Personal Injury Attorney Valdosta

If you have been involved in a serious accident, seek the advice of a personal injury lawyer Valdosta as soon as possible to protect your claim. An experienced attorney will know how to investigate a claim and gather the evidence needed to build a strong case. The personal injury lawyers at the Ferguson Law Group have years of experience handling complex personal injuries cases and have a proven track record for successfully taking on insurance companies and defense attorneys. We will not back down until our client receives the compensation and justice they deserve.

Why Hire a Personal Injury Attorney?

An experienced attorney will know how to perform a thorough investigation and hire the right experts to help ensure full compensation in a personal injury claim. Investigating a claim can include obtaining police reports, medical records, photographs of the scene of the accident, photos of property damage, speaking with eyewitnesses, and meeting with an economist, accident reconstructionist, and medical professionals.

Damages in a Personal Injury Case

In a personal injury case, the accident victim can recover damages for past and future medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, and pain and suffering, among other types of damages.

Damages for medical expenses can be determined by billing statements, in addition to testimony of physicians or other medical professionals.

Expert Testimony

In many cases, an expert, such as an economist, can determine the amount of future wage loss and medical expenses, however, no expert can testify to the dollar amount placed on pain and suffering.

Calculating Non-Economic Damages

The most significant element of a plaintiff’s damages in a personal injury claim is pain and suffering and it includes emotional distress.

Contrary to popular belief, there’s no surefire way to calculate an accident victim’s pain and suffering damages and it tends to vary greatly from case to case depending on the severity of the injuries, the location of the case, as well as how the case is presented.

An accident victim is entitled to recover damages in a personal injury case as long as they can prove another entity or person is at fault and caused their injuries.

The spouse of the accident victim can also bring their suit for loss of consortium damages.

What to do After an Accident

The moments following an accident, such as a slip and fall, can be overwhelming and confusing. The most important thing is to look after your safety and health in the aftermath. If you’ve been involved in a car accident, truck accident,  pedestrian accident, motorcycle accident, or another type of accident where you may be at risk of getting injured by another vehicle while you wait for help to arrive, find a safe location away from traffic.

Protect Your Claim

To preserve your rights, there are many steps you must take after an accident.

At the scene of the accident, take photos of any vehicles involved, damage that was caused by the accident, such as property damage, photos of your injuries, and the injuries of anyone involved in the accident, and anything that could have contributed to the accident such as debris in the road, inclement weather, and missing traffic signs or broken stoplights.

Documentation

Next, document the details of the accident, writing down exactly what happened using as much detail as possible. Include important identifying information such as descriptions, license plates, and names. Write down what others involved in the accident said.

Obtain the contact information of any eyewitnesses who saw the accident and note what they saw.

Once the police have arrived, file a police report.

Tell the responsible party that you will file a claim for personal injuries and property damage.

Medical Treatment

Seek medical attention as soon as possible.

Regardless of the type of accident you’ve been in, seeking medical treatment should be your priority. While your injuries may seem minor at first, some symptoms may not be apparent for several hours or days following the accident. You do not want a gap in the time from the accident until you receive medical treatment. An insurance company will use this time gap to claim that you were injured after the accident occurred. Following the accident, head to the emergency room for a medical evaluation.

A competent physician will be able to perform a thorough exam to properly assess your injuries and recommend treatment. After your initial exam in the emergency room, you will be required to follow up with your primary care physician. Do not miss this appointment. Your regular physician will be able to assess your condition further and recommend any specialized treatment necessary. Your medical records will be used as evidence in your claim.

Because of this, it’s crucial that you follow your physician’s instructions closely, make every doctor’s appointment, and take the prescribed medication.

Contact a Valdosta Personal Injury Lawyer

After you have received the appropriate medical treatment, contact a knowledgeable and experienced Valdosta personal injury lawyer at the Ferguson Law Group. Our Valdosta accident lawyers will advise you regarding how to pursue a personal injury claim and can guide you through this type of complex legal process.

Hiring an attorney can have a major impact on the settlement amount you recover. Studies have shown that the average accident victim can receive a settlement that’s 3.5 times larger with legal representation than without it. In a Valdosta personal injury case, legal representation can make a huge difference in the accident victim’s recovery.

Investigating the Accident

Our personal injury lawyers will carefully investigate your claim, identifying the elements that are needed to prove your injuries were caused by someone’s negligence or wrongdoing. Depending on the details of the case, we may bring in experts, such as accident reconstruction specialists, private investigators, economists, medical professionals, or other experts needed to analyze your injuries and the accident.

Our Valdosta personal injury attorneys will then carefully document who is at fault and the effects your injuries have had on every aspect of your life.

What Not to do After an Accident

Never admit fault. Immediately following an accident, the accident victim is often in shock and feels disoriented. They may also feel compelled to apologize for the accident even when they’re not to blame. For some people, this is simply a reflex. Unfortunately, admitting fault after an accident can negatively impact your ability to make a claim. Instead of admitting fault or assuming the blame, work with the police officers on the scene to create an accurate description of the events that happened.

Never accept a settlement prematurely. Because of the delayed nature of some types of injuries, it’s best to complete medical treatment for the injuries you sustained in the accident and be fully healed before you consider settling. Otherwise, you may miss some symptoms or expenses, losing your right to fair compensation.

Statute of Limitations

The statute of limitations on personal injury claims can vary by state. In the state of Georgia, the statute of limitations for personal injury cases is two years from the date of the accident. A personal injury case can become harder to pursue the longer you put off filing a claim. Generally, it’s always best to proceed with a claim as soon as possible while the details of the accident remain fresh in your mind and the evidence is more readily available and easier to obtain. Evidence can fade over time or may become lost. A case can also take several weeks or months to investigate.

Contact a Personal Injury Attorney at the Ferguson Law Group Today

If you have recently been injured in a personal injury accident, time is of the essence. Contact one of our top personal injury lawyers at the Ferguson Law Group today to schedule a consultation. At your consultation, we will discuss your case, review the facts, and go over what your legal options are. Don’t put off contacting an attorney today. Meet with one of our experienced personal injury lawyers and find out how the team at the Ferguson Law Group can help you hold the negligent party responsible for your damages.

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