At the Griffin Law Firm, we get a lot of questions about Atlanta personal injury lawsuits. We answer some of the most frequently asked questions here, but if you need further information, don't hesitate to call us at 877-PAIN-LAW to schedule a free initial consultation with an attorney.
What's your injury case worth?
Knowing the value of your case gives you a goal. Hiring the Griffin Law Firm gives you the legal representation needed to achieve the goal of a great settlement. Submit your personal injury case to our firm using our free Settlement Calculator to find out.
What are our personal injury practice areas?
Auto Accident Claims: The Griffin Law Firm's experienced auto accident personal injury claims have a track record of amazing auto accident settlements and verdicts. The value of your auto accident injury claim is based on the severity of your injuries, the cost of your medical expenses, the amount of your lost wages, and the extent of your pain and suffering.
Truck Accident Claims: You need our top-rated truck accident personal injury lawyers if you are seriously injured in a big truck accident. Since there are complex trucking laws and regulations, it is essential to get an experienced truck accident attorney. Often the driving history of the truck driver, the maintenance records for the truck, the driving logs, and the company policies play a vital role in winning your truck accident case. Our experienced truck accident lawyers can deliver the personal injury recovery that you need and deserve.
Motorcycle Accident Claims: Motorcycle accidents almost always involve serious injury or death due to the high risks associated with riding a motorcycle. When a car or truck hits a motorcycle, there is no such thing as a "fender bender." Often the motorcyclist is sliding down the road or highway in danger of being struck by other vehicles around them. The talented motorcycle accident lawyers at the Griffin Law Firm have a track record of great motorcycle accident settlements and verdicts.
Slip and Fall Claims: Slip and fall personal injury claims are often harder to prove than other types of personal injury claims. Why? Because the claimant must prove that the property owner or occupier either knew about or should have known about the slippery or defect that caused their fall. The knowledgeable slip and fall attorneys at the Griffin Law Firm know how to handle the unique challenges involved in slip and fall claims and win.
Dog Bite Claims: The dog bite claims can be very difficult to win without great legal representation. The attorneys at the Griffin Law Firm have had great success handling dog bite personal injury claims. If the dog has never bitten before, it may be hard to win your case. However, our dog bite lawyers have consistently won great dog bite settlements and verdicts when the dog is not on a leash or inside a fence. Don't risk your dog bite case to inexperienced personal injury lawyers. You need the extra protection that comes with over 28 years of winning dog bite claims across Georgia.
What types of personal injury claims does the Griffin Law Firm Handle?
The team at the Griffin Law Firm in Atlanta handles a wide range of personal injury and accident cases. This list is representative but not exhaustive of the types of cases we handle.
- Aviation accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Boating accidents
- Bus accidents
- Dog bites
- Medical malpractice
- Motorcycle accidents
- Negligent security
- Nursing home accidents or abuse
- Pedestrian accidents
- Premise liability
- Truck accidents
- Public transit accidents
- Rideshare accidents
- Train accidents
Why should you hire the Griffin Law Firm?
Attorney Richard Griffin founded the Griffin Law Firm to provide the best possible customer service while delivering excellent results and that's exactly what our firm delivers. The best way to know how we are doing is to review the firm's rating in the following categories:
What's the difference between a claim and a lawsuit?
Many people interchange the words personal injury claim and lawsuit, which can be confusing to a certain extent. All personal injury lawsuits were once claims, but not all personal injury claims become lawsuits.
Claims are legal demands for compensation. This means a demand letter is sent, typically, to an insurance company for payment following an accident. There can be negotiations, an investigation, and more before a settlement is offered.
Lawsuits, on the other hand, are legal actions. This means the claim is decided in court and involves one party, the plaintiff, suing another party, the defendant, for compensation. Though a settlement can still be negotiated prior to trial, the claim becomes a lawsuit once it enters the court system.
Do you have to go to court for a personal injury claim in Georgia?
No, filing a case in court and going through the court process are not required in every personal injury claim. In fact, a large majority of personal injury claims settle prior to filing a case in court or before a trial if a case must be filed.
A trial in a personal injury case is often the last resort for all parties involved because of the increased costs associated with a trial. Unfortunately, insurance companies and negligent parties do not always present fair offers for settlement, so a trial is always a possibility following an accident.
What types of damages could you receive in Georgia for a personal injury claim?
The common types of damages available for recovery in a personal injury claim include economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages are intended to compensate you for your losses from the accident, such as medical expenses, lost wages, and property damages.
Non-economic damages are intended to compensate you for the pain and suffering experienced during and after the accident and any loss of your ability to enjoy your life. In some cases, you might also be entitled to punitive damages for especially careless or reckless actions of the responsible parties. The amount and specific types of damages available in a personal injury claim vary significantly based on the case's circumstances.
Can you still recover compensation in Georgia if you contributed to the Injury?
Your role in causing an accident could potentially limit or bar your recovery of damages in a personal injury claim depending on where the accident occurred. Generally, in settlement negotiations or if the case goes to trial, the parties will argue the percentage of fault of all parties. If you are determined to be partly at fault for the accident, any damage award could be limited by your percentage of fault.
In some states, if you are found more than 50 percent at fault or responsible in any percentage, you could be barred from recovering any damages, no matter how significant your damages were following the accident. This is why hiring a Georgia personal injury attorney is imperative.
What happens to your personal injury claim if you have a pre-existing condition?
Pre-existing conditions can play a substantial part in a personal injury case. In general, you are not entitled to compensation for pre-existing injuries that were not affected in the accident. However, you could be entitled to damages if your pre-existing condition was exacerbated or aggravated by the accident.
Proving an exacerbation or aggravation commonly requires determining the severity of the pre-existing condition prior to and following the accident. As such, pre-existing conditions often lead to significant contention from insurance companies.
Do you need a personal injury lawyer if you are hurt in an auto accident in Atlanta, Georgia?
You are not required to have a personal injury lawyer following an accident; however, a lawyer could explain your legal options and help secure a more favorable result. Often, insurance companies will try to take advantage of unrepresented individuals in the claim process with low settlement offers.
A Georgia personal injury lawyer understands the value of a case and when an offer is appropriate for the damage and harm caused in an accident. Additionally, a lawyer could handle the complex court process through its conclusion if a claim does not settle prior to the state deadline for filing a claim.
How much will a personal injury or Accident Attorney Cost with our Atlanta injury law firm?
The Griffin Law Firm handles personal injury claims on a contingency basis, which means that you only pay an attorney fee if you will your case. The contingency fee rates are listed below:
- Settlement Before Litigation: If we settle your case before filing a lawsuit, our attorney fee is one third of the total settlement.
- Recovery During Litigation: If we settle or obtain a jury verdict after the filing of a lawsuit, our attorney fee is 40%.
Our firm fights for the best possible personal injury recovery for our clients. Then we negotiate medical bill reductions to maximize your net recovery. Because we have 28 plus years of experience and an excellent reputation, most of our personal injury claims settle without litigation which keeps the attorney fee and case costs low and resolves your case very quickly. However, the adjuster negotiations unfairly, we are ready to proceed with litigation to allow a jury to determine the value of your personal injury claim.
What happens if you file a lawsuit after the Statute of Limitations?
When the insurer does not settle, and you want to file a lawsuit, you must do so within your state's timeframe as outlined in the relevant statute of limitations. Insurance adjusters know this, and many will take advantage of it. They may try to stall or lead you on with promises they never intend to fulfill. By the time you catch on and try to file, time is up.
Meeting with a personal injury lawyer in Georgia soon after you suffer the injury, even if only for a consultation, can help you understand your rights and give you an opportunity to ask about deadlines. If you do not file timely, you may miss your chance to receive just and fair compensation.
Can you recover a personal injury settlement and a workers' compensation settlement from the same accident?
- Yes, you can if the claimant was on-the-job when injured in an accident caused by someone who is not a co-worker.
- Personal injury claims arise when someone is hurt due to someone else's negligence.
- Workers' compensation claims occur when an employee is injured in a work accident while doing his job duties for their employer.
- Workers' compensation claims are usually the only claim you can have against your employer for on-the-job injuries. This is often referred to as the "Exclusive Remedy Defense."
Attorney Richard Griffin appeared on Atlanta Plugged In to discuss how injured claimants can have a personal injury claim and a workers' compensation claim from the same accident. He shares three cases in which he and his top-rated injury law firm did just that for three very happy clients.
-
Ambulance Driver: We recovered combined settlements totaling $105,000 as outlined below:
- Personal Injury Settlement: $80,000
- Workers' Compensation Settlement: $25,000
-
Delivery Driver: We recovered settlements totaling $330,000 as outlined below:
- Personal Injury Settlement: $250,000
- Workers' Compensation Settlement: $80,000
-
Truck Driver: We negotiated settlements that totaled $475,000 as outlined below:
- Personal Injury Settlement: $350,000
- Workers' Compensation Settlement: $125,000
Contact The Griffin Law Firm For A Free Consultation
We have advocated for our Georgia clients for decades. There's no need to handle these difficult matters of law all alone. Call us at 877-PAIN-LAW or use our Contact Us form below for free consultation and claim evaluation.
Griffin Law Firm Social Media Links
The Griffin Law Firm posts regularly to Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube. Click the GLF Social Media button below for all our Social Media page links:
