Marietta, GA Personal Injury Lawyer
As the county seat of Cobb County and a bustling hub of commerce and community, life in Marietta moves fast.
A moment of carelessness, whether a distracted driver on Cobb Parkway, a hazardous condition in a shop near Marietta Square, or a serious construction site accident along the I-75 corridor, is all it takes to cause a life-changing injury.
When another person’s negligence has harmed you, you can seek justice. A proven Marietta, GA, personal injury attorney can provide the guidance and powerful advocacy you need to hold the at-fault party accountable.
The aftermath of a serious accident is a painful and confusing time, dominated by medical treatments, lost time from work, and growing anxiety about the future. The dedicated legal team at Williams Elleby Howard & Easter is committed to fighting for injured residents of Marietta and the surrounding community. Contact us today for a free, comprehensive case evaluation.
Critical Steps to Protect Your Rights After an Injury in Marietta, GA
After receiving initial medical care for your injuries, you may feel unsure about what to do next to protect your health and your potential legal claim. The actions you take during this recovery period are critical. While insurance companies for the responsible party begin building a case against you, here is how you can start building a stronger future for yourself.
- Partner with an Experienced Law Firm Immediately: The single most important step you can take is to consult with an experienced Marietta personal injury attorney. Insurance adjusters will try to contact you, pressure you for a statement, and may even make a quick, lowball offer. Having a skilled injury lawyer from Williams Elleby Howard & Easter puts an immediate stop to these tactics and levels the playing field. We handle all communications, manage all legal deadlines, and begin our own investigation while you focus on healing.
- Follow All Medical Treatment Plans: Your health is the top priority. You must attend all follow-up appointments with your doctors at facilities like Wellstar Kennestone Hospital or other local providers, take all prescribed medications, and follow through with any physical therapy or specialist referrals. This not only aids your physical recovery but also creates a clear medical record that shows the extent of your injuries and the necessity of your treatment. Insurance companies often use any gaps in treatment to argue that your injuries were not as severe as you claim, or not related to the accident.
- Keep a Detailed Journal: Your memory of daily pain and physical limitations will fade over time, but these details are a crucial part of your claim’s value. Keep a simple daily journal documenting your physical pain levels, emotional state, challenges with daily tasks (like dressing or household chores), sleepless nights, and any activities you can no longer enjoy. This personal record can be powerful evidence to demonstrate the true impact of the injury on your quality of life.
- Stay Off Social Media: It is vital to refrain from posting about your accident, injuries, or daily activities on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or X. Insurance companies and their lawyers will meticulously scan your accounts for anything they can use against you. A photo of you smiling at a family event or a simple post about “having a good day” can be twisted and taken out of context to argue that you are not truly injured or suffering. The safest policy is not to post at all until your case is resolved.
- Preserve All Documentation: Keep every bill, receipt, and all paperwork related to your accident in an organized file. This includes medical bills, pharmacy receipts, letters from insurance companies, and any records of your lost wages from your employer. This documentation is the financial backbone of your economic damages claim.
Why Choose Williams Elleby Howard & Easter to Handle Your Marietta, GA Personal Injury Case
When considering an attorney to represent you after a serious injury, you should choose a partner you can depend on during one of the most challenging times of your life. The law firm you select can make all the difference in the outcome of your case. In a city like Marietta, where insurance companies handle a high volume of claims and fight aggressively to protect their profits, you need a firm with proven strength, deep resources, and a genuine commitment to its clients.
Here’s why so many injured residents in Marietta and Cobb County trust Williams Elleby Howard & Easter:
- A Reputation for Trial Readiness: We are not a settlement mill that accepts an insurance company’s first offer. We are trial lawyers who prepare every case from day one as if it will be presented to a jury. This reputation for being ready, willing, and able to go to court gives us immense leverage during negotiations. Insurers are far more likely to offer a full and fair settlement when they know they are facing a firm that will not back down from a fight.
- Deep Roots in the Community: We are not just lawyers who work in the area; we are part of the Marietta community. We understand the challenges of the local landscape, court system, and our injured neighbors. This local knowledge allows us to build relatable and compelling cases, grounded in the realities of our shared environment.
- Resources to Win Complex Cases: Personal injury litigation, especially cases involving catastrophic injuries, can be expensive. We have the financial resources to hire the best experts, from accident reconstructionists to medical specialists and life care planners, to support your case with powerful, credible evidence and see your case through to the end. We know how to level the playing field against even the largest corporate defendants, and won’t let their deep pockets deprive you of the justice you deserve.
- A Client-First Approach: To us, you are never just a case file. We take the time to listen to you, understand your goals, and guide you with compassion and respect. We are responsive and always available to answer your questions. We handle all cases on a contingency fee basis, so you pay nothing upfront and no fees unless and until we win for you.
Understanding the Legal Basis of a Marietta Personal Injury Claim
At the heart of every successful personal injury case is the legal principle of negligence. Our legal system allows you to hold a person or company financially responsible if their unreasonable carelessness was the cause of your harm. To win your case, our attorneys must build a powerful, evidence-based argument that proves four specific legal elements.
- Duty: The defendant owed you a legal duty to exercise reasonable care.
- Breach: The defendant violated that duty through a negligent act or failure to act.
- Causation: The defendant’s breach was the direct and primary cause of your injuries.
- Damages: You suffered real physical, emotional, and financial harm as a result.
Our firm has extensive experience proving negligence in a wide variety of complex cases throughout Marietta and the State of Georgia, from devastating truck accidents on the interstate to serious slip and fall injuries in local businesses. We know how to gather the evidence, including witness testimony, video surveillance, and expert analysis, that is needed to build a successful case. Our deep understanding of Georgia law and local court procedures gives our clients a distinct advantage.
What is a Marietta Personal Injury Case Worth?
This is one of the most important questions for any injury victim because the answer directly impacts your family’s financial future. The value of your case depends on the unique facts of what happened and the extent of the harm you suffered. There is no simple formula, but the value is determined by calculating the full scope of your “damages”—the legal term for your losses.
These damages typically include:
- All Medical Bills (Past and Future): This covers the costs associated with your medical treatment, from the initial emergency services to any projected future surgeries, therapies, or long-term care needs.
- Lost Wages and Diminished Earning Potential: You are entitled to compensation for the income you have already lost and, if your injury is permanent, for the loss of your capacity to earn money over your lifetime.
- Property Damage: This includes the cost to repair or replace your vehicle and any other personal items destroyed in the accident.
- Pain and Suffering: Compensation for the physical pain, discomfort, and general suffering you have endured because of the defendant’s negligence.
- Emotional and Mental Anguish: This acknowledges the trauma, fear, anxiety, depression, and other psychological impacts of the accident and your injuries.
- Loss of Enjoyment of Life: If your injuries prevent you from participating in hobbies, activities, or daily routines that once brought you joy, you can be compensated for this profound loss.
Our attorneys will conduct a thorough investigation to document and prove the full value of every category of your damages, ensuring nothing is overlooked in our fight for your compensation.
The Georgia Statute of Limitations: A Critical Deadline
Georgia law places a strict time limit on your right to file a personal injury lawsuit. In Georgia, this deadline, known as the statute of limitations, is generally two years from the date of the injury. If you fail to file a lawsuit within this period, you will forever forfeit your right to seek justice and compensation.
This deadline is strictly enforced, and insurance companies know it. It is crucial to contact an attorney long before this deadline approaches to protect your rights and give your legal team the time needed to build the strongest case possible.
Contact the Dedicated Marietta, GA Personal Injury Attorneys at Williams Elleby Howard & Easter Today
You have been through enough. You deserve a legal team that will treat you with respect, stand up to the insurance companies, and fight relentlessly for the outcome you need to face the future. At Williams Elleby Howard & Easter, we combine the power and resources of a large firm with the personal attention and care of a small one. Let us take on the legal battle so you can focus on healing.
Your consultation is always free, and you will never owe us a fee unless we win your case. Call us today at (404) 389-1035 or complete our online contact form to learn how we can help.
Marietta, GA, Personal Injury Lawyer FAQs
This is a red flag. If an insurance adjuster, whose job is to save their company money, tells you that you do not need legal representation, it is a strong signal that you should seek legal counsel. They say this because they know that, on average, accident victims who are represented by an attorney receive significantly higher settlements than those who are not. They prefer to deal with you directly to control the situation and pay out as little as possible.
Yes. If the at-fault driver was uninsured or underinsured, you might still be able to recover compensation through your own auto insurance policy, provided you have Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) coverage. This is an essential but often misunderstood part of your own policy. We can help you navigate the process of filing a UM/UIM claim with your own insurer to get the compensation you need.
Loss of consortium is a specific type of claim that the spouse of an injured person can bring. It is designed to compensate the uninjured spouse for the loss of companionship, support, affection, and services (such as help with household chores) that they have suffered as a result of their partner’s serious injuries. It acknowledges that when one spouse is catastrophically injured, the marital relationship as a whole suffers damages.
Georgia follows a modified comparative negligence rule. This means you can still recover damages as long as a court determines you were less than 50% at fault. If you were 50% or more at fault, Georgia law bars you from recovering any compensation.
Most personal injury cases resolve through a negotiated settlement without ever going to trial. However, insurance companies are more likely to offer a fair settlement when they know your attorneys prepare every case for the courtroom. While we aim for an efficient settlement, we stand ready to present your case to a jury if a reasonable offer is not made.
We handle all personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis. This means you pay no upfront costs or hourly rates. Our fee is a pre-agreed-upon percentage of the total financial recovery we obtain for you. If we do not secure compensation in your case, you owe us no attorney’s fee.
