Even minor accidents in Winder can lead to serious, life-altering injuries and damage. When these damages are someone else’s fault, you might be able to assert a personal injury claim that helps you recover monetary damages for your losses. You can use this money to help pay for medical expenses and any other bills that pile up while you’re unable to work due to the accident. A Winder personal injury lawyer can help you with this process.
At John Foy & Associates, we pride ourselves on providing quality legal representation with tailored services for everyone who walks through our door. We know going through an accident is already difficult; you don’t need to deal with an unresponsive or uncaring lawyer, too. We have over 20 years of experience helping personal injury victims just like you. Let us give you a free consultation. Call us at 404-400-4000 and get your free consultation today.
What Is a Personal Injury Lawsuit?
A personal injury lawsuit arises any time you are injured, either physically or mentally, due to the actions (or inactions) of someone else. Georgia law allows you to hold the person responsible for your injuries accountable by forcing them to pay for your losses and damages. The idea is to put you a position as good as if the accident had never happened.
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What Are Some of the Most Common Kinds of Personal Injury Lawsuits?
- Dog bite cases
- Truck accidents
- Car accidents
- Pedestrian or bicycle injuries
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist claims
- Motorcycle crashes
- Slip and fall accidents
Unfortunately, even though an accident is someone else’s fault, that person or party will rarely automatically pay for damages and losses that you suffer. Instead, you may need to involve a personal injury lawyer in Winder to help you with your claim.
How do I Know Whose Fault the Accident Was?
To get damages for your personal injury case, you must be able to prove fault. You have to show that someone else was at least part of the reason that your injuries occurred. Often, it’s because they made some kind of mistake or failed to take action.
To prove someone was at fault, you’ll need to gather evidence and information to demonstrate their negligence. This might include things like:
- Getting photos of your physical damages, including both your injuries and any property damage
- Talking to witnesses about the incident that occurred
- Taking pictures of the location where the accident happened
- Getting a statement from the person (or people) involved in the accident
Every case is different, which means something that is critical in one case may not be as important in the next situation.
Consider this example: Imagine that you were in a car accident. You believe that the accident happened because the other driver ignored a stop sign. To prove it, you talk to the other driver, get any surveillance camera footage that might be available, and talk with other witnesses who may have seen or heard the accident. Even the position of the cars will tell a lot about how the incident occurred. For instance, it’s much more likely that someone ran a stop sign if they hit the side of your vehicle.
Your personal injury attorney will be able to help you gather evidence and information so you can present your case to an insurance company or in court.
What Role does Insurance Play in a Personal Injury Case?
Many personal injury cases will involve insurance coverage. Insurance is available for a wide variety of accidents, from car crashes to slip and fall claims. In the vast majority of situations, there will be insurance coverage—and that means the insurance company will usually be calling the shots when it comes to defending claims.
Insurance companies always want to reduce the amount they have to pay out on claims. That can lead to some unsavory practices, including significantly undervaluing personal injury claims and offering settlements that are far lower than what your case is worth.
Insurance adjusters see cases like yours every day, so they often have superior knowledge regarding the legal process and the pitfalls of your claim. They may use that experience against you. You can even the playing field by getting a seasoned personal injury attorney to help you with your case.
Having an insurance company in Winder, GA on the other side of your claim isn’t all bad, however. If someone has insurance coverage, you have a much better chance of actually getting paid on your claim without having to go through additional collection efforts like garnishing wages. It’s very rare for an insurance company not to pay a settlement or verdict if the court orders them to do so.
When Should I Talk to a Personal Injury Lawyer?
The sooner you talk to an experienced attorney about your case, the better. If you start the process early, you have a higher chance of getting the full amount of your damages and losses. In addition, your lawyers in Winder, GA can help you investigate your claim and negotiate with the insurance company so you don’t have to do it yourself.
You have a deadline to file a legal claim in Winder. You must file within two years of the date of the accident in most circumstances. There are situations where the deadlines are shorter, however. Keep in mind that this deadline is the time by which you must have a claim on file, not the time to talk to a lawyer. Your personal injury lawyer in Winder, GA will want to do some preparation work before filing your claim in most situations, so it’s important to give them time to do that type of background work.
Talk to a Winder Personal Injury Lawyer for Free
You have enough on your plate after a personal injury accident. Let our Winder, GA personal injury lawyers help you through the legal process so you can focus on being with your family and getting better. You don’t have to go through this experience alone. We are here for you. Let us give you a FREE consultation. Call us at 404-400-4000 or fill out the form to your right and get your FREE consultation today.
404-400-4000 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form