After someone is injured, the road to recovery is not always easy or affordable. If you were injured because of another person’s negligent behavior, you can file a lawsuit to hold them accountable.
You should file a personal injury lawsuit if you were physically harmed or suffered bodily injuries because someone else caused an accident or inflicted your injuries. While a person might file a lawsuit for various reasons, a personal injury lawsuit must involve some bodily harm. You must also be mindful of Georgia’s statute of limitations on personal injury cases, which is only 2 years. You can recover economic damages for the money you lost or had to spend because of your injuries and non-economic damages for your subjective personal experience with your injuries. Our team can help you find the evidence you need to prove your claims and get compensation. Our attorneys can also help you prepare and file your complaint, develop legal strategies, and negotiate settlement agreements.
If you were hurt because of someone else’s poor behavior, our Columbus, GA personal injury lawyers can help you get justice. For a free case evaluation, call Howe Law at (844) 876-4357.
When to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Columbus, GA
As said above, an important element of personal injury cases is that the plaintiff suffered bodily injury. If you were not physically harmed but suffered some economic loss, you can still sue, but your case will legally not be a personal injury case. However, you can usually claim various losses, economic and non-economic, alongside your personal injury claims if they stem from the same incident.
Meeting with a lawyer as soon as possible after you are injured is a good idea. You only have a certain amount of time to file a lawsuit, and you lose your right to sue once this time passes. In Georgia, the statute of limitations on personal injury lawsuits under Georgia Code § 9-3-33 is 2 years. One might think this is plenty of time to begin a lawsuit, but it is a rather tight schedule.
While filing as soon as possible is ideal, it is not always realistic. You might be laid up in the hospital for a while, recovering from your injuries, and contacting an attorney might be difficult. If possible, you should ask a friend or family to contact an attorney on your behalf. Our Columbus, GA personal injury attorneys can work on your case while you focus on getting better.
Damages You May Recover in a Columbus, GA Personal Injury Lawsuit
Damages encompass the losses and injuries you sustained because of your injuries. Damages might be economic and relate to actual money lost, or non-economic and stem from your personal experiences surrounding your accident and injuries.
Economic damages can include almost any financial losses you incur because of your injuries. One of the most important examples of economic damages is your medical expenses. Even if you think you might not need medical treatment or your injuries are not serious, you should be checked out by a doctor, and any money you spend on medical costs should be paid for by the person who hurt you. Even people with health insurance that covers much of their medical expenses can claim the high deductible costs they must pay before insurance kicks in.
Non-economic damages are unique to your situation and experiences. They often do not cost plaintiffs any money but are serious enough to warrant financial compensation in a lawsuit. For example, many plaintiffs experience severe physical and emotional pain and suffering after being injured, and these negative experiences deserve compensation. Similarly, you can claim non-economic damages for humiliation, damage to your reputation, and similar experiences.
Evidence You Need for a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Columbus, GA
The scene of your accident and injuries is a good place to begin gathering evidence. People often take photos and record videos of the accident scene for insurance purposes, but these recordings can also be used as evidence in your personal injury lawsuit. Photos and videos help preserve the scene as it was immediately after the accident and before anyone comes along to clean things up. Important details about the accident and how you were injured might be preserved in these recordings.
Since your injuries take center stage in a personal injury lawsuit, we must have your medical records as evidence. These records can establish in court the extent and severity of your injuries. They can also shed light on medical costs and support your damages claim. We can even have your doctor testify as an expert about your injuries and give their expert opinion on how they occurred.
Physical evidence is also extremely important, although it will vary based on how you were injured. For example, physical evidence in a car accident case might include the damaged vehicles and things like tire marks on the pavement. If you were injured with a weapon, the weapon itself should be collected as physical evidence.
Witness testimony is crucial to any personal injury case. Having multiple witnesses testify in court and back up your version of events helps to lend credibility to your story. Additionally, witnesses might have information that even the plaintiff does not know. Our Columbus, GA personal injury attorneys can help you track down and talk to potential witnesses.
What Our Columbus Georgia Personal Injury Attorneys Can Do for You
Our Columbus, GA personal injury lawyers can help you with your lawsuit from start to finish. To begin, we can assist you in drafting and filing the complaint that kicks in your case. A complaint is a formal legal document and must conform to court standards and formats and contain specific details. If the complaint is lacking in any way, it might be rejected by the court.
Our team can also develop legal strategies and tactics most likely to help you win your case. The law is complex, and personal injury lawsuits are no exception. Each case is unique and requires an individualized approach using complex legal knowledge and our experience. Having all the right evidence is only half the equation; you also need a lawyer who knows how to use it.
Call Our Columbus, GA Personal Injury Lawyers for a Free Case Evaluation
If you were recently injured and believe another person is to blame, our Columbus, GA personal injury lawyers can help you hold them liable and get financial compensation. For a free case evaluation, call Howe Law at (844) 876-4357.
