss of earning capacity
● Loss of consortium
● Pain and suffering
● Emotional distress
● Punitive damages
Regarding the worth of your case and whether you should file a lawsuit, you can be confident that we will be honest and open with you from the start. We'll exert every effort to protect you as well. Through this method, we have assisted our clients in obtaining verdicts and settlements over $100 million over the course of many years.
How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit?
Georgia's "statute of limitations" specifies a strict two-year window during which a person must submit a personal injury claim. It could be impossible for you to represent yourself in court if you miss this deadline.
But a number of circumstances, particularly in relation to terrible deaths, car accidents, and medical malpractice, could lead to an extension or postponement of this date. Speaking with an experienced personal injury attorney is essential if you want to fully understand these potential exclusions as well as your rights.
What Are the Steps in a Personal Injury Lawsuit?
Consultation: A personal injury case often starts when the plaintiff, who could be the deceased person's loved one or the wounded party, consults with a local personal injury lawyer.
Documentation: The moment you select and sign a representation agreement with a lawyer, the lawyer will get to work looking into your case and assembling a solid case for you. To determine your financial compensation, the lawyer will also start gathering financial data, any required police reports, and medical documents.
Negotiation: Before starting settlement talks with the defendant (the person or company that caused your injury, or their defense attorneys or insurer), your lawyer will often send a demand letter to all pertinent parties.
Filing: A personal injury attorney will file a lawsuit with the appropriate civil court in your area to start formal legal proceedings if the defendant refuses to negotiate or offers a settlement that is not enough to cover your damages.
Discovery: The parties will get together to exchange documents and evidence before the trial in a desperate attempt to resolve the case before it goes to trial. Your attorney should make sure your case is solid and look into any potential future damages during this period.
Trial: In the event that negotiations are unsuccessful, a judge and jury will hear your personal injury case and both sides will have the opportunity to present their evidence, including expert witness testimony. The verdict will be decided by the jury or the judge.
Appeal: If a decision is made in the other party's favor and specific procedural standards were not properly followed, you may be able to appeal the decision. You have to consult with legal advice prior to deciding to appeal a decision.
What Are my chances of Winning my Personal Injury Lawsuit?
While it is impossible to predict with certainty how a case will turn out without knowing the intricacies of the injuries received, the supporting documentation, and any other pertinent details, studies have indicated that victims who choose to hire an experienced injury attorney to handle their case are more likely to succeed than those who represent themselves. Generally speaking, your personal injury lawsuit could have one of two outcomes:
Litigation: In the event that your case proceeds to a formal civil court trial, a judge or jury will review the evidence, hear arguments from the parties, and make a determination. The plaintiff will not receive any compensation if the defendant makes a stronger case; instead, the judge or jury will determine the award if the plaintiff's side has the strongest case.
Settlement: Because going to trial is expensive and time-consuming for all parties involved, most personal injury cases are settled out of court. Parties may be able to avoid going to court if they agree on a settlement sum before official litigation occurs. Unofficial bargaining occurs throughout discovery in the pre-trial phase, during mediation and during arbitration.
The majority of all personal injury claims involve an out-of-court settlement, up to 95% of them specifically according to the U.S. Department of Justice. It can be beneficial for victims to work with a seasoned lawyer who has a successful track record because it’ll increase their negotiating power during settlement discussions with both insurance providers and defense lawyers.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer?
Depending on the particulars of each case, legal assistance can cost different amounts. Certain personal injury cases can be resolved out of court, but others need in-depth legal investigation and the testimony of experts.
Personal injury attorneys typically charge a fee that is subtracted from the final settlement or award so that the client doesn’t have to pay directly out of pocket. Some companies provide contingent fee arrangements, meaning that their payment is only due if your case is settled satisfactorily. Should they fail and you do not obtain any money damages, you won't have to pay for any legal representation.
Furthermore, the majority of respectable personal injury law companies provide free initial consultations so you can find out more about your legal rights and meet the lawyer without having to pay for it.
Do I Need a Personal Injury Lawyer?
In most cases, the answer to this question is yes if you or a loved one suffered serious injuries at the hands of a careless individual, property owner, or business. There are advantages to using expert legal representation, particularly in situations involving catastrophic injury and death. Some people may prefer to forego paying legal specialists and try to handle their injury claim themselves.
To begin with, a small error or missed deadline in your lawsuit could end up costing you thousands of dollars and causing your case to finish prematurely. The negligent party will probably be represented by the insurance company's legal counsel or by their own defense attorney, who plans to take advantage of any and all holes in your case in order to avoid having to pay you a reasonable settlement.
You can be sure you have an informed legal advocate in your corner who will not only foresee and thwart these weaknesses but also skillfully craft a case that guarantees you receive not only a just settlement but the maximum compensation possible by selecting a personal injury law firm with the appropriate experience and expertise.