When one person’s negligence or reckless behavior leads to the death of another person, on or off the road, the victim’s loved ones are typically entitled to compensation. Though no amount of money can make up for the loss of a life, The Sullivan Law Firm will fight for fair compensation for a wrongful death.
At The Sullivan Law Firm, we understand that the loss of a loved one cannot be undone, but we work hard to ensure justice is served and our clients are compensated by the offender's insurance company. Acting quickly is crucial in wrongful death cases as witnesses' memories fade, and evidence may be lost or destroyed. Our skilled and aggressive personal injury attorneys have access to investigators and cutting-edge technology to tackle this undertaking and help our clients during this difficult time.
There are a lot of questions around lawyers and the process, we know it can be confusing. So here are some common questions we get asked.
We know there is also a lot of information to review, so here we housed some common terms and facts for you as well.
Nothing. It will also cost you nothing to have a consultation of your case. We handle all of our cases on a contingency fee basis, which means that you do not pay us out of pocket, and we only get paid if you are compensated.
If you have been involved in an accident, which occurred on a public road or public property, and an officer reported to the scene and completed an investigation, you can retrieve your accident report by either presenting to the investigating agency and requesting a copy of the accident report (for a fee of $2 - $5) or by visiting buycrash.com and buying a copy of your report online for $11.00. If you are unable to purchase your report online, as part of our free consultation, we will procure your accident report and review it prior to our consultation.
When you are injured by someone else’s negligence or actions, insurance is usually the source for your compensation. Insurance companies have been insuring American citizens for hundreds of years and are represented by highly skilled attorneys who have been trained to ensure that the insurance companies pay as little as possible when tendering compensation to someone who is injured. In order to maximize your compensation and get what you deserve, it is necessary to hire an attorney who understands the insurance industry and the laws and regulations regarding personal-injury cases. Proceeding with a claim without an attorney against an insurance company equipped with centuries of experience and skilled representation would severely inhibit your ability to be fully compensated.
The time period an injured person has to make a claim, for injuries sustained to their property or person as a result of someone else’s negligence or actions, is called the statute of limitations. The statute of limitations varies for each type of claim. For example, if you were involved in a car accident, you will have two (2) years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit in order to preserve your claim against the at-fault party and their insurance company; but, certain facts and circumstances may shorten or extend that period of time. It is imperative that you know how much time you have to file a lawsuit so that you may preserve your right to be compensated.
We are located in Statesboro, Georgia. Here is our firm's address: 100 Brampton Ave #2FA, Statesboro, GA 30458.
Negligence is a formal term for saying that someone unintentionally failed to exercise reasonable care for the safety of others and that failure caused someone damages or injuries. Most cases involving personal injuries fall under negligence. However, in some circumstances a person’s unintentional failure to exercise reasonable care may rise to the level of recklessness, which may entitle you to additional compensation. Every injury case is different and every detail, no matter how minor, may significantly change your entitlement to compensation.
Generally, yes. If your medical bills are paid, the at fault driver, usually through their insurance coverage, is still liable for your injuries and the medical bills associated with treating your injuries. However, in some circumstances you may have to reimburse your health insurance carrier if you receive compensation from an at-fault party, it is beneficial to be represented by a competent attorney who, in some circumstances, can negotiate significant reductions to your health insurance reimbursement.
Med pay, or medical payment provisions, in your insurance policy is a provision of insurance that will pay for medical bills regardless of who is at fault for the accident. Instates that require “no-fault” insurance (Georgia is not one of them, it uses a tort system), med pay is required in each policy. However, in states like Georgia, med pay is usually only added to a policy if you request it, and it is usually fairly cheap for good coverage.
Uninsured or under insured motorist coverage is additional insurance from your policy to help compensate you for an accident if the at-fault driver has no insurance or is under insured. Georgia law requires that your insurance company offer it to you, and it is your decision whether to carry it on your policy or not. Many times, uninsured or under insured drivers cause accidents so it is very important to have “full coverage,” which includes uninsured motorist/under insured motorist coverage.
In Georgia, a patient has an absolute statutory right to obtain copies of their medical records and they can allow their attorney to procure their medical records by signing a HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) release, which allows a medical provider to furnish copies of their medical records to a third-party. Many of our clients treat at East Georgia Regional Medical Center, St. Joseph’s/Candler Hospital, Memorial Health University Medical Center, Augusta University Medical Center, Meadows Regional Medical Center, Winn Army Community Hospital, Emanuel Medical Center, and Optim Healthcare, and we are able to procure their medical records for them.
Each month you pay a premium for your insurance policy and coverage. If you have uninsured or under insured motorist coverage, Georgia law bars insurance companies from raising your premiums if you make a claim for an accident that is not your fault. Additionally, your insurance carrier cannot cancel your policy or decline to renew your policy for making a claim for uninsured or under insured motorist coverage.
There is no way to say for sure how much your personal injury case is worth. There are many factors that go into the worth of your case, such as: the facts and circumstances of the accident giving rise to your injury; the severity of your injuries; who is responsible for your injuries;the applicable insurance limits; your health prior to your injuries; your employment history; your life expectancy; and your past litigation history. At the outset, this answer can be frustrating. However, it actually is beneficial to those who are represented by a competent attorney who knows how to maximize your recovery.
If you were injured in an automobile, bicycle, or pedestrian accident and the driver who caused the accident is from another state you still can pursue your claim in Georgia if the accident happened in Georgia.
So very often, auto accident victims think that they have “full coverage” auto insurance on their vehicle, but unfortunately, that often isn’t the case. “Liability” coverage is the amount of coverage you have on your vehicle to pay out to someone else if you cause an accident. “Uninsured” or “Underinsured” coverage (UM coverage) is the amount of coverage you have on your vehicle to pay to yourself and/or your passengers if someone else causes an accident that results in injuries to you or your passengers. This coverage specifically protects you and/or your passengers in the event that the person who caused the accident is either uninsured or doesn’t have enough coverage. “Medical Payments” (MedPay) is additional coverage you can add to your policy to pay for medical bills or prescriptions related to an auto accident. MedPay coverage is sold in $1,000, $2,000, $5,000, and up increments. The minimum amount of Liability coverage legally required to drive your vehicle on the road in Georgia is $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident. If someone hits you and they only have the minimum coverage, that means that, no matter how badly you are injured and no matter how high your medical bills are, $25,000 is the maximum amount that an individual person can recover from that policy, and $50,000 is the maximum amount that will be paid out from that policy no matter how many people are injured. (For example, if there were three people in the car, they would have to share the $50,000 in coverage.) Liability coverage is also sold in larger amounts, but this is the minimum amount of coverage required. You are NOT required to have UM coverage on your vehicle, which means that you may be legally covered but not fully protected. If your injuries and medical bills result in damages exceeding the amount of liability coverage available (minimum $25k/$50k), then you can use your own UM coverage to make up the difference. This is why it is so important to have at least some form of UM coverage on your policy. UM coverage comes in two varieties: “add-on” or “reduced” coverage. “Add-on” means that the amount of UM coverage you have will be “added on” to the amount of liability coverage that the other person has. “Reduced” means that the amount you are able to recover from your own policy will be “reduced” by the amount of liability coverage that the at-fault driver has. For example, if a person with $25k in liability coverage hits you, and you have $25k in add-on UM coverage, you will have $50k total in applicable coverage available to you. If, however, you have $25k in reduced coverage, you will only have the $25k in liability coverage available to you. Alternatively, if you have $100k in UM coverage and the at-fault party has $25k in liability coverage, you will have applicable coverage totaling $125k if you have add-on UM, or $100k if you have reduced UM coverage. If you reject UM coverage entirely, and you are hit by an uninsured driver, you will not have any applicable insurance coverage from which to recover. This applies to medical/bodily injury claims as well as property damage claims. And although it is illegal in Georgia for drivers to be completely uninsured, it does happen. You don’t want to rely on someone else to have insurance to cover you in the event of an accident. Therefore, it is important that you check your insurance policy and make sure you know what coverage you have or don’t have. Often, it doesn’t cost much more monthly or annually to add UM and/or Med Pay coverage to your policy. Every case is different, and there may be extenuating circumstances that pertain to your particular situation. However, knowing what coverage you have is the most basic thing you can do to protect yourself and your passengers.
We handle personal injury cases all across Georgia. Insurance companies know us and our track record, so most cases settle without having to go to court.
