Peachtree City, GA Personal Injury Lawyers

When accidents happen because of negligence, the at-fault party can be held liable for all the victim’s damages in court. For this to happen, victims may have to file personal injury lawsuits.

Proof of damages is any evidence of losses from an accident. For example, if you go to the hospital and receive medical treatment, you should keep any bills associated with that care for your records. Our lawyers can help victims do this with their medical expenses, lost income, and other out-of-pocket expenses. Victims must file their claims on time to get compensation, whether for economic or intangible losses, with the deadline falling two years after an accident. If victims’ own negligence is in question, we can make a plan to address comparative fault defenses, like enlisting crash reconstruction experts for car accident cases. We can also prepare victims’ claims for possible trials, even if we ultimately reach fair settlements out of court.

Call (470) 287-3070 to schedule a free case review from our Atlanta personal injury lawyers at Rice, Murtha & Psoras.

Getting Proof of Damages for Your Peachtree City, GA Personal Injury Case

For victims to get compensation, they must prove they have incurred losses from an accident, either economic or non-economic. Our lawyers can assist with this by monitoring your damages so we can submit proof of medical bills, lost wages, and other losses during your case.

Proof of Economic Damages

Proof of economic damages is evidence showing your financial losses from an accident. This will include medical bills from throughout your treatment and physical recovery. We can collect wage and employment records to confirm your income if you cannot work after the accident. While these documents can help us calculate your lost wages, we will need medical records or statements from physicians to confirm that your injuries limit your earning capacity.

We can alert victims to other expenses they might not realize are related to a defendant’s negligence. For example, victims who need extra care in the home to look after their children while recovering can get compensation for those costs. All damages that would not have existed if not for the defendant’s negligence are compensable, and we can point them out to victims and defendants alike.

Proof of Non-Economic Damages

On the other hand, non-economic damages take different tactics to quantify and prove. Because non-economic damages do not come with a price tag like financial losses, our personal injury lawyers may get assistance from mental health experts. Experts can evaluate victims and speak with them about their pain and suffering. Experts can then explain the psychological ramifications the accident has had on a victim to a jury. To document your non-economic damages, keep a daily journal or log detailing how your injuries affect your quality of life and overall well-being.

How to Win Your Personal Injury Case in Peachtree City, GA

Before victims can present evidence proving negligence, they must file on time to get compensation. Those threatened by comparative fault rules must make plans to address it, and our lawyers can assist with that as we prepare your case for negotiations and a possible trial.

Pay Attention to the Statute of Limitations

Victims cannot win personal injury claims if the court throws them out, which could happen when victims miss the filing deadline. According to O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33, victims in Peachtree City have two years to file lawsuits after most accidents due to negligence. Unless a case gets tolling because the victim was a minor when injured or the defendant concealed their identity, victims generally have this set window to sue. Filing before the deadline but still many months after an accident could cause issues recovering evidence, so victims should not delay initiating cases with our lawyers unnecessarily.

Plan for Comparative Fault

Georgia’s comparative fault laws come into play when victims contribute to accidents. According to § 51-12-33, this can reduce the amount defendants are liable for paying, depending on a victim’s percentage of negligence. Being more liable for an accident than the defendant would bar victims from getting any compensatory damages whatsoever. Comparative fault rules could be an issue in various personal injury claims, but most often in car accident cases. In these situations, our lawyers can anticipate whether the defendant might argue comparative fault based on the case’s complexity and, if so, enlist a crash reconstruction expert. This individual can use their experience and skills to determine why a collision happened, undermining comparative fault arguments. When accident reconstruction is not applicable, other evidence, like eyewitness statements, can be similarly effective.

Prepare for Negotiations or a Trial

Victims may be more successful in their personal injury claims when they prepare for settlement negotiations as if they are preparing for a trial. Though injury claims are often settled out of court, victims who anticipate settling could unintentionally harm their cases. Defendants who sense victims’ desire to settle quickly could offer seemingly high lump sum settlement offers that do not cover nearly enough victims’ damages.

By preparing your case for the possibility of a trial, we can ensure we have sufficient evidence to leverage during negotiations. This can lead to better settlement offers sooner, instead of victims waiting too long for negotiations to conclude.

Still, even through aggressive negotiations, defendants might be unwilling to settle for a fair amount, and we can identify if and when that time comes. If indicating that we are ready to proceed with a trial does not lead to higher offers, we can proceed to court. When we do this, you might have to wait a short time for your lawsuit to reach the court docket, after which point the jury will hear and decide the case.

Call Our Peachtree City, GA Accident and Injury Lawyers for Help Today

Call (470) 287-3070 for a free case assessment from the personal injury lawyers of Rice, Murtha & Psoras.