Decatur, Atlanta, Stockbridge, Conyers, Buckhead, Dunwoody car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, slip and fall, negligence, insurance claims, insurance settlements, personal injury claims and more.

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In some circumstances, just compensating the injured client is not enough for us as a society or with me as a Decatur Injury Lawyer.  Sometimes we as a society say that if someone does something so bad, that they should be punished in a way to deter them from ever doing that again.  These money damages are not to compensate the injured, let’s say in a car accident or product liability case, but rather to stop the defendant from similar conduct in the future.

Since this website is primarily about vehicle and pedestrian injuries, let’s review a situation when you would need your McDonough Personal Injury Lawyer to contemplate punitive damages in your case.

The first situation is a drunk driver or someone with a DUI.  Why?  Think about the above policy reason.  If this man or women, let’s say lives in Stockbridge, often gets in her car and flies around old McDonough drunk.  She rear-ends you.  You hire a Henry County Personal Injury Lawyer, and her insurance company pays  you.  The next day, she gets in her car and does the same thing.  This time she hits someone in Conyers, and she hires a Conyers Personal Injury Lawyer.  Or better yet, the persona lives in McDonough, and she is your neighbor.  She hires a McDonough Lawyer.  The insurance company pays.  And so on…  This is why we have punitive damages.

Other circumstances that might allow punitive damages in Georgia would be a reckless driver or someone eluding the police.  Once again, you see the policy reason.  This type of bad behavior, in this case an automobile accident, must be stopped.  Remember, punitive damages are not to reward the injured person, although they get the money, but to stop or deter the bad actor from continuing the reckless or intentional behavior.  If any of these situations happens to you, contact your Personal Injury Lawyer today.

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LOST WAGES IN A PERSONAL INJURY LAWSUIT

Any wages you can prove that you lost due to your personal injury case are recoverable.  After returning to work, your employer will give us an authorization to release employment information and a salary and lost wage verification.  This is important in proving in your lost wage claim.

POLICE REPORT IN A PERSONAL INJURY LAWSUIT

The police report in a personal injury lawsuit contains vital information.  For example, you were in an accident in Henry County, for example, the report indicates the name, address, phone number, and insurance company for the at-fault driver.  As your personal injury lawyer, this information helps bring a direct action against the other driver.  If the other driver has no insurance or cannot be found, then we can see if your insurance policy contains uninsured motorist coverage.

The police report also contains a list of the occupants and witnesses, information of injuries, statements made by witnesses and drivers, and any citations given to the at-fault drive such as DUI or reckless driving.

WITNESSES IN A PERSONAL INJURY LAWSUIT

Eye witnesses are believable.  They were not in the accident.  They have nothing to gain. If you know of a witness, even if they live in Henry County, Butts County, Rockdale County, Jasper County, Clayton County or anywhere, this is critical your personal injury lawyer.  A good witness can be the difference between a great settlement and disputed liability and a lower settlement.  As a Henry County Personal Injury Lawyer, I strongly encourage you to disclose anyone who may have seen or heard your accident.

PERSONAL INJURY LAWSUIT – CLIENT DIARY

You are the best witness in your personal injury case.  But you, like everyone, can forget the little details.  A diary solves this problem and more.  When you write down each time your life changed because of the injury, or every time you suffered pain or worry, you are helping your case.  If brushing your hair or taking a shower caused pain, jot it down.  Insurance companies and jurors in a personal injury case can understand these examples. Further, as your McDonough Personal Injury Lawyer, I can use this to better explain your full pain and suffering.  When you put dates with these notations, you are creating a timeline that helps explain the duration of your personal injury.

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