Were you or a loved one injured in Georgia?

Finding a lawyer with the right background is crucial. Our personal injury attorneys specialize in most types of accident cases.

Accidents happen all of the time, usually without warning and at the worst possible time. Accidents are a daily part of life. But the term “accident” is often misleading since it implies that the injury-causing event was somehow inevitable, chance or bad luck—when the reality is that many accidents are preventable.

In Atlanta and throughout Georgia, individuals who suffer physical, emotional and financial harm because of the negligent or reckless actions of another person or company can file a personal injury lawsuit in civil court. These injured individuals are referred to as “plaintiffs,” and they can seek “damages” or compensation from the defendant.

Have you been in an accident or suffered an injury caused by someone else’s negligence? Contact the team at Julian Lewis Sanders & Associates for your free consultation. Our team has successfully represented thousands of accident victims and obtained over $100 million in verdicts and settlements for a wide variety of serious and catastrophic injury cases.

Car accident

Car crashes are the biggest category of personal injury lawsuits. Each year, hundreds of people are killed in fatal car wrecks in Georgia alone, and thousands more are seriously injured. Whatever the cause of your car accident—drunk driving, distracted driving, road rage, reckless driving, etc.—the at-fault driver may be liable for injuries.

Truck accident

Collisions involving tractor-trailers, semi-trucks, 18-wheelers and other commercial vehicles are particularly deadly due to their large size and massive weight. Atlanta’s network of interstates and booming economy makes it a particularly dangerous city for truck accidents. Truck crash injury litigation is complicated for several reasons.

Motorcycle accident

Motorcyclists are especially vulnerable to catastrophic injuries and death in the event of a crash since they have less protection than other motorists. Some of the most common motorcycle wreck injuries include road rash, traumatic brain injury (TBI), paralysis, internal bleeding, organ damage and broken bones. Negative social stigma against motorcyclists often complicates litigation.

Wrongful death

If your spouse, parent, child or another loved one paid the ultimate price for someone’s negligence, then you may be able to file a wrongful death claim. While no amount of money can make up for your loss, compensation for funeral expenses, lost future earnings, loss of consortium and other damages can help provide financial security to you and your family during this difficult time.

Work injury

Most employees in Georgia are covered by the state’s workers’ compensation system, which helps injured workers get fast financial help for medical bills and lost wages arising from a work-related injury or occupational illness. If you or a loved one are hurt on the job, it’s important to understand your rights and responsibilities.

Construction accident

The construction industry is booming in Atlanta, but this unprecedented growth has a dark side. Construction workers face some of the highest occupational injury and fatality rates of any occupation. What’s more, unsuspecting pedestrians and motorists may be hurt by falling debris or in collisions when traveling through a construction site.

Premises liability
(slip and fall)

In Georgia, property owners have a duty to keep their premises safe and warn people of hazards. The specific duty owed depends on a number of factors such as the category of the visitor (licensee, invitee or trespasser). Slip and fall premises liability claims commonly arise against businesses like grocery stores, restaurants, bars, retail stores and malls.

Product liability
(defective product)

Manufacturers, producers and distributors of products have a duty to reasonably warn consumers about hazards and not sell a product that is known to cause harm. If a company violates this obligation, it may be liable for any injuries and damages that result. These companies often pay teams of lawyers to dispute injury claims, which is why victims need expert representation.

Nursing home
negligence

Nursing homes have a high standard of care to ensure the health and safety of their residents. If your loved one was abused, neglected or taken advantage of in a nursing home, senior center or long-term care facility, meet with a knowledgeable nursing home negligence attorney immediately to discuss your legal rights and take steps to protect your family member.

What is personal injury law?

Personal injury is a broad category of tort law that applies to civil cases involving bodily injury and property damage. Generally, personal injury law can allow an injured person to file a civil lawsuit and seek compensation for damages caused by an accident or other incident. “Negligence” is the legal basis for most personal injury torts. It is defined as when a person fails to exercise a required duty of care, and someone is injured as a result.

The goal of a personal injury lawsuit is not to get rich, but rather to financially restore the injured person to where they would have been had the accident never happened in the first place. While no amount of money can erase the pain and loss accident victims face following a serious injury or death, it can help provide some measure of justice and accountability.

In other words: personal injury law helps hold negligent individuals and companies accountable for the financial damage they caused the injury victims.

People often wish to know the potential value of their case from the get-go. While this is understandable, unfortunately, calculating this number is not so simple. Each case is different and no attorney can ethically estimate the value of your injury claim until they’ve had a chance to speak with you and learn a few key details such as how severely you were injured, your degree of fault, insurance coverage limitations and other important factors.

Ultimately, there’s no such thing as an “average” personal injury settlement because the actual damages depend on many unique factors in each and every case.

How long do I have to file a personal injury lawsuit?

Georgia places a strict time limit on civil cases (known as the “statute of limitations”). In most personal injury claims, including auto accidents, wrongful death and medical malpractice, you have 2 years from the date of the injury or accident in which to submit your claim. If you miss this deadline, you may be forever barred from filing a lawsuit for this injury.

That said, it’s important to note that there are several exceptions to Georgia’s statute of limitations that can either shorten or lengthen this time period. For this reason, it’s important that you speak with a personal injury attorney with extensive experience as soon as possible after discovering an injury or the loss of a loved one to learn about your rights.

What are the steps in a personal injury lawsuit?

Consultation

Generally, a personal injury lawsuit begins when the plaintiff (the injured person or the loved one of a deceased person) meets with a personal injury attorney near them.

Documentation

Once you’ve chosen an attorney to represent you and signed the contract, the lawyer will immediately begin investigating your case and building a collection of strong evidence to support your claim. The attorney will also begin collecting financial information, any necessary police reports, and medical records to calculate your monetary compensation.

Negotiation

Next, your attorney will typically enter into settlement negotiations with the defendant (the person or company who caused your injury, or their defense attorneys or insurer) by sending a demand letter to all appropriate parties.

Filing

If the defendant refuses to settle or submits a “low-ball” settlement offer that isn’t enough to cover your expenses, a personal injury attorney will begin the formal litigation process by filing a lawsuit with the appropriate local civil court.

Discovery

Before the trial, both sides will meet to exchange evidence and documents in a last-ditch effort to resolve a case before trial. Your attorney should also use this time to make sure that your case is airtight and look for any potential additional compensation.

Trial

If negotiation fails, your personal injury case will go before a judge and jury, where both sides will have a chance to present their evidence—including testimony from expert witnesses. The judge or jury will determine a verdict.

Appeal

If a verdict is reached in favor of the other side, you may be able to appeal the decision if certain procedural rules were not properly followed. It’s vital you consult with an attorney should you choose to appeal a ruling.

While nobody can honestly and ethically say what your odds are of winning your case without first knowing the specific details of your injury, what evidence exists to support your claim and other factors, studies have shown that individuals who are represented who obtain professional legal representation have much higher rates of success compared to those who choose to represent themselves. What’s more, the awards secured for accident victims are often much higher when the plaintiff hires a lawyer.

Generally speaking, there 2 possible outcomes in your personal injury lawsuit:

Litigation. Should your case proceed to a formal trial in civil court, a judge or jury will hear arguments from both sides and review evidence, then issue a verdict. If the plaintiff’s side makes the better argument, then the judge or jury will issue an award ruling. If the defendant makes a better argument, then the plaintiff’s request for compensation will be denied.

Settlement. Going to trial is a costly and time-consuming endeavor for all parties, which is why people typically try to settle their personal injury dispute before formal litigation takes place. Informal negotiation takes place in mediation or arbitration, as well as in the pre-trial process during discovery. If both parties can agree on a settlement amount, they may be able to avoid litigation.

A vast majority of accident lawsuits settle out of court —as much as 95 percent of all personal injury cases, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Nevertheless, it is beneficial for accident victims to seek representation from an experienced attorney with a good reputation as a skilled trial lawyer since this can improve your leverage during settlement negotiations with insurance companies and defendant attorneys.

How much does it cost to hire a personal
injury lawyer?

The cost of hiring an attorney varies from firm to firm, as well as from case to case. For example, some personal injury cases might require extensive legal legwork and hiring expert witnesses, while others can be settled quickly with a few strategic phone calls or meetings.

Most legal teams charge a fee for their services that is subtracted from the final settlement or award—this way the client doesn’t have to pay for most legal fees out-of-pocket. Some firms offer contingency fee arrangements, meaning that their fee is contingent (or dependent) on successfully resolving your case. If they aren’t successful and you don’t recover financial compensation, then you can walk away without owing any legal fees.

What's more, most reputable personal injury law firms offer free initial consultations so that you can learn more about your legal rights and get to know the individual who would be representing you at no cost.

Do I need a personal injury lawyer?

If you or a loved one were seriously injured by a negligent person, property owner, or company, the answer to this question is almost always yes. Some people wish to avoid paying legal professionals and attempt to handle their injury claim themselves; however, there are benefits to hiring professional legal representation, especially in cases involving catastrophic injury and death.

For starters, one slight misstep or missed deadline in your lawsuit could cost you thousands and bring your case to an abrupt end. The negligent party will likely have the legal counsel of the insurance company or their own defense lawyer who intends to exploit any and all weaknesses of your case to get out of paying fair compensation.

By hiring a personal injury law firm with the right experience and expertise, you can ensure that you have a knowledgeable legal advocate in your corner who will not only anticipate and intercept these weaknesses but also build a strong case that ensures you get not just a fair settlement, but the maximum compensation possible.

Meet your Georgia injury attorney

Julian Lewis Sanders founded The Law Offices of Julian Lewis Sanders and Associates in 2003. The firm proudly serves the communities of Georgia in personal injury law.

“Growing up in a military family, I learned the importance of dedication and honor early, which established a foundation for my eventual
law career.”

Meet Julian Sanders

Excellent! Some time ago, my wife found out about Julian Sanders, and she hired their services as our legal representatives in court. They helped us in getting the compensation due to us. I can never thank them enough. – Jastin Clark

We want to help you. Give us a chance to listen to your needs, answer your questions, and show you how we will take swift strategic action to help right the wrong that has been done to you.

Contact Our Team Today!

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PERSONAL INJURY

A serious accident can bring your life to a screeching halt. At The Law Offices of Julian Lewis Sanders & Associates, we understand the physical, emotional and financial toll a catastrophic personal injury or wrongful death can have on you and your family for months and years to come. We know because we’ve helped hundreds of clients in Atlanta and across Georgia recover millions of dollars in compensation.

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