Internal injuries after serious accidents, such as car crashes, can cause physical pain and life-threatening complications. Accident victims may require trauma surgery and extended medical care. While struggling to recover, you may accumulate medical debt and face financial hardship. You may be unable to work and unsure where to turn for help and answers to your questions.
At Bayuk Pratt, our Atlanta internal injury lawyers have over 50 years of combined legal experience helping injured people. Our dedicated legal team takes pride in the legal representation we provide. We have recovered over $300 million for our clients. We use our knowledge of the legal process and our extensive resources to help people just like you pursue the compensation they need to move forward.
If you’ve suffered serious injuries due to someone else’s negligence or carelessness, contact our Atlanta office today to arrange a free consultation. An experienced personal injury attorney can review the details of your accident and discuss your rights to seek personal injury compensation. It’s important to understand your legal options.
What Are Common Causes of Internal Injuries in Atlanta Accidents?
Accidents that produce blunt force trauma or penetrating wounds cause internal injuries. Motor vehicle accidents are a leading cause of blunt force trauma injuries. At Bayuk Pratt in Atlanta, GA, our legal team has the knowledge and tools to help personal injury victims pursue claims in the following personal injury practice areas:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Bus accidents
- Slip-and-fall accidents
- Premises liability cases
- Work injuries
- Medical malpractice.
Some of the most common causes of these types of Atlanta personal injury cases include:
- Speeding
- Driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs
- Unsafe lane changes
- Failure to yield
- Driving distracted
- Failure to follow posted traffic signs and signals
- Negligent healthcare providers
- Failure to properly maintain a property in a reasonably safe condition.
Unfortunately, these accidents have one thing in common: the actions of careless individuals or someone’s wrongdoing caused preventable harm. An Atlanta personal injury attorney can help you hold such parties accountable.
What Are Different Types of Internal Injuries That Happen from Accidents in Atlanta?
Generally, blunt force trauma or penetration causes internal injuries. Those injuries damage internal organs. Blunt force trauma injuries occur due to a violent force affecting the body. Penetrating wounds are caused by a foreign object puncturing the body and injuring an internal organ or structure.
Common internal injuries that an injured party may suffer include the following:
- Internal bleeding
- Punctured lungs
- Ruptured organs
- Traumatic brain injury
- Kidney damage
- Liver damage
- Spinal cord injuries.
What Are the Symptoms of Internal Injuries?
Internal injuries, such as a head injury, may not produce obvious symptoms at first. The adrenaline rush of a traumatic incident can help mask the signs of internal bleeding and other injuries. After an accident, get medical attention as soon as possible. Specific diagnostic tests can find internal injuries. Some of the signs of an internal injury can include:
- Bleeding from the nose, mouth, or ears
- Vomiting
- Bowel movements with blood
- Pain
- Swelling, especially in the abdomen
- Weakness
- Fatigue
- Clammy or pale skin
- Trouble breathing
- Bruising.
Changes in a person’s mental state, blurred vision, numbness, and tingling may also indicate an internal injury.
Who Can Be Held Responsible for the Accident That Caused Internal Injuries?
Responsibility for an accident that causes internal injuries requires gathering evidence to support a claim. More than one party may be liable for an accident that caused the internal injuries. Entities that may be wholly or partially responsible for an accident that results in internal injuries can include:
- An at-fault driver
- Parts or car manufacturer
- Trucking company
- Cargo leading company
- Property owner
- Contractor or other third party
- Government entity
- Healthcare provider.
An Atlanta internal injury lawyer can investigate the cause of the accident and find evidence that helps establish responsibility so they can pursue maximum compensation on your behalf.
What Types of Compensation Could Be Recovered in an Atlanta Internal Injuries Lawsuit?
Injured accident victims can pursue compensation through an insurance claim or a personal injury lawsuit. In a lawsuit, you can seek money for economic damages and non-economic damages. Economic damages is a category that includes measurable losses such as medical bills, lost wages, and property damage. Non-economic damages cover more subjective losses and quality of life factors like emotional distress and pain and suffering.
The value of a personal injury lawsuit depends on the facts of the case and the severity of a person’s physical injury. Most accident victims can pursue compensation for the following:
- Medical expenses
- Future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Future lost wages and loss of earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Property damage.
An experienced car accident lawyer will gather your medical records and income statements showing lost wages to assess the compensation to may seek. In rare instances of malicious or willful conduct, a court can award injury victims punitive damages. Punitive damages are a financial punishment against the at-fault party to prevent them or others from engaging in similar behavior.
Will the Compensation Be Affected If You Are Partly to Blame for the Accident That Caused Your Injuries?
Georgia law allows accident victims to seek compensation in accident cases, even if they are partially at fault for the accident. Under the state’s modified comparative negligence system, injured people can recover compensation for their injuries through a personal injury lawsuit. However, any compensation awarded will be reduced in proportion to the injured person’s fault in causing the accident. An individual can recover compensation under this rule if their percentage of fault does not exceed 50 percent.
The modified comparative negligence regulation binds civil court decisions. Insurance adjusters also use the rule as a guide when reviewing an Atlanta personal injury claim and whether to accept liability for the claim.
What Happens If a Person Dies in an Accident?
If an individual succumbs to their injuries following an Atlanta accident, the immediate family of the deceased or the personal representative of the deceased’s estate can file a wrongful death claim seeking compensation.
Does Georgia Have a Time Limit for Filing an Internal Injury Lawsuit?
In Georgia, victims have two years from the injury date, or date of the wrongful death, to file a personal injury lawsuit seeking compensation for their internal injuries or a wrongful death claim.
Contact an Atlanta Internal Injury Lawyer
At Bayuk Pratt, our battle-tested Georgia personal injury attorneys are ready to advocate for you. We understand personal injury law and have extensive experience going head-to-head with insurance companies. Our founding partners are former senior attorneys at large defense law firms. We know how insurance companies approach claims and use that insider’s knowledge to our clients’ advantage.
Internal injuries can cause lasting physical impairments and financial stress. Let our team help you pursue just compensation for your injuries. Our goal is to seek the maximum compensation available to help each injured person rebuild their life. Contact our law firm for a free consultation with a knowledgeable and caring Atlanta personal injury lawyer today.