What to Do After a Personal Injury

To help you on your path to healing, we’ve summarized the process of filing a personal injury claim and the actions you should take to get the settlement you deserve.

How Long Do I Have to Wait to Get a Settlement?

Sometimes, cases get resolved before ever setting foot in a courtroom. More complex cases could take longer – from months to years. At The Claiborne Firm, we have a reputation for getting settlements resolved quickly, but we won’t hesitate to wait if we believe it will result in a larger settlement.

Will My Personal Injury Case Go to Trial?

More often than not, personal injury cases never go to trial. Generally, most reach a settlement before that, making a trial unnecessary. However, sometimes the only way to reach the outcome you deserve is by taking your case all the way to trial. If you are feeling at all intimidated, you should know that we have a highly successful track record of significant results in taking cases to trial. The only concerns should be coming from the insurance companies, who know that a trial means a battle they could lose and pay the price.

Will I get a Better Settlement with a Personal Injury Attorney?

Undoubtedly. Study after study has shown that those who hire a skilled attorney receive substantially larger settlements than those who opt to go it alone. The insurance companies will do whatever they can to avoid settling a claim and hurting their bottom line, and they’ll do whatever it takes. A good attorney will help you take on whatever they throw at you.

Can I Settle My Personal Injury Case Alone?

You have the right to represent yourself in a personal injury case, but that does not mean it is a good idea. The insurance companies will be prepared for anything, with expert testimony and sizable resources that dwarf anything you might be able to prepare. And unfortunately, without the expertise of an attorney on your side, you will be an easy win for their corporate lawyers. Look through our case results. You’ll see how many people just like you were grateful they didn’t take this one alone.

How Long Will it Take to Get My Insurance Check?

Most insurers are eager to close out their case files as efficiently as possible. As such, whether your case goes to trial or is settled out of court, you can expect swift payment.

What Kind of Settlement Can I Expect?

Your settlement depends on many factors, including the expenses you’ve paid out and the nature of your injuries. We can evaluate your unique circumstances to better understand the size of the settlement you might expect. Not to be understated is the fact that juries and judges sometimes award settlements well above the expected value due to the severity of the injuries or seriousness of the accident.

What Will My Compensation Cover?

If you’ve had a personal injury in Georgia, you can sue for three different types of compensation – economic, non-economic, and punitive.

Economic or “special damages” – These are all the financial hardships you’ve had to endure as a result of your injury. There is no upper limit on the amount of economic damages you can claim. Types of economic damages include:

• • Hospital bills
• • Lost salary or wages
• • Future lost salary or wages
• • Damage to property
• • Housekeeping and caretaking
• • Rehab and physical therapy
• • Any other expenses you paid

 
Non-economic or “general damages” – These damages are non-monetary. They include:

• • Physical and emotional pain and suffering
• • Loss of consortium
• • Loss of enjoyment of life
• • Permanent physical disfigurement
• • Permanent disability
• • Loss of reputation

Punitive damages –These damages are awarded as a form of punishment when the defendant’s action or inaction was especially negligent or harmful.

We invite you to read our personal injury FAQs and glossary to better understand each and every aspect of your case.

The Claiborne Firm is Here for You, And We Actually Listen

Unlike other big, TV-advertising firms, we truly care about our clients. We keep our caseloads low, so we can give you the attention you deserve.

Our Detailed Approach

Because we only take on cases we believe in, we give each case our undivided attention. That means we work quickly to gather evidence and give you the best chance of getting a meaningful settlement. Then we brainstorm creative ways to argue your case in court. We know how to use the facts of a case to tell a compelling story that creates an emotional response in jurors.

Our approach has won out time and time again, and we’re proud of our record of winning substantial settlements for our clients.

Know this: Insurance companies can be ruthless in trying to discredit you, downplay your injuries, and avoid fault. We know how to stand up to them and win.

What Makes the Claiborne Firm Different?

Empowerment & Education for You

Our clients rely on us during the most traumatic times of their lives. We support them with education and knowledge to help them understand the personal injury process. With free case evaluations online or over the phone, we empower anyone who contacts The Claiborne Firm with more information than they had before reaching out to us.

Lower Case Loads & Personalized Attention

We will never be a high-volume personal injury law firm. We’re just not interested in churning through clients to make a quick buck. Each of our clients gets dedicated, personalized attention, and they enjoy better outcomes as a result.

Open Communication

We provide our personal cell phone to each of our clients so they can reach us at any time. We take calls from our clients and our kids on the same line. We want our clients to feel safe and well taken care of with us. Keeping our caseloads low allows us to provide that personalized experience.

Creative Brainstorming

Some of our clients have been rejected by every other lawyer they’ve talked to. We love a challenge, and we excel at coming up with creative, out-of-the-box ways to tell their stories and see justice served.

Best Possible Outcome

Our clients trust us to do everything in our power to get them the outcome they need and deserve.

Preparation and Timing

We come to court better prepared than the insurance companies. Proper preparation gives us a winning edge to help make your life whole again and support your healing. We advise all of our clients that timing is critical. Start recording your expenses immediately and seek medical attention as soon as possible. Waiting to seek medical attention could harm your chances of getting an adequate recovery – insurance companies will pounce on your delay to prove your injuries are not serious.