Personal Injury

A serious injury affects not only your life, but often your whole family’s as well. An injury caused by a car accident or slip and fall can result in permanent disability, severe pain, and loss of function and mobility. You may be unable to work, care for your family, or even enjoy hobbies and leisure activities—in other words, to do the things that give your life structure and meaning. To add insult to injury, you are likely facing many thousands of dollars in medical bills just when you can least afford it.

Accidents happen—often suddenly, and with life-changing effects. In light of that reality, we as a society have established that drivers of automobiles are required to have insurance. Similarly, businesses and property owners should get insurance in case they are ever found responsible for a serious personal injury accident.

Just because we might casually call something an “accident” doesn’t mean that no one is legally at fault, or that the party at fault shouldn’t be held responsible. Sometimes what might seem at first blush to be an accident is really the result of negligent conduct by a person or corporation that has failed in its obligations to follow society’s rules and good safety practices. An experienced personal injury attorney can help you assess whether there is a company or individual who may be legally responsible for your accident.

Why You Need an Attorney if You Have Been Injured

In an ideal world, if you were seriously injured by someone else’s negligence, you would immediately receive all the medical care you need, file a claim with the insurance company, receive prompt payment for all of your damages, and begin moving forward with your life. Unfortunately, we don’t live in an ideal world: insurance companies take great efforts to portray themselves as good neighbors who are on your side, but in many cases they are not. The insurance company’s objective after you have been in a serious accident may be to quickly resolve your claim with a “lowball” offer, possibly even before you know the full extent of your injuries and damages.

The simple reality is that insurance companies are businesses. They generally exist to make a profit, and one of the ways they can do that is by paying less in claims than they take in through premiums. No matter what the insurer for a driver or property owner says, do not assume they are putting your interests first. Keep this in mind if an insurance company makes you a settlement offer in the days immediately following an accident.

Insurance companies usually make settlement offers for one reason: they believe that there is a risk that they may have to pay you more if you hire a personal injury attorney and file a lawsuit. But if you accept a settlement, you generally waive your right to future compensation—even if your injury turns out to be much worse than you first believed. Never accept a settlement offer in your case without speaking to an experienced personal injury attorney first.

Unlike the insurance company for the at fault party, your attorney’s priority is getting you the best possible financial recovery in your case. A financial settlement or verdict may not be able to restore your health after a serious injury, but it is the best way the law has to try and compensate you for the wrong that was done to you. Compensation also relieves your financial worries so that you can focus on what’s important: your family and your recovery.

Defendants know how much an attorney can do for you in a personal injury matter. A study by the Insurance Research Council shows that personal injury victims who are represented by a personal injury attorney receive, on average, a settlement that is 3.5 times greater than injury victims without a lawyer.

Work with an Experienced Georgia Personal Injury Attorney

Attorney Matthew A. Ericksen, Sr. knows Georgia personal injury law from both sides of the table. For over a decade he worked for insurance defense law firms that defended against personal injury claims, including serious premises liability and car accident injuries.

Matthew founded The Ericksen Firm because he wanted to use his knowledge and experience to help people who have been injured. This is his calling. Matthew understands how vulnerable people are to financial pressure when they have been seriously injured, and he never charges a legal fee in an injury case unless and until you receive a settlement or other financial recovery.

Protect your rights today! Speak to an experienced Georgia personal injury attorney who has your best interests at heart—and knows how to advocate for them.

To learn more about Georgia personal injury law and your options if you have been injured, contact The Ericksen Firm today.

Car Accidents

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Premises Liability

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