People are often hesitant to begin a personal injury lawsuit because they are known to be time-consuming, frustrating, and emotionally draining. However, a personal injury lawsuit might be the best way to recover compensation to pay for your damages.
You should file a personal injury lawsuit for several reasons. First, injured victims are often left with very expensive bills and losses. Medical bills, lost wages, and the cost of replacing destroyed property can add up to a very large sum of money. Second, you deserve closure and a sense of justice after the defendant is held liable. Liable defendants must pay for your claims, including special and general damages. To recover damages, you must have evidence to prove your claims. The type of evidence you need might vary based on your circumstances, and an attorney can help you determine what you need to win your case.
You deserve compensation if you were injured because of someone else’s negligent or intentional behavior. Our Macon, GA personal injury attorneys can help you file a personal injury lawsuit against those responsible for your injuries. Call Howe Law at (844) 876-4357 for a free case review.
Why You Should File a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Macon, GA
People are sometimes a bit confused as to what constitutes a personal injury. People sometimes think of “personal injury” as a catch-all for general losses people experience after accidents. In reality, a personal injury must involve some bodily harm. This means that if someone slashed the tires on your car, but you were unharmed, you do not have a personal injury case. Even so, damages for destroyed property can be brought alongside a personal injury case if you were injured.
You should consider filing a personal injury lawsuit because the person who hurt you should not be allowed to get away with it. Personal injuries are not always criminal offenses. If someone hurt you by causing a car accident, there is a chance that person will not be criminally prosecuted. A civil personal injury lawsuit is sometimes the only way injured victims can get justice and closure.
Finally, personal injury victims’ losses and financial costs are often quite high. Injuries come at a high price from medical bills to lost wages due to missing work. Our Macon, GA personal injury attorneys can help you file a lawsuit so you can recover compensation to pay for all your damages.
Damages Available in Macon, GA Personal Injury Lawsuits
Your damages encompass all the injuries and losses that stem from your injuries. While many damages are economical and determined by their actual monetary value, other damages are more subjective and based on the plaintiffs’ personal experiences with their injuries. Our Macon, GA personal injury attorneys know how to accurately calculate damages to get plaintiffs the most compensation possible.
Special damages include all your financial losses related to your injuries. Medical bills are often significant and should always be included in your special damages. Many plaintiffs are so badly injured that they expect to receive ongoing medical treatment for a long time, sometimes forever. In such cases, you can estimate the cost of your future medical expenses and add it to your special damages.
General damages are less precise and more subjective. Your emotional and physical pain and suffering might be significant sources of special damages. These damages can be calculated by evaluating their impact on your daily life. Typically, the greater the impact of general damages, the more they are worth. You can also claim things like humiliation if the nature of your injury was very embarrassing. You can also claim damage to your personal or professional reputation in your community.
Punitive damages are meant to serve as a costly punishment to defendants whose behavior was particularly outrageous or shocking. Under Georgia Code § 51-12-5.1(b), the court might award punitive damages if our Macon, GA personal injury lawyers can prove by clear and convincing evidence that the defendant’s actions constituted willful misconduct, fraud, malice, oppression, wantonness, or such a lack of care or concern as to lead to a presumption of conscious indifference. Damages are capped at $250,000. Take note that even if you win punitive damages, 75% of these damages go towards the state’s treasury.
Evidence to Prove Your Claims in a Personal Injury Case in Macon, GA
Personal injury lawsuits turn on evidence. The more evidence you have to back up your claims, the better for your case. If we have strong enough evidence, the defendant might be willing to reach a settlement agreement and pay your damages out of court to avoid a trial they know they will lose.
The evidence you need will depend on how you were injured and the unique circumstances of your case. Often, our Macon, GA personal injury lawyers look for photos and videos from the scene of the injury. This is especially common in car accident cases because people often photograph the damage to their vehicle for insurance purposes. The same things can be done for personal injuries.
We can also use physical evidence to prove your claim. For example, if someone assaulted you with a weapon, showing the weapon to a jury in court will help us hold the defendant liable. Lots of items and objects might be considered important physical evidence, including clothing, personal belongings, objects, and almost anything else. It is important to speak to an attorney about your case in great detail because there could be evidence you would never imagine looking for, but your lawyer will know what to do.
How a Macon, GA Attorney Can Help Your Personal Injury Case
There are innumerable reasons to hire skilled personal injury attorneys to help with your lawsuit. First, your attorney will know how to file your case., Filing the case is not as simple as it sounds. We must prepare important details and paperwork to submit to the court by specific deadlines. If certain rules and formats are not followed, your case could be rejected.
Your lawyer will also have the skills and knowledge necessary to effectively argue the case in court. We do not live in a perfect world where justice always prevails no matter what. Justice must be fought for and won, and your attorney must know the rules and have the knowledge needed to secure justice. This involves arguing over evidence and facts and using legal strategies to your advantage.
You might reach a settlement agreement if your case does not make it to a courtroom. These are private agreements made between the parties outside the courtroom. Typically, the defendant will agree to pay for some of the plaintiff’s damage, and the plaintiff agrees to drop their case against the defendant. Settlements do not happen automatically and must be negotiated. Our Macon, GA personal injury attorneys know how to effectively negotiate, so plaintiffs get the most compensation possible.
Call Our Macon, GA Personal Injury Lawyers for Help with your Case
If you experienced bodily injuries because of the negligent or wrongful actions of another, our Macon, GA personal injury lawyers can help you put your life back together. For a free case review, call Howe Law at (844) 876-4357.