Johns Creek Personal Injury Lawyer
Suffering a serious injury can impact every aspect of your life, including your finances, physical and emotional health, and family. If you have been harmed in an accident caused by another person’s careless or negligent behavior, it may be time to speak with a Johns Creek personal injury lawyer. A trusted attorney could provide continuous guidance throughout the settlement process and fight for the recovery of your damages.
Common Types of Personal Injuries
Depending on the nature of the accident, a plaintiff may pursue monetary damages for a wide variety of personal injuries. These types of claims frequently involve spinal cord injuries, whiplash, soft tissue damage, paralysis, burns, and severe head trauma.
The causes of these injuries range from auto accidents, truck crashes, motorcycle collisions, and bicycle wrecks to pedestrian accidents, medical malpractice, falls, and workplace incidents. A Johns Creek personal injury attorney could review the details of a claimant’s case to determine whether they may be entitled to compensation.
Recover Damages in a Civil Lawsuit
An attorney in Johns Creek could help a personal injury claimant seek several kinds of monetary damages to compensate for their losses. Economic damages are designed to reimburse the injured party for their measurable losses such as lost income, medical bills, and other accident-related expenses.
Losses that do not have a fixed dollar amount are referred to as non-economic damages. Examples of non-economic costs that may be recoverable in a personal injury lawsuit include an individual’s pain and suffering, loss of life enjoyment, mental anguish, emotional harm, and reduced future earning capacity.
In exceptional circumstances, the court could award the injured party punitive damages. These damages may only be granted when the defendant’s conduct at the time of the accident was grossly negligent or malevolent and the court deems it appropriate to impose further punishment on the individual.
Johns Creek Personal Injury Laws
Official Code of Georgia Annotated §9-3-33 establishes a two-year filing period in which a person may initiate a personal injury lawsuit for monetary damages. Unless a specific expectation applies that would prolong the statute of limitations, the injured party would be unable to collect damages if they attempt to file a claim after the two-year deadline expires.
For example, one possible exception to the statutory deadline is when the injured party is under 18 at the time of the incident. In that case, the injured individual would have until their 20th birthday to initiate civil litigation with an attorney’s help.
Another relevant law that could impact someone’s claim for damages is the state’s shared negligence doctrine. In standard negligence cases, the plaintiff needs to prove that the defendant owed them a legal duty, violated that duty, subsequently caused their injuries, and that they suffered losses as a result.
However, O.C.G.A. §51-12-33 states that if the claimant is found to be partially liable for their own injuries, they can still secure compensation as long as they are no more than 49 percent responsible for the accident. Furthermore, any assignment of liability to the claimant would lower their compensatory award accordingly.
Call a Johns Creek Personal Injury Lawyer Today
A Johns Creek personal injury lawyer could analyze the facts of your case and advise you on whether compensation is available. An attorney could break down the claims process to help you understand how your case may proceed and negotiate with the defendant’s insurance company for an adequate settlement. Call a Johns Creek attorney today for more information about your legal rights and options.
