Serious injuries are life-changing. This is especially true when a careless decision causes harm. If you or a loved one has suffered due to the negligence of another person or entity, you may have options. You may be able to seek compensation that can aid the recovery process. If the injury occurred in Georgia, an Atlanta personal injury lawyer is on your side and may be able to help. You and your family deserve peace of mind.
Thanks to the U.S. civil justice system, a victim can collect damages after getting hurt in an accident that resulted from negligent actions. They can file an injury lawsuit against the guilty party. Lawsuits can often be complex, but many settle outside of the courtroom. They can let a grieving family or injured individual reach a point of closure.
A lawsuit won’t take away the fact that the incident occurred. But it can stop the responsible party from making the same mistake twice. A drunk driver, for example, may have to pay a civil settlement in addition to serving jail time. As a result, they’ll never get behind the wheel, intoxicated again. Likewise, when a product manufacturer fails to test a new drug, they could have to pay multiple settlements. As a result, they’re likely to plan for proper testing in the future.
It’s a simple truth that taking legal action often speaks louder than words. Here at Bey & Associates, we believe in the power of having a voice. It’s our goal to give those who have suffered the power to speak against injustice. For the past 20 combined years, we’ve made this goal a reality.
Personal Injury Areas We Handle in Atlanta
At Bey & Associates, our law firm handles various cases. Our injury lawyers understand each client’s case’s complexity and unique aspects. We can assist clients in English or Korean.
If you’ve been involved in a motor vehicle collision, our attorneys can help. Negligent drivers who cause car accidents should be held accountable for their actions.
Other motor vehicle accidents can include trucks and motorcycles. Truck accidents have the potential to cause devastating injuries because of their size and weight. Motorcycle accidents can also have life-threatening consequences. A crash involving an electric scooter can also cause serious injuries.
Sometimes, those who were injured may not have been in a motor vehicle at all. Bicycle accidents can cause debilitating injuries.
You may need extensive care immediately after the incident and have a long road of continued care for recovery. An Atlanta personal injury lawyer will advocate for you to get your deserved compensation.
Our lawyers have also helped victims of school bus accidents. If a school bus driver was negligent, we’ll find out why the accident happened and the injuries the negligent driver caused.
The attorneys at Bey & Associates also handle the following types of cases:
- Medical malpractice. You trust medical professionals to care for you when you feel unwell. If those professionals make a mistake, whether it’s during surgery, a birth injury, or another situation, then your health can suffer even more. We can help you hold the negligent doctor, nurse, or medical professional accountable.
- Product liability. When dangerous products harm people because those who made the products were negligent, we’re here for you. This can apply to any kind of product, from household appliances to toys for children and medical equipment.
- Premises liability. Properties with hazards or negligent security can result in injuries. Premises liability also includes slip and fall accidents and cases involving serious dog bites.
- Work injuries. If you’re injured while on the job, the injury may have occurred because of a negligent third party. This may be grounds for legal action.
- Construction accidents. Construction accidents can cause significant damage. Our lawyers can help those who were injured on a construction site.
- Nursing home neglect and abuse. If your loved one has been harmed in their nursing home, we may be able to get justice for them and hold the negligent nursing home accountable for their actions.
- Bad faith insurance. When an insurance company doesn’t honor your policy, they may try to delay, deny, or give you less than you deserve. Our lawyers will help you stand up for your rights.
- Sexual Assault. If you or someone you love was a victim of a sexual assault crime, you may have grounds to file a civil claim in addition to any criminal charges that may be in place.
In tragic circumstances, an accident can cause a sudden loss of life. If you’ve lost a loved one because of the negligent actions of another party, you can seek justice for them with the assistance of a wrongful death lawyer.
At Bey & Associates, we represent all our clients’ best interests. We will fight for you to get full and fair compensation so you can focus on your recovery. Even if your case does not fit into the above categories, we encourage you to contact our Atlanta personal injury lawyer. We may be able to provide our expertise regardless and help you and your family.
What Types of Injuries Can Negligence Cause?
The injuries that you’ve sustained may require extensive medical care, cause you to miss work, or could alter how you live your life. Severe injuries that may impact your life can include the following:
In these situations, our Atlanta personal injury lawyer will factor your ability to return to work, your medical expenses, and how the injury has affected your quality of life. If you can no longer do your previous job, we’ll also consider this.
Some injuries may not be as severe as these, but you should pursue justice when a negligent party has caused injuries and losses. Injuries like broken bones, whiplash, or strains and sprains can still affect your ability to work and will take time to heal.
Whiplash and sprain injuries can also be challenging to treat because you may not notice those symptoms immediately, as shock and adrenaline can often mask symptoms. Days or weeks later, you could feel pain or have trouble with mobility. Latent injuries can worsen when they aren’t treated.
To ensure you understand the extent of your injuries and can begin treating them, seek a medical evaluation as quickly as possible after the incident occurs. Your doctor will assess your injuries and help you start the recovery process.
When Can I File a Personal Injury Claim?
By Georgia law, victims of negligence only have so long to file an injury claim. This period is known as the statute of limitations. Your statute of limitations will generally be one to three years, depending on how you were harmed. If you fail to file within this time, you will usually be unable to do so.
You’ll also want to work with your Georgia attorney to ensure that the following points can be proven:
- Negligence occurred. Negligence is a failure to use reasonable care when making decisions. This results in damage or injury to another. If a property owner, for example, fails to complete their premises safe for visitors, they may be negligent. This is true if a visitor gets injured when invited to the property. If a driver causes a collision while texting and driving, they exhibit negligent driving behavior.
- Negligence is provable. This is the most challenging aspect of an injury lawsuit. Negligence is proven, above all, with solid evidence and expert testimony.
- That the injury/death resulted in financial hardship. By filing a lawsuit, you argue that you experienced damages and that compensation can help with recovery. Your Atlanta personal injury lawyer can assist those who have suffered from severe injuries. Those injuries may involve significant recovery times, treatment costs, and permanent complications or conditions. Additionally, there may be emotional pain and suffering and a loss of income. Any compensation received will go toward these hardships.
Let’s go over the components of your compensation and what you can recover when you have an attorney as representation.
Types of Compensation You May Be Able to Receive
When filing a personal injury claim in Atlanta, you’re seeking compensation for a number of things. Your losses could include injuries, property damage, and any other losses you’ve endured. The losses were the result of the party who was responsible for the incident. In legal terms, the victim is the “plaintiff” while the potentially at-fault party is the “defendant.”
There are two different types of potential compensation:
Compensatory Damages
These seek to reimburse an injured party for the harm they have endured. They are sometimes broken down further into “general” and “special” compensatory damages:
- General compensatory damages are damages that all victims seek to recover. They include categories like pain and suffering, mental anguish, and loss of enjoyment of life.
- Special compensatory damages will vary significantly depending on the unique details of a case. They include compensation for medical bills, loss of wages or earnings, and loss of future earnings. The cost of future medical care, household expenses, and other costs may be available.
Punitive Damages
These are damages that seek to punish the responsible party further. Additionally, they discourage them from repeating the same wrongful actions. Punitive damages are rarely awarded because they are only awarded when the defendant’s actions were especially reprehensible or when gross negligence was the cause. They may also be awarded in high-profile cases where the defendant is a significant corporation or manufacturer.
What Will My Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyer Do?
Once your attorney accepts your case, they will investigate the incident. They will look at the evidence, documentation, records, and witness testimony they can locate. They will use this information to determine what you’re eligible for. Your medical records and personal interviews may be used, as well. With this information, your lawyer can decide what a fair settlement is. This is so you have a comfortable recovery.
While working your case, your attorney will question witnesses, medical experts, and other appropriate experts as necessary to build as strong of a case as possible. The goal is to reconstruct the accident scene to determine what happened, what should have been done differently to prevent injury, and who is responsible for what went wrong. For instance, medical experts will be called upon to determine how the error occurred and what should have been reasonably expected from the medical professional who conducted the error or let the mistake happen.
In some instances, it may be found that multiple individuals or parties are responsible for your injuries. Personal injury cases are often complex for this reason and may take several years to settle ultimately, especially if the case goes to trial. At Bey & Associates, our Atlanta personal injury lawyer is prepared to take every case we accept to trial if necessary. We aren’t afraid to fight for your right to seek a jury trial. We do not make this decision lightly, however. If going to trial is an option for your particular case, we will weigh the pros and cons and ensure the right decision is made for you, your unique situation, and your loved ones.
In some successful cases, the defendant cannot pay the entire amount. If this happens, your lawyer may step in. They will see that you are awarded what you deserve. They will do this by placing liens on property or by garnishing wages. Your lawyer has your and your family’s best interests at heart and will do whatever they can to ensure justice is upheld.
Comparative Negligence in Georgia
When seeking compensation, knowing how negligence works in Georgia is essential. Your Atlanta personal injury lawyer can explain the laws and how they apply to your case. Georgia follows a comparative fault law, which means the damages the defendant owes are determined by their percentage of fault.
This means that if the plaintiff is found to have any percentage of fault in their injuries, then they may not receive total compensation. For example, let’s say a negligent driver was texting and caused a collision. The other driver could file against them. However, if it was later found that the other driver was speeding and, as a result, their injuries were worse, then they may have some of the fault placed on them.
If the negligent driver was found to be 80% at fault and the other driver was 20% at fault, they could only recover 80% of the damages. If the costs of the injuries and damages are severe, the 80% recovered may not be enough to cover everything. This could lead to financially tricky situations in the future. This is why having an Atlanta personal injury lawyer by your side is vital.
Even if you feel you weren’t at fault for your injuries, it may still be worthwhile to seek legal representation. At the incident scene, it may seem like the other party is cooperative, but you may find later that they have told their insurance agency a completely different story. In other cases, an insurer may attempt to hold you responsible for part of the accident when you know that to be untrue. Insurance agencies are notorious for doing whatever they can to save a few dollars– even if it means being unlawful. If you have any reason to believe an insurer is mistreating you or has offered you an unfair settlement, seeking legal advice could be to your advantage.
Before you meet with a lawyer, there are specific actions you can take directly after an accident that can help your recovery. Make sure to do these actions to record the event and not put your recovery in jeopardy:
- Don’t Apologize to the Other Party. After the incident occurs, you may feel compelled to apologize to the other party. While this may come from a place of being sorry for what happened in the first place, this can be used against you as an admission of guilt. If you’re apologizing and have some of the blame placed on you, then your compensation could be reduced.
- Make a Report. Whether in a motor vehicle collision or slip and fall at work, you must record what happened. This could take the act of filing a police report, informing a manager or supervisor, and writing an account of what happened, or a self-documentation that shows how exactly you were hurt and what actions were immediately taken afterward. Be as detailed as possible because the incident will be freshest in your mind immediately following it.
- Document Evidence. While the report will be helpful, additional evidence may support your statement. Photographs of the accident, including where it happened, the conditions under which it occurred, and the resulting injuries, can help you demonstrate how it affected you. Your photographs may also catch signs of negligence, like a stop sign hidden behind a tree or a missing wet floor sign next to a spill.
- Seek Medical Attention. The first step in your recovery is figuring out the extent of your injuries, what treatment you’ll need, and the expected timeframe of your recovery. Seeing a doctor as quickly as possible is beneficial so you’ll be able to feel better faster, and the validity of your injuries has less of a chance to be tested. If your injuries were severe enough to get you to go to the doctor, you’re likely experiencing painful symptoms and need treatment.
- Reach Out for Legal Representation. Once you’ve met with a medical professional, then it’s time to contact a personal injury lawyer if you have reason to believe it may be in your benefit to do so.
Why Hire an Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyer?
After an accident occurs, you may proceed with filing a claim with the insurance company and wait for their assessment of your injuries and losses. While you may want to accept the settlement they offer, it may not be in your best interests. The insurance company’s offer may not be the full amount you could recover.
If you decide to hire our firm, a lawyer will go over the full extent of your injuries and losses. We have years of experience in evaluating the damages and will make sure your compensation accurately reflects the injuries you’ve suffered.
Our skilled lawyers also have years of expertise in many areas of the law. Your representative will be someone familiar with the type of case you have and will know how to approach it to give you the best chance of success.
While we know that there are common types of personal injury cases, we also know that each one will be a bit different. We’re prepared to diligently investigate your case to see the full picture and to fight for you as best we can.
We’re here to support you. Our team’s attorneys are dedicated, compassionate people who will guide you through the legal process. We’re ready to answer questions, keep you updated on your case, and help you secure your financial future.
How Attorneys’ Fees and Funding Work in a Personal Injury Case
At Bey & Associates, we handle lawyers’ fees on a contingency fee basis. What this means is that when we choose to accept your case, you owe us nothing unless you have a successful settlement or verdict. After a successful verdict or settlement, the contingency fees will come out of your winnings. This is usually at a certain percentage that’s agreed upon when you sign a contract with your lawyer.
Contingency fees allow an injured victim to get the legal representation they need. This is without having to pay upfront costs that they likely cannot afford due to their injury. Additionally, this lets victims take the time they need to choose their legal representation. It’s important to find an attorney that has the levels of experience required to help you.
Some state statutes limit the percentage that a lawyer can receive as a contingency fee. It’s also important to realize the fees you owe may also change as the case develops. A case that finalizes as a settlement, for example, may come with different fees than one that goes all the way to trial and finishes with a verdict. For that reason, most law firms and attorneys are willing to negotiate contingency fees. These negotiations may take place at multiple times based on the current stage of the case.
It’s common practice for your lawyer to receive the settlement check after finalization. This ensures they receive payment for their services. They will then send you a check for your share of the settlement award.
Why Bey & Associates Calls Atlanta Home
Our law firm is proud to call Atlanta, Georgia home. We have practiced in Atlanta for over 20 combined years. We’re proud to serve an active role in community events, charities, and sponsorships as often as possible that help the community thrive. Encouraging diversity and empowering those who are less fortunate are goals we believe in. Our firm makes every effort to fulfill those goals.
Atlanta charities and sponsorships we’ve been a part of include the Gate City Bar Association and The New Year New Life concert. We’re also grateful to be able to provide a scholarship opportunity to new and prospective college students.
Atlanta’s Rich History
As for Atlanta itself, there’s no other city we’d want to call home. Atlanta is more than the capital city of Georgia. It’s the ninth-largest metropolitan city in the United States. As a result, it is also one of the most diverse places in the nation. A city born from a single railway intersection, Atlanta rose from the ashes after burning down during the American Civil War. Today is it a commercial, technological, transportation, cultural, and entertainment mega-hub.
During the 1960s, Atlanta played a central role in the Civil Rights Movement. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Ralph David Abernathy, and others championed a massive movement. It helped Atlanta earn a reputation of being a city “too busy to hate.” The city’s progression-focused ideals set it apart from most other cities in the south and still do.
Atlanta is truly a global city. Its economy ranks 18th among world cities and 7th in the nation. Businesses in Atlanta contribute to the following:
- Global Commerce.
- Finance.
- Technology.
- Research.
- Education.
- Art.
- Entertainment.
- Media industries.
Our injury law firm holds the same ideals that are central to Atlanta. These include progression, innovation, diversity, and community outreach. We wouldn’t be who we are if we didn’t live, practice, and help others in Atlanta.
Our Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyer is on Your Side
If a negligent party injured you or your loved one in Georgia you may be able to obtain compensation. This is especially true if you believe it happened because of negligence. That money can go towards recovery costs, lost wages costs, medical costs, and more. For a grieving or struggling family, this extra compensation can make all the difference. We want to ensure you recover as completely as possible.
Our lawyers understand that the law can be complicated and insurance companies may use tactics to reduce the amount of compensation you’re owed. We believe in helping you make your voice be heard.
Get in touch with us today so we can schedule a free case evaluation. We’ll go over your legal options and help you move forward.
We’re also proud to serve clients in the nearby areas:
If you’re a resident of one of these counties and need legal counsel, contact us today. We’re ready to help.
Bey & Associates – Atlanta Office Address
4200 Northside Pky NW
Atlanta, GA 30327
Get directions to our office
Local telephone number: 877.929.6250
