If you’ve been injured because of someone’s negligence in Marietta, GA, Jamie Ballard Law is here to help. Jamie Ballard is dedicated to fighting to obtain settlements and judgments for her clients for all pain and suffering experienced as a result of their injuries. She gives every case personal attention and is a member of the National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 Civil Plaintiff Trial Lawyers in Georgia.
Contact our Marietta personal injury law firm today to schedule a free initial case evaluation and consultation. There are no upfront fees. In fact, you pay nothing unless we win you compensation.
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What Should I Do After an Injury?
Accidents typically leave their victims in pain, feeling scared, and in a state of confusion. However, it’s imperative that you try to calm yourself so you can take the necessary steps to safeguard your health, safety, and wellbeing. There are certain things you should do immediately after sustaining an injury to increase your chances should you decide to pursue compensation.
Here is a look at what you need to do after being involved in an accident.
Seek Medical Attention
Do not downplay the importance of getting checked up after being involved in an accident. It’s important you get checked for injuries even if you think you walked out of the accident unscathed or with minor injuries. What you assume to be a minor problem could end up becoming a life-threatening condition.
Also, remember to maintain a record of all your treatment expenses and medical reports as they’ll be used as evidence when you file a compensation claim.
Record the Scene
Take photos and videos of the accident scene using your phone or a camera and make sure the images you capture are clear. When recording the scene, focus on those elements that help prove liability. Photographic evidence could help you win your claim.
Speak With Witnesses
Talk to everyone who witnessed the incident and request them to give you their names and contact information as you also find out if they’d mind testifying on your behalf.
Report the Incident to the Relevant Authorities
If you’ve been involved in a car accident, make sure you call the police and inform them of the incident. Don’t forget to give them your location. Not only is this a legal requirement but also a good way of protecting your interests. If you slip and fall at a business, notify the property owner or manager.
Never Admit Fault
Be very cautious when talking about the accident as you could end up saying something the other party or your employer could use to discredit your claim by shifting blame to you. If you are being pressured to answer questions, just say you’ll be more comfortable speaking with your lawyer present.
Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer
Personal injury claims can be quite complex and typically require a well-thought-out litigation strategy for you to win the case. A Marietta personal injury attorney can help, guide, and counsel you on what to do as you weigh your options. Get in touch with Jamie Ballard Law as soon as you can for better chances of pursuing a successful injury claim in Marietta, GA.
Why Do I Need a Marietta Personal Injury Lawyer?
The days that follow after an accident can be confusing and challenging, especially if you mourning a loved one or still undergoing treatment. In such trying times, it is best that you have a skilled legal professional by your side handling your case for you. A personal injury lawyer can help protect your interests while guiding you through the claims process to ensure that you get well compensated for your injuries and losses.
Some of the benefits of working with Jamie Ballard Law include:
Case Preparation/Filing a Lawsuit
As a skilled attorney, Jamie Ballard understands the processes and requirements of filing a personal injury claim in Georgia and is here to help ensure you receive the compensation you deserve. She will build a strong case against those responsible and, if need be, is ready to pursue the matter in court through a lawsuit. Your case will be filed on time according to Georgia’s statute of limitations.
Settlement Negotiation
Sometimes, the best course of action when it comes to injury claims is handling the case out of court. Negotiating a settlement is a task that requires the expertise and experience of an accomplished attorney. Your lawyer will handle all negotiations for you so you don’t have to deal with insurers and their legal teams. Your attorney will hold lengthy meetings and talks if that’s what it takes to ensure you receive compensation.
Trial Preparation & Representation
If negotiations fail to bear any fruit, then the next plausible option will be to take the case to court and have it determined by a judge or jury. Jamie Ballard is ready to pursue your case in court if needed.
What Type of Damages Can Injury Victims Recover?
Accident victims reserve the right to represent themselves if they so wish. However, self-representation leaves you susceptible to losing the case, especially if you don’t know the law and the defendant has a lawyer defending them. For increased the best chances of receiving compensation, you should hire the services of a professional Marietta personal injury attorney.
At Jamie Ballard Law, we are committed to ensuring that you recover the compensation you need for damages sustained.
Victims can recover three classes of damages in a Georgia personal injury case:
Economic Damages
These damages can help you recover financial losses for things such as home care costs, medical bills, medication costs, lost wages, and other losses that have a monetary value that impacts your life. Recovered damages may also include burial and funeral expenses.
Non-Economic Damages
These damages cover losses that don’t have a specific monetary value. Damages recovered may include paralysis, emotional and physical suffering and pain, paralysis, disfigurement, lost companionship, and others.
Punitive Damages
These damages are often considered in cases where the accused is believed to have maliciously or intently caused you harm. Punitive damages are often awarded as a means to punish the defendant’s indifferent actions with the amount to be awarded being determined by the presiding judge.
How Is Liability in a Personal Injury Case in Georgia Determined?
How likely you are to walk away with max compensation is dependent on how well you prove fault. As the victim, you are advised to seek the services of a professional Marietta personal injury lawyer and have them help you prove liability. In Georgia, for you to prove liability, there are four things that you first need to prove:
Duty of Care
You will have to prove that the other motorist owed you a duty of care – they owed you a legal or moral obligation to ensure your well-being or safety – but was either negligent or careless hence causing the accident.
Breach of Duty of Care
You will also have to prove that the motorist breached their duty of care to you, and as a result put you, and other motorists, at risk. It’s your duty (or your attorney’s) to prove that the responsible party’s conduct fell below the standard expected of any reasonable individual.
Causation
You’ll also need to prove that the other motorist’s actions are directly responsible for your property damage and injuries, which may have been avoided if they had exercised a duty of care.
Damages
You should have evidence proving or showing the damage to property, losses, and injuries you sustained.
How Much Time Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Claim in Georgia?
The statute of limitation for filing an injury claim in Georgia is two years from the day you sustained the injury. However, it’s worth noting that this period can vary depending on specific circumstances. For instance, in some scenarios, you may have less than one year to file a claim while in others, the deadline may be pushed to well over two years.
Whatever the case, it is best that you consider working with an attorney that understands the different factors that govern Georgia’s statute of limitations when it comes to personal injury claims. The sooner you get a lawyer on your case, the better your chances of securing the compensation you need and deserve.
The Personal Injury Claims Process in Georgia
The first step of any claims process involves investigating the circumstances that surround your claim to determine who’s at fault while collecting crucial evidence and other vital information.
The next step involves assessing your injuries while ensuring that you receive the medical care you need.
That’s followed by negotiations, that is if the other party agrees to handle the matter out of court. Negotiations are best handled by attorneys as they have the experience and expertise needed to haggle with insurance providers and employers. Furthermore, an attorney’s main responsibility as a legal expert is to ensure that you get adequately compensated for your injuries and losses.
Should negotiations fail, the next plausible step is to move the matter to court and have it presided over by a judge. When that’s the case, you can rest assured that Jamie Ballard has the skills and experience needed to represent your needs and interests in a court of law.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Marietta Personal Injury Lawyer?
You don’t have to worry about services fees when you approach Jamie Ballard Law to handle your injury case. As a trusted legal firm, we handle all our cases on a contingency fee basis, which means that you only pay us if we manage to get you full compensation for your injuries and losses.
When you choose to work with us, we’ll evaluate your case for free and even cover all related costs until we win the case for you. If and when we do win cases involving injury claims, we deduct our pay from the money you get – which is often a percentage of the cash you get as compensation.
Types of Personal Injury Cases We Handle at Jamie Ballard Law
At Jamie Ballard Law, we handle all sorts of personal injury cases. We represent people who’ve sustained injuries caused by:
Car Accidents
Hundreds of car accidents are recorded in Georgia each month, and most are linked to driving under the influence, speeding, and distracted driving. If you’ve been hit by a drunk or careless driver, we can help.
Slip & Fall Accidents
Property owners, including businesses, landlords, etc., have a duty to keep their property safe for visitors. You can demand compensation if a known safety risk caused you to slip and fall.
Wrongful Death
When someone dies because of the reckless or criminal actions of another party, Georgia law allows the family to recover compensation. An experienced wrongful death lawyer can help you during this difficult time.
Get in Touch With a Marietta Personal Injury Lawyer Today!
If you’ve been injured due to another person’s negligence or carelessness, it’s time you considered working with a professional, seasoned, and reputable Marietta personal injury lawyer for a shot at getting the compensation you deserve for your injuries and losses.
At Jamie Ballard Law, we have the experience and expertise required to fight for your interests and right and ensure you get duly compensation for all your pain and suffering, losses, and injuries. Call our law offices today at 404-301-1687 to have your case reviewed for free.
