Mableton, GA Personal Injury Lawyers
Getting compensation for personal injuries is paramount, and victims can pursue damages from liable parties with help from our attorneys.
Regarding when to file your lawsuit, do not wait longer than two years, as you could miss the filing deadline to sue. Despite Georgia offering some exceptions to the two-year statute of limitations, victims should prioritize bringing their claims soon after accidents. This way, they have access to the most evidence and do not have to rush the preparation stage. We can prepare injury complaints on victims’ behalves and file them with the court, making sure to include compensation requests for all appropriate damages. After our attorneys file their claims, victims should expect settlement discussions to ensue, during which we can negotiate suitable offers with the opposing side. During these conversations, being patient and carefully reviewing offers is important, lest victims risk accepting settlements that do not fully cover their damages.
To get a free case review from Rice, Murtha & Psoras, call our Atlanta personal injury lawyers now at (470) 287-3070.
When, How, and Why You Should File a Personal Injury Claim in Mableton, GA
Right after an accident, our attorneys can determine when you can and should file your lawsuit based on the statute of limitations. We can then write and file your complaint with the court, which will initiate your lawsuit. As we prepare your case, we can identify compensable damages so you appreciate the value of your lawsuit.
When to File Your Case
Victims should not wait unnecessarily long to file their claims for several reasons. The first is the statute of limitations, which gives victims two years after accidents to sue liable parties, according to O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33.
If you qualify for a tolling exception, you could have longer to file your lawsuit. For example, when victims are hurt as minors, the statute of limitations does not begin to count down until they turn 18, giving them until age 20 to sue.
Not all injuries are immediately apparent, like internal injuries. If we can prove delayed discovery in your case, we could effectively push back the filing deadline, giving us more time to prepare and bring your lawsuit to court.
In addition to the risk of missing the filing deadline, which would block you from getting damages, delaying filing causes often causes issues with evidence collection. Victims who do not enlist our personal injury lawyers to intentionally preserve evidence immediately after accidents could face challenges locating witness statements, organizing medical records, or dealing with any other aspect of preparing a lawsuit for success.
How to File Your Claim
Our lawyers will write a complaint and submit it to the court in order to file a lawsuit. This complaint must contain specific information about how you were injured and the damages you have incurred. Our lawyers can identify the liable party in the complaint and outline how they were negligent, making them financially responsible for your damages. Once this happens, the court will notify the defendant of your lawsuit.
Why You Should File a Lawsuit
Personal injury claims can make victims whole again and compensate them for all economic and non-economic damages. Victims who need ongoing treatment on top of visits to the emergency room after accidents could incur overwhelming damages fairly quickly. While you incur these losses and receive medical care, our lawyers can organize proof of your damages so we can request accurate compensation in your claim.
Lost wages are also compensable, no matter how you expect to incur them. Filing a personal injury case is important, especially if you are permanently injured and cannot return to the same level of employment and income. Otherwise, victims might struggle to support themselves and their families while covering medical expenses.
Defendants are also liable for victims’ non-economic damages from an accident, like their pain and suffering.
What to Expect After You File Your Mableton, GA Personal Injury Lawsuit
Settlement negotiations might ensue after you file your lawsuit and the discovery process ends. Knowing what to expect from this process is important so you do not unintentionally accept an offer that leaves you uncompensated for crucial damages.
In general, you can expect first offers from defendants to be low. This is done intentionally, often in the form of lump sum offers. Defendants present seemingly fair proposals that conveniently leave out compensation for some damages, like pain and suffering. They might argue that they are not fully liable for an accident or that a victim contributed in some way, and accepting a lower settlement would be better than any amount the victim could recover at trial.
This is often untrue, and defendants intentionally skew comparative fault rules to convince victims to settle. When initially preparing your case, our lawyers can anticipate possible comparative fault defenses and gauge whether the defendant will use one based on the available evidence. We can then plan for settlement negotiations, identifying key evidence, like eyewitness statements, that could thwart these arguments immediately.
There is no time limit on how long settlement negotiations might take, leading some defendants to try and intentionally stall discussions so victims become frustrated and accept lower offers. Our lawyers can identify and address these tactics head-on, taking victims’ claims to court if necessary. That said, defendants often want to avoid trials because of the potential consequences of a jury award, so indicating you want to go to court could lead to a better proposal.
If your case goes to trial, we can prepare you for what that process may entail. Victims can choose to go to court any time before signing a settlement agreement, and our lawyers may reach settlements during trials to end cases earlier.
Call Our Injury Lawyers in Mableton, GA Today
To get a free case analysis from Rice, Murtha & Psoras, call our personal injury lawyers at (470) 287-3070.
