St. Clair County Personal Injury Lawyer

No one ever wants to believe they will suffer a personal injury due to someone else’s. Even minor injuries, an injury can cause victims to lose time at work, incur expensive medical bills, and experience emotional distress.

If you have suffered a personal injury, you need to obtain qualified legal representation immediately. Unfortunately, injury victims can often think they can handle a personal injury claim independently. However, they quickly realize the legal process is more complicated than they initially believed.

For this reason, it is always in your best interest to have an experienced attorney represent you to ensure your legal rights are protected. We realize that many individuals do not like the idea of filing a lawsuit to recover compensation. However, often the only way to hold the liable party accountable for their actions is to file a claim.

Our personal injury law firm is dedicated to obtaining maximum compensation for an injury victim and holding the other party accountable for their negligent actions.

Contact Jim Golden Law and ask to schedule a free consultation so that we may answer your questions and discuss what legal action may be available.

When Do I Need to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer?

Injury victims are often unsure if they need to hire a personal injury lawyer to help them pursue compensation. However, having a skilled lawyer on your side can make the difference between being able to collect compensation that barely covers your medical expenses or a settlement that can give you the peace of mind you deserve.

If you have been injured due to someone else’s negligence, you need to hire an attorney who can provide you with the legal counsel you need to establish liability and act as your legal advocate with the insurance carrier.

Some of the other reasons why it is essential that you hire a personal injury lawyer include:

The insurance company is stalling or trying to delay paying a settlement. In some instances, an insurance provider will try to hold up the case until the statute of limitations has run out in an attempt to avoid paying a claim.
The accident caused you to suffer permanent injuries. Permanent or catastrophic injuries, as they are also called, typically result in the victim needing expensive medical care that can become costly over time. A knowledgeable personal injury attorney can evaluate your case and determine an appropriate settlement that will provide for your future medical needs.
You are still determining how much your claim is worth. A well-trained personal injury lawyer is familiar with how insurance companies determine settlement amounts. If the insurance provider attempts to offer you a settlement below what your attorney feels you deserve, they can negotiate to recover the compensation you rightfully deserve.

If you have been injured in an accident that was someone else’s fault, you must hire a personal injury attorney who can provide the legal advice you need to ensure you have the information you need to make informed decisions.

Other local personal injury attorneys may claim to be able to obtain favorable outcomes for their injury victims, but few can offer the results that Jim Golden Law has been able to achieve for our clients.

Contact our law firm immediately to schedule an appointment with our highly trained attorney.

What Type of Compensation Can I Recover From a Personal Injury Settlement?

One of the most critical aspects of any personal injury lawsuit is the victim’s ability to seek compensation for the harm they have suffered. Under Alabama law, personal injury victims are entitled to try and recover economic and non-economic damages, also called compensatory damages. Additionally, if your personal injury case meets specific legal standards as prescribed by Alabama law, you may also be entitled to collect punitive damages.

Economic Damages

Economic damages are awarded to personal injury victims to reimburse them for out-of-pocket expenses they have paid or may have to pay in the future due to their injuries. Even with insurance coverage, injury victims often are forced to pay high deductibles and other injury-related costs.

Some of the most frequently awarded economic damages include:

Past and future medical bills
Lost wages
Loss of earning capacity
Property damage (if applicable)

Reimbursement for medical bills may include the cost of prescription drugs, physical therapy, rehabilitation, hospital bills, and any other medical treatment necessary to help the victim recover from their injury.

In addition, if you have suffered catastrophic injuries such as a spinal cord or traumatic brain injury, you will most likely require life-long care that can quickly create financial hardship for you and your family. However, our law firm will fight to get you a settlement that will provide for your future needs and give you peace of mind about the future.

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages are designed to compensate the personal injury victims for intangible losses they have suffered. However, because non-economic damages are highly subjective and based on the case’s unique circumstances, settlements will vary greatly.

Some of the most commonly awarded non-economic damages in Alabama include:

Pain and suffering
Emotional suffering
Loss of enjoyment of life
Loss of companionship
Permanent disfigurement and scarring

One of the advantages of having a personal injury lawyer is they objectively review your case and determine what damages you may be entitled to that you may not be aware of on your own.

Punitive Damages

Alabama law allows a plaintiff (the personal injury victim) to collect punitive damages if they can prove the defendant intentionally caused them to suffer an injury through oppression, wantonness, fraud, or malice.

For example, if a driver is highly intoxicated and makes the decision to drive and causes an injury to someone, they may be forced to pay punitive damages. However, unlike compensatory damages, which are meant to reimburse the victim, punitive damages are meant to punish the wrongdoer. Punitive damages are granted to serve as a warning to others not to repeat the same type of behavior.

Alabama law caps punitive damages at three times the amount of compensatory damages or $500,000, whichever is greater. The law also allows up to $1,500,000 for physical injuries.

A knowledgeable personal injury attorney can determine if you are eligible to recover punitive damages and what amount would be appropriate for your case. Contact Jim Golden Law of **** to learn more information.

Should I Speak With the Other Party’s Insurance Company?

It is important that personal injury victims understand their legal rights after being involved in an accident. Personal injury victims should never speak with the other party’s insurance company without having legal representation.

Insurance providers have a variety of tactics they try to use to avoid paying large payouts to claimants. For example, an insurance adjuster may try to contact you almost immediately after an accident has occurred. The adjuster may offer you a quick settlement that, on the surface, w seems to be very lucrative.

However, these quick settlements rarely are in the best interests of the injury victim as they do not take into account future costs and non-economic damages. The insurance company hopes you will be willing to take their first offer so they can avoid paying you maximum compensation.

An insurance adjuster may also ask you to consent to make a recorded statement giving details about how the accident occurred. However, you should be advised that once you give your consent, the insurance company has the legal right to use your statement against you to try and undervalue or deny your claim.

Therefore, you should never make any type of agreement with an insurer until you have allowed your personal injury attorney to review it first. Our personal injury attorney will be happy to review the terms to ensure your legal rights are protected and it is in your best interest.

Call Our St. Clair County Personal Injury Lawyer Today!

Jim Golden Law is passionately committed to assisting injury victims to recover maximum compensation for the harm they have suffered through the negligence of others. Attorney Jim Golden possesses a distinctive advantage when handling personal injury cases, drawing from his firsthand experience as a first responder to numerous incidents involving personal injuries during his tenure as a firefighter. With a commendable track record of over 20 years of dedicated service, Jim knows all too well the profound impact that personal injuries can have. He is well-acquainted with the intense emotions following an accident, the severe nature of the injuries sustained, and the aftermath that unfolds once life moves on. Leveraging his invaluable insights, Jim will skillfully utilize every fragment of evidence during negotiations to secure the most favorable outcome for you in the end.

If we agree to take your case, we will immediately begin to investigate by reviewing the evidence, such as medical reports, witness testimony, and video footage. We may also call upon expert witnesses to build and strengthen your claim.

In addition to the investigative services we provide, our law firm is dedicated to supporting a strong attorney-client relationship by keeping you informed on the progress of your case. We will inform you of any updates, changes, or offers from the other party as soon as they occur. As a result, you will never be left to wonder what is happening with your case.

Contact Jim Golden Law to schedule a free no-obligation consultation to discuss your case. A qualified legal team member will gladly provide a free case review and inform you of your legal options.