Statesboro Personal Injury Lawyer

Statesboro Personal Injury Lawyer

The term “personal injury” broadly applies to any incident in which one party’s actions result in harm to another party. This could be intentional or accidental, but regardless, if anyone else is responsible for harming you or a family member, it could form the basis for a personal injury claim. If you believe you have grounds for such a claim, it is vital to speak with a Statesboro personal injury lawyer as soon as possible.

Few injuries are expected, but an injury caused because someone was reckless or careless can be very unexpected and upsetting. An injury can also affect your whole life, preventing you from working while medical bills build up. This stressful financial situation is harder when your injury puts you in significant pain. When a person, business, or other entity is responsible for your injury, you can hold them legally and financially liable with a personal injury claim.

Personal injury claims may cover injuries from car accidents, crime victim injuries, defective products, and unsafe premises. Filing these claims can cover medical costs, lost income, pain and suffering, and other damages. It is less stressful to file a claim with the help of an experienced Statesboro personal injury attorney, and they may be able to increase the amount of compensation you get from the case.

The Merritt & Merritt Law Firm has years of professional experience representing injured clients in the Statesboro area and surrounding areas of Georgia with all types of personal injury cases, and we can apply this experience to your upcoming case. You can trust our team to take the time to get to know you and to develop a comprehensive, individualized case strategy aimed at helping you maximize your recovery.

For an Immediate Consultation call us at 912-764-3434

Why Choose the Merritt & Merritt Law Firm in Statesboro?

The Merritt & Merritt Law Firm has worked in the communities surrounding Statesboro for nearly 50 years, representing individuals who have been injured by car accidents, hazardous premises, and workplace accidents. We aim to help our clients through this difficult time, handling the legal complexities of filing so injured or grieving individuals can take the time they need to heal. Our attorneys understand how costly and time-consuming a claim can feel while recovering and want to stand up for working individuals who may not be able to manage a claim themselves.

If you or a loved one has been injured or lost their life because of the negligence of a person, organization, or company, our experienced Statesboro attorneys can help. We use our decades of experience to calculate the compensation you deserve, negotiate on your behalf with insurance providers, and maximize the damages covered by your personal injury claim.

Types of Personal Injury Claims We Practice

A personal injury claim covers a variety of injuries, incidents, and accidents. After being injured due to someone else’s carelessness or negligence, a personal injury claim may recover the full damages from the injury and incident. You may have been injured by a driver, product manufacturer, coworker, medical professional, or any person or entity.

When you are looking for the right Statesboro personal injury lawyer to represent your case, it is crucial that you take time to evaluate your chosen attorney’s level of experience handling cases like yours. The attorneys at the Merritt & Merritt Law Firm have decades of professional experience representing clients in a wide range of personal injury cases, and we are confident that we can address the unique legal challenges your case might present.

Some incidents may result in both a civil and a criminal case. The criminal case will press charges for criminal wrongdoing, and the civil case or personal injury claim aims to recover damages to the victim. At Merritt & Merritt, we handle several types of personal injury cases, including:

• Car and Motor Vehicle Accidents. A motor vehicle accident includes car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, bus accidents, and accidents involving rideshares like Uber and Lyft vehicles. When one party is at fault for a motor vehicle accident, claims are filed with their insurance provider by the other parties who are injured or suffered property damage. However, these insurance claims do not always cover the damages, especially in cases where injuries or damages are severe, like in motorcycle or truck accidents. When this happens, the injured parties can file a personal injury claim against the at-fault driver to cover the additional damages. Under Georgia’s comparative negligence laws, an injured party can still be partially at fault and still recover damages.
• Truck Accidents. Truck accidents have additional complications than other motor vehicle accidents. They frequently result in more severe injuries and wrongful death. They also typically involve trucking companies, which makes insurance claims more complicated. The insurance providers for trucking companies are often more difficult to negotiate with. Filing a personal injury claim is also more complicated because it may be filed against the driver, the trucking company, those responsible for clearing the truck for use, or even the manufacturer of the truck parts. Significant evidence needs to be recovered to properly determine the at-fault party and recover damages.
• DUI Accidents. Car accident personal injury claims also include accidents caused because one party was driving under the influence (DUI). A car accident DUI case will typically have both a criminal and civil case opened. When an individual is injured because of a DUI driver, their personal injury case may involve additional compensation due to the other party’s criminal or extreme negligence. When one driver is operating a vehicle under the influence, proving the at-fault party may be more straightforward than in other accidents. However, it does not mean the injured party cannot be found at fault.
• Bicycle and Pedestrian Accidents. Both bicyclists and pedestrians can be involved in accidents with vehicles, which harms the cyclist or pedestrian significantly more than it harms the driver. An insurance claim rarely covers the severity of an individual’s injuries. A personal injury claim against a driver can provide the injured party with the coverage they need to recover. Other factors can also cause a pedestrian injury or bicycle accident. This includes uneven sidewalks or other hazardous premises, animal attacks or dog bites, or defective bike parts. Depending on the situation, an injured party may be able to file a claim against a property owner, governmental body, or product manufacturer.
• Boat Accident. Boat operators are responsible for safe operation that keeps boat passengers and others on the water safe. Careless operation, DUI, defective boat components, and lack of training can cause boat accidents that result in severe injuries and damage. Those injured can recover compensation to cover their losses through a personal injury claim against the boat operator. Boat accident claims can be complicated, however, as both state and federal laws may apply to the case. Even international maritime laws may be at play, further complicating the process of filing a claim and recovering the damages you deserve.
• Workplace Injury. Most employers in Statesboro and the rest of the state are required to have workers’ compensation insurance. The workers’ comp system exists to protect employers and employees, providing employees with compensation regardless of who was at fault for their injury, and protecting employers from civil claims. In most cases, a workplace injury requires the employee to go through the workers’ compensation system. However, there are some situations where civil personal injury claims can still be filed in place of or in addition to a workers’ compensation claim. If a third party was involved in the accident, such as a driver in a work-related car accident, or a contractor at the workplace, an injured employee can file a personal injury claim against that third party. Civil claims can also be filed against employers if they do not have workers’ compensation insurance. If an employer was willfully or criminally negligent or malicious, and this caused an accident or injury, the injured employee may be able to file a personal injury claim. This may be beneficial to the employee’s earned compensation because workers’ compensation claims do not allow for pain and suffering or other noneconomic damages, while personal injury claims do.
• Product Liability. Many consumers are injured or put at risk because of defective products. These products include vehicle components, prescription drugs, medical devices, and children’s toys. Defective products may be the result of a manufacturer defect, a design flaw, or a lack of warning or directions regarding the product. Designers, manufacturers, and sellers have a responsibility to consumers of their products. If someone has been injured or lost a loved one due to a defective product, a civil claim can be filed against the manufacturer or seller responsible.
• Slip and Fall Accidents. Slip and fall accidents, which frequently occur as part of premises liability claims, can result in severe injuries like brain trauma, fractured bones, and spinal cord injuries. When injuries are caused by property managers or owners who fail to take reasonable measures to keep their grounds safe, injured parties can file personal injury claims against the property manager. Slip and fall accidents can also occur while on the job, particularly when safety guidelines are not properly met. Hazards on a property may include broken stairs, loose or broken guardrails, spills, uneven surfaces, or poorly lit areas. Public, commercial, governmental, and private property owners must respond to hazards within a reasonable amount of time and take steps to prevent injury.
• Sexual Assault and Crime Victim Injuries. A sexual assault case can result in both criminal charges and a civil claim. A civil sexual assault claim can provide victims of this crime with coverage for medical bills, therapy costs, and lost income. Both criminal and civil claims enable the individual to hold the party at fault for their actions. A criminal case focuses on punishing the at-fault party, while a civil claim enables the injured party to maintain financial stability to move forward into the future. Injured victims of other crimes may also be able to file a civil personal injury claim to cover their damages.
• Medical Malpractice. Medical healthcare providers have a high duty of care, which many professionals meet and exceed. Unfortunately, some providers do not meet this duty. A healthcare professional’s carelessness can result in severe and life-altering injuries or complications for patients. Injured patients may be able to file a medical malpractice claim against the provider or the healthcare facility. Medical malpractice can include the wrong dose of a prescription, a misdiagnosis despite clear signs that contradict the diagnosis, and birth injuries to the parent or child. Medical malpractice claims are the most complicated form of personal injury claims. This is because they require significant evidence, and medical providers can make a mistake without being legally negligent. In medical malpractice cases, it must be proven that the provider’s actions were not up to the professional standards of other providers in the same situation.
• Nursing Home Abuse. Elderly individuals in nursing homes are particularly vulnerable to abuse and injury, often from those who are meant to care for them. Though a nursing home or long-term care facility should be compassionate to those in their care, this isn’t always the case. Abuse may occur because of one caretaker’s actions or because the facility failed to properly train staff and provide security for residents. Individuals in nursing homes or their family members can file personal injury claims against the caretaker or facility.
• Wrongful Death. When an individual is injured because of a car accident, hazardous product, malpractice, or other incident, they may not survive their injuries. If someone was at fault for the individual’s injuries and death, they can still be held liable. In those cases, surviving family members can file a wrongful death claim in place of the personal injury claim the individual can no longer file. A wrongful death claim can cover outstanding medical costs from the injury, lost income, loss of consortium or companionship, and funeral and burial costs. Losing a loved one is an incredibly difficult time, no matter the circumstances. It can be even harder when their death should have been preventable if the at-fault party took reasonable care. A wrongful death claim can provide a surviving family with some financial stability.

Whatever type of personal injury case you need to file, you can count on your Statesboro personal injury lawyer to help you gather the foundational elements of your case, explore every channel of compensation that may be available to you, and determine the most efficient manner in which you could resolve your claim.

When you choose Merritt & Merritt Law Firm to represent you, we can begin by listening to your story and helping you determine liability for your damages. You can rely on us to collect evidence and witness testimony on your behalf, and once we have helped you firmly establish fault for your damages, we can help you accurately calculate those damages.

Most personal injury plaintiffs are aware of their immediate losses from their experience. Things like property damage and medical bills resulting from a personal injury are generally easy for the average person to assess, and they are generally proven with the appropriate documentation. However, many personal injury cases involve long-term economic damages that are much more difficult to accurately calculate.

Additionally, Georgia law not only allows the plaintiff in a personal injury case to seek compensation for all of their financial losses resulting from a defendant’s actions, but also compensation for their pain and suffering. This may sound like it would be difficult to put in monetary terms, but your Statesboro personal injury lawyer will know how to determine an appropriate amount of pain and suffering compensation to seek with your claim.

Why Should I Work With a Personal Injury Lawyer?

Working with a personal injury attorney can limit your stress, time, and energy spent during a claim. When filing a personal injury claim, insurance providers will often deny the severity of injuries or the level of the at-fault party’s responsibility. Their job is to limit the amount they must pay out to injured parties. When you hire an attorney, they negotiate with the insurance provider on your behalf. An attorney has experience with the tactics used by insurance providers. Attorneys also know how much your claim is worth based on your unique circumstances and will not accept a settlement that doesn’t cover your needs. Your claim is more likely to succeed and earn you more compensation with an attorney.

Remember that even if you believe fault for your personal injury is readily apparent, there is always a chance for you to encounter complex legal obstacles that you will not be able to overcome on your own. Dealing with an insurance company representative is just one possible challenge; if you need to file a civil suit against another party, this will require meeting strict procedural deadlines with the court and accurately determining all your claimable damages.

How Much Do Personal Injury Lawyers Charge in Georgia?

Personal injury lawyers in Georgia often represent their clients on a contingency fee basis. Rather than continuing costs on an hourly basis, the client owes the attorney a portion of the final settlement. In Georgia, this percentage is typically 30 to 40%, depending on whether the case is settled outside of court or through litigation. If the attorney doesn’t win a client’s personal injury case, the client doesn’t owe the attorney any fees. However, individuals filing these claims should be aware they will likely still be responsible for court costs.

FAQs

Q: How Do You Prove Fault for a Personal Injury in Statesboro?

A: Proving fault for your personal injury in Statesboro will likely require various forms of evidence, along with testimony from any witnesses who saw the incident in question happen. Your Statesboro personal injury lawyer can assist you in building your case, and the evidence you will require to succeed with the claim will largely depend on how your accident happened.

Q: What Is the Value of My Personal Injury Claim in Statesboro?

A: The total potential value of your personal injury claim in Statesboro depends on the scope and severity of your damages. Georgia’s personal injury laws enable you to seek full repayment of any direct financial losses you suffered because of the defendant’s actions, and they are also responsible for the future economic losses resulting from the incident in question. Additionally, you have the right to seek pain and suffering compensation.

Q: What Happens if a Plaintiff Is Partially Liable for Their Personal Injury?

A: If a plaintiff is found partially liable for their personal injury, Georgia’s modified comparative negligence statute will apply to the case. The plaintiff will have a fault percentage assigned to reflect their level of liability and then will lose this percentage of their case award. However, if they are found to be more at fault than the defendant for the incident in question, this would negate their ability to claim compensation for their damages.

Q: How Long Will It Take to Resolve a Personal Injury Claim in Statesboro?

A: The time it could take to resolve a personal injury claim in Statesboro will largely depend on whether the parties involved can settle the claim privately or if they must take the case to court. Settlement is generally faster than litigation but requires both parties to be willing to compromise. Settlement may only require a few negotiation sessions spread over a few weeks, whereas litigation could take months to longer than a year to reach a conclusion.

Q: Will I Win More Compensation if I Have a Statesboro Personal Injury Lawyer?

A: You are more likely to maximize your compensation if you have a Statesboro personal injury lawyer on your side. The right attorney can not only assist you in building the foundation of your claim and help you prove fault for your damages, but they can also help you streamline your case and reduce the time it takes for you to receive compensation for your losses. They will also know how to uncover all available channels of compensation, maximizing your case award.

The Merritt & Merritt Law Firm: Your Statesboro Legal Counsel

You have a relatively short time in which to file your personal injury claim in Statesboro, and the sooner you connect with an attorney you can trust, the more likely you will be to succeed with your case. The Merritt & Merritt Law Firm has the skills and experience you want on your side in your personal injury case. We want to help you recover from your injuries. Contact the Merritt & Merritt Law Firm today to see how we can walk you through your legal options.