Alpharetta Personal Injury Lawyer

If someone else caused your accident, their insurance company will surely get involved. Insurance companies like to portray themselves as caring, friendly companies. They may have amusing animals as mascots or even celebrities who endorse them in commercials. But like any business, insurance companies exist to make money.

Insurance companies will often try their hardest to avoid paying money to victims who deserve and need it. At Atlanta Personal Injury Law Group, we know how to deal with insurance companies. We see past their public facades and know what they are really like because we have personally dealt with them before.

Our firm can help you navigate the murky waters of personal injury law. We start by filing the necessary paperwork and then negotiating on your behalf with the opposing insurance company’s representatives. We can also help you avoid saying the wrong thing to the insurance company. Their representatives often work hard to trick you into incriminating yourself during phone calls or meetings. One minor slip-up could hamper your quest for justice.

The immediate aftermath of a personal injury in Alpharetta is often confusing and stressful. The experts at Atlanta Personal Injury Law Group recommend that you keep these things in mind after your accident:

Get Checked by a Medical Professional

Immediately after an accident, your body might be in shock. Even relatively minor accidents could have severe repercussions hours, days, or even weeks later. Additionally, if you do not seek medical help after your accident, the insurance company will use this against your claim. Protect your health and your legal interests by visiting a medical professional.

Do Not Sign Any Paperwork From Insurance Companies

Once the opposing party’s insurance company representatives learn that you may file a claim, they will likely rush to you and pressure you to sign a settlement agreement. Many will try to take advantage of your lack of knowledge about the law.

After you are injured, you may be confused, frightened, or worried about your future. A settlement agreement with an insurance company may sign away your ability to seek significant compensation.

A settlement agreement can seem like a sure thing and the short-term answer to your financial worries. But after you undergo a medical evaluation and the shock wears off, you might discover that your case is worth far more than what you agreed to.

Do not sign anything from an insurance company or give any recorded statement without knowing what your case is really worth.

Unless you intimately understand Georgia state law, you can't determine if you have a legitimate personal injury case on your own. Some victims believe they caused the crash, only to discover later that the other party did.

Not every personal injury another person caused results from malice. Many accidents are just that—accidents. But even unintentional accidents can involve negligence.

A little bit of effort by the other person would prevent most accidents. Maybe they were distracted for a split second. Sometimes, a brief moment of distraction can be the difference between life and death. To find out if you are eligible for compensation, speak to an Alpharetta personal injury lawyer at our firm.

While every personal injury case is different, the steps for filing a claim are often the same. Your case starts with an investigation, so we can determine who might be liable for your injury. Once we identify this person or entity, we reach out to their insurance company.

After we file a claim, we handle all communication with insurance company representatives, saving you from harassment or high-pressure tactics. With our deep understanding of the law, the team at Atlanta Personal Injury Group knows what to say and, most importantly, what not to say.

We also take the necessary steps to build your case by gathering evidence, such as:

• Accident reports from the police department
• Any eyewitnesses
• Traffic cam and/or security footage
• Photographs
• Your medical records (with your permission)

With this and any other information that supports your case, we can submit a claim to the other party’s insurance company asking for a settlement to cover your medical expenses and other damages.

First and foremost, in Georgia, current law states that plaintiffs must file personal injury lawsuits within two years of their injuries. Unless you file a lawsuit within this two-year timeframe, you could lose your right to seek justice.

Lawsuits begin with many of the same steps as a claim. We start by investigating your claim, gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses, and obtaining your medical records. After this, both sides go through the discovery phase, when both sides submit their findings to each other.

The Negotiation Process

After receiving our demand and the supporting evidence, the insurance company will take the time to review the material. They may respond and agree to the claim, or they may counteroffer with a lower amount. We can negotiate on your behalf until we reach an agreement that everyone—including you—believes is fair.

If we cannot reach an agreement, you have the choice to escalate your claim to a lawsuit against both the person or entity responsible for your suffering and the insurance company. We keep you informed every step of the way and do not make any decisions about your case without your permission. We are here to advocate for you.

Discovery Phase

During this phase, both sides may interview anyone with a connection to your case. While we speak to witnesses to bolster your case, the other side may interview the same witnesses, looking for any inconsistencies in their stories or ways to twist their stories for a potential jury.

Mediation

Depending on how things progress, both sides might agree to sit down for mediation. Attorneys for both sides, along with you and the person or entity responsible for your injury, then meet to discuss your case.

In mediation, we try to settle your case before it goes to trial. If everyone agrees, you receive your settlement without going to trial. If both sides cannot agree, mediation ends and we prepare for trial.

Trial

During the trial, both sides present their arguments and evidence to a judge and jury. Our goal is to fight for your rights and present your case as vigorously as possible. Once both sides present their cases, the jury deliberates and determines who wins.

If you are eligible for compensation stemming from your accident, you will likely seek both economic and non-economic losses. Economic losses are direct financial consequences of your injury. Non-economic losses are those without a fixed dollar amount, like pain and suffering.

Economic Losses

• Medical expenses
• Medications
• Physical therapy
• Lost wages
• Future lost wages (if you cannot return to work)
• Property damage

Non-economic damages

• Pain and suffering
• Loss of companionship
• Mental or emotional anguish

Punitive Damages

Some victims of personal injury in Alpharetta also receive punitive damages. These losses are not economic or non-economic—instead, punitive damages punish the party responsible for your injury. Juries may award punitive damages if they feel the responsible party was particularly egregious in their negligence.

Other Factors That Can Affect Compensation

Because each injury and case is unique, no single factor determines how much of a payout you could receive.

Multiple factors that shape your potential compensation include:

• The expenses stemming from your injury
• How the accident affects your daily life
• If you have missed work, special occasions, school, vacations, etc.
• If you can no longer perform certain tasks as part of your job
• How long you will need ongoing medical care
• If you suffered a permanent disability
• The severity of your injury
• Any trauma you experienced
• How long it may take to recover