Personal Injury Settlements

When you think of personal injury cases, you may think back to television shows or movies that showed injured car accident victims testifying in court while wearing a neck brace. Many people associate lawsuits with courtrooms, however, very few personal injury lawsuits ever make it to the trial stage. Statistics indicate that about 96 percent of personal injury claims get resolved much earlier in the process by reaching a settlement agreement.

A skilled personal injury lawyer will know how to skillfully negotiate to obtain the settlement agreement a client deserves. Settlements can be reached during the pretrial stages of litigation, or even directly with the insurance company before a lawsuit is ever filed. Too many injured people try to handle their claims on their own and end up with a settlement that is far too low to cover their losses. It is critical to have the help of an experienced personal injury lawyer even if your case never makes it to court.

One of the key mistakes that accident victims make is underestimating the full amount of their damages. As part of your insurance claim or lawsuit, you must claim how much money you deserve based on your injury-related losses. The insurance company or defense attorney will look at this number, and then will likely offer you much less. It is essential to start off with an amount that reflects your past and future losses, and the right attorney will know how to calculate damages for the following:

• Medical bills for emergency treatment, hospitalization, doctor's appointments, physical therapy, medications, home health care, surgeries, and more.
• Costs of the medical care you will need in the future for lasting injuries.
• Income you lost from missing work during your recovery.
• Future earnings and benefits you will lose if you cannot return to your previous job
• Physical and mental pain and suffering.
• Permanent disfigurement, impairments, and disabilities.
• Loss of enjoyment of life due to your injuries.

Without the right lawyer, you may not realize you can seek compensation for all of these losses, or you may not know how to calculate and prove future losses. Our law firm regularly works with medical, occupational, and financial experts who help us accurately forecast your future losses to include them in your claim.

Insurance companies will often tell you that you do not need a personal injury lawyer for the claim process. This is because these companies have many tactics they use to limit liability and payouts whenever they can, and this is easier with unrepresented claimants. Insurance adjusters may do any or all of the following:

• Get you to make recorded statements against your interest
• Challenge the severity of your injuries
• Allege liability on your part for the accident
• Convince you that you can trust them (you cannot)
• Convince you to accept a settlement that is far too low

Hiring an attorney can increase a settlement amount for a few reasons:

An attorney brings legitimacy. Hiring an attorney raises the bar on even seemingly minor cases. Once attorneys are involved, insurance companies and defendants know you mean business and that their tactics to try to get you to accept a lowball offer will no longer work.

An attorney brings efficiency. Generally, if one side gets an attorney, the other side will do the same. While this may seem like an escalation of the conflict, it actually will make the whole process go much smoother. Delays can be reduced and the case may be resolved in a more efficient manner. Communications will be streamlined and you will not have to worry about missing key deadlines during the legal process.

Litigation is a real threat. Having legal representation can legitimize the threat that the case may escalate to a lawsuit or even go to trial if a favorable settlement is not offered. Having an attorney with a reputation as an effective trial attorney may cause the other side to back down even faster.

No one wants to go to trial, but it is important to have a personal injury attorney who knows how to fight for the compensation you need and deserve. Our lawyers at Slappey & Sadd know how to negotiate with insurers and adverse parties, presenting evidence of the strength of your claim, and reaching a favorable settlement agreement whenever possible.

More than likely, when you are in the midst of seeking a settlement, you are recovering from an extremely serious injury. Nothing makes it harder to heal than stress, and when you are involved in a contentious insurance claim or lawsuit, it may be difficult to remain calm enough to heal. Moreover, trying to represent yourself means re-visiting the facts of the event over and over again. If it was traumatic the first time, it may be no less traumatic to re-visit.

Hiring an attorney will allow you to step away from the cause of your injury. It will allow you to have the breathing room to focus on your health and recover from your injuries. It will allow you to move on from the past and look toward a brighter, calmer future with the financial recovery you deserve.

The personal injury claim process is not a simple one. Even if your case never goes to court, the process of obtaining a just settlement agreement can be challenging and stressful. You should never hesitate to consult with a skilled Atlanta personal injury lawyer who can represent your rights and interests and negotiate on your behalf. If you are in Fulton County, Cobb County, or anywhere in Georgia, the attorneys at Slappey & Sadd, LLC are ready to help. Call (404) 255-6677 today for your free consultation and let their experience and guidance take it from there.