Atlanta Catastrophic Injury Lawyer

The vast majority of Atlanta catastrophic injury cases reach settlements out of court.

To settle, the parties must agree:

• That the defendant breached this duty and was negligent;
• That the defendant owed the plaintiff a duty of care;
• That this breach caused the plaintiff’s damages; and
• The value of those damages.

Many parties agree on these points in cases that involve straightforward accidents, simple injuries, or small amounts of damages. Unfortunately, catastrophic injury cases are more complicated on almost every point. Victim’s injuries can be complicated and permanent, and their damages can continue over a lifetime. All of these factors can make it more difficult to settle a catastrophic injury case than a case involving mild injuries.

If you do need to go to court for whatever reason, your injury lawyer will prepare you for what to expect and be there to assist you every step of the way. You will not have to face the court or the defense attorney on your own as long as you hire your own injury lawyer.

Identifying liable parties in your catastrophic injury claim might be relatively straightforward, as a single driver or another individual might be the liable party. However, in other situations, liability can get significantly more complicated, as there might be multiple parties responsible for your injuries and losses.

There are different instances in which parties might share liability:

• An employer who negligently hired or retained a bad employee, and the employee caused the accident
• Someone was negligent while they were on the job, which means their employer can be strictly liable, as well
• Two different drivers were negligent in causing a multiple-vehicle pileup

These are only some examples of when more than one party should compensate you for your losses, and it is important to have a lawyer who can identify all liable parties and seek compensation from all possible sources.

Most injury lawyers do not require their clients to pay a fee upfront. Instead, they work on a contingency basis. This means that the client agrees to pay them an agreed percentage of whatever the lawyer can recover in a settlement or litigation. If the attorney must file a lawsuit on your behalf, the amount of work your attorney must do on your case increases dramatically. This is why most Atlanta catastrophic injury lawyers require a higher percentage if they end up filing a lawsuit in your case.

It is also important to understand how court costs will get paid (such as filing fees and expert witness fees). A written fee agreement should clearly set out all of these details. If you have any questions about the fee arrangements, be sure to ask your lawyer before signing any type of representation agreement.

Some injury victims have concerns about the cost of hiring an attorney. The fact is that injury victims who have the right legal representation consistently get larger settlements than those who do not. Even more concerning is that you could accidentally say or do something to hurt your own case if you speak directly to the insurance company instead of making them go through your lawyer’s office.

In a catastrophic injury case, your damages are significant, and the stakes are high. You do not want to miss out on the compensation that you deserve because you didn’t have a lawyer. If nothing else, meet with a lawyer for a free consultation to get an idea of what they can do to protect your legal rights and financial interests.

Catastrophic injuries lead to a lifetime of medical and care expenses - not to mention significant pain and suffering. You are entitled to compensation for all of these losses. But the statute of limitations on most injury cases is two years, which means you will continue accruing these losses long after your case is resolved. So, how do catastrophic injury victims get compensated for a lifetime of medical bills and emotional suffering?

Injury lawyers work with expert witnesses to protect the value of your losses over a lifetime. A life care planner, for example, is an expert who has certification in the area of projecting medical costs. This person can prepare a written report of the expected costs of all the medical care you will require due to your injury and adjust these values for inflation.

The report can also include other expenses such as in-home care workers, modifications to your home to accommodate your disability, and other costs that are related to your injury. You can submit the written report to the defendant’s insurance company to support your claim for future medical expenses. The insurance company can either accept these costs or hire their own life care planner to contest the report.

If the parties can’t agree on the value of your future medical expenses, the case may have to go to trial, where the jury will hear evidence from both experts and decide who is more credible. These cases are known as a “battle of the experts.” Other witnesses, such as an economist who projects the value of your future lost wages, can also be challenged in this manner.

Medical and care expenses are not the only areas of compensation in an Atlanta catastrophic injury claim. Victims who suffer catastrophic injuries and suffer permanent disabilities are also entitled to compensation for their intangible losses. These include the physical pain of the injuries, the loss of enjoyment of life from activities the victim can no longer participate in; the impact injuries have on family relationships, and the lost sense of pride that comes with gainful employment.

These intangible losses fall under the category of “pain and suffering.” They are very real losses, but they are difficult to value with an exact dollar amount. This is why insurance companies fight so hard to reduce the value of pain and suffering awards. Pain and suffering are often the largest areas of compensation in an Atlanta catastrophic injury award. This is why it is so important to work with an experienced injury lawyer who knows how to make a compelling case for the value of your pain and suffering to the insurance company or jury. In catastrophic injury cases, pain and suffering are often substantial.

After an accident, make your immediate priority the safety of everyone on the scene. Call 911 right away to get medical help for anyone who needs it. If you sustained injuries in an auto accident, get out of the way of traffic so you are not struck again by oncoming traffic. (Many auto accidents cause secondary crashes by drivers who are not paying attention.) If your vehicle is not driveable, leave it and find a place on the side of the road to wait safely away from the path of oncoming traffic.

Once you have dealt with law enforcement, emergency medical technicians, and other first responders on the scene, you should consider your immediate medical needs. Catastrophic injuries usually result from a dramatic accident scene in which the victim has no choice but to be transported in an ambulance.

But even if this is not the case, it is important to see a doctor as soon as possible. Look for an emergency department or urgent care center in your area. It is not always possible to tell how serious your injuries are right after an accident occurs. Some injuries - like internal bleeding - become worse over time, and you might not notice the symptoms until it is too late.

By seeing a doctor right away, you are ensuring that you get all the immediate medical treatment you need and do not have any further serious injuries. You are also protecting your legal right to compensation. In some cases, an insurance company can claim that you made your own injuries worse by failing to seek medical attention right away. Do not allow the insurance company to deny any part of your claim for medical expenses. Protect both your health and your legal rights by getting medical attention right away.

There are many ways that a person could suffer a catastrophic injury. Here are some of the most common cases our injury lawyers come across in our practice:

• Auto accidents
• Workplace accidents
• Construction accidents
• Medical malpractice
• Nursing home abuse and neglect
• Product liability (for example, a truck with defective brakes)

Many accidents can leave a victim with catastrophic injuries. The key is whether your injuries happened due to negligence. If an individual or company negligently caused the accident that injured you, you are entitled to compensation for your injuries and losses, regardless of the type of accident that occurred.

There are many different ways that legal and medical professionals define a “catastrophic injury.” Often, these injuries result in one of the following conditions:

• A permanent and severe functional disability
• A short period of suffering followed by death or a terminal condition
• An incapacitation
• An injury that has a serious impact on at least one of the body’s major systems
• Damage to the head, neck, or spinal cord that is not accompanied by permanent disability
• The inability to perform any gainful work
• Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Of course, there are many different ways to define an injury that is catastrophic to you. Regardless of the severity of injuries, victims have the right to compensation when they suffer harm in an accident caused by someone else’s negligence. This is why it is so important to consult with an injury lawyer after any type of accident - regardless of the severity of your injuries.