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If you have been seriously injured because of someone else’s negligence, you need a serious lawyer who has the experience and the training to take on your cause.
First in her class at Vanderbilt and an honors graduate of Harvard Law School, Lee Wallace has 19 years of litigation experience. She lectures nationally, is widely published, and is a leader in the legal community. Lee has been named a Georgia SuperLawyer and one of the Top 50 Women Lawyers in Georgia.
 
Do you have a personal injury case?
How to tell. |
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©2006 Lee Tarte Wallace
What To Look For
If you were injured because someone else was negligent or reckless, you may have a personal injury lawsuit.
Personal injury suits are like three-legged stools. In order to win the lawsuit, you need to prove three different points; miss one, and the stool will topple.
(1) Liability. To win a lawsuit, you must show that the person you are suing is legally responsible for what happened.
(2) Causation. To bring your suit successfully, you need to show what is known as “causation.” Causation is the legal term that means you have to show a connection between the wrong that someone did and the harm that occurred to you. Sometimes the link is very clear. For example, if you fall into an uncovered hole, you can easily show that the fall broke your spine. Sometimes, however, the link is not so clear.
(3) Damages. No matter how clear the wrong was, you still have to show that you were damaged by it. What damages you can recover depends on what state you live in, and the law governing your type of injury. To find out what laws apply to your damages, you will need to contact a lawyer.
What To Do If You Think You May Have A Personal Injury Case
Here are some of the steps you will need to take:
(1) Do not settle with anyone until you know all of the facts and exactly how you have been damaged. You need to examine all of the facts before you settle. You also need to know exactly what your damages will be. Many an unwary person has settled for a pittance only to learn that the “sore back” turned out to require several surgeries and a back brace.
(2) Contact a reputable lawyer with experience if you need a lawyer.
(3) Do not wait until the last minute to contact a lawyer. If you are negotiating with the insurance company, be assured that the insurance company will have one eye on the calendar while it is talking to you. If you wait too late to file your suit, you will lose it forever. If you do not contact a lawyer until right before your time to file runs out, many good lawyers will turn your case down because they simply will not have enough time to prepare it properly.
(4) Save the evidence that will be critical to your case.
For more information on what to do, see
© 2007, Lee Tarte Wallace
The contents of this page: (a) should not be considered or relied upon as legal, financial or other professional advice in any manner whatsoever, and (b) may be considered advertising under some state’s Bar Rules. Unless otherwise stated, no article or text at this Internet site is, has been, or will be updated or revised for accuracy as statutory or case law changes following the date of first publication. Always consult with your lawyer and/or your other professional advisors before acting.
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