Personal Injury

Criminal Prosecution vs. Personal Injury in Drunk Driving Cases (Part 2 of 2)

July 24, 2018 | by Slappey & Sadd, LLC

In our previous post, we discussed a scenario where you and your family were in a car accident caused by a drunk driver. As is often the case, the other driver winds up being charged with DUI. People sometimes get confused as to what that means for them if they are injured, and so we discussed some of the principal differences between the criminal case and a claim for your personal injuries. Here is a brief summary of the points we discussed:

The criminal case against the driver is brought by the government, based on the fact that he broke the law. He will face possible jail time and fines, as well as other penalties.
A personal injury lawsuit is based on the victim’s claim for damages arising from the accident, such as medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, and pain and suffering.

Criminal Prosecution vs. Personal Injury in Drunk Driving Cases (Part 1 of 2)

July 22, 2018 | by Slappey & Sadd, LLC

Here is an unfortunately all-too-common scenario: you’re driving home late one night from a family get-together. Suddenly, while coming around a turn, a car appears in your lane coming right at you. You try to swerve, but it’s too late, and the other vehicle hits you head on. Your vehicle is totaled. Your family is a bit shaken-up but seems to otherwise be ok. It’s immediately obvious that the other driver is severely intoxicated. When police arrive on the scene, he’s mostly incoherent. The police report indicates that there was a strong odor of alcohol emanating from the vehicle, he admitted to having several drinks, and could not perform any of the field sobriety tests. As a result, you’re not surprised to learn that the other driver is being prosecuted for DUI.

A few days pass and you discover that even though you have insurance, you’re going to have to pay out of pocket in order to replace your car. In addition, you have a lot of stiffness in your upper body. Your husband has intermittent pain in his neck, and one of your children is complaining about severe, recurring headaches. What do you do?

Isn’t all of this being handled in the criminal case? Over the next couple of posts, we’ll be discussing how the criminal case and a claim for personal injury are related.

What You Need To Know About Rear-End Collisions

July 14, 2018 | by Slappey & Sadd, LLC

Rear-end collisions are some of the most common car accidents on our roadways. They can happen when you are stopped at an intersection or in stop-and-go traffic. And even though they are quite common, that doesn’t mean that they are nothing to worry about. Despite the safety features found in modern vehicles, the injuries caused by rear-end collisions can be very serious. In this post, we want to sensitize our readers to some of the important issues that arise with these accidents.

Your Injuries May Not Present Themselves Right Away

People who have been in car accidents often report that they felt fine immediately afterward. However, the next day, or even several days later, they often start to experience various symptoms such as the following:

Amusement Park Accidents

July 9, 2018 | by Slappey & Sadd, LLC

It’s summertime, and so millions of families across the country will be heading out in search of rollercoasters, waterslides, and other thrill rides. Some will head to the carnival at the local fair, while others may travel hundreds of miles to expansive theme parks. Amusement parks can be a ton of fun, but many people don’t realize that, unfortunately, accidents do happen. These accidents can result in serious injury.

Park Ride Injuries

In June, local news outlets reported that a 16-year-old was injured on a park ride at Lake Winnie. It was the fourth incident within a week – one woman broke her foot on a water ride, and two injuries happened on a roller coaster called the Wild Lightning. One of the people who was injured on the Wild Lightning required surgery for her injuries. The ride was temporarily closed during safety concerns.

Injured While Shopping? What You Need to Know About Retail Premises Liability

June 26, 2018 | by Slappey & Sadd, LLC

It’s no secret that Americans love shopping. “Retail therapy” is one of our favorite pastimes. In addition to recreational shopping, how much time do you spend at the hardware store or shopping for groceries? When you add it all up, we spend a lot of our time at retail shopping locations.

But what happens if you’re injured when you’re out shopping? Slip, trip, and fall accidents happen every day. If you have been injured in a fall at a retail store, there are some important things you need to know.

The Retailer’s Duty to You

Punitive Damages: What You Need to Know

June 20, 2018 | by Slappey & Sadd, LLC

If you’ve been injured in an accident, you know how disruptive it can be. Medical bills, lost wages, property damage, and physical therapy all cost you time and money. People wind up hiring a lawyer because they want to seek compensation for these losses. If you prevail in your case, the jury will typically award compensatory damages – a money judgment calculated to cover your losses. But are you entitled to more?

A common question we get from our clients is whether or not they can receive punitive damages. This post explains what they are and when punitive damages are available.

What Are Punitive Damages?

Injured in an Accident? Understand Who and What You’re Up Against

June 13, 2018 | by Slappey & Sadd, LLC

No one wants to sue another person, especially when your injuries were caused by an accident – it’s not as if the at-fault person intended to harm you. However, you should understand that who you are really suing is the other person’s insurance company. In exchange for their premiums, the insurance company agrees to compensate accident victims and pay for any property damage that insured person may cause. In addition, the insurance company agrees to provide a legal defense if they are sued.

It is important to understand this relationship between the at-fault party and the insurer because the insurance company’s primary focus is to reduce the amount of the claims it has to pay. As a result, you should assume that they do not have your best interests at heart. Instead, they are likely to employ one of the tactics we describe below.

Quick Settlement

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles: Same Injuries, Different Legal Cases

May 27, 2018 | by Slappey & Sadd, LLC

People most are familiar with car accidents, they are fairly common. Accidents involving buses, planes, cabs, trains, Uber or other ride-sharing services are less common and are referred to as “common carrier” accidents. These cases present some unique challenges when compared to accidents involving only personal vehicles.

If you’ve been injured in an accident with a common carrier vehicle, it is important to understand these differences. You should first seek medical treatment, but you should also seek experienced legal counsel to help you understand your rights and the potential implications of how to proceed.

The Role of Insurance

Common Injuries in Slip and Fall Cases

May 20, 2018 | by Slappey & Sadd, LLC

If you have fallen when you were on someone else’s property and are injured, you could be entitled to ask for compensation for your injuries and other losses. Personal injury attorneys refer to these as “slip and fall cases.” Even though slip and fall cases are less common than cases arising from automobile accidents, they can result in injuries that are every bit as serious. These injuries can result in thousands of dollars in medical bills and have a significant impact on your quality of life. If you’ve fallen and are in pain, you should get checked out by your doctor or another medical professional as soon as possible if you haven’t already done so.

The attorneys at Slappey and Sadd have years of experience in handling slip and fall cases. We have helped many of our clients recover compensation for the common injuries listed below.

Visible Superficial Injuries

Have you been bitten by a dog?

May 13, 2018 | by Slappey & Sadd, LLC

Dog bites are typically portrayed on tv and in movies as comedic events, but in reality, they are no laughing matter. Not only can you be seriously injured by a dog bite, but getting attacked by a dog is a traumatizing event. If you’ve been bitten by a dog and suffered serious injury, it’s important that you understand your rights under Georgia law.

Statute of Limitations

The phrase “statute of limitations” is legal jargon for the period of time during which you can file a lawsuit. There are different time periods for different kinds of cases, and they vary by state. Georgia law requires that you file a lawsuit for personal injury due to a dog bite within two years of the incident. This is important because if you fail to file the lawsuit during that period of time, you will be barred from receiving compensation for your injuries.