Have you suffered injuries as a victim or bystander in a shooting in Atlanta or elsewhere in Georgia? You may have grounds for a claim against the shooter and, depending on the circumstances, the owner of the property where the shooting occurred.
An experienced shooting injury lawyer from Bayuk Pratt can help you explore all your options for pursuing compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, emotional distress, and other related damages.
Our founding partners served as senior partners for two of the world’s largest and most elite defense firms. We know the tactics that insurance companies use and how to counter them.
You can count on our Atlanta shooting injury attorneys to thoroughly investigate the shooting in your case, explain your rights and options, and pursue maximum compensation for you. Contact us today and learn more in a free consultation about your case.
Is a Property Owner Responsible for a Shooting on Their Property?
You may assume the shooter bears sole responsibility for your losses. However, other parties may also bear liability for your shooting injuries. For instance, a property owner can be liable for a shooting on their property if the owner had inadequate security measures that caused the shooting to happen.
For example, an apartment complex owner may be liable for a shooting victim’s injuries if the owner did not use reasonable security measures at the apartment complex to try to prevent the shooting, such as putting metal detectors at doors or installing surveillance cameras.
What Is Inadequate Security?
Georgia law requires property owners to use reasonable security measures to protect most visitors to their property from harm. They serve the purpose of preventing visitors from becoming victims of crimes or violent activity.
The reasonableness of the security measures depends on the circumstances, such as the property’s location and history of criminal activity.
Examples of inadequate security may include the following:
- Failing to install metal detectors
- Not having adequately trained security personnel
- Not having functioning surveillance cameras
- Failing to fix broken or missing gates, doors, and window locks
- Inadequate lighting.
Does Georgia Allow Shooting Victims to File Personal Injury Claims?
If you are a shooting accident victim in Atlanta or elsewhere in Georgia, you may have several legal avenues available to seek full and fair compensation for your losses and injuries, including claims based on the following:
- A battery claim against the shooter
- A negligence claim against the gun owner if they negligently allowed the shooter to access the firearm
- A premises liability claim against the owner of the property where the shooting occurred, if inadequate security allowed the shooting to happen.
What Should You Do If You or a Loved One Is a Victim of a Shooting?
When you or a loved one suffers injuries in a shooting in Atlanta, you can take steps to put yourself or your family in the best position to seek just compensation.
The following are steps that you should take after a shooting:
- Report the shooting to the police and request a copy of all reports.
- Seek prompt medical attention to treat gunshot wounds.
- Obtain copies of your medical records of your treatment and rehabilitation.
- Keep all bills, invoices, and receipts for recovery expenses.
- Gather your pay stubs or income statements if you need to take time off work.
- Contact a shooting victim’s attorney as soon as possible to discuss your options for seeking compensation for your shooting injuries.
What Compensation Can a Shooting Victim Seek in Atlanta, GA?
A shooting victim may have the right to recover compensation for financial and personal losses they suffer due to their shooting injuries.
The financial recovery in a personal injury claim against the shooter, gun owner, and/or negligent property owner may include the following:
- Costs of medical treatment and rehabilitation
- Costs of long-term care if the shooting injuries lead to disabilities, such as traumatic brain injury (TBI) or spinal cord injury (SCI)
- Lost wages from missed time from work during one’s injury recovery
- Lost future earning capacity if one’s injuries result in prolonged or permanent physical impairments
- Physical pain from shooting injuries and subsequent medical treatment, such as surgeries
- Emotional trauma and distress, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Loss of quality of life caused by disabilities or disfigurement that results from shooting injuries.
In some cases, a shooting victim may also receive an award of punitive damages in a lawsuit. Punitive damages do not compensate a shooting victim for losses but instead punish the liable party for egregious conduct or a wanton disregard for others’ safety. Contact our Atlanta shooting injury lawyer today.
How Can an Atlanta Personal Injury Attorney Help Me?
If you suffered harm and losses due to gun violence, an experienced personal injury lawyer from Bayuk Pratt can help you seek financial compensation in a shooting injury lawsuit by taking steps such as the following:
- Investigating your case and reviewing all relevant evidence, including eyewitness statements, surveillance footage, accident scene photos or videos, and medical records.
- Documenting your shooting accident-related losses, including carefully reviewing your medical bills, to ensure we pursue maximum compensation for you.
- Exploring all your legal options and identifying all liable parties, including a property owner whose inadequate security contributed to the shooting.
- Pursuing full compensation, whether through negotiated settlements of your injury claim or a trial to demand accountability for what you have endured.
How Soon Should the Shooting Victim or Survivors File a Claim?
Under the statute of limitations, or Ga. Code § 9-3-33, a person who suffers injuries in a shooting typically has two years from the injury date to file a lawsuit. This deadline makes it critical for shooting victims to seek legal advice and advocacy as soon as possible to avoid losing their right to pursue just compensation.
Get Help from an Atlanta Shooting Victim Lawyer
At Bayuk Pratt, we have recovered over $300 million for our personal injury clients, including those affected by negligent security. As former insurance defense attorneys, we are ready to put our insider’s knowledge to work for you.
Contact us today and learn more about how we can help you after a tragic shooting in a free consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer.