6 Common Questions About Your Case
1. Do I have a case?
Answer: Whether or not you have a case depends usually depends on the facts and law applicable to the accident or incident. There are some cases were there is no question about liability such as in automobile accidents where one driver gets a ticket. In other cases, liability may not be so clear. In order to evaluate your case, we fully dedicate our resources to research, investigate, and develop your case. After we have conducted due diligence, we will provide you with an opinion on the legal merits of the case. Our firm has evaluated thousands of cases in numerous legal areas over the years and we will only devote our time, effort and money on cases which we believe we will win for you.
2. How much is my case worth?
Answer: How much you case is worth depends on several factors including the severity and permanency of the injury. As a rule, you are entitled to be fully compensated and recover for any and all damages resulting from a Defendant’s negligence. This would include past, present and future medical expenses, any lost wages incurred, future loss of earnings, and diminished earning capacity. It would also include past, present and future pain and suffering associated with your injury. In a wrongful death case, the Estate is entitled to recover the full value of the decedent’s life, and the funeral, medical and other necessary expenses resulting from the wrongful death. In determining the value range for severe injury and death cases, we have employed economists, life care planners and other specialist to calculate damages, lost earnings and future medical costs. We will do everything necessary to maximize the value of your case.
3. How long do I have to file my case?
Answer: The amount of time you have to file a case depends on the type of case it is. In Georgia, most personal injuries cases must be filed within two (2) years of the incident, injury or accident. If the case in not filed within this period (legally referred to as the Statute of Limitations), the Plaintiff’s claims are forever barred. Other states have different limitations periods so it is best to talk to an attorney from the state where the incident, injury or accident occurred for advice on the applicable time period to file a case.
4. Do I have to pay the costs for my case?
Answer: The firm will pay the costs of the case and be reimbursed from any settlement or judgment. We have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to recover millions for our clients over the years.
5. How are my attorney’s fees paid?
Answer: We represent clients on a contingency fee basis. This means that we are paid for our services only when we win for you. The attorney’s fees are not paid out of your pocket. The firm’s fee is a percentage of the sum obtained for you upon settlement or judgment of your case. The fee percentage varies based upon the nature and complexity of the case. Simply put, it you don’t receive a recovery, we don’t receive payment for the time we spent working on your case.
6. Will my case settle or go to trial?
Answer: This usually depends on 1) whether the Defendant and/or the insurance carrier are interested in settling the case, and 2) whether the parties can agree on the amount of money to resolve the claim. Our firm’s philosophy is that we aggressively prepare every case as if it was going to trial but we are willing to discuss settlement in every case. This strategy moves the case forward through the litigation process so that if the case is not resolved it will be ready to go to trial without unnecessary delay. The reality is that based on case studies, 90% of all lawsuits filed are settled prior to trial in cases nationwide.