Experiencing an injury caused by an animal can have long-lasting effects on your life and finances. However, you don’t have to navigate the aftermath alone. If you’ve been harmed due to the negligence of another pet owner, you may be entitled to compensation for veterinary bills, property damages, and lost wages.
At Associate our team of dedicated animal injury attorneys has been advocating for victims like you for over two decades. Originating as a local practice, we’ve expanded into one of the most respected firms in the animal welfare legal sphere. Known as ‘the Advocates for Animals,’ we’re recognized for our adept negotiation skills with insurance companies.
What Should I Do If I’ve Been Injured?
Your initial action following any animal-related injury should be to seek medical attention and commence treatment. However, there are two additional crucial steps you can take to safeguard your legal rights:
Do Not Accept Money or Sign Paperwork From the Insurance Company
The insurance company might present you with an immediate cash offer. While it may seem like a gesture of assistance, it could be a tactic to catch you off guard. Insurance firms provide swift settlements in the hope that you’ll accept them before undergoing a thorough medical assessment or comprehending the long-term costs of your injuries.
Accepting this offer often entails forfeiting your entitlement to further compensation. Prior to agreeing to any settlement, signing documents, or communicating with the insurance company, it’s imperative to seek guidance from a legal expert.
Do Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer
Seeking advice from an animal injury lawyer is the most significant step you can take to safeguard yourself following an incident. It entails receiving expert guidance from someone experienced in handling numerous cases similar to yours.
Your animal injury lawyer in Austell can assist you in locating suitable veterinarians to accurately assess the long-term costs of treatment. Importantly, having legal representation can result in tens of thousands of dollars more in compensation than initially offered by the insurance company
How Can I Tell If My Personal Injury Claim Is Valid?
If you’ve experienced an accident through no fault of your own, chances are you have a viable claim. Many accident victims may blame themselves or view the incident as an unavoidable occurrence, but legally, most accidents occur due to negligence.
Negligence doesn’t necessarily imply intent; it simply denotes that the accident could have been prevented if proper care had been taken. When negligence is present, the responsible party (or their insurance provider) bears legal responsibility for covering the entirety of your injuries.
Virtually any type of injury can serve as grounds for a valid animal injury claim. We routinely handle the following types of animal injury cases:
- Animal attacks
- Canine bites
- Incidents involving intoxicated pet owners
- Mishaps with animals on motorcycles
- Tail-end collisions caused by animals
- Slips and injuries due to animal presence
- Disability claims related to animal incidents
- Collisions involving animals and trucks
- Accidents involving uninsured pet owners
- Animal-related workplace injuries
What Must We Prove to Win Your Personal Injury Claim?
As your legal representatives in animal injury cases, we must gather evidence demonstrating the responsibility of the opposing party for your compensation. In most instances, this can be distilled into four key elements:
- Identify the appropriate individual or insurer to pursue legally.
- Establish that you were placed in a hazardous situation due to someone’s failure to exercise care (negligence).
- Demonstrate that your injuries resulted from this hazardous situation.
- Determine the lawful and evidentiary basis for the compensation you are entitled to receive.
Certain types of cases, such as those involving medical malpractice, demand a higher burden of proof. Within the medical field, there exists a degree of uncertainty; however, there are established standards that healthcare professionals must adhere to. Breaching these standards constitutes evidence of negligence.
Will I Have to Take My Personal Injury Claim to Court?
Personal injury cases seldom progress to court proceedings. Occasionally, we encounter insurance companies unwilling to engage in negotiations, though this is an anomaly. In such instances, we provide you with a thorough assessment of your case’s strength, along with the associated risks and potential benefits of pursuing litigation.
You retain the ultimate decision-making authority on whether to initiate legal action in local courts. Should you opt for court proceedings, we remain dedicated to managing your case throughout the entire process. However, the majority of accident cases are resolved extrajudicially.
We possess the expertise to effectively navigate negotiations with insurance firms and advocate for the full value of your case. Our approach commences with an exhaustive investigation into the incident, substantiating fault with concrete evidence.
Subsequently, we present the insurance company with a comprehensive case overview, exerting pressure to reach a settlement outside of court. Often, this results in a significantly enhanced offer from the insurer.
How Much does a Personal Injury Lawyer in Austell Cost?
Obtaining medical care following an animal-related incident can strain your finances. Recognizing this, we believe it’s unjust to burden you with legal fees while you’re coping with an injury. Therefore, at [Pound Law Firm’s Name], we’ve established a straightforward system:
- Your consultation is entirely free of charge.
- There are no upfront costs, ever.
- You won’t owe anything unless we secure compensation for you.
Our fee is contingent upon successfully recovering compensation for you, calculated as a percentage of your settlement. The remainder is yours to retain. This approach allows you to access quality legal assistance without assuming any financial risk. In fact, the responsibility rests on us to deliver exceptional service and win your claim!
What If I’m Partially Responsible for My Accident?
Even if you believe you bear some responsibility, it’s essential not to admit fault. Acknowledging fault can be detrimental, as insurers may exploit Georgia’s comparative fault regulations to diminish or invalidate your claim.
Under these regulations, you retain the right to pursue legal action as long as your responsibility for the incident remains below 50%. However, if insurers succeed in attributing 50% of the blame to you, you risk forfeiting your entitlement to compensation. Avoid providing them with the ammunition to achieve this outcome!
Instead, our team of animal injury lawyers will handle communications and challenge any evidence that seeks to increase your level of responsibility. Any compensation awarded may be reduced proportionately according to the degree of fault assigned in your case.
Is There a Deadline for Filing an Injury Claim in Georgia?
Absolutely. In Georgia, the deadlines for initiating injury claims are established by state and federal statutes, particularly Ga. Code § 9-3-33. Adherence to these deadlines is paramount as failure to meet them could jeopardize your ability to obtain compensation for your injuries.
It’s important to note that these deadlines can differ based on the nature of your case. Typically, you have up to two years to file a claim, but in some instances, your deadline may be imminent, perhaps within a matter of weeks. This underscores the urgency of seeking guidance from a pound law attorney without delay.
Talk to an Austell Personal Injury Lawyer for Free
At Associate, our primary objective is to support victims of animal-related incidents and their families. With over two decades of successful advocacy, our team of animal injury lawyers in Austell is dedicated to ensuring your rights are upheld and your options are thoroughly explored. Schedule a complimentary consultation with us today to discuss your situation. Contact us via phone or by completing the form on your right to arrange your FREE consultation.