Catastrophic Injuries
Accidents involving personal injury do cause pain and suffering to their victims. A catastrophic injury is distinguished by the fact that its effects are either permanent or require long term-treatment. This can include birth injuries, the effects of third-degree burns, spinal cord injuries, a traumatic brain injury, paralysis, certain injuries to the eyes, and many others.
A catastrophic injury can turn your life inside out in many different ways – physically, emotionally and financially. Medical bills mount as lost work time piles up – all when you are in absolutely the worst shape to deal with it all. The moment you realize that the cause of your accident was someone else’s misconduct can be the most difficult of all.
Although Georgia personal injury law allows you to claim full compensation for all of your losses, both economic and non-economic, there is a large gap between “having a claim” and seeing dollars in your bank account. At Van Sant Law,, it is our job to bridge that gap, and we have been doing it for a long time now.
Don’t Allow Yourself to Be Taken Advantage OfMost catastrophic injury claims are paid by insurance companies – and most victims receive only a fraction of what their claim is worth. Ultimately, an insurance company makes money by taking premiums and spends it by paying out claims. You can expect to be negotiating with a trained professional whose sole purpose is to save his company as much money as possible.
It is unfortunate and unnecessary that many insurance companies try to pay as little as possible to those that may need compensation the most. At times, they may delay your claim as long as possible, hoping to wear you down to a low settlement amount. Some adjusters try to pay 80% of your medical costs with the idea that you won’t fight over the “small” amount you have to pay. These bills, however, can add up and cost a lot in the end.
That is where we can enter the picture. Our founding partner David Van Sant is a former insurance company defense lawyer. By working on the other side, he has learned all of the tricks and strategies that insurance companies and defendants use to avoid paying fair compensation – and he knows just how to handle it. So do the rest of us.
Your Claim Might be Worth More Than You ThinkWith a little information, we can estimate the value of your claim. In catastrophic injury cases, noneconomic damages such as pain and suffering are often worth far more than medical expense reimbursement.
One of Our Clients Speaks out“was great at handling my case from beginning to end. My case manager and attorney Jay Drew always returned my calls and emails asap even though I was a little annoying most of the time. ?? My case was settled fast and easy!” – Elvis Cudd
Other Types of Personal Injury Cases We TakeWe also handle cases involving:
- Car Accidents
- Truck Accidents
- Motorcycle Accidents
- Wrongful Death
- Workers Compensation
- Dog Bites
- Medical Malpractice
- Defective Products
- Premises Liability
To qualify for punitive damages in Georgia, you must prove that the defendant acted with:
- Willful misconduct
- Malice
- Fraud
- Wantonness
- Oppression
- A conscious indifference to and utter disregard for your safety.
You must prove the foregoing by “clear and convincing evidence”, which is a more stringent standard of proof. Punitive damages awards are unusual, but they can be immense.
Your injuries might require continuing medical treatment and lost earnings decades into the future. It is important that you estimate that amount and cim it now because you won’t be able to reopen your claim and ask for more if you run out of money later.
Comparative fault is a way of assessing damages when the victim was partly at fault for the accident. If you were 50 percent or more at fault, you will lose your claim. If you were 49 percent at fault or less, your damages will be reduced in proportion to your fault.
Under certain circumstances, a third party can be held liable for some or all of your damages. This third party might be:
- an insurance company
- the defendant’s employer
- the manufacturer of a defective product
- some other party.
Mr. Van Sant has been named one of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers in Georgia by The National Trial Lawyers , and for good reason. Ironically, it is our firm’s courtroom prowess that results in the private settlement of our clients’ claims over 90 percent of the time – defendants would rather settle than face us in court.
You Only Pay Legal Fees If You WinAs an injury victim, you pay for victory; not smooth talk. And victory means money in the bank. We understand your expectations, and can easily accommodate it. At our firm, you pay absolutely nothing in legal fees until and unless we win compensation for you.
Have You Been Injured in a Georgia Accident?If you’ve been injured in an accident you should speak with an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible. Please contact us online or call our office directly at 855-GA-INJURY or 404-991-5950 to schedule your free consultation.