A serious injury can dramatically alter the course of your life. Large medical bills and lengthy recovery periods may take up all of your time and be all you think about following a serious injury. Many victims of injuries caused by negligence just do not know where to start to get back on track.
That is where our lawyers come in. Our firm has represented many plaintiffs injured in negligence-based accidents, so we have the know-how and legal experience to fight effectively for you in court and beyond.
To get a free review of your case from our Marietta personal injury lawyers, call Howe Law at (844) 876-4357.
How Can a Kennesaw, GA Personal Injury Lawyer Help You?
Many people will know that they need professional legal help after they get injured but may not know what exactly our lawyers can do for them.
The first thing our lawyers will do is examine the facts and details of your case. This part of the legal process can also include gathering evidence from various sources, including hospitals, eyewitnesses, and even opposing counsel.
We can also talk to other parties, like insurance providers or opposing lawyers, so that you can focus on important things like recovering from your injuries.
Finally, we can form a strong argument for you to take to trial and can fight hard for you in court to get the justice and compensation you deserve.
Damages in Kennesaw, GA Personal Injury Cases
The goal of your personal injury suit is to receive damages from the defendant in order to better deal with your injuries and other effects of your particular accident. In your lawsuit, you ask for a particular amount in damages, but that amount is broken down in the filings explaining what exactly you are basing your damages on.
Medical Expenses
It almost goes without saying that personal injury lawsuits have medical expenses listed as a source of damages. Emergency surgery and other medical procedures, hospital stays, medication, and long-term care can easily balloon in cost to enormous amounts. Accordingly, you can have the defendant front those costs as compensatory damages.
Lost Earnings and Income
Another thing you can get damages for is lost income. There are a couple of ways that this happens. First, if you had to miss work because of your injuries, you can get compensated based on that lost opportunity to earn income. Second, if you had to move to a job that pays worse because of your injuries, you can get financial compensation based on the difference in income between your prior and current job. Finally, if your injuries are such that you can no longer work, your damages might be based on what your income would have been for the rest of your working career.
Pain and Suffering
Another major pillar of damages in personal injury lawsuits is “pain and suffering.” This refers to the actual, physical pain that you experienced from your injuries, as well as the mental/emotional toll they take on you. For example, if a compound fracture from a car accident was extremely painful, or if that accident left you with daily pain that will not go away, you can get compensated for that in court.
“Suffering” generally refers to the emotional damage personal injuries can have. An example of something that would fall under this category would be post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). For example, if you were in a truck accident and subsequently have recurring nightmares involving the accident happening all over again, you can get financial compensation for that.
Of course, things like “pain” or “distress” have no receipts that says how much they cost. For that reason, we will have to determine what a good value for these things is for your case and convince the court accordingly.
Lost Enjoyment of Life
You can also get damages for something called “lost enjoyment of life.” This generally refers to difficulty doing certain things that the plaintiff enjoyed doing or were easy/thoughtless to do prior to getting injured. For example, if the plaintiff was an avid biker, hiker, and outdoorsperson prior to getting injured but can no longer do those things, they can get damages based on the lost ability to live their life because of injuries.
This kind of damages is not just limited to recreational activities. If, say, your injuries are such that it is painful to get dressed in the morning, prepare food, or do other basic activities, that would also fall under this category of damages.
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages work differently in that their value is based on what the defendant did instead of your resulting condition. They are only awarded when they have acted particularly badly. If you are seeking these kinds of damages, you should speak about it with our personal injury lawyers to assess your situation more closely.
How Long Do I Have to Sue Someone in Kennesaw, GA?
You cannot wait forever to file a personal injury lawsuit in Georgia. Georgia, like all other states, has laws called statutes of limitation that determine how long you have to file a lawsuit for a given wrongdoing. If you try and file after the statutory period has “run,” courts will throw out your case and you will not get any damages.
In Georgia, the statute of limitations for the vast majority of personal injury cases is two years per O.G.C.A. § 9-3-33. A notable exception in this statute is injuries for “loss of consortium.” This refers to an “injury” due to the absence of love and companionship from a deceased spouse. Those lawsuits can be brought within four years of the injury.
Talk with Our Kennesaw, GA Personal Injury Lawyers Today
Howe Law’s personal injury lawyers are here to help with free case analyses when you call (844) 876-4357.
