Athens, GA Personal Injury Lawyer
Injuries happen almost every day. While some might chalk up their injuries to bad luck or unfortunate accidents, you do not have to. Someone caused your injuries, and they should be held accountable.
Generally, a personal injury claim must involve physical injuries. Other claims for things like damaged property may be filed, too, but physical injuries are key. Damages in personal injury cases vary based on the severity of injuries. You may claim damages for doctors’ bills, property damage, bodily pain, emotional suffering, and other injuries or losses. A lawyer can help you identify all your damages and maximize your potential compensation. On top of that, your lawyer can help you collect the evidence needed to prove your claims in court. Perhaps you took photos at an accident scene, or we know of witnesses who can testify about the case. Your lawyer can help you gather the evidence, prepare a complaint, develop legal strategies, and stand by your side every step of the way.
Receive a confidential, free case assessment by calling (470) 287-3070 and speaking to our personal injury lawyers at Rice, Murtha & Psoras.
How to Tell if You Have a Personal Injury Case in Athens, GA
Personal injury law is a broad field, and it can be difficult to understand what cases fall under this wide legal category. The defining characteristic of a personal injury claim is bodily harm. You must have suffered some physical injury to have a personal injury claim.
Other claims may be brought alongside a personal injury claim, but having a physical or bodily injury is key. For example, people injured in car accidents might sue for their personal injuries in addition to extensive property damage to their vehicle.
Since the field of personal injury law is so vast, it is important that you link up with an attorney who has experience handling cases similar to yours. A few examples of cases our office handles include car accidents, product liability, and premises liability claims, among others.
Bodily harm does not need to be permanent, severe, or life-altering. Even minor injuries may be grounds for a lawsuit. People are sometimes reluctant to file personal injury cases for seemingly minor injuries. For example, maybe you were in a car accident where you suffered whiplash but not much else. While whiplash is often a minor injury that heals with minimal medical intervention, it still deserves compensation.
Damages Our Team Can Help You Recover in an Athens, GA Personal Injury Case
Damages in a civil lawsuit represent the plaintiff’s losses, injuries, and painful experiences. In a personal injury case, damages might be quite high, especially when severe injuries require extensive medical care. People sometimes overlook damages or undervalue them, costing them the valuable compensation they need. Our personal injury attorneys can identify your damages, evaluate them, and make sure you get all the compensation you have coming to you.
Economic losses are a huge part of calculating damages. In personal injury cases, medical bills tend to take center stage. Even if you have health insurance to help you with costs, medical care might still be prohibitively expensive. In cases where plaintiffs need more extensive care, perhaps repeated treatments over a long period of time, the costs can be astronomical.
We should also consider the value of damaged, destroyed, or lost property. Maybe your car was badly damaged in an accident and you lost your wedding ring during the crash. These are more expenses we must add to your damages calculations.
Not all damages are directly connected to money or costs. Non-economic injuries are painful experiences directly related to injuries or accidents. These experiences, while painful, often do not cost money. For example, you might claim non-economic damages for pain, suffering, humiliation, and other horrible personal experiences.
How to Find Evidence to Prove Your Claims in an Athens, GA Personal Injury Case
The success of your claim depends on the strength of your evidence. Finding evidence is one of the trickiest parts of a personal injury case. Evidence might come from anywhere. Sometimes, it is readily available, while other times, it is harder to find. Remember, the fact that finding evidence in your case might be hard does not mean your claims are invalid.
Much evidence might come straight from the scene of the accident. Did you take any photos immediately after you were hurt? Many people do this to have something to show an insurance company. These photos might also make for great evidence in court. Similarly, people might record videos of the accident scene and the aftermath. Alternatively, we can check the area where you were injured for security cameras. There might be video footage of your accident we can use to support your claims.
We should also look for witnesses. Did anyone stop to help you after you were hurt? Do you know of anyone who would have first-hand knowledge about the accident or the defendant? Witnesses might offer very powerful evidence that could turn the tides of a case.
We should not underestimate the power of your own testimony. There are certain things that only you can testify about. For example, only you can explain how painful your injuries were or how the accident upended your life.
Reasons You Should Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer for Your Case in Athens, GA
It is wise to hire a lawyer for your personal injury case in Athens, GA as soon as possible. These kinds of cases can be very time-consuming and require a lot of work. Your lawyer can do the heavy lifting while you recover from your injuries.
Your lawyer can assist you in preparing the formal complaint that will begin your lawsuit. The complaint is a complex, in-depth document that must be drafted according to strict formatting rules set by the court. The information in the complaint must be very detailed. If the complaint is lacking, your case might be dismissed for insufficient pleadings.
Your attorney should also work on developing legal strategies to help you. A lawsuit is comprised of many moving parts, and your attorney can help you determine which parts to focus on to improve your odds of success.
Contact Our Athens, GA Personal Injury Attorney to Get Help Today
Receive a confidential, free case assessment by calling (470) 287-3070 and speaking to our personal injury lawyers at Rice, Murtha & Psoras.