Suffering a single injury can change months or years of your life – and cost you big money. But you don’t have to face the aftermath of an injury alone. If you were injured due to another’s negligence, you may be able to recover money for your medical costs, car repairs, and lost time from work.
The Austell personal injury attorneys at John Foy & Associates have been helping accident victims recover money for over two decades. We began as a local law office and have grown into one of the biggest and most well-regarded firms in Georgia. They call us “the Strong Arm Law Firm” because of our skill at negotiating with insurance companies.
What Should I Do If I’ve Been Injured?
Your first step after any injury is to see a doctor and get started on medical treatment. But there are two other important things you can do to protect your rights:
Do Not Accept Money or Sign Paperwork From the Insurance Company
The insurance company may offer you cash right away. You may see this as a sign they’re trying to help you, but it’s a potential trap. Insurance companies offer quick money because they hope you’ll take it before you get a full medical evaluation or understand what your injuries will cost over time.
This money usually comes with a catch. To get it, you must give up your right to get more money in the future. Always talk to a lawyer before you accept money, sign anything, or make a statement to the insurance company.
Do Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer
Consulting with a personal injury lawyer is the single biggest thing you can do to protect yourself after an accident. It means getting a professional opinion from someone who has worked on many other cases like yours.
Your personal injury lawyer in Austell can help you find the right doctors to figure out what your treatment will really cost long-term. Most importantly, having a lawyer on your side can lead to tens of thousands of dollars more than the insurance company first offered you.
How Can I Tell If My Personal Injury Claim Is Valid?
If you had an accident that wasn’t your fault, you probably have a claim. Many accident victims blame themselves or think that the accident just happened for no reason, but that’s not how the law sees it. Legally, most accidents occur because someone was negligent.
You don’t have to cause an accident on purpose to be negligent – negligence simply means that the accident wouldn’t have happened if someone had been more careful. If someone is negligent, they (or their insurance company) are legally responsible for the full cost of your injuries.
Almost any type of injury can be the basis of a valid personal injury claim. We frequently work on these types of personal injury cases:
- Car accidents
- Dog bites
- Drunk driving accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Rear-end collisions
- Slip and fall accidents
- Social Security Disability
- Truck accidents
- Uninsured motorist accidents
- Workers’ compensation
What Must We Prove to Win Your Personal Injury Claim?
As your Austell personal injury lawyers, we need to present evidence that shows the other side owes you compensation. For most personal injury cases, this can be boiled down to four things:
- Sue the right person or insurer
- Show they put you in a dangerous situation by someone’s lack of care (negligence)
- Show that you were injured by that injured situation
- Show how much money you’re due by law and evidence
Some case types, like medical malpractice, have a higher level of proof than others. In that field, there is some leeway for doctors because medicine is an uncertain business. However, there are standards agreed upon by doctors that must be followed. Violating those is proof of negligence.
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Distance is no obstacle. We work with clients across the country and make sure every one of them feels taken care of, no matter how far the call travels.
Will I Have to Take My Personal Injury Claim to Court?
It’s rare for personal injury cases to wind up in court. Sometimes, we do encounter an insurance company that won’t negotiate, but this is the exception. When this happens, we will advise you on how strong we think your case is, and the risks and potential rewards of going to trial.
Then you can decide whether we should file a case in the local courts. If you do go to court, we will continue to handle your case all the way. Most of the time, accident cases are resolved without the courts.
We know how to handle insurance companies and persuade them to give you what your case is really worth. We start every case by conducting our own investigation, finding out what happened whose fault it was—with hard evidence to back it up.
Then, we present the insurance company with a complete picture and put the pressure on them to avoid court. Often, they will come back with a much higher offer right away.
How Much does a Personal Injury Lawyer in Austell Cost?
Medical care after an accident can put a strain on your finances. We don’t think it’s fair to also ask you to pay legal fees out of pocket while you’re dealing with an injury. So, at John Foy & Associates, our Austell personal injury attorneys have set up a much simpler system:
- You don’t pay anything for your consultation
- You don’t pay anything up front, ever
- You don’t pay anything at all unless we get money for you
If we succeed in recovering money for you, we’ll take our fee as a percentage of your recovery. The rest is yours to keep. This lets you get good legal help without taking on any financial risk. In fact, the risk is on us to do an excellent job and win your claim!
What If I’m Partially Responsible for My Accident?
Even if you think you’re partially responsible, it may not be true. Never admit fault in a case! An insurer will pounce on that and use Georgia’s comparative fault rules to reduce or deny your claim.
Under these rules, as long as you’re below 50% responsible for your injuries, you can sue. But if an insurer can get that number to 50, you could lose all right to compensation. Don’t give them the ammo to do it!
Instead, our personal injury lawyers will do the talking and fight any evidence that bumps up your level of responsibility. You will lose a percentage of your compensation by as much fault as you had in your case.
Is There a Deadline for Filing an Injury Claim in Georgia?
Yes. The deadlines for filing injury claims in Georgia are set by state and federal law, namely Ga. Code § 9-3-33. These deadlines are strictly enforced – if you miss them, you will probably not be able to recover money for your injuries.
However, the deadlines can vary depending on the type of case you have. At most, you have two years to file a claim. But your deadline may only be weeks away. This is why it is critical to talk to a personal injury lawyer immediately.
Talk to an Austell Personal Injury Lawyer for Free
At John Foy & Associates, our number one goal is to help accident victims and their families. And we’ve been doing it successfully for more than 20 years. Let our personal injury lawyers in Austell sit down with you for a free consultation to explain your rights and discuss your options. Call us or fill out the contact form to your right and get your FREE consultation today.
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