Injuries and accidents are common occurrences, and people are hurt all the time because of the careless actions of others. Even though many accidents are unintentional and do not involve criminal actions, victims may still seek justice through the courts. An attorney can help you file a personal injury case so you can get the fair monetary compensation you are entitled to.
Personal injury claims may involve a vast array of cases and injuries. Our team has handled personal injury cases, including car accidents, work accidents, dog bites, and more. Each case is unique, and your damages should be evaluated based on your specific experiences. Monetary expenses like hospital bills and non-economic injuries like pain and suffering should be major factors in your damages calculations. In less typical cases, the court may award punitive damages as a way to penalize defendants for exhibiting especially abhorrent behavior. An attorney can help you prepare your case and maximize your potential compensation.
Speak to our personal injury attorneys with Rice Law by calling us at (470) 287-3070 and receive a free case review.
What Kind of Cases Are Considered Personal Injury Cases in Griffin?
The legal arena of personal injury is big, and numerous cases and claims may constitute a personal injury. The common theme among nearly all personal injury cases is the presence of bodily harm. If you were somehow injured because of the actions of another, call an attorney to discuss your potential personal injury case.
Vehicle Accidents
A very common example of a personal injury case is a vehicle accident claim. Car crashes, collisions, and accidents happen frequently, and people are often badly injured. While auto insurance is required of all drivers, and it can be very helpful for some, it does not always provide the financial safety net drivers need. If insurance is unavailable because the other driver is uninsured, or perhaps the insurance company denied your claim, our personal injury attorneys can help you explore other legal options for compensation. A personal injury claim may be what you need to get the financial compensation to cover the costs of the accident.
Accidents in the Workplace
Accidents in the workplace are also somewhat frequent, and employees may be injured on the job. Even seemingly safe or mundane working places, like offices and desk jobs, may see their fair share of accidents. If you are hurt at work, an attorney can help you determine who is responsible and how you may obtain financial compensation. In many cases, employers are responsible for creating an unsafe work environment. In other cases, third parties may be responsible, like the manufacturer of a faulty tool or piece of equipment you use as part of your job.
Dog Bite Injuries
Dogs are one of the most popular pets in America, and you likely have numerous friends, family members, and neighbors with dogs. While dogs can be friendly companions, they are still animals, and animals can be dangerous. If you are injured because of a dog bite, the dog’s owner may be held strictly liable according to Georgia’s modified “one-bite rule” under O.C.G.A. § 51-2-7.
Under the law, someone who owns a “vicious or dangerous animal” and carelessly allows the animal to injure another person may be held liable for damages if the victim did not provoke the attack. The law also states that a plaintiff may prove the animal’s vicious propensity by establishing that the animal was not leashed when city or local ordinances required it to be leashed.
Damages You May Claim in a Griffin Personal Injury Case
Your damages should be a reflection of your injuries, losses, costs, and experiences. Generally, damages should be directly related to the accident. If injuries are too remote or only tenuously connected to an accident, you might be unable to claim them in a personal injury case for that accident. Most cases involve claims for compensatory damages that include economic costs and non-economic injuries. In less common cases, punitive damages might also be available, but only under very specific conditions.
Compensatory Damages
Compensatory damages are awarded to plaintiffs to make up for the things they have lost. Ideally, compensatory damages should return a plaintiff to their original financial position from before they were injured.
Economic damages tend to revolve around how much money the accident cost the plaintiff. As such, they are typically proven by evidence of costs and expenses. Medical bills are a major factor in many cases. For some, they are the most prominent figure in calculations for economic damages. However, they might not be the only expense you incurred. The cost of repairing or replacing damaged property should also be considered, along with any income you lose because you cannot return to work for a while.
Non-economic damages often do not involve financial costs, but they may take a toll on the plaintiff in other, more subjective ways. As such, they are usually not proven with evidence of cost but with evidence of how your life has changed since the accident. Your physical pain, mental distress, psychological trauma, humiliation, and overall loss of enjoyment of your life should be evaluated by your attorney.
Punitive Damages
In less typical cases, courts may award punitive damages. These are not meant to compensate plaintiffs for what they have lost but are instead intended to punish defendants for extremely bad behavior. According to O.C.G.A. § 51-12-5.1(b), a court may award punitive damages only if the plaintiff proves by “clear and convincing evidence” that the defendant caused the accident and the plaintiff’s injuries by acting in a manner demonstrating malice, fraud, willful misconduct, oppression, or wantonness. This is behavior above and beyond mere ordinary negligence.
Subsection (g) of this law holds that punitive damages may be capped at $250,000. However, if the case involves a product liability claim for injuries sustained from a defective product, acts of intentional harm, or the defendant acting under the influence of alcohol or drugs, the court may lift the cap on punitive damages.
Call Our Griffin Personal Injury Lawyers to Start Your Case Now
Speak to our personal injury attorneys with Rice Law by calling us at (470) 287-3070 and receive a free case review.