Did you or someone you love suffer a catastrophic injury in Smyrna, Georgia? A dedicated Smyrna catastrophic injury lawyer at Hammers Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers is here to help you get the compensation you deserve. Contact us today at (770) 900-9000 for a free consultation with a Smyrna catastrophic injury lawyer.
We understand the life-changing impact a catastrophic injury can have on victims and their families. With more than 50 years of combined legal experience, our attorneys have successfully handled complex injury claims and have recovered over $100 million dollars for injured clients.
Why Choose Hammers Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers for Help After a Catastrophic Injury in Smyrna, GA?
Our team at Hammers Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers is known for personalized client service and aggressive legal advocacy. We consistently stand up to defendants and their powerful insurance companies–and force them to pay what our injured clients deserve.
Our Smyrna personal injury attorneys have been recognized locally and nationally, including by:
- Super Lawyers
- The National Trial Lawyers “Top 100”
- The Million Dollar Advocates’ Forum
- Martindale-Hubbell, with an AV-Preeminent rating
We know the insurance and legal process inside and out. We also understand that the stakes are high for our clients. After a life-changing injury, your future hinges on the amount of money you take home. Contact us today for a free case review with our Smyrna catastrophic injury attorneys.
What Is a Catastrophic Injury?
Broadly speaking, a catastrophic injury is one that will have a permanent, life-changing impact on the victim. Catastrophic injuries can completely change the course of a person’s life.
Our attorneys handle all types of catastrophic injury claims, including cases based on:
- Severe traumatic brain injuries
- Paralysis, including quadriplegia, paraplegia, tetraplegia, and hemiplegia
- Amputations and loss of limbs
- Severe burns
- Severe chest and thoracic injuries
- Organ failure
- Vision or hearing loss
- Multiple broken bones and non-healing fractures
- Significant nerve damage
Victims of catastrophic injuries may require lifelong care. Some go on to live fulfilling lives in spite of their injuries. Others never fully recover.
What Is the Value of My Smyrna Catastrophic Injury Case?
The final value of your claim will depend on:
- Financial Costs: Your current medical bills, expected future medical costs, rehabilitation, surgeries, physical therapy, and out-of-pocket expenses
- Lost Income: Your current lost wages plus any long-term damage to your earning capacity
- Severity of Injuries: Severe and catastrophic injuries tend to have long-term physical, emotional, and financial impacts
- Pain and Suffering: The physical pain, depression, anxiety, and mental trauma (including PTSD) caused by the accident and injury
- Insurance Coverage Limits: Maximum payouts available under the at-fault party’s insurance policies
- The Defendant’s Actions: The defendant’s actions may trigger the possibility of punitive damages, depending on the degree of recklessness displayed
Having an experienced Smyrna personal injury lawyer in your corner is critical to getting a fair deal. Our lawyers don’t leave money on the table. To learn more about your case value, call us today.
What Types of Damages Are Available to Catastrophic Injury Victims in Smyrna?
Georgia law allows victims to recover economic damages and non-economic damages after an injury.
Economic Damages
Economic damages cover actual financial costs and predicted future expenses.
They include:
- Medical bills, including ER visits, hospitalization, specialized care, and more
- Predicted future medical expenses
- Long-term care
- In-home nursing assistance and care
- Lost wages
- Lost earning capacity
- Property damage
- Specialized therapies
- Therapeutic medical devices
- Out-of-pocket expenses, including increased transportation costs, medications, home and vehicle modifications, etc.
We can prove your economic damages via receipts, invoices, pay stubs, credit card statements, and other documentation. Expert assistance is often needed to establish the value of projected future costs.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are much less tangible.
These damages may cover:
- Physical pain and suffering
- Mental trauma
- Ongoing mental health issues, including depression and PTSD
- Shame and humiliation
- Diminished quality of life
- Loss of companionship
- Damage to relationships
- Permanent disfigurement and scarring
- Chronic pain
Non-financial losses can be difficult to prove and calculate. They can also have a lasting impact on your daily life. In catastrophic injury cases, your non-economic damages award may even be worth more than your economic damages.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Personal Injury Law Firm After a Catastrophic Injury in Georgia?
Our law firm handles cases on a contingency fee basis. With this structure, there are no upfront fees or hourly rates. You only pay your attorneys’ fees if they win. The fee comes as a percentage of your settlement or verdict.
During your free case review, we’ll discuss this fee structure so you can feel confident when you hire our team. The benefit of a contingency fee arrangement is that you can always afford your lawyer’s fees–because they come directly from your damages award.
Can I Recover Damages If I’m Being Blamed for a Catastrophic Injury in Georgia?
Georgia follows a modified comparative negligence law with a 50% bar to recovery. Under this system, you can recover damages if you are less than 50% responsible. Your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault. Once your share of fault reaches 50%, you cannot recover damages.
For example, if a jury awards $1 million and decides you were 20% responsible for your injury, you can legally take home only $800,000.
Insurance companies often try to reframe the facts to manipulate this law. If they can shift blame, they can pay less, and maybe even nothing at all. Our attorneys know these tactics well. We’ll be ready to minimize the impact.
What Are the Most Common Causes of Catastrophic Injuries in Smyrna?
Catastrophic and life-changing injuries in Smyrna often occur due to preventable errors.
At Hammers Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers, we handle cases involving:
- Car accidents
- Large semi-truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Dangerous property conditions
- Slip and fall accidents
- Falls from heights
- Pedestrian and bicycle accidents
- Accidents involving recreational vehicles
- Swimming pool accidents
- Boating accidents
- Industrial and construction accidents
- Workplace accidents
- Explosions and fires
- Defective products (product liability)
- Medical malpractice
The cause of an accident isn’t always obvious. Multiple factors can play a role. Our attorneys will carefully investigate your accident. We’ll gather crucial evidence to prove your case in the process.
How Do I Prove Negligence After a Catastrophic Injury in Georgia?
To recover compensation after a catastrophic injury in Georgia, you typically must prove that another person or party was negligent. Negligence means the defendant failed to act with reasonable care under the circumstances and that failure caused you to suffer serious harm.
Every negligence claim is built around four key elements:
- Duty of care: The defendant had a legal responsibility to act carefully and avoid putting others at risk.
- Breach of duty: The defendant failed to meet that responsibility by acting carelessly, recklessly, or failing to act when they should have.
- Causation: The defendant’s breach of duty directly caused your catastrophic injury.
- Damages: You suffered actual losses because of the injury, such as medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, disability, or reduced quality of life.
In catastrophic injury cases, proving exactly how the defendant’s conduct caused your injuries is often one of the most important parts of the claim. Because evidence can disappear quickly, it is important to begin investigating as soon as possible.
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Catastrophic Injury in Georgia?
Georgia law gives most injury victims only two years to sue for damages. If you miss this deadline, you’ll almost certainly lose your right to compensation. A judge will dismiss your case–meaning that an insurance company won’t have any incentive to pay your claim.
Limited exceptions can either shorten or extend the deadline. It’s essential to contact an attorney as soon as possible. Your attorney can determine the deadline in your case and preserve your right to seek compensation.
Contact a Dedicated Smyrna Catastrophic Injury Lawyer for a Free Consultation
Consulting an experienced Smyrna catastrophic injury lawyer quickly is the best thing you can do to protect your future. Our attorneys at Hammers Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers offer free case reviews. There’s never any risk or obligation.
We’re ready to put our proven track record of success to work in your case. Call us today and take the first step toward getting the compensation award you deserve.
