Yes, there are rights that you should protect after a personal injury accident in Atlanta, GA. Protecting your rights is as much about being aware of what is available to you as it is taking active steps to safeguard them. Rights you can exercise in the case of a personal injury accident include:
- Right to seek compensation
- Right to hire a lawyer
- Right to appeal a decision
- Right to hold insurance companies accountable
An experienced Atlanta personal injury lawyer will be able to help you protect your rights and pursue the compensation you deserve.
Your Right to Hire a Lawyer to Seek Compensation
If you’ve been injured as a result of someone else’s negligence, you have a right to seek compensation.
You also have the right to hire a lawyer to represent you in all your dealings with the other driver and the insurance company. Their sole job is to pursue the best outcome for you in your claim and protect your rights.
At the Dressie Law Firm, our team of litigators is available to see if we can help at no cost to you. We are only compensated after your case is settled or after a verdict in your favor and we will only be paid out of your settlement – never your own pocket.
Appealing a Decision
You have the right to appeal the verdict in your personal injury case or claim decision if you conclude that the result was unjust or incorrect. Connect with a personal injury attorney before initiating this process to ensure you have enough evidence to appeal.
There are a few factors that may cause you to want to exercise your right to appeal the decision. These may include:
- New evidence arises
- The opposing side was uncooperative
- Evidence was intentionally hidden, misconstrued or misinterpreted
- The law or insurance company policy was incorrectly applied to your case
If you and your personal injury attorney determine this is the best course of action to improve your outcome, you only have 30 days from the time of a judgment to appeal.
Holding Insurance Companies Accountable
The insurance companies of at-fault parties may not be cooperative in addressing and paying out your personal injury claim. Insurance companies are intent on paying the least they can in personal injury claims because expensive claim payments negatively impact their bottom line.
You have legal options to combat unfair treatment. Protect your rights to claim fair compensation for your injuries by holding insurance companies accountable. This may look like this:
- Hiring a professional personal injury attorney to negotiate on your behalf
- Calling out insurance companies who operate in bad faith
- Holding insurance companies accountable for failing to meet all documentation and payout deadlines
- Exposing insurance companies using illegal or misleading practices to devalue claims
- Declining low settlements in favor of pursuing higher compensation
Statues That Affect Personal Injury Claims in Georgia
Two key Georgia statutes often influence the way you can apply for compensation and how much you can recover. They are the statute of limitations and comparative fault doctrine.
Statute of Limitations
The statute of limitations is the deadline you have for filing a personal injury claim. You have two years from the date of the accident to file a claim. Some injury accidents are exempt from this because it may take medical professionals longer to assess the extent of harm or you don’t discover your injury until months or years after the event. In those cases, the countdown starts when the injury is discovered.
Additionally, in injury cases involving minors, the statute of limitations does not take effect until they reach the age of 18, so they would have all the years up to the age of 18 and two years after that to file.
Waiting to file a personal injury claim until after the statute of limitations will nullify the potential for you to receive compensation. Protect your rights by being proactive and taking quick action after an injury.
Comparative Fault Law in Georgia
Comparative fault law in Georgia is a system of assigning the liability for damages in percentages based on your portion of the fault in the accident.
Georgia uses a modified comparative fault standard that allows you to seek compensation if you were less than 50 percent at fault for your injury.
The Dressie Law Firm Protects the Rights of Atlanta Residents
You deserve to be supported on your path toward recovery. Let the Atlanta personal injury attorneys at the Dressie Law Firm represent you in pursuing just compensation and protecting your lawful rights. Connect with us for a free case evaluation by calling us at (678) 726-1429.