Maximizing Personal Injury Settlements
Maximizing a personal injury settlement means that you bring a timely claim, demand all appropriate damages and negotiate a settlement on terms that are most appropriate for you and your family. Experienced Atlanta personal injury attorney James Ponton can help through the entire legal process. Contact Ponton Law today by calling 404-902-3154.
When is it Important to Have a Personal Injury Attorney?
There are times when it is critical to have competent legal counsel. For example, it is important to consult with an attorney if:
- Catastrophic Injury or Death. If the injury suffered is severe, then a personal injury attorney is necessary. The legal process can be incredibly complicated and the more serious your injury, the more likely the other side will be to fight.
- Unsure of Damages. One of the responsibilities of your personal injury attorney is ensure that appropriate damages are being requested. This can mean further consultation with medical or other professionals.
- Other Party is Difficult or Represented. An experienced personal injury attorney will effectively manage the other side, even when they are represented by council.
- Need to Prove Fault. Often the injured party must demonstrate exactly who caused their injuries and this can be difficult. If necessary, we will work with other professionals, such as accident scene re-creation experts, to ensure the proper party is held responsible for your injuries.
- Negotiated Settlement. Our experience allows us to know when a settlement offer is appropriate or insulting. We frequently see low-ball settlement offers made to unaware parties. Let us fight for you to ensure you get the compensation you and your family deserve.
There are also certain instances where your claim might become barred. For example, a personal injury claim may become barred where the “statute of limitations” has run. This means that too much time has passed since the injury occurred (or was identified) and the bringing of the lawsuit. This is another great reason to contact an attorney as quickly as possible — once we begin the legal process, you will not have to worry about time bars.
What Types of Damages are Available in Personal Injury Claims?
One of the most important reasons to hire an experienced personal injury attorney is to ensure that you are getting all the damages you are entitled to. Three common types of damages include:
- General Damages. General damages are compensation for the injury itself (known as “pain and suffering damages”). These damages can vary depending on the degree or severity of the injury, future harm from the injury, and suffering caused by the injury.
- Specific Damages. Specific damages compensate for measurable monetary loss resulting from the injury (also known as “special damages”). Specific damages include medical bills and lost wages.
- Punitive Damages. Punitive damages are intended to punish the defendant for willful, wanton, or malicious conduct. These types of damages are typically only awarded in personal injury suits resulting from intentional
To maximize your personal injury settlement, you will need to understand all the damages you have suffered. To do this it is important to have an experienced personal injury attorney working with you from the start.
How Do I Negotiate a Personal Injury Settlement?
Personal injury settlements are often between an injured person and the insurance company of the person or business who caused the injury. Insurance companies make money by taking in as much as they can in premium payments and by paying out as little as possible for each claim. Most insurance companies have entre legal departments dedicated to reviewing significant claims and denying or negotiating settlements.
Settlement agreements usually payout to the injured a one-time lump sum or smaller payments overtime. There can be certain advantages to each type of payment plan and it is important that you clearly understand exactly what you are settling on.
The negotiation of a personal injury settlement can be extremely complicated and insurance companies will often use unfortunate tactics to delay, reduce, or deny payment. At Ponton Law we understand how to manage insurance companies to ensure that your settlement agreement is appropriate given the injuries you have suffered.
Contact Ponton Law Today
At Ponton Law we have the experience and resources to work with you throughout the entire legal process. We would very much like to help you and your family, please contact us online or call Ponton Law today at 404-902-3154.