Hello, everyone.  Atlanta Lawyer, Joseph McClelland, here again with a quick note to all of our readers and followers.  We are quickly finding our website all over the internet.  Check our our new listing on HG.ORG.  It lists most of the law firm’s practice areas.  It also has a link to some of the firm’s legal articles that we can post.  As of today, we have only posted one article, but we just started.  Although, I want people to find my website, sometimes it is necessary to get on lists or directories for people to find you.  Different strokes for different folks.

Before you run over there and check out our page, why don’t you review some of our top legal articles such as:

• Need for a motorcycle accident lawyer
• Need for a wrongful death lawyer
• Blog full of quality Georgia legal articles

Hello, everyone.  Internet marketing or SEO, search engine optimization, is the big thing.  You right now are on the internet, probably watching TV and doing something else.  That is our world today.  Being as it is, it is important for any business or law firm to have a online presence.  It is quite a task.  Big directories push all of the websites to pages 2 or 3, and we are left fighting for the readers who are looking for a personal injury lawyer in Monticello or a car accident lawyer in McDonough.  Usually, those searches goes to directories.  So, I have started to include the firm on some of these directories.  Therefore, please check out our new listing for the Law Firm of Joseph P. McClelland.  Links are important, hence this next link to Forsyth, Georgia Lawyer. (seo joke)

The Law Firm of Joseph P. McClelland represents clients in personal injury and car accident cases throughout the state of Georgia.  Follow us on Twitter and on Facebook to see our updates and to learn more about the subject.

We are in the list making mood over here.  In recent weeks we have written a series of some of our prior work.  We are making sure that some of the old gems don’t get lost in the cracks of our legal blog.  We have over 200 legal articles here, so some of the best ones have gone unnoticed while others have seen the light of day.  As a feature to our regular readers, we have put together a small list of some of our favorite articles.  Our previous lists include 10 Car Accident Articles and 25 Personal Injury Articles.

McClelland’s Top 5 Georgia Personal Injury Articles

1.  Motorcycle Attorneys in Atlanta

This article is all about motorcycle attorneys and all the things we do.  This article covers topics such as why you need a Georgia motorcycle lawyer, what the attorneys will do, how they help you get the best compensation, why the insurance company will try not to compensate you, and the best types of insurance available for these types of accidents. Sometimes the key to a personal injury claim involving a motorcycle is just finding all of the insurance coverage that would cover the claim. In many cases, the goal is to maximize the value of the claim to get full compensation for the injuries. In motorcycle accident claims, the goal is to find the insurance because the damages will likely exceed the value of most individual policies. We go into the best types of insurance to have if you drive bikes on a regular or part time basis. If you are a biker, this article is for you especially.

2.  Wrongful Death Attorneys in Atlanta, Georgia

This article is one of our most popular on our site here at www.jacksonlaws.com.  This article covers topics such as who is entitled to bring a claim for the murder or negligent killing of a loved one or family member.  We go into the topic of how damages are determined in wrongful death litigation.  It is not fair, so be prepared.
In wrongful death cases, the age of the deceased becomes extremely important. Discussing the value of one’s life make almost no sense. How do you put a dollar amount on the love you lost? The law has tried it’s best to find a method to calculate the damages in these cases. This article will cover some of those topics.

3.  Joseph McClelland on HG.org

Ok, this post is very self serving.  This article is about the ins and outs of our new listing on one of the internet’s most authoritative sites.  We are pleased to have this honor.  But, since it benefits me more than you as a reader, it is mainly for selfish purposes that I put it one the list.  But, hey, if I don’t link to it, who will?

4.  Litigation Procedure

One of our best articles on personal injury litigation procedure.  We have provided a basic layout of how a car accident case proceeds through the different phases of the litigation.  We review the issues of venue in Georgia.  This means what county will hear the case.  We discuss different aspects of discovery such as interrogatories, depositions and request to produce.  We delve into causation and liability issues.  We also cover how a jury in a trial or the attorneys with their clients determine the amount of damages in different types of cases.

5.  Who Pays the Medical Bills?

This is an important legal article for anyone who has been in an accident that created bills.  There will be bills on top of bills.  There will be bills from facilities you don’t remember and some bills will seem like double charges.  This collection of great injury articles is brought to you by Joseph McClelland.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ym5lxHxzl0g

We have had some great feedback about publishing lists of car accident articles.  As your favorite Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyer, I have done a great deal of work writing quality accident articles, so why not put them in a list?   On some days in the past, more than a few driving accident articles were published that pushed other great work out of the spot light.  We are going to go back and visit some the excellent work.  The theme of the list is about time traveling back one entire year.  Buckle up for topics of driving auto poorly, car crashes, drinking and driving, local and recent accident articles.

10 Car Accident Articles

1. Georgia Commissioner Dies In Car Accident

This accident article is a current events story.  It is a sad one that involves a public figure in a local town.  The deadly accident article is about the commissioner dying on his way home from work in his car.

2. Ponce De Leon Car Accident Information

This car accident article will be helpful to those looking for an attorney in Atlanta, Georgia for a car accident injury.  Well, it is actually about an recent collision on the streets of Atlanta and specifically Ponce De Leon.

3. Filing Motorcycle Accident Claims

This is one  of my personal favorites  here at www.jacksonlaws.com.  This article talks about bike accidents and the insurance issues that arise.  For example,  in motorcycle accident cases having a particular type of insurance can be very important to getting full compensation for your injuries.  Another type provides you with nothing.  Want to know which insurance policy you have?  Read this article by your favorite accident lawyer.  The post contains great information to help you get started.

4.  File Wrongful Death Claim

An important, yet sad article about filing claims after the death of a family member.  This car accident article reviews the type of person who can bring the suit (an answer you might be surprised to learn), some different types of claims, and how the state of Georgia values or places the amount of damages in these types of cases or claims.  Many attorneys do not handle cases that involves fatalities from vehicle and auto accident deaths.

5.  Car Drives into Movie Store & Worst Joke of the Year Award

My worst joke on the entire website lives on this car accident article.  On the surface, it is just a silly car accident article.  On a deeper surface, it is my sad attempt to get hired to write bad jokes for Jay Leno.  Some law jokes are for others, but did you see our new comedy video on the blog?  If not, you should go search for it.  It is awesome.

6.  Local Jackson, Georgia Article

This motor vehicle injury article was more about shining the spot light on a different page.  So, why are we putting in the list?  Because if didn’t, then who would?  What kind of person do you think I am?  Anyway, the article is about being in a car accident in a small town called Jackson.

7.  Head On Car Accidents

This motor vehicle accident article is about head on accidents.  These are some of the worst accidents in terms of the amount and severity of injuries.  The article also discusses a recent car accident that involved a head on collision.  I also provide some legal analysis about how the crash would be handled and negotiated by Atlanta attorneys.  Since these are some of the worst types of wrecks, an individual page was devoted to the topic.

8.  Interstate 75 Accident Kills 3 in Macon, Georgia

This one is a scary car accident article because everyone drives on the interstate.  Further, everyone who lives in Georgia has been on Interstate 75 or I 75.  I am on it everyday.  Most commuters are as well.  Given how big a part this road plays in our lives, it is not fun to hear about the types of accidents.  This driving accident article is about one such accident in the city of Macon, Georgia.

9.  Car Insurance Rates

This accident article is about insurance rates in Georgia.  This is not one of my favorite motor vehicle accident articles because it goes deeper than most of my readers are interested in.  This is important financially.  Money is money and we all use it.  So, knowing why insurance rates are what they are and the cause of said rate increases may be valuable.

10.  When Drunk Drivers Injure Passengers

This article is about what the name suggests.  It is an article about drunk driving accidents.  Theses types of accidents raise numerous issues that are not involved in a typical driving accident case.  Read this accident article to learn more.  Car crashes are even more severe when a drunk driver is involved because they are more likely to not have slowed down before the crash.

Thank You For Reading Our Top 10 Car Accident Articles & Driving Accident Articles

I hope you have found something on this list that you wish to read.  So, read it.  Now, go out and enjoy your spring.  But, before you go, please tweet or like this page so others can find it more easily.  Thanks.  As a car accident lawyer/car accident attorney, I can tell you that car crashes require representation because insurance companies are difficult at all turns.  There are poor drivers driving all the time.  Bad drivers cause most of the collisions in the world.

Car Accident Articles Published by Attorney Joseph McClelland,  a Georgia attorney practicing personal injury law and a lover of all things legal including driving stories.

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We have done a great amount of quality work around here writing articles on car accidents.  Some were better than others and some more useful than others, but that is how it goes.  We are going to take a peek back at some of the work we have done writing on recent legal and personal injury events in and around the state of Georgia.  Hope you enjoy this list of personal injury articles.

Some of Our Favorite Personal Injury Articles

1.  Toyota Meets NASA for Help

Talk about cooperation after the war.  Our own NASA and Toyota have joined forces to review safety issues in cars.  This is an interesting peek into some new partnerships.  This article is begin update soon to reflect the recent allegations of a cover up in this joint venture.  It is being alleged that Toyota downplayed some of the findings that the cars would accelerate contrary to the actions of the driver.  This is exactly what we all thought the problem was before they said it wasn’t.   This is going to be a great legal article.

2.  Chrysler to Fix Airbags

Safety with airbags is a big deal. Airbags save lives everyday.  But, when they don’t work, people get seriously injured.  As a car company with a problem on their hands, you must fix your problems with recalls.  This legal article reviews a recent recall of minivans.

3.  Forest Park Hit and Run

This is current event article about a hit and run driver is the city of Forest Park with is within the metro Atlanta, Georgia area.

4.  Statute of Limitations

Knowing the statute of limitations is a good way to stay alive.  Not knowing them will cause your case to be thrown out of court.  Timelines are different for different cases and for different defendants.  Go over some of the important topics on Georgia statute of limitations.  These are a must to be understood and followed.

5.  Concussions and Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Brain injuries are very serious injuries.  The results can be felt for life or a very long time.  This article reviews the symptoms of concussions.

6.  Brother and Sister Die in Car Accident

7.  Woman Dies in Car Accident

This is a sad story of the death of local woman in a car accident

8.  Change in Punitive Damages Law

The Georgia Supreme Court recently changed the laws on punitive damages.  Check out this favorite.

9.  Track to Settlement

10.  Negligent Hiring and Retention

11.  Assault and Battery

This is usually thought of as a crime in the criminal system, but these cases also have a personal injury counterpart.  Damages that result from an attack can be recovered through the civil system.  This legal article covers those topics and more.

12. Punitive Damages

Punitive damages are damages that are intended to punish the bad actor.  These damages are on top of the normal damages in a personal injury case.  This article reviews that types of cases that may be ripe for demanding punitive damages in an automobile accident.

13. Missed Work Recovery

14. Dog Bite Cases

these cases are becoming more and more frequent.  Some dogs are awesome and some are not.  In this article we review some of the issues such as who is liable and what insurance policies will be looked to for available coverage for the damages caused by the dog attack.

15.  18 Wheeler Turns Over

In this article, we review the consequences of a tractor tailer turning over and the injuries that result.

16.  Incident Reports

This is the bread and butter of the accident.  This incident is created by the police at the scene of the accident.  It details all of the important information such as who was in the wreck, who their insurance company is, who was at fault for the accident, and a detailed description of the cause of the accident according to the police.

17.  Eye Witness in Car Accident Lawsuit

The importance of having an eye witness cannot be overlooked.  They are worth their value in gold.  Some are better than others.  This article reviews some of the important considerations of eye witnesses.  We also review how you can find information on them by carefully reading the incident report.

18.  Personal Injury Diary

A personal injury diary is a detailed report created by the injured client.  It contains the personal details of how the accident has changed the life of the client.  All the different times they felt pain, could not do normal activities, things they did not want to participate in because of the accident, and other important details the clients feels are important to them.  The use of this will be to fill in the details of the pain.  Months down the road, these details will be fuzzy.  A pain diary will help keep these fresh.

19.  Mediation of a Personal Injury Case

Mediation is a meeting of all the parties to discuss settling the case.  It is informal, so nothing official happens unless all parties agree to a solution.  The use of a mediator makes this possible.  A mediator is a neutral party who helps everyone see different ways to come to a resolution.  This article reviews some of the details of mediation and reviews a recent mediation that I conducted for an important personal injury client in Atlanta, Georgia.

20.  Causation in a Personal Injury Case

One of the elements of any personal injury case is causation.  The injuries suffered must be a direct cause of the negligence of the other person.  This legal article covers issues of causation in a personal injury case in Georgia.

21.  Racist Courthouse

A classic tale of racist in a courthouse that showed its colors, but then turned tail and changed.

22.  Bus Accident Injures Students

This is a current events story about a bus accident.  During the accident, many students were injured.  This article goes over details of the incident and a legal analysis.

23.  Small Town Law Practice

I go over some things of interest to those who are interested in practicing law in a small community.  This might be of interest if you are unsure what happens and the ins and outs of the trade.

24. Motorcycle Accidents

25.  Wrongful Death Lawyer

Personal Injury Article Wrap Up

Those are way too many injury articles to read in one seating.  I hope you enjoyed them for entertainment purposes.  Remember, those are just personal injury articles, when you might need an injury attorney!

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Welcome to legal article about Atlanta, Georgia motorcycle accident lawyers, claims, laws, and lawsuits by Joseph P. McClelland.  This week we are going to discuss previous articles that may be of interest to my readers.  So, with that being said, let us jump right into an oldie, but a goodie.  Like I said, we are going over past articles that discuss Georgia motorcycle claims, lawsuits, and laws.

Articles on Atlanta, Georgia Motorcycle Claims

Information on Georgia motorcycle accidents

This a nice article that goes over a range of motorcycle topics.  One the the coolest is the discussion of uninsured motorist coverage in Georgia.  Go and find out what many people do not know.  One more thing.  Go and buy medical payment insurance just in case your health insurance company declines to cover your bills or if you don’t have insurance at all.

Fatal Motorcycle Accidents

This article is a combination of an article on motorcycle accidents and wrongful death cases.  Joseph P. McClelland is also a Georgia wrongful death attorney.  Check it out.  It is a pretty good legal article by a personal injury lawyer in Atlanta, Georgia.

Macon Motorcycle Accident News

A brief tale of someone that was injured while driving his motorcycle in Macon, Georgia.  Motorcycle riders beware because you bikers may suffer serious injuries on your motorcycles and need an Atlanta injury lawyer.

Georgia Motorcycle Accident Attorneys

This is our main page on Georgia motorcycle accidents.  We go over a ton of information on that page.  It also has some various links to other motorcycle articles.  We go over the big ticket topic about bike accidents over there.

Reason to Hire a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

This article goes over the reasons why you will need to hire a personal injury motorcycle accident attorney.  We discuss some of the tricks the insurance company has to intimidate you.  Don’t let that happen.  Follow some of the tips by calling this attorney.

Closing Thoughts on Georgia Motorcycle Claims

As you know, the McClelland Law Firm represents those hurt and injured across the state of Georgia and in all courts.  I only choose to represent a handful of clients at one time so I can give my best customer service.  Do not take long in calling my office to see if we are a proper fit.  I would like to help you get back on top.  Get results by calling 770-775-0938.  Don’t let your family down by trying to save a few bucks.  Hire a qualified Georgia motorcycle claims attorney.

As a motorcycle accident attorney that reads current and recent articles about motorcycle accidents, and since I understand what can go wrong in personal injury settlements negotiations involving injured bikers.  We have put together some recent injuries and accidents in the state for your entertainment and enjoyment.

Recent Injuries and Motorcycle Accidents

Recently, the Georgia State Patrol announced a recent motorcycle accident that resulted in a fatality. A motorcycle and truck collied.  The result was a fatal motorcycle accident in Flowery Branch.  The deceased man is 62-year-old Walter Hedges of Buford, Georgia which is north of Atlanta.

Recent reports indicate that the man was traveling on McEver Road sometime in the afternoon when his motorcycle was hit by a pickup truck on the same road. The truck while turning left struck the motorcycle.  The man was taken to Northeast Georgia Medical Center where he died from his injuries.  The other driver was injured, but not fatally.

One man is dead after a fatal accident in the un-incorporated part of Fayette County late Thursday night.  Fayette County Sheriff’s Office reports that Brian Schornack was killed while the motorcycle he was riding was struck by a 1994 Jeep Wrangler.  This is an example of a wrongful death lawsuit.

Authorities say Schornack was approaching Porter Road on Georgia Highway 85 South when Pye began a left turn onto the highway and into the path of Schornack. Schornack was unable to avoid striking the Jeep Wrangler. The motorcycle struck the Jeep in the northbound lane of Georgia Highway 85 South. Schornak was ejected from the motorcycle.  He was pronounced dead at the accident scene. Fayette County sheriff officials say the man had on the right clothing and helmet for safely riding his motorcycle.

Of the 73 deaths, 50 occurred during automobile crashes, 16 officers were struck and killed while outside of their own vehicles, six died in motorcycle crashes and one bike patrol officer was hit by a car while on duty.

Nineteen police officers have died this year.  Always hire a personal injury for serious injuries in Georgia.

Of all of the states that had police officer fatal deaths, Texas had 18, California had 11, Illinois had 10, Florida had nine and Georgia had seven.

In more recent injury cases, Walter Hedges, 62, of Buford. Hedges’ motorcycle collided head-on with a pickup truck driven by Matthew Millwood, 22, of Flowery Branch.  Bennett was driving a 2001 Suzuki GSX1300 motorcycle in Augusta, last Saturday when a 2004 Chevrolet Silverado pulled out in front of him according to the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office.  You can find more information on bike wrecks on that page.

In another recent motorcycle accident, a driver of a Silverado, Robert Lee Dixon Jr. stopped part way in the road, the sheriff’s office said. Bennett swerved to avoid the truck, but the biker could not avoid the accident.  For another recent motorcycle accident go there.

Bennett died shortly after the accident.  The at-fault driver was charged with homicide by vehicle in the first degree, DUI and failure to yield.  A drunk driver pulled out in front of him leaving a liquor store said the Colquitt County Sheriff’s Office.  This falls under the category of a wrongful death case.

Joseph P. McClelland represents families and individuals injured or fatally killed in motorcycles across the state of Georgia.  Always hire an experienced Atlanta personal injury attorney after a serious accident of any kind.  You have to worry about getting better.  You need to think about getting your life back together.  Let our law firm work with the insurance company to get you full benefit for the injuries and losses you have sustained.  Do not let the opportunity pass to be fully protected and to take all the necessary steps to maximize your motorcycle accident settlement.  Thank you for reading this article on recent injuries on motorcycle accidents.

Welcome to the first week in review for Georgia accidents by the Atlanta, Georgia Auto Accident – Personal Injury Attorney.  We represent all types of injured clients throughout the state of Georgia in cases such as traffic accidents, trucking collisions, wrongful death cases and more.

Atlanta Women, 75, Runs into Liquor Store

Sure, everyone has ran their car into at least one building.  But the same building twice is beyond joking.  Oh, did I tell you that the building was a liquor store.  Well, that is just the case this week in Atlanta Accident News.  For those of you who drive on Ponce Leon Avenue, you know Green’s liquor store over by the Kroger.  Well, a lady drove her car into the store for the second time.  Seriously, wouldn’t you just go to another store after the first wreck.  All kidding aside, an employee in the store suffered a brain injury when a bottle fell on her head.  At time of this article, no video has been produced.  But, you know, that store must have cameras everywhere.

Georgia Power Worker Burned in Accident

Kylan Warren, 25, of Ellijay was the Georgia Power employee who was seriously injured this past week.  Kylan Warran, who had worked for GP for 6 years, was working in a bucket some 35 feet in the air when a natural gas line exploded and a fire broke out.  He jumped out of the bucket.  Mr. Warren sustained burns  on 80% of his body.  He was working on a gas line at the time.  Warren was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital.  Georgia Power and Atlanta Gas Light are looking into the cause of the accident at this time.  Our best wishes go out the family.

Georgia Bulldog Gets DUI

This is a sad post for all of Bulldog fans.  Dontavius Jackson of the University of Georgia is transferring to another university according to recent reports.  Dontavius Jackson, a back up running back who had four carries last year, was arrested last week for underage possession, driving under the influence, and leaving a scene of an accident.  Now, just because he was arrested does not, of course, mean he is guilty.  But, to any degree, former Bulldog Dontavius Jackson is out.  Most likely because, Coach Richt suspended Jackson for the first six games of the 2010 season after learning about the arrest.

Note:  Drunk driving, although just a misdemeanor, is a serious offense.  It puts the driver and the insurance company on the hook for punitive damages if the facts are just right.  If you have been injured by a drunk driver, never handle this type of case on your own.  It will be a huge mistake.

Georgia Based Ducking Company Resumes Boat Trips

You may have heard in the news that a local company with tours set up around the county had a fatal accident in Pennsylvania recently.  One of their tour boats hit another boat and killed two passengers who were Hungarian students.  The Georgia company, Ride the Ducks, stopped all tours including the one in Stone Mountain, Georgia.  After reviewing all of their safety standards, the company decided to start tours again with the except of the tours where the fatal accident happened.

Note:  When a business is responsible, if they were, for an accident, the same rules of liability apply.  If the business is responsible for an injury or death, they must compensate the injured for their special damages such as lost wages, medical bills, and other out of pocket expenses and general damages which are items such as pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life.

Seven Year Old Dies in Crash

More sad road news.  Recently a seven year old girl died in a car accident.  She and her father were traveling from Georgia to Texas when the accident happened in Mississippi.  Her brother and father were also injured in the fatal auto accident.  According to reports, the family was traveling with a U-Haul when they lost control.  The vehicle went off the road and hit some trees.  At the time of this article, no other drivers were sited as being responsible for the wreck.

Note:  U-Hauls can be very dangerous.  They create a unique dovetail when you drive one.  It is probably like driving a commercial vehicle, although I have never driven a rig.  But when you are pulling something with your car, it is much more difficult to maintain your lane and drive the same as you would otherwise.

See some related legal articles:

The Law Office of Joseph P. McClelland, a Georgia Car Accident Lawyer,  represents injured victims all over the state of Georgia.  We have individual pages of certain cities that provide more city centric information on personal injury cases.  Bounce around the site.  With around 200 pages, we probably have answered a question you may have.  Some of the cities we represent clients are southern cities in Georgia such as Jackson, Monticello, Conyers, Covington, Griffin, Forsyth, Barnesville, Locust Grove, Flovilla, Jenkinsburg, McDonough and more.  We also represent clients in the Metro Atlanta area such as Stockbridge, Riverdale, Jonesboro, Atlanta, Lithonia, Rex, Decatur, Stone Mountain, Buckhead, Midtown, Virginia Highlands, Piedmont Park, Dunwoody, Alpharetta, Roswell, Marietta, as well as Cobb County, Dekalb County, Fulton County, Gwinnett County, and Clayton County.

Come back next week for more Georgia Accident News.

So, who was at fault in a Georgia car accident?  That is the key question Georgia car accident law firms will decide.  If it was you were to blame for the whole thing, then you don’t have a case.  You could probably call a Georgia lawyer and just find out.  Then, get on with your life.  If you are not completely sure, then definitely call a car accident lawyer in Georgia to help determine who is at fault.

The other driver in the collision must be at fault

Although, you might have contributed to the crash in someway, the other person must be at fault.  In the case of a auto accident Georgia, the other driver is usually given a Georgia driving citation.  The citation might be for following too closely, causing an accident, leaving the scene of an injury accident, drunk driving, reckless driving or other reasons.  However, the other driver does not need to have received a citation.  A good Georgia Car Accident Lawyer knows, the rules of the road in Georgia are the minimum requirements.  Negligence cases require the standard of what a reasonable person in the same circumstances would have done.

How to Tell Who is At Fault for the Car Accident?

In many Georgia auto injury cases, the liability or who is at fault is straightforward.  You are at a stop sign, and someone slams into the back of your car.  The classic rear-end collision case.  Perhaps, you are waiting at the red light and get hit.  The liability here is clear, and the insurance company is not going to fight the issues of liability.  Well, they might not fight it as hard.  Let your Georgia Accident Lawyers know all of the facts of you case.

Another easier liability case or a case where it is simple to see who is at fault is when you are hit head-on by another driver in your lane.  The proof is there.  You can determine such accidents at the accident scene or with the use of an accident reconstruction specialist.

Another typical, easier liability cases are when the driver is T-boned or hit from the side by another car.  Atlanta law firms know that to be hit from such an extreme angle will almost itself determine who is at-fault or liable for the car wreck.  For this type of motor vehicle accident, someone was completely negligent driving their car.  Discuss this with a Georgia car accident lawyer.

Causation in Georgia Auto Injury Cases

Put simply, the injury must flow from the negligent act.  So, if you were feeling fine, got in your car, got hit by another driver, and now you back hurts for the first time in your life.  That is easy.  You can draw a straight line from car wreck and your injury.  Insurance companies love causation issues.  They raise them.  ”Oh, she waited to long to get surgery…it was probably her arthrisis!”  Or, “wasn’t he in another wreck…those bills are not for us.  Call the other insurance company.”

Insurance companies are not doctors.  Attorneys are not doctors.  Doctors are doctors.  Only doctors can truly diagnose certain causation issues, but many times they cannot.  As a Georgia Auto Accident Lawyer I can advise you in these situations where it is difficult to see who is at fault.

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Here is a question about statute of limitations that is often heard in my Georgia Accident law office.  We handle car accidents, motorcycle accidents, personal injury, and other injuries.

What is statute of limitations on a personal injury claim in Georgia?

The statute of limitations for a personal injury case depends on the type of defendant.  For an individual, you should think in terms of a two year rule.  For a local government, think in terms of six month rule to notify the attorney representing the county or city.  For suing a state or federal government, think in terms of one year or two years depending.  As you can see, it is always best to contact a lawyer instead of making huge mistakes.

Personal Injury Statute of Limitations Example:

You live in McDonough.  You are driving your car in Atlanta, Fulton County and are rear-ended by a driver who lives in Dekalb County on January 5th, 2010.  You have until January 5, 2012 to file your lawsuit.  Where would you file it?  In Dekalb County because that is where the at-fault driver lives.

HOWEVER:  If the other driver received a driving citation for the incident, and plead to the ticket, the date of the plea or sentence starts the starts the two year period.  So in the example above, let’s add the facts that the driver plead to following too closely on March 1, 2010.  The new deadline to file your personal injury claim is March 1, 2012.  Each state has different statute of limitations for civil courts.  That means that there are different time limits, so if you lived in another state, forget that states laws.

The Law Office of Joseph P. McClelland, LLC provides personal injury and divorce advice to clients in Atlanta, Decatur, Marietta, Stockbridge, Griffin, Forest Park, Riverdale, Conyers, McDonough, Jackson, Hampton, Locust Grove, Jonesboro, Morrow, Barnesville, Macon and Forsyth.  We also represent clients in Dekalb County, Fulton County, Cobb County, Clayton County, Henry County, Butts County, and  Spalding County.

Missing the statute of limitations deadline in Georgia is worst possible outcome for your case.  An experienced accident attorney will make sure that the lawsuit is filed well before the statute of limitations in near.

Just because you are negotiating with the insurance company or even the law firm representing the insurance company does not mean you have met the statute of limitations.  It is a requirement that legal action is commenced.  That means you must file a lawsuit before the deadline or statute of limitations in Georgia.