Atlanta Personal Injury Attorney
If you or a loved one has been injured by the negligent actions of another person or a company, you have a right to recover compensation for your present and future medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages, and other legal damages. No one is above the law or above taking responsibility for causing you or your family harm. But, in order to recover for your injuries, you need to prove your case: Personal injury plaintiffs have the burden of showing that they were injured and that their injuries were caused by the negligence of another party, and they must demonstrate the extent and cost of those injuries. To maximize your damages and recover fully, you need a dedicated and experienced Atlanta personal injury attorney on your side, fighting on your behalf from day one.
Atlanta personal injury attorney Stacey Carroll has spent years helping Atlanta clients recover the damages they deserve after accidents across Georgia. He has gained a wealth of experience helping Atlanta personal injury clients, developing expertise in investigating and building the strongest possible cases for his clients to maximize their recovery. If you have been injured in an accident caused by someone else’s negligence, Atlanta lawyer Stacey Carroll is a name you can trust.
Dedicated personal injury firm helping a wide range of clients
At the Carroll Law Firm, we have years of experience fielding cases that run the gamut of personal injury matters. Atlanta personal injury attorney Stacey Carroll is familiar with all of the players in the Atlanta legal system, including the defense attorneys, the police, the courts, the doctors, the experts, and the litigation rules specific to Georgia and Atlanta. Our firm is prepared to help Atlanta residents or visitors with any personal injury negligence claims.
Comparative fault in Georgia
Georgia has what is known as a “modified comparative fault” regime in personal injury matters. Under Georgia rules, your total damages recovery will be offset by your percentage of fault in causing the accident that harmed you. If, for example, you have $10,000 in damages but a jury finds you were 20 percent at fault for causing the accident, then you can only recover $8,000. Moreover, if a jury finds that you were more than 50 percent at fault for the accident, you are ineligible for any recovery whatsoever. It is vital that you have a zealous Atlanta personal injury attorney in your corner to make the case that your fault in the matter is limited and heavily outweighed by the fault of the defendant.
Damages available in a personal injury matter
Georgia law allows plaintiffs to recover a variety of costs when suing after an accident. Whether you have been injured in a car accident, hurt by a defective product, slipped on a spill at a store, or suffered any other harm as a result of someone else’s negligence, there are generally three types of damages you can recover in a Georgia personal injury case: Economic, noneconomic, and punitive.
Plaintiffs can recover for purely economic damages, also called “special” damages, which are those damages that are easier to quantify. Economic losses are easiest to prove when plaintiffs keep all receipts and records relating to their injuries. Our personal injury firm excels at detail-oriented record-keeping for just this reason. Economic damages include:
- Medical bills and costs, both present and future
- Lost wages or income due to time off of work or disability
- Costs for prosthetics, rehabilitation, or other items needed for a full recovery
- Property damage, such as to your vehicle
- Any other out-of-pocket expenses incurred as a result of your injury
Plaintiffs are not limited to damages that are simple to quantify. Many personal injury cases involve harm that is harder to put a specific dollar value on but are no less real for injured victims. At the Carroll Law Firm, we have years of experience helping plaintiffs set a reasonable dollar value on noneconomic harm and fight to recover those damages as well. Noneconomic or “general” damages include the following:
- Pain and suffering
- Disfigurement
- Disability
- Loss of enjoyment
- Loss of companionship
- Emotional distress
Because these sorts of noneconomic damages are harder to pin down, recovery can vary wildly from case to case. One jury may place a much higher value on the emotional trauma associated with losing an arm, or with losing a loved one. Factors such as how serious are the injuries, how long full recovery will take, whether a full recovery is even possible, how much those injuries affect your daily life, and how much fault is apportioned to the other party are all relevant to the recovery of noneconomic damages. We will help you build your strongest case to maximize your damages.
Finally, Georgia plaintiffs can seek punitive damages in certain cases. Punitive damages are meant to punish especially egregious or reckless conduct by defendants; they are typically calculated by multiplying the compensatory damage award. In Georgia, punitive damages are capped at $250,000, 75% of which is paid into the state treasury. However, you can get around the damages cap if the defendant either acted intentionally (i.e., caused you harm on purpose) or was acting under the influence of mind-altering substances (for example, a drunk driver). Punitive damages must be requested in the initial complaint to be awarded.
Call Our Dedicated Atlanta Personal Injury Attorney for Help After an Accident
If another person or a company acted negligently and you or a loved one were harmed as a result, you are entitled to recover for your damages. We can help. Call the Carroll Law Firm at 404-816-4555 for a free consultation with a seasoned and effective Atlanta personal injury attorney.
