Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyer

In general, a personal injury lawsuit may be filed any time someone is hurt as a result of another person’s negligent conduct. For example, a car accident victim may bring a case against another, at-fault motorist who ran a red light. Moreover, someone who slipped and fell on a loose floorboard may sue the property owner who failed to tend to the dangerous hazard.

There are many types of non-economic and economic damages that may be sought through personal injury claims. However, defendants will often be represented by insurance companies who hire teams of people to discredit plaintiffs’ cases. Guidance from our legal professionals can be invaluable to personal injury victims when preparing their cases and fighting for the financial compensation they deserve.

Get support from our experienced personal injury attorneys at Rice, Murtha & Psoras today by calling (410) 694-7291.

Examples of Personal Injury Lawsuits Our Attorneys Handle in Atlanta, GA

Personal injury lawsuits can come in many different forms. The following are some examples of the different types of cases our personal injury lawyers can handle in Atlanta:

Slip and Fall Lawsuits

Slip and fall cases involve incidents where individuals have suffered injuries because of dangerous conditions on others’ property. Some common examples of hazards that cause slip and fall accidents include wet floors, uneven surfaces, poorly lit areas, and broken handrails.

Car Accident Lawsuits

Many personal injury lawsuits are filed after car accidents. Generally, drivers can be sued for damages stemming from the accidents they cause. There are many types of negligent behavior that can lead to harmful crashes. For example, accidents may occur because motorists are speeding, ignoring traffic signals, or driving distracted.

Motorcycle Accident Lawsuits

Similarly, motorcycle accident lawsuits can be filed after collisions caused by negligent drivers. Common causes of motorcycle accidents include distracted driving, improper left turns, and illegal lane changes. When riders are struck by drivers of standard cars, they are likely to sustain serious injuries. In many cases, costly, long-term medical care is necessary for victims to heal properly.

Truck Accident Lawsuits

Truck accidents are another type of motor vehicle collision that can cause significant injuries. There are multiple parties who may be held accountable for truck accidents. For example, a particular crash may be the fault of a truck driver, their employer, or a third-party motorist. Legal support can be highly valuable to an injured party when determining who is to blame for a crash involving a large truck.

Bicycle Accident Lawsuits

Many bicycle accidents occur because motorists act negligently. However, these types of accidents also regularly result from faulty equipment, poor road conditions, and careless pedestrian behavior. If you suffered a bicycle accident, then our attorneys can help investigate the crash and determine who to sue. You may be entitled to significant compensation.

Pedestrian Accident Lawsuits

Pedestrian accident lawsuits concern individuals who are injured while walking, jogging, or standing near roadways and are struck by vehicles. These collisions often occur because motorists are distracted or fail to yield the right-of-way. Fortunately, motorists who cause pedestrian accidents can be held accountable for the resulting damages.

Medical Malpractice Lawsuits

Medical malpractice lawsuits occur when healthcare professionals cause injuries to their patients by deviating from accepted standards of their profession. For example, a doctor may commit medical malpractice by providing a misdiagnosis or by committing a surgical error.

Healthcare professionals may be sued for medical malpractice. However, these types of cases can be highly complex. Support from our legal professionals can be invaluable when determining the strength of a potential medical malpractice lawsuit.

Defective Product Lawsuits

Lastly, defective product lawsuits can be filed after injuries caused by products that are designed, manufactured, or marketed poorly. For instance, a consumer may sue the manufacturer of a defective household appliance that caused a harmful accident. Moreover, parents of an injured child may sue the seller of a poorly marketed children’s toy. In any case, our legal team can help potential plaintiffs pursue compensation for injuries caused by defective products.

Time Limit to File a Personal Injury Claim in Atlanta, GA

The time limit to sue for personal injuries in Georgia is set forth by O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33. Usually, you will have two years from the date of a particular accident to bring your injury claim to court. If you wait too long to file, then your case may be dismissed.

Moreover, despite the fact that you may have up to two years to file your personal injury lawsuit, you should begin building the case as quickly as you can. The evidence needed to support your claims may become hard to preserve or even gather as more time passes. For example, an important document may be misplaced, a witness may forget an important detail, or a piece of physical evidence may deteriorate. Simply put, the more quickly you get to work on your personal injury case, the more efficient your evidence collection will be.

Sharing Fault for a Personal Injury in Atlanta, GA

There are situations where personal injury victims may share fault for their injuries. For example, a distracted driver may be partially to blame for a crash with a drunk motorist who committed an illegal lane change. Further, someone who was wearing shoes with worn tread at the time of their accident may share blame for their slip and fall.

Thankfully, even if you share fault for your injury, you may still pursue damages in a personal injury lawsuit. Under Georgia’s doctrine of “modified comparative negligence,” damages in such cases are apportioned based on parties’ percentages of responsibility. For instance, if you are 15% responsible for your accident while the defendant in your case is 85% to blame, then they may be held accountable for 85% of your damages while you are left to deal with the leftover 15%.

It is important to note that you will be unable to bring a personal injury claim to court in Georgia if your share of blame for your accident reaches 50% or more.