After an accident resulting in injury, you may need help understanding your rights as a victim. Civil laws in Georgia may entitle you to financial compensation for damages if you know how to claim them. Holding the at-fault party accountable may take assistance from a personal injury lawyer. Knowing when to hire an attorney and when you can probably handle your case on your own is an important distinction. Making the right choice can optimize your odds of a successful claim.
Serious and Catastrophic Injuries
Serious injuries demand attention from a personal injury lawyer. If you or a loved one suffered a spinal cord injury, paralysis, traumatic brain injury, multiple bone fractures, loss of limb, significant scarring, disfiguration, disability, organ damage or another life-altering injury, a personal injury lawyer can help. A lawyer can play a vital role during insurance settlement negotiations. Rather than accepting a low settlement offer, your lawyer will pressure the insurance company to make up the true value of your damages.
Do not risk your future as someone with a catastrophic injury by attempting to handle your personal injury claim alone. The insurance company could trick you into accepting a settlement that is far lower than you could be eligible to receive. The insurance company’s goal will be to convince you to settle for as little compensation as possible. Fight against bad faith tactics with help from a personal injury lawyer. Using an attorney to negotiate for you could change the outcome of your claim.
Wrongful Death
You may need a personal injury lawyer to help you with a wrongful death claim if someone else’s negligence took a loved one’s life. Wrongful death is an extremely serious loss that deserves care from an attorney. An attorney could help you and your family identify the correct at-fault party, file a lawsuit by Georgia’s deadline and fight for fair financial compensation through all available means.
Although a settlement or jury award will not give you back your relative, it can provide the financial relief you need during this hard time. A successful claim could result in the payment of your deceased loved one’s outstanding medical debts and pain and suffering before death. It could also cover expenses for a funeral or burial service. The at-fault party could owe your family significant compensation for negligently or recklessly taking a life.
A Personal Injury Trial
Most personal injury cases reach settlements with insurance companies without needing courtroom trials. If an insurance company does not deal with your claim fairly or refuses to settle for a reasonable amount, however, you may need to take your case to court in Georgia. Filing a lawsuit against the defendant and/or insurance company could result in greater compensation than an insurance settlement.
- Pain and suffering damages
- Emotional losses
- Past and future lost wages
- All related medical expenses
- Loss of consortium
- Punitive damages
The civil courts do not make it mandatory to hire a personal injury lawyer to represent you during a trial. Doing so, however, could greatly improve your chances of success. A lawyer will have the experience to strengthen your case against a defendant. The firm could use investigators, crash reconstruction experts and physicians to prove your case before a judge or jury. Your attorney can walk you through the stages of your trial from beginning to end, keeping you updated on its status.
Complicated Claims
If your accident case involves multiple at-fault parties, unclear liability, crimes such as hit-and-run, lack of insurance coverage or insurance company bad faith, a personal injury lawyer could help you work through these challenges. An attorney can protect your rights and defend you against counterclaims by other people involved in the accident. Your lawyer will protect your best interests from start to finish, making sure no one takes advantage of you. Trust a lawyer at Dermer Appel Ruder to navigate complex personal injury issues while you focus on personal healing.