It can be challenging to cope with the physical, emotional, and financial fallout following an accident, especially an accident you didn’t cause. The recovery process can be long and arduous. Often accident victims feel isolated in their suffering and don’t know where to turn for help.
The team at R. Alan Cleveland, LLC, understands the confusion many accident victims face as they navigate the ins and outs of recovering compensation for their injuries. Pursuing the money you know you need can be challenging. When you are hurt, you need to focus on your health. Watkinsville personal injury attorney R. Alan Cleveland can help you do that. He has dedicated his career to providing injured individuals with zealous legal representation while they heal.
Has a careless individual changed your life? Contact R. Alan Cleveland’s Watkinsville office for a free consultation.
What is the Definition of a Personal Injury?
Contents
- 1 What is the Definition of a Personal Injury?
- 2 What Types of Accidents Can Cause a Personal Injury?
- 3 What are the Most Common Injuries in Watkinsville Personal Injury Cases?
- 4 What Should I Do If I Have Been Involved in an Accident in Watkinsville?
- 5 How Do You Prove the Other Person Was Responsible for Your Injuries?
- 6 Will my Compensation Be Affected If I Was Partially Responsible for the Accident?
- 7 What Damages Can I Collect from a Personal Injury Lawsuit?
- 8 What Does it Cost to Hire a Watkinsville Personal Injury Lawyer?
- 9 How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Georgia?
- 10 Contact a Watkinsville Personal Injury Lawyer
The American Bar Association defines personal injury as a set of laws that protect you and your property if someone else’s careless actions or failure to act causes an accident. When someone’s negligent actions lead to an accident that causes you physical and financial damage, you can attempt to recover money for your losses by filing a personal injury lawsuit.
What Types of Accidents Can Cause a Personal Injury?
Numerous incidents can lead to a personal injury, including:
- Car accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Truck accidents
- Slip and fall accidents
- Dog bites
- Wrongful death
If someone else’s wrongdoing causes an accident in these or any other situation, discuss your case with a knowledgeable personal injury attorney. Our legal team takes the time to get to know you and personalize a legal strategy for the unique factors present in your case.
What are the Most Common Injuries in Watkinsville Personal Injury Cases?
Personal injury cases can be complicated. An accident can lead to minor injuries that may only take days to heal, or they can cause life-altering injuries and long-term medical complications. Some of the most common injuries suffered by individuals in Watkinsville personal injury accidents include:
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Paralysis
- Neck and spine injuries
- Facial injuries
- Amputations
- Broken bones
- Organ damage
- Internal bleeding
- Soft tissue injuries
- Deep cuts and lacerations
What Should I Do If I Have Been Involved in an Accident in Watkinsville?
Knowing what to do after a traumatic accident is crucial to protect your legal rights. Contact law enforcement immediately, exchange contact information with the other people and witnesses, and document the scene with photos and videos.
However, it’s essential to remember your actions in the days and weeks after an accident are crucial, too. Follow these tips to protect yourself and strengthen the viability of your case:
- Seek medical treatment immediately.
- Follow your doctor’s treatment plan and keep all follow-up appointments.
- Contact a Watkinsville personal injury attorney for help dealing with the insurance company.
- Keep all medical bills, repair receipts, pay stubs, and records of out-of-pocket expenses related to the accident.
- Stay off social media and never post information about the accident or your injuries.
Insurance adjusters and opposing attorneys will take any opportunity to use information or your statements against you. Seek medical attention and the advice of an experienced Watkinsville personal injury attorney before going into detail about the accident with an insurer, even your own.
How Do You Prove the Other Person Was Responsible for Your Injuries?
Proving fault for an accident comes down to what the evidence shows. A skilled personal injury attorney can begin collecting and preserving crucial evidence to support your case before it is lost or destroyed. Examples of evidence that can help establish liability in your case can include:
- Medical records
- Police report
- Witness statements
- Photographs
- Video surveillance or CCTV footage
- Expert testimony
Will my Compensation Be Affected If I Was Partially Responsible for the Accident?
Your compensation can be affected if you are partly at fault for causing an accident. However, the good news is that Georgia follows a modified comparative negligence rule that binds court decisions in personal injury cases. This rule allows you to seek compensation for your injuries even if you are partially to blame. However, the amount you receive will be reduced by your assigned percentage of fault. You can only be prevented from recovering compensation from the other party if your share of fault exceeds 50 percent.
What Damages Can I Collect from a Personal Injury Lawsuit?
A personal injury lawsuit allows you to seek justice and compensation for your financial losses. The value of your case depends on several factors, including the cause of the accident and the severity of your injuries. In general, most accident victims can seek money for the following:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Loss of future earning capacity
- Emotional distress
- Pain and suffering
- Property damage
What Does it Cost to Hire a Watkinsville Personal Injury Lawyer?
After an accident, one of the first calls you should make is to an experienced Watkinsville personal injury attorney. Unfortunately, concerns about the cost of hiring a lawyer may prevent some accident victims from making the call. The legal team at R. Alan Cleveland, LLC, understands that cost is one of the main factors that prevent people from seeking the legal help they need.
Our law firm offers a free initial consultation to get to know you and the unique circumstances of your case. You can ask questions and get more information about the legal process and what’s ahead. We work on a contingency fee basis. That means we only receive payment for our services if we successfully recover compensation for you.
How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Georgia?
The statute of limitations is a deadline for how long individuals have to pursue a lawsuit. In the case of personal injury lawsuits, Georgia gives you two years from the accident date to file suit against the at-fault party. Certain exceptions apply, so it’s wise to contact an attorney to learn the time limit for your case.
Contact a Watkinsville Personal Injury Lawyer
At R. Alan Cleveland, LLC, we have a long track record of helping accident victims pursue the money they need. Learn more about your legal rights with a free consultation. Contact us today to speak with a personal injury lawyer in Watkinsville.