Why Choose the Legal Services of Jamie Ballard Law?

Attorney Jamie Ballard and the rest of our staff at Jamie Ballard Law are knowledgeable, compassionate, and dedicated to getting you the best possible results. We use a client-centered approach to deliver top-notch service and results. We give all clients the personal attention they deserve. Our team builds relationships with our clients and understands their unique situations.

We take on your case without charging retainer fees or billing you hourly. We only take a percentage of your compensation known as a contingency fee if we manage to win your case for you. We will provide you with the fiercest legal representation.

Call 404-301-1687 today for your free case assessment.

What Should I Do After an Injury?

All successful cases begin with the actions of the victim. As such, the actions you take after an injury will either make your case strong, weak, or irrelevant. This is why we always advise our clients to be careful of the actions they take after an injury. In fact, we recommend the following:

Get Medical Treatment

You should prioritize your personal health over anything else. Get immediate medical treatment and keep all the medical records of all the treatment you receive. Ensure you see a doctor even if you haven’t suffered any apparent injuries. Also, try not to stress over the medical expenses.

Take Photos/Video If You Can

Once you get treatment, start gathering evidence. Document the scene of the incident by taking pictures and videos. These pictures can serve as great pieces of evidence.

Get Names and Contact Information

Get the names and contact information of witnesses and anyone else involved. Don’t forget to also obtain insurance details of the at-fault driver or any other relevant parties.

Report the Incident

Make sure news of the accident reaches the right people and within the right time. For instance, call the police if it’s a car accident and report a slip and fall to the property owner or manager.

Never Admit Fault

Do admit fault to avoid jeopardizing your claim. The moment you admit fault, you risk losing your right to get compensation.

Call a Personal Injury Lawyer!

Finally, call a Smyrna personal injury lawyer at Jamie Ballard Law. We will be with you right from the beginning and help you build your case, preserve key evidence, and handle insurance claim conversations for you. The sooner you get in touch the better.

Why Do I Need a Lawyer?

After suffering a personal injury, you are bound to have many questions about your recovery and when and how you will resume work despite your injuries. This is where a personal injury attorney comes in. Even though the law doesn’t mandate it, getting a lawyer following a personal injury is vital. The sooner you hire a personal injury attorney the easier and faster it will be to resolve your case.

These are the crucial reasons why you need to get an attorney:

Case Preparation / Filing a Lawsuit

An attorney will help prepare your case by investigating claims and gathering evidence for your lawsuit. This may include procuring any incident or police reports and getting witness statements. Evidence is crucial for determining liability and the degree of damages you suffered. Medical bills, reports, medical records, employment documents, and property damage reports are some of the pieces of evidence your attorney can help you gather.

On top of investigating your case and gathering evidence, an attorney will guide you through the process of filing a legal claim.

Settlement Negotiation

Personal injury attorneys are familiar with negotiating with insurance companies. They can get you the maximum level of compensation based on your specific case. On top of that, your attorney will handle all communications with the insurance company and protect you from falling victim to their under-hand tactics aiming to jeopardize your claim.

Trial Preparation & Representation

In the event your case moves to trial, you will have all the representation you need from a personal injury attorney. They are used to the court procedures and customs and can ensure all the necessary steps are adhered to.

If you get injured as a result of someone else’s actions, it is important to have a personal injury attorney in your corner. Since the other side will likely get an attorney, getting a lawyer for yourself can level the playing field.

What Type of Compensation Can I Get in a Georgia Personal Injury Case?

Here at Jamie Ballard Law, we aim to recoup maximum compensation for our clients. These damages intend to compensate the personal injury victim and try to make them “whole” again. Compensatory damages are meant to compensate the injured plaintiff for any losses that the injury caused them.

Economic Damages

Economic damages include quantifiable losses. They include:

• Lost wages
• Loss of future earning capacity if you become unable to work again
• Medical expenses such as doctor’s appointments, hospital costs, medication, surgeries, etc.
• Property damage

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages don’t have a concrete monetary value. They are more subjective because they include:

• Pain, suffering, and emotional distress
• Loss of companionship
• Loss of enjoyment if you can no longer participate in the same activities

Punitive Damages

Unlike the other types of damages, punitive damages are not compensatory. Instead, they aim to punish wrongdoers in the hopes of deterring them from engaging in the behavior ever again. Judges don’t usually award these damages. However, punitive damages are sometimes used in cases of extreme recklessness.

How Is Liability Determined?

To succeed in holding a defendant liable, you must first establish all four elements of negligence.

Duty of Care

Under this element, the victim or plaintiff must prove that the defendant had a duty to protect the plaintiff from unreasonable risk of injury by conforming to a standard of conduct.

Breach of Duty of Care

When a defendant acts in a way that doesn’t meet the standard of care they owe the plaintiff, the defendant is said to have breached their duty of care. The plaintiff must show that defendant breached their duty of care owed to them.

Causation

Proving that there was a duty of care and demonstrating how the defendant’s actions breached this duty is not enough. The plaintiff must also prove that his or her injuries resulted from the defendant’s negligent conduct.

Damages

Damage is the last element that you must prove to succeed in a negligence action. You can only hold a defendant liable if you can show you suffered injuries and experienced losses, for example, medical bills or property damage.

Georgia’s Comparative Negligence Rules

In Georgia, the role you played in the incident that caused you harm, if any, can affect the amount of compensation you can recover. Georgia courts apply the modified comparative negligence rule in injury cases where the fault lies with both parties. This means you can only recover compensation if your percentage of fault is less than 50%. For this reason, you should never admit any fault.

How Much Time Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Claim in Georgia?

In Georgia, the law allows you a limited amount of time to file personal injury claims. Generally speaking the statute of limitations in Georgia states that you have two years from the date you got injured to file a personal injury claim. But, there are some exceptions to this crucial deadline. For instance, you have one year to file cases involving loss of reputation and up to four years to file cases involving loss of consortium.

So it’s important to consult a knowledgeable personal injury attorney from Jamie Ballard Law in Smyrna, GA about the inner details of your case.

Personal Injury Claims Process

The claims process for a personal injury is complicated. When you suffer an injury that you think warrants compensation, you need to hire a Smyrna personal injury lawyer to ensure your claim is handled properly. Once you get a lawyer, they will review all the documentation related to your claim including your medical and police records.

Next, your attorney will send a demand letter to the person or party responsible for your injuries. Basically, a demand letter demands compensation for your damages. If the responsible party is adamant, then your attorney will proceed to sue.

From here, your case can take two directions: settlement negotiations or litigation. Since we dedicate ourselves to doing whatever is in our clients’ best interest, we prepare every case for trial. More often than not, this leads to better offers during settlement negotiations.

How Much Will It Cost to Hire a Smyrna Personal Injury Lawyer?

At Jamie Ballard Law in Smyrna, Georgia, we work on a contingency fee structure. This means that you will not have to pay any out-of-pocket fees when we handle your case. We will only charge you contingency fees when our firm wins your rightful compensation. This contingency fee is only a percentage of the compensation you get when we win your case.

Types of Personal Injury Cases We Handle at Jamie Ballard Law

At Jamie Ballard Law in Smyrna, we represent the following types of personal injury claims:

Car Accidents

Every day, innocent victims are hurt because of drivers who are drunk, speeding, distracted or driving recklessly. If you are injured in a car accident, Jamie Ballard Law will be there for you.

Truck Accidents

Accidents involving a semi-truck or other commercial vehicles have the potential to be catastrophic due to the size and force. Our truck accident attorney Jamie Ballard knows what it takes to win against trucking companies.

Motorcycle Accidents

Motorcycle accident claims are tricky because the insurance company of the at-fault party may try to shift the blame on the motorcyclist despite the facts. This is why you need a competent motorcycle accident attorney from Jamie Ballard Law to handle your claim.

Pedestrian Accidents

Whether the collision happens on a sidewalk, on the road, or in a parking lot, a vehicle striking a pedestrian can have serious and potentially deadly consequences. You need an experienced pedestrian accident lawyer such as Jamie Ballard to help you recover your financial expenses and regain your quality of life.

Uber Accidents

Uber and Lyft offer an inexpensive yet convenient way to get around, but accidents can and do happen sometimes. Rideshare accident claims can be complicated, so you need a skilled Uber accident attorney.

Premises Liability / Slip and Fall Cases

If you’re injured because of a known safety hazard, you can file a premises liability case against the property owner. Jamie Ballard Law represents victims of slip and fall accidents and other cases involving unsafe premises.

Dog Bites

As an experienced dog bite lawyer, Jamie Ballard has a deep understanding of the current dog bite laws and is prepared to fight for your rights. Our law firm will help build a case proving the owner’s liability.

Brain Injuries

A brain injury can impact your psychological, financial, and physical wellbeing. Recovery from a brain injury is expensive and takes time, and you may be left permanently disabled. Contact us today to get the legal help you need.

Spinal Cord Injuries

If you have suffered a spinal cord injury due to someone else’s fault, you should not be forced to shoulder the financial burdens of expensive medical bills and lasting disability. Jamie Ballard will fight to help you recover the compensation you deserve.

Catastrophic Injuries

The term catastrophic injury covers injuries that are severe and life-changing, such as spine injury, brain injury, or amputation. You need a skilled lawyer to ensure you recover full compensation for all your losses.

Wrongful Death

Grief can be a devastating process. It is even worse when your loved one is taken away because of someone else’s carelessness. Here at Jamie Ballard Law, we can help you file a wrongful death lawsuit.

Schedule a Free Case Review With a Smyrna Personal Injury Lawyer

The result of your personal injury claim is often reliant on the legal representation on your side. Jamie Ballard Law can maximize your final compensation because we understand how insurance companies operate. We will strive to have an in-depth understanding of the legal issues and events surrounding your case to enable us to provide advice and find solutions for your unique problems.

When you call on the Jamie Ballard Law to handle your personal injury case, you can be sure that we will give it our all. If you have a personal injury matter that you think we might be able to help you with, please get in touch. Call 404-301-1687 or use our online contact form to schedule your free consultation.