At Bross McAllister & Williams, LLC, we help victims of personal injury accidents throughout Gwinnett County, Georgia. Our law firm can review your case and answer your questions during a free initial consultation. Then, if we accept your case, we can help you without charging any upfront fees. Our Lawrenceville personal injury attorneys can help you fight for fair financial compensation from the person or entity that caused your injuries. Start by requesting a free consultation today.
How to Know if I Have a Valid Personal Injury Case?
Civil laws in Georgia state that a person may bring a civil claim or lawsuit against another person for wrongful conduct that caused personal injuries. The civil justice system allows injured parties to seek compensation from at-fault parties for the harm they suffered due to negligence, misconduct or wanton disregard. A personal injury can refer to any kind of harm the defendant caused. Personal injuries are not just physical. In Georgia, you can also seek compensation for emotional or psychological injuries as well as property damages. Any type of physical, emotional or financial harm a negligent party caused you could lead to a personal injury claim. This includes lost wages, vehicle damages, physical pain and suffering, mental anguish, bereavement, emotional distress, humiliation, post-traumatic stress, medical bills, legal fees, out-of-pocket costs, and wrongful death costs.
The Elements of Negligence in Personal Injury Cases
To collect compensation in a personal injury case, you will need to successfully prove that the person you hold liable in your claim was truly at-fault at the time of the accident. Specifically, you will need to prove that the defendant in your claim acted in negligence at the time of your accident and that this negligence led to your injuries.
To prove negligence, you and your attorney will need to collect the evidence necessary to support the following four elements.
- The at-fault party owed you a duty of care at the time of the accident.
- The at-fault party breached his or her duty of care to you.
- The breach of duty of care caused your injuries directly.
- You suffered damages as a result of the breach of care and you can recover these damages in your settlement.
For example, say that you are in a car accident with a driver who runs a red light and hits the side of your vehicle. You need $50,000 to cover medical expenses and property damage as a result of this accident.
All drivers have the responsibility to follow traffic rules, and he breached this duty of care by running the red light. You can establish the driver’s negligence by showing traffic camera footage and to prove your damages, you can present your medical records and repair invoices.
What Fees Do Personal Injury Attorneys Charge?
The Lawrenceville personal injury lawyers at Bross, McAllister & Williams operate on a contingency fee basis. Our law firm will not charge for its services unless we win the case in question. As a client, you will pay $0 unless we recover financial compensation for your losses. We will front all the costs of pursuing your claim so you can have peace of mind during this difficult time. If we do win a settlement or verdict award on your behalf, we charge our fees as a percentage of the total award won. That way, you never have to afford our costs out of pocket. If we do not win, you will not pay us anything for the services we already rendered.
How Can Our Injury Lawyer Help You?
Talking to the Insurance Company After an Accident in Lawrenceville
One of the best tips we give our clients is not to talk to insurance agents after reporting an accident. While you must report your injury and file a claim promptly, your interaction with the insurance company should end there until you talk to a Lawrenceville personal injury attorney. This is the only way to ensure the protection of your rights as a claimant. Speaking with an insurance claims adjuster without legal representation could invite the company to take advantage of you. Insurance companies are notorious for protecting their bottom lines over their clients. Rather than trying to maximize your financial recovery for an accident you did not cause, an insurance adjuster may try to convince you to settle for less to save the company money. The insurer’s motivation will be to profit its investors, not help victims in injury cases. Insurers also want to avoid personal injury lawsuits, however, something your injury lawyer can use to your advantage to argue for a better settlement offer. Hiring a personal injury lawyer to even the playing field during settlement negotiations is a wise decision when dealing with an insurance company.
Is There a Deadline to File an Injury Claim in Lawrenceville?
All civil cases filed in the state of Georgia are subject to a statute of limitations, or a deadline by which you need to file your claim in order for the court to hear your case. If you do not file your case by this deadline, the court will likely dismiss your claim and you will lose your chance at collecting the compensation you need to recover.
In Georgia, you have two years from the date of your accident to file your claim. If your case involves negligent action by a government employee, you may have a shorter time period to file your case in.
There are some exceptions to this two-year rule, although they are not common in many personal injury cases. To ensure you meet Georgia’s statute of limitations and to ensure you file your lawsuit in a timely manner, speak to a personal injury attorney in Gwinnett County at Bross, McAllister & Williams, LLC. Our firm will determine your appropriate deadline and complete the paperwork necessary to file your case.
How Much is My Injury Claim Worth?
If you have suffered a personal injury you may be able to recover compensation from the negligent party that caused your accident. The damages you can recover with a personal injury claim can cover medical bills incurred from treating your injuries, lost wages from time away from work, property damage, and pain and suffering. If you suffered the wrongful death of a loved one, you could recover compensation to cover for funeral, burial and other expenses. Depending on the specifics of your case a Lawrenceville personal injury lawyer will be able to determine how much your case is worth.
Will Your Case Settle or Go to Trial?
During the personal injury lawsuit process, most cases settle before they proceed to trial. Prior to the courtroom, you and your attorney will enter the discovery process, where you and the at-fault party will exchange evidence. After discovery ends and before the trial process begins, you may enter into negotiations with the at-fault party.
Many times, these negotiations result in a settlement and the case does not have to enter the trial phase. However, the at-fault party may refuse to settle or offer you a lower settlement amount than what you actually need to recover. In these situations, it is vital that your case moves to the court so you can receive maximum compensation — and Bross, McAllister & Williams, LLC is here to fight for you each step of the way.
If you do not receive a settlement offer that is just and fair, our attorneys will not hesitate to move your case to the courtroom. Our firm has significant trial experience and will tap into our wide network of expert witnesses to help build the most compelling case possible.
Types of Cases We Handle
At Bross, McAllister & Williams, LLC, we accept clients involved in a variety of accidents in Gwinnett County. We are in the personal injury business to help as many people as we can. We take cases in the main practice areas of personal injury, premises liability, product liability, workplace accidents, and wrongful death. Our lawyers can help you recover compensation for medical expenses, property damage, and pain and suffering incurred after:
- Car accidents
- Construction accidents and work injuries
- Dog attacks
- Slip and fall
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Wrongful death
- Work injuries
Contact Our Law Firm and Recover Compensation For Your Injuries
Getting into an accident that causes personal injuries can lead to dozens of questions: Who is responsible? Do you have to pay for your own medical care? How do you seek justice against the at-fault party? At Bross, McAllister & Williams, LLC, we can answer your questions and provide legal advice and guidance during a free case review. Request yours online today or call our office at (770) 225-4710 to schedule a free no-obligation case evaluation. we represent clients throughout Gwinnett County including Lawrenceville, Peachtree Corners, Suwanee, Norcross, and more.