What is a Personal Injury Claim?
Personal injury is a type of civil law specifically dealing with injury to your person. Types of personal injury our firm handles are car accidents, wrongful death, truck accidents, pedestrian accidents, medical malpractice, dog bites, slip and fall, trip and falls, and other forms of premises liability.
Injury to your brand or name is also considered personal injury, such as defamation of character. However, our firm only handles personal injury as it relates to bodily injury.
To be eligible for a personal injury claim, another person or entity must be proven to be liable for any bodily injury you’ve endured.
The most important aspects of a personal injury claim are damages, aka injuries, and negligence, aka proving that another party is liable for your injuries.
The purpose of pursuing a personal injury claim is for the liable party to be held responsible for any injuries you’ve sustained. If injuries and negligence are proven, you could be entitled to compensation for any medical bills or pain/suffering you’ve incurred.
What is an Intake Specialist Going to Ask Me During my Case Consultation?
Our firm’s Intake Specialist gather basic information from you to determine if your potential case is one we can assist with. Our Intake Specialists are very thorough to ensure we can provide the best service to you and your case.
First, our Intake Specialists start by gathering basic contact information from you, as communication is very important in a personal injury case and something Kaufman Law maintains throughout the duration of the case.
Some specific questions your Intake Specialist may ask you are as follows:
- What is the date of the accident/injury?
- How did the incident occur?
- What medical treatment have you received?
- What injuries did you sustain?
- If related to a car accident, what does the property damage look like to your vehicle and other vehicle involved?
- Do you have health insurance?
What Does the Intake Process Look Like?
Our Intake Process begins with the free case consultation. A free case consultation is a series of questions our Intake Specialist ask to determine if your potential case is one we can assist with. Our Intake Specialists are very thorough to ensure we can provide the best service to you and your case.
First, our Intake Specialists start by gathering basic contact information from you, as communication is very important in a personal injury case and something Kaufman Law maintains throughout the duration of the case.
Some specific questions your Intake Specialist may ask you during the Intake Process are as follows:
- What is the date of the accident/injury?
- How did the incident occur?
- What medical treatment have you received?
- What injuries did you sustain?
- If related to a car accident, what does the property damage look like to your vehicle and other vehicle involved?
- Do you have health insurance?
After gathering necessary information, the Intake Specialist consults with the personal injury attorney to review the facts of the potential case and then let you know if it’s something we can assist with.
After determining we are the best fit to handle your case, our Intake Specialists ask some additional questions to gather as much information as possible surrounding your case.
Once all information is gathered, our Intake Specialist will send you our contract electronically for you to review terms and fees. As soon as we receive that contract back from you, we can begin working on your case right away and get you the medical treatment you need.
The Intake Specialist working your case will help you get to the right doctor and contact the insurance companies on your behalf to put them on notice of our representation. Your case typically stays in the “Intake Stage” for about 2-3 days before being passed onto your paralegal and attorney.
Once your case is no longer in Intake, your paralegal and attorney will be your main points of contact for the remainder of your case.
What is a Free Consultation?
A free consultation, or potential case review, is a way to help you determine if you have a valid personal injury claim. The free consultation is the first step to the intake injury process.
Our Intake team will ask a series of questions to determine if your potential case is one we can assist with.
Note: During a free consultation, our Intake Specialists are not able to provide any free legal advice, as they are not licensed attorneys.
After gathering necessary information, the Intake Specialist consults with the personal injury attorney to review the facts of the potential case and then let you know if it’s something we can assist with.
What is an Intake Specialist?
An Intake Specialist is the first person you speak with at our firm. They will get basic contact information from you and ask a series of questions to help determine if we can assist with your potential case.
Once all information is gathered, our Intake Specialist will send you our contract electronically for you to review terms and fees. As soon as we receive that contract back from you, we can begin working on your case right away and get you the medical treatment you need.
The Intake Specialist working your case will help you get to the right doctor and contact the insurance companies on your behalf to put them on notice of our representation. Your case typically stays in the “Intake Stage” for about 2-3 days before being passed onto your paralegal and attorney.
What is a Contingency Fee?
Our firm works on a contingency fee – which means you only pay if we settle the case for you. If we don’t settle the case, you don’t owe us anything! You’ll never pay our firm up front or out of your pocket.
A firm’s contingency fee is dependent on the expertise and experience of the attorney. In short: you get what you pay for!
Do I Have to Pay Anything Upfront?
Never! You will never pay our firm up front or out of your pocket. We only get paid if the case settles. If we don’t settle the case, you don’t owe us anything!
How Long Will It Take for My Case to Settle?
How long a case takes to settle depends on numerous factors. The length of treatment and extent of injuries plays a big role in the timeline of settlement. Also, it largely depends on the insurance companies involved and time of any possible negotiations.
Due to these factors, it is near impossible to say how long it will take a case to settle. Every case is different!
What if I’m Not Injured, but My Car is Totaled?
Unfortunately, our firm does not handle property damage claims, only bodily injury. However, we are always more than welcome to give you some helpful tips on how to take care of the property damage to your vehicle.
You have two options when it comes to dealing with property damage. You can either go through your insurance company or the at-fault driver’s insurance company.
If you go through your own insurance company, you typically must pay a deductible up front for them to either make repairs or declare the vehicle a total loss. This deductible will be reimbursed to you once the at-fault driver’s insurance company has accepted liability. This option is much quicker than the alternative if you need repairs or a new vehicle quickly.
If you go through the at-fault driver’s insurance company, you won’t have to pay for any deductible up front, but you are at the mercy of the insurance company to accept liability. It can sometimes take a while for the insurance company to accept liability, meaning you may be without repairs or a vehicle for some time.
To recap: if you go through your own insurance company, things will move along a lot faster, but you will have to pay a deductible up front. If you go through the at-fault party’s insurance company, you don’t have to pay anything up front, but you must wait for them to accept liability before they will make any repairs to your vehicle. The choice is up to you!
What Should I Do About My Property Damage?
You have two options when it comes to dealing with property damage. You can either go through your insurance company or the at-fault driver’s insurance company.
If you go through your own insurance company, you typically must pay a deductible up front for them to either make repairs or declare the vehicle a total loss. This deductible will be reimbursed to you once the at-fault driver’s insurance company has accepted liability. This option is much quicker than the alternative if you need repairs or a new vehicle quickly.
If you go through the at-fault driver’s insurance company, you won’t have to pay for any deductible up front, but you are at the mercy of the insurance company to accept liability. It can sometimes take a while for the insurance company to accept liability, meaning you may be without repairs or a vehicle for some time.
To recap: if you go through your own insurance company, things will move along a lot faster, but you will have to pay a deductible up front. If you go through the at-fault party’s insurance company, you don’t have to pay anything up front, but you must wait for them to accept liability before they will make any repairs to your vehicle. The choice is up to you!
How Much Does a Personal Injury Lawyer Cost?
Our firm works on a contingency fee – which means you only pay if we settle the case for you. If we don’t settle the case, you don’t owe us anything! You’ll never pay our firm up front or out of your pocket.
A firm’s contingency fee is dependent on the expertise and experience of the attorney. In short: you get what you pay for!
The contingency fee and any case expenses incurred is the cost of a personal injury lawyer – but again, only if we settle the case!
Can an Intake Specialist Tell Me How to Handle a Case on My Own?
Our Intake Specialists are not able to give any free legal advice, or any legal advice at all, as they are not licensed attorneys.
If you are seeking representation for your personal injury claim, we are more than happy to see in what way we can best help, but we are unable to guide you on how to handle the claim on your own.
What is a Case Review?
A case review, or a free consultation, is a way to help you determine if you have a valid personal injury claim. The free consultation is the first step to the intake injury process.
Our Intake team will ask a series of questions to determine if your potential case is one we can assist with.
Note: During a free consultation, our Intake Specialists are not able to provide any free legal advice, as they are not licensed attorneys.
After gathering necessary information, the Intake Specialist consults with the personal injury attorney to review the facts of the potential case and then let you know if it’s something we can assist with.
How Long Will It Take for the Personal Injury Attorney to Determine If I Have a Case?
Our Intake Specialists are typically able to put you on a brief hold and consult with the attorney regarding your potential case. Once the Intake Specialist comes back on the line, they will tell you if your potential case is one we can assist with.
If your potential case is more complex, our Intake Specialists may need to give you a call back to ensure they are able to relay all information to the attorney to make a well-informed decision on your claim.
Our goal is to give you an answer as soon as possible so we can steer you in the right direction regardless.
How Long Will It Take for the Attorney to Review My Injury Claim?
Our Intake Specialists are typically able to put you on a brief hold and consult with the attorney regarding your potential case. Once the Intake Specialist comes back on the line, they will tell you if your potential case is one we can assist with.
If your potential case is more complex, our Intake Specialists may need to give you a call back to ensure they are able to relay all information to the attorney to make a well-informed decision on your claim.
Our goal is to give you an answer as soon as possible so we can steer you in the right direction regardless.
What is the Difference Between a Case Intake Interview and a Free Consultation?
A free consultation, or potential case review, is a way to help you determine if you have a valid personal injury claim. The free consultation is the first step to the intake injury process.
A case intake interview occurs after the attorney has determined we are able to assist with your personal injury claim. The intake interview takes place with the Intake Specialist over the phone. If you would like to meet in person for the interview, the Intake Specialist can set up a time for you to come into the office to do so.
The case intake interview is a way for the Intake Specialist to gather additional information regarding your claim so we can provide the best service and be as thorough as possible. The intake interview typically takes about 20-30 minutes.
After My Intake Interview, Will I Need to Set Up My Own Personal Injury Claim?
As soon as our Intake Specialists complete the intake interview and receive the signed contract back, the only thing you have to worry about is the property damage to your vehicle and going to the doctor to get better!
Kaufman Law handles all the logistics so you don’t have to. We contact the insurance companies on your behalf to notify them of representation and ensure all claims have been filed. We also help you get to the right doctor depending on your injuries so you can get the treatment you need. As long as you’re going to your appointments, you’re doing everything you need to on your end! We’ll take care of the rest.
How Long Does the Personal Injury Claim Process Take?
The length of the personal injury claim process depends on numerous factors. The length of treatment and extent of injuries plays a big role in the timeline of settlement. Also, it largely depends on the insurance companies involved and time of any possible negotiations.
Due to these factors, it is near impossible to say how long the personal injury claim process will take. Every case is different!
What Information Will the Intake Specialist Need to Set Up My Personal Injury Claim?
To set up your personal injury claim, our Intake Specialist will need to gather the following information from you:
- Basic contact information
- Date of incident and how the injury occurred
- All insurance information (health insurance and auto insurance)
- Injuries sustained and medical treatment received
- Any documentation or medical records pertaining to the injury
- All the information we ask our clients is to ensure we are as thorough as possible and are able to perform the best work on the case.
Will My Insurance Go Up if I File a Personal Injury Claim?
Generally, if you are not found to be at-fault for the accident, your insurance premiums will not go up.
It is important to note, however, that your insurance premiums could go up at any time for unrelated reasons i.e., if there are more accidents in the area you live in. Also, if you’ve recently been in multiple accidents, even if you weren’t at fault, your premiums could go up due to the repeated claims.
Nevertheless, many states have insurance laws that prevent insurance companies from raising your premiums for claims that are not your fault.
It is very important a claim is filed on your own insurance, as you may be entitled to additional coverage to go towards your settlement. Remember that you pay for a certain policy for a reason. If a claim is not filed on your insurance, you may miss out on money that could go towards your medical bills.
Will the Law Firm Review My Case If I am At Fault for an Accident?
Our firm will happily review all potential case facts, even for those who were found to be at fault for the accident. However, our firm must be able to prove that you were actually not at-fault. This typically only applies when liability is disputed. We will explore all avenues to see if you were found to be at-fault when you shouldn’t have.
If we are not able to prove that you were not at-fault, then your potential case is not one we would be able to assist with.
Do I Need to Go to the Doctor?
You are the only person who can answer this question! We are not able to tell you your pain level. If you think your pain warrants a trip to the doctor, then definitely seek medical treatment!
Even if you’re unsure about your pain level, it’s best to at least go for a check-up just to be on the safe side. The doctor you see will help you determine if you need further treatment.
Do I Need to Get Representation?
If you don’t seek any medical treatment or don’t see yourself needing medical treatment, you most likely won’t need an attorney. If it’s just one doctor visit, the insurance company will typically attempt to settle that out with you since it amounts to so little. However, most accidents are random and sudden. They may be an unexpected situation that requires time, money and energy to deal with. Having a lawyer can help ensure that a you receive compensation for the damages that you suffered. It is important to obtain a lawyer to ensure all processes are accomplished correctly and in a timely manner.
What Should I Do if I Am At Fault for the Accident I Was In?
If you were found to be 100% liable for the accident you were in, there are still options for you. We know many attorneys that can assist you in your traffic citation and liability issues. You can also call the State Bar of Georgia at (404) 355-4000 to help you find an attorney for your potential case.
When I call for a Free Consultation, Will I Be Talking to the Attorney?
Our attorneys are hard at work practicing law, meeting with clients, and working on their cases, so our Intake Specialist is the first person you speak with regarding your injury claim.
Our Intake Specialists will gather all necessary information to share with the attorney and determine if we are the best fit for your potential case.
Why Don’t I Get to Consult with the Attorney During My Free Consultation?
Our attorneys are actively engaging with their clients and cases, so they must trust our Intake Specialists to provide the upmost level of service to any potential client that calls in for a free consultation.
Allowing the attorneys to focus on practicing law and engaging with clients ensure the best possible outcome for a case.
Our Intake Specialists are highly competent and can assist and ensure you are as comfortable as possible throughout the intake injury process.
Will I Get to Meet My Lawyer During My Personal Injury Case?
Our personal injury attorneys are accessible anytime you need them. Our attorneys love putting a face to a name and would be more than happy to set up a meeting in office.
Your paralegal is the main day-to-day point of contact throughout the duration of your case, but your attorney is available by phone anytime when they’re not in court or another meeting.
Rest assured, we are not a firm with attorneys who ignore their clients and are unable to be reached. Each client is as equally important, and we will put the time and effort into each individual case.
How Do I Know If I have a Personal Injury Claim in Georgia?
If you sustained an injury due to another person’s negligence, you may be able to file a claim. Examples of personal injury cases where someone is negligent include:
- Dog bites – Someone does not leash their dog and the dog bites you.
- Car crashes – A driver runs a red light and collides with your vehicle.
- Slip and falls – A janitor leaves soap on the floor and you slip on it.
- Medical malpractice – Your doctor makes a mistake in surgery.
- Trucking crashes – A truck driver falls asleep at the wheel and hits your car.
- Pedestrian-car collisions – You are jogging outside and struck by an oncoming vehicle.
There are several considerations in personal injury cases. A personal injury lawyer can review your case and determine if another person’s negligence caused you injury and you have a claim. In some cases, juries rule that victims are partially responsible for their injuries. If you are 50 percent or more at fault, you may not be entitled to receive compensation.
You May Be Able To Recover Damages
Georgia allows damages for physical and emotional injuries that are caused by someone else. Compensation can help you recover financially and heal from your injuries. In a personal injury claim, you may recover damages such as:
Property damage – You may be able to recover damages to your car and any items in your car.
Medical expenses – Expenses may include hospital, doctor and prescription bills as well as transportation to and from medical appointments.
Wage loss – You may be entitled to compensation for any past and future loss of earnings.
Emotional suffering – If you fear loss of your friends, family, job or face a reduction or earning capacity, you may be able to recover damages.
Punitive damages – If the person who hurt you acted badly such as by driving impaired or without a valid license, you may file a claim for punitive damages.
Juries also consider the mental and emotional consequences of pain when determining damages. Consequences may include reduced quality of life, sleeplessness, fear that you will not recover or a fear of driving after a collision. However, there must be physical contact to recover damages for emotional distress.
Generally, you must file suit within two years after the injury. There are many exceptions to this rule, and a skillful lawyer can fight for an extension of this period, if necessary. Do not wait to file a claim or you may not be able to recover any compensation you may be entitled to receive.
How Do I Know If I have a Personal Injury Claim in Georgia?
After a car accident in Georgia, an attorney can help you understand the claims process and your rights. A skilled attorney can investigate your case, preserve evidence and manage the information presented to the insurance company. They will help you to gather documentation to prove your physical and emotional injuries and fight for damages. An attorney will also help assess the value of the claim and the level of negligence of the at-fault party and negotiate fair compensation.
An Attorney Can Investigate And Gather Evidence
You may feel overwhelmed after a crash as you try to recover from your injuries, replace your car and return to work. An attorney can take on the important tasks of gathering the information needed to build a strong case for compensation so that you can focus on recovery. Your attorney can assist with:
Obtaining medical documentation of your injuries, communicating with adjusters regarding your recovery and fighting for payment of medical bills.
Hiring an accident reconstruction expert and showing the insurance company a more realistic view of how the incident occurred
Evaluating and analyzing data to prove fault and challenge any insurance claim denials.
A Lawyer Can Negotiate For Fair Compensation
An experienced attorney understands the value of a claim based on the extent of injuries, the severity of impact, the types of vehicles involved and the circumstances around the crash. For example, if the other driver was under the influence of alcohol or drugs, a higher level of negligence could increase the value of a claim. It can take an experienced personal injury lawyer to accurately assess what your claim is worth. Unfortunately, without a lawyer, you may accept the insurance company’s initial offer, which is rarely the true value of a claim. They will do whatever it takes to minimize their losses because any type of claim is a loss. Your lawyer can negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf and prevent you from accepting an amount that is less than you are entitled to receive.
Not only can hiring an attorney save you time and money, but can also increase the odds that you will walk away with what you need to recover and move forward with your life. You need a compassionate lawyer by your side who will stand up to the insurance company and be your voice.
