Atlanta Personal Injury Attorney
Making a Difference in Your Personal Injury Case
Being injured is no fun—the pain and suffering can be stressful, and the costs of lost wages and medical care can really add up. If someone else, whether a person or a business, is responsible for your injury, they should be held accountable. There are many incidents that can lead to personal injury lawsuits, including car accidents, motorcycle accidents, ridesharing accidents, slip-and-fall accidents, medical malpractice, workplace accidents, and even wrongful death, to name a few.
Basically, any time another person, business, or governmental agency has caused your injury through negligence or intentional acts, you may have grounds for a personal injury lawsuit to seek compensation for costs associated with the injury, as well as for the pain and suffering the injury has caused. Quite often, you will be dealing with an insurance company in your personal injury case, and insurance companies typically have highly-paid legal departments whose job it is to keep you from getting compensation.
This is why it is crucial that you have a skilled and knowledgeable Atlanta personal injury lawyer from Sessoms Law Office, LLC, whose experienced personal injury attorneys will help to plan your legal strategy and bring your case to the best outcome possible. Call our office today at 678-853-7402.
What Kinds of Compensation are Possible for Personal Injury Cases in Georgia?
Personal injury victims may seek compensation in Georgia courts in four areas:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Other out-of-pocket expenses
- Personal pain and suffering
Medical expenses, of course, include the costs of doctor’s visits, ambulance transport, medications, tests, and any other expenses that are directly related to your medical care. Lost wages are calculated to be your regular monthly wages before the accident multiplied by the number of months you were unable to work due to the injury.
Other expenses could include things like transportation to and from medical appointments, child care or home health care that is required as a result of your injury, and any medical devices that you had to buy due to your injury, such as bandages, over-the-counter medications, wheelchairs, crutches, or other necessary assistive devices. Finally, you may seek compensation for the pain and suffering you have endured or are enduring due to the injury you sustained. It can be difficult to estimate what damages might be awarded for pain and suffering, but there are accepted formulas used by personal injury attorneys and judges in personal injury cases in Georgia.
How Is Compensation for Pain and Suffering Determined?
Assigning a dollar amount to your pain and suffering can be complicated. The help of a skilled personal injury attorney in figuring out pain and suffering damages can be crucial. Experience and education combined will allow your personal injury attorney from Sessoms Law, LLC to study your case and determine a number to ask for to fairly compensate you for the pain and suffering your accident caused.
Some factors that can impact the amount of pain and suffering compensation awarded in a personal injury case include:
- Nature and Severity of Injuries: The extent and type of injuries sustained by the plaintiff play a significant role. More severe injuries or those causing long-term effects generally result in higher pain and suffering awards.
- Medical Treatment and Expenses: The cost and duration of medical treatment, as well as associated expenses, are considered. Prolonged or extensive medical care often correlates with increased pain and suffering damages.
- Impact on Daily Life: The disruption caused to the plaintiff’s daily life, including work, hobbies, and relationships, is a key factor. Consideration is given to how the injuries have affected the overall quality of life.
- Emotional Distress: Emotional suffering, such as anxiety, depression, or trauma resulting from the incident, is factored in. This includes any psychological impact that goes beyond physical injuries.
- Permanence of Effects: Permanent or long-term consequences of the injuries, such as disability or disfigurement, typically lead to higher pain and suffering awards.
- Contributory Negligence: If the plaintiff is found partially at fault, the degree of contributory negligence may affect the damages awarded for pain and suffering.
- Testimony and Documentation: The plaintiff’s testimony, as well as supporting documentation like medical records and expert opinions, play a crucial role in establishing the extent of pain and suffering.
- Jurisdiction and Precedent: Legal standards and precedents in the jurisdiction where the case is tried influence the amount awarded for pain and suffering. Past cases with similar circumstances may serve as benchmarks.
Is There Time Limit for Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Georgia?
Every state has a set time period within which you must file your personal injury claim before you lose the right to do so. In Georgia, you must file a personal injury lawsuit within two years of the initial injury. Occasionally this time limit is shorter, such as if the injury was caused by a state, county, city, or municipality. Cases in which the two-year limit might be extended include cases in which the victim of the injury is under age 18, and cases in which a crime was committed, to allow time for a criminal investigation and trial to go forward.
Regardless of the statute of limitations, it is always best to go ahead with your personal injury claim as soon as possible after the injury to ensure that any possible evidence still exists and the memories of possible witnesses are still sharp.
What Should I Do to Help Win My Personal Injury Case?
If you are injured due to someone else’s negligence or intentional act, it is very important that you gather as much evidence as possible at the time of the injury and in the location of the injury. Taking pictures, getting the names and contact information of possible witnesses, and documenting anything that was said to you by the responsible party or parties can go a long way toward proving the facts of your case. Of course, the smartest move if you have been injured by someone else’s actions or negligence is to hire a skilled and knowledgeable personal injury attorney to conduct a thorough investigation and make your case in court. Call Sessoms Law Group, LLC today at 678-853-7402 to get started.
Is it Worth Hiring an Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyer for My Case?
The big insurance companies that you are most likely to be seeking damages from in your personal injury case probably have teams of aggressive attorneys whose job it is to keep the company from having to pay claims. Going into a personal injury case without an attorney who is just as skilled and aggressive in fighting for you puts you at a real disadvantage. Sessoms Law Group can help level the playing field.
Call Sessoms Law Group, LLC today at 678-853-7402 or complete an online form to get started in your personal injury case.