In my over twenty years of experience as an Atlanta lawyer, I have often heard clients comment on how they did not know how to go about retaining legal counsel. Many times, people may have a quick legal question or wonder how much their case is worth. There really is no down-side to calling an experienced Atlanta lawyer to get some answers.
If you believe you have a legal claim, the first thing to do is call a lawyer for an initial consultation. Lawyers almost always offer free consultations, in person or over the phone. These consultations are an opportunity for you to see whether you feel comfortable with this person representing you and for the lawyer to determine whether you have a valid legal claim that he or she wishes to take on. The information you share with a lawyer during a consultation will remain confidential, even if you do not end up retaining that lawyer.
If you delay in contacting a lawyer, you run the risk that your legal claim will expire before you can file your complaint. For instance, in Georgia, the statute of limitations (the time you have to file a claim) in medical malpractice cases is two years from the first alleged act of malpractice. Similarly, the statute of limitations for auto accident cases in Georgia is two years from the date of the accident. For dental malpractice, the statute of limitations (the time you have to file a claim) in Georgia is two years from the first alleged act of malpractice. Two years is not a lot of time if you have to order records, have your case reviewed, obtain an affidavit from a medical expert, and prepare the appropriate filings. And, I talked to some unfortunate potential clients who have been led on by insurance adjusters, mistakenly believing that the insurance company was, in good faith, trying to settle their case, but were summarily dismissed immediately after the expiration of the statute of limitations. For all intents and purposes, they lost their case because the believed the insurance company adjuster that they would take care of them.
Many people worry that they do not have the money to pay a lawyer, but in medical malpractice and personal injury cases, Atlanta lawyers generally work on a contingency fee basis. This means that the lawyer is only paid if you obtain damages, through settlement or at trial, and his fee comes as a fixed percentage of those damages. Under this arrangement, the only costs you would have to pay out-of-pocket are court fees, filing fees, and fees to pay for an expert witness.
You will be able to discuss this fee arrangement and any other questions you might have during your free consultation. Just call!
Robert J. Fleming has been handling wrongful death cases, dental malpractice, bus accidents, car accident cases and premises injury cases for individuals and families who have been harmed, injured or died as a result of the carelessness or negligence of another for more than 20 years. He practices in and around the Atlanta, Georgia area including handling lawsuits in Fulton, DeKalb, Clayton, Gwinnett, Cobb and other counties and nearby cities including Alpharetta, Austell, Avondale Estates, Chamblee, College Park, Conyers, Duluth, Decatur, Doraville, Hapeville, Johns Creek, Jonesboro, Lawrenceville, Norcross, Peachtree City, Riverdale, Roswell, Sandy Springs, Stone Mountain, and Smyrna. If you have been seriously injured in a car accident and would like discuss your case, contact Robert J. Fleming directly on (404) 525-5150 or contact us online.