Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

Why should you hire a personal injury attorney? Attorney Richard Griffin of The Griffin Law Firm strongly recommends that you hire a seasoned personal injury, worker's compensation, wrongful death attorney for injury claims in Atlanta and throughout Georgia. Why?

(1) Hiring an attorney will normally increase your recovery: The insurance companies commissioned a study by the Insurance Research Council that concluded that personal injury claimants who were represented by a personal injury lawyer recovered an average of 3.5 times more than those who represented themselves.

Is there a specific case that demonstrates that hiring an attorney normally will greatly increase the personal injury recovery?
Attorney Richard Griffin believes that it is far more common that hiring a good personal injury lawyer can increase the amount you recover by far more than 3.5 times. In one of his premise liability personal injury claims, a homeowner was seriously injured when a Sub Zero refrigerator was installed improperly. These refrigerators require the use of an anti-tilt kit that is sent with the refrigerator by the manufacturer. The installer knowingly did not use the anti-tilt kit and the homeowner was pinned under the refrigerator when it tipped over. The homeowner received serious injuries to her neck and back which included disk bulges and facet syndrome. Before hiring The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. the homeowner was told by the insurance company that they were not liable and would not pay anything for her personal injury claim. During settlement negotiations, Attorney Richard Griffin was able to negotiate a $50,000 offer. When the jury deliberated for about 45 minutes and rendered a $1,000,000 jury verdict.
(1) Zero offer to unrepresented personal injury claimant.
(2) $50,000 offer after the personal injury claimant hired a personal injury attorney.
(3) $1,000,000 jury verdict after the case was litigated by The Griffin Law Firm, P.C.

Why do you recover more when you hire an attorney?
(1) Jury Verdict Research: Jury Verdict Research allows personal injury attorneys to produce evidence of high jury verdicts and settlements in similar personal injury and wrongful death claims.
(2) Litigation: Attorneys give you the ability to litigate when the adjuster negotiates unfairly or in bad faith.
(3) Stacking Insurance Policies: Attorneys identify the insurance policies that cover your claim, verify the correct policy limits, and stack the policies to recover the policy limits of each claim for the larger personal injury or wrongful death claims.

What types of cases does Attorney Richard Griffin of The Griffin Law Firm handle?
(1) car accident personal injury claims;
(2) big truck accident personal injury claims;
(3) motorcycle accident personal injury claims;
(4) bicycle accident personal injury claims;
(5) pedestrian accident personal injury claims;

In conclusion, it is very wise to seek a free consultation from an experienced attorney for your personal injury, wrongful death, worker's compensation, social security disability, total loss property damage, or diminished value property damage claims. The consultation is free, but the advice you receive could be priceless as you face the challenges presented in getting the recovery that you deserve.

Continue reading "Why Should You Hire A Personal Injury Attorney?" »

Attorney Richard Griffin is often asked by potential personal injury clients, "Do I have a case?". Georgia personal injury claims require the plaintiff to prove that the defendant caused his or her injuries due to negligence. The burden of proving negligence is required to establish that the defendant is liable for the plaintiff's injuries regardless of whether the personal injury is based on any of the following:
(1) auto accident personal injury claims;
(2) truck accident personal injury claims;
(3) motorcycle accident personal injury claims;
(4) bicycle accident personal injury claims;
(5) pedestrian accident personal injury claims;
(6) premise liability personal injury claims;
(7) slip and fall personal injury claims;
(8) trip and fall personal injury claims;
(9) dog bite personal injury claims; or
(10) negligent security claims.

In a recent auto accident lawsuit tried in Fulton County, Georgia, an out-of-town visitor sued for his injuries to his foot (Tony Cacciotti v. Margaret Roth, Case Number 2009EV008694H). In this personal injury claim the plaintiff suffered serious injuries to his foot when the car he was entering drove forward before he was able to get in the vehicle. The defendant's car ended up running over the plaintiff's foot causing a torn tendon in his right ankle. The plaintiff's foot required a cast and physical therapy. The jury deliberated for four hours before awarding a $156,000 jury verdict for this foot injury.

As this case and the jury verdict research used by Attorney Richard Griffin demonstrates, personal injury claims can be worth a great deal of money if handled by a seasoned and experienced personal injury lawyer. Without the representation of a good personal injury attorney, many personal injury claimants recover nothing or far less than their case is worth.

If you or someone you know has a personal injury, worker's compensation, wrongful death, or social security disability claim, then Attorney Richard Griffin strongly recommends that you contact a personal injury attorney for a free consultation.

Continue reading "$156,000 Personal Injury Verdict For Foot Injury" »

Attorney Richard Griffin is the featured Atlanta personal injury lawyer several episodes of Trust Dale TV. The Trustdale television show airs on Saturdays and Sundays on Fox Channel 5 in the Atlanta television market.

In the above episode Attorney Gary Martin Hays (the host of the legal segment on Trust Dale) and Dale Cardwell (the host of the Trust Dale television show) ask insightful questions about personal injury claims that arise from car accidents. In the engaging interview, Attorney Richard Griffin of the Griffin Law Firm explains the following:

(1) It is dangerous to represent yourself in a personal injury claim.
(2) Personal injury attorneys help you recover greater settlements because they know the value of your case and can litigate if needed to get it.
(3) Personal injury lawyers can help you get the medical treatment you need even if you do not have health insurance through the use of doctor liens and funding companies.

What types of cases does Attorney Richard Griffin of The Griffin Law Firm handle?
(1) car accident personal injury claims;
(2) big truck accident personal injury claims;
(3) motorcycle accident personal injury claims;
(4) bicycle accident personal injury claims;
(5) pedestrian accident personal injury claims;
(6) wrongful death claims;
(7) worker's compensation claims;
(8) social security disability claims;
(9) slip and fall premise liability personal injury claims;
(10) dog bite cases;
(10) negligent security personal injury claims;
(11) diminished value property damage claims; and
(12) total loss property damage claims.

For a Free consultation, please call Attorney Richard Griffin at 866-847-6545 or submit your case for a free evaluation to [FREE SETTLEMENT EVALUATION].

Continue reading "Atlanta Personal Injury Attorney Richard Griffin Featured on Trust Dale TV" »

Personal Injury Attorney Richard Griffin Of The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. was the featured legal expert on the new legal talk show on CW Atlanta called, "Lawyer Talk". The 30 minute episode with Attorney Richard Griffin and host Adam Goldfein aired on 10/22/11.

The show focused on personal injury claims that arise from many different types of accidents:
(1) car accidents,
(2) big truck accidents,
(3) motorcycle accidents,
(4) bicycle accidents,
(5) pedestrian accidents,
(6) slip and fall accidents,
(7) dog bites,
(8) negligent security,
(9) punitive damage claims (DUI and hit and run), and
(10) other premise liability claims.

You can see this episode on YouTube.com at the following link:

YouTube Video: Richard Griffin on Lawyer Talk

How can I be better prepared should I have a future personal injury or worker's compensation claim?
Viewers were encouraged to save The Griffin Law Firm, P.C.'s telephone number 866-847-6545 in their cell phones so that they could call the personal injury lawyers for immediate assistance and for a free consultation if they are in a future motor vehicle accident.

Free Consultations: Attorney Richard Griffin will provide you with a free consultation is you have a personal injury, wrongful death, worker's compensation, or social security disability claim through the following ways:
(1) Free Phone Consultation: 866-847-6545;
(2) Free Internet Consultation: Free Settlement Evaluation;

How can I hire The Griffin Law Firm for my personal injury, worker's compensation, wrongful death, or social security disability claim?
(1) Office Appointment: If we accept your case, then you can schedule a in office appointment for the intake sign up.
(2) Home or Office Appointment: If we accept your case, then we will send a representative to your home or doctor's office for the intake sign up if you would prefer.

Attorney Richard Griffin will be the featured personal injury lawyer on the new television show called "Lawyer Talk" on C.W. Atlanta (channel 69). The 30 minute legal talk show will air on 10/22/11 at 11:30am on channel 69. The host of the show is Adam Goldfein, who is also the host of Autoscoop and the Adam Goldfein radio show on WSB. Attorney Richard Griffin has recently been featured on many different television shows (Autoscoop, Trustdale, and Lawyer Talk) as an expert in personal injury, wrongful death, worker's compensation, and social security disability. This new show, "Legal Talk", appears to be a fresh approach to dealing with legal issues that affect people every day throughout Atlanta and the rest of the state of Georgia.

What topics will be covered by Attorney Richard Griffin during the upcoming "Lawyer Talk" show?
(1) Why is it important to hire a personal injury attorney?
(2) What damages can you recover in a personal injury claim?
(3) How can a personal injury attorney help their client get the medical treatment they need even if they do not have health insurance?
(4) Should you let the adjuster take your recorded statement about how the accident occurred and about your injuries?
(5) How can jury verdict research help get higher personal injury and wrongful death settlements?

What future practice areas will Attorney Richard Griffin of The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. address in upcoming "Lawyer Talk" shows?
(1) Personal Injury Claims (auto accidents, big truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, bicycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, slip and fall accidents, dog bite cases, and negligent security claims).
(2) Wrongful Death Claims;
(3) Worker's Compensation Claims; and
(4) Social Security Disability Claims.

If you would like a free consultation from The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. regarding your personal injury, wrongful death, worker's compensation, or social security disability claim, then you can call 866-847-6545 or use the following link: [FREE CONSULTATION]

What does it mean to stack insurance policies?
Stacking auto insurance policies means that you can recover the policy limits from more than one policy rather being limited the policy limits of only one policy. Usually Georgia law requires that you exhaust the liability auto policy limits by negotiating a policy limits recovery before you can seek additional recoveries against umbrella policies or uninsured motorist or under-insured motorist policies.

Personal injury lawyer Richard Griffin warns that if the policy limits are not stacked correctly, then an unrepresented personal injury claimant could mistakenly release or waive their rights to recover against additional insurance policies that also cover their claim.

Why is stacking the auto insurance policies vital in large personal injury claims?
Large personal injury claims are often worth more than available liability policy limits of the negligent driver. This creates a huge problem and a sad reality when there is not even enough money to cover the past medical expenses, lost wages, . Personal injury lawyer Richard Griffin explains that personal injury attorneys can make a huge impact on the net recovery for his clients be doing the following:
(1) Identifying all insurance policy (negligent driver, owner of vehicle, and employers).
(2) Obtain the policy limits of all liability policies, umbrella policies, uninsured motorist policies, and under-insured motorist policies.
(3) Negotiate or litigate to get the highest personal injury recovery possible.
(4) Use of proper limited releases rather than a general release.
(5) Stacking of all policies to get the maximum settlement or verdict recovery.

Why is it risky to represent yourself and attempt to stack insurance policies yourself?
(1) Without an experienced personal injury and wrongful death attorney it will be almost impossible to negotiate a fair and reasonable settlement.
(2) If the adjuster negotiates unfairly, then a personal injury claimant does not have the ability to litigate the personal injury and wrongful death claim. Without the legitimate threat of litigation, the adjusters will attempt to save their employers (the insurance company) money at your expense.
(3) Personal injury claimants and wrongful death claimants will normally not be able to identify all insurance policies that cover a claim and verify the policy limits for each.
(4) Personal injury claimants and wrongful death claimants will not know what should and should not be in the limited release which could jeopardize their ability to obtain additional recoveries from the other insurance coverage that covers their claims.
(5) Personal injury claimants and wrongful death claimants do not have the experience of the seasoned personal injury lawyer to know the real value of their claims. They also do not have the resources needed to make certain the injuries, the treatment, the prognosis, the future treatment plans, and any permanent impairment is properly documented.
(6) Further, strong personal injury lawyers have the ability to conduct jury verdict research to better establish the actual value of each personal injury or wrongful death case based on the specific facts of each case. This is an expensive research that is normally not available to people who are not attorneys.

What types of accidents can personal injury, worker's compensation, and wrongful death claims arise from?
(1) Auto Accidents;
(2) Truck Accidents;
(3) Motorcycle Accidents;
(4) Bicycle Accidents;
(5) Pedestrian Accidents;
(6) Premise Liability Accidents;
(7) Slip and Fall Accidents;
(8) Dog Bit Incidents;
(9) Negligent Security Incidents; and
(10) Any on the job injuries (mainly for worker's compensation claims).

How can I get a free consultation regarding my personal injury, worker's compensation, wrongful death, or social security disability claim?
(1) Free phone consultation: Call The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. at 866-847-6545.
(2) Free email and internet consultation: Use this link: [FREE LEGAL CONSULTATION]
(4) Free office consultation: We will schedule this for any potential client that has a personal injury, wrongful death, worker's compensation, or social security disability claim that we believe has merit.

What were the facts of this slip and fall premise liability case?
The case caption for this slip and fall personal injury lawsuit was Christine Garland v. Crestline Hotels, and it was filed in the State Court of Fulton County. The $3.6 million dollar jury verdict for a Atlanta slip and fall personal injury claim was rendered on 06/15/11. The plaintiff was a 35 year old executive who suffered permanent injuries in the fall.

How did the slip and fall accident occur?
The personal injury claimant was injured in a slip and fall accident in a hotel on a wet marble floor. On the day of the accident it was raining and the hotel had their 8 large front doors open. The plaintiff was at the hotel for a conference and was near the front doors distributing materials to the seminar guests. Because it was a windy day, her materials were being blown around. The plaintiff asked the hotel to close the front doors, but the hotel staff refused to do so. When the plaintiff and her boss attempted to close the front doors themselves, the plaintiff slipped and fell on the marble floor.

The personal injury claimant alleged that the hotel’s staff was negligent in the following manner:
The slip and fall attorneys for the plaintiff presented the following arguments:
(1) Dangerous Condition: She alleged that the hotel failed to close the doors when asked which resulted in the marble floor being more wet and slippery than usual.
(2) Failure To Make The Property Safe: She alleged the hotel failed to put out mats that would make the marble floor less slippery.
(3) Failure To Warn: She also alleged that the hotel failed to warn others that the floor was wet and slippery with wet floor signs.

What defenses did the defendant hotel raise to defend this slip and fall personal injury lawsuit?
The Defendant hotel denied liability based on the following factors and defenses:
(1) No Negligence: The hotel denied they were negligent and alleged that the plaintiff did not allow the hotel staff adequate time to put mats and towels on the floor. Further, the hotel claimed the plaintiff’s company had requested that the doors be open.
(2) Comparative Negligence: The hotel claimed the plaintiff was responsible for her own injuries (comparative negligence) for walking quickly in high heel shoes on a wet marble floor.
(4) Assumption Of The Risk: The hotel raised the assumption of the risk defense claiming the risk was open and obvious and the plaintiff assumed the risk of falling by walking quickly in high heel shoes on the wet marble floor.

What factors must be present to recover $3.6 million for a Slip and Fall Personal Injury Claim?
A jury verdict of $3.6 million dollars is an incredible recover for any type of personal injury case, but it is even more rare for a slip and fall personal injury claim. Attorney Richard Griffin, an experienced slip and fall premise liability attorney, believes that the following factors were critical to making this outcome possible:
(1) Fulton County Venue: The venue is where the personal injury lawsuit must be filed. In this case the venue was Fulton County (Atlanta, Georgia) which is a venue that is known for returning higher plaintiff's verdicts than many other venues in Georgia.
(2) Great Plaintiff: A great plaintiff is a plaintiff that is honest, friendly, likable, and someone that the jury can connect with and understand. In this case the plaintiff was a female executive whose testimony was very compelling to this Fulton County jury.
(3) Serious Injuries: The plaintiff in this case sustained a torn tendon in the wrist and torn pectoral muscle both requiring surgery. She also had permanent nerve damage in her shoulder and elbow and lost her ability to use her right arm and hand.
(4) Big Damages: The plaintiff had $215,207 in past medical treatment, $10,000 in projected future medical treatment, and $320,000 in lost wages. The jury awarded $1,109,600 in pain and suffering.
(5) Sympathetic Jury: The high jury verdict clearly demonstrates the jury was extremely moved by the plaintiff's case.
(6) Strong Plaintiff's Attorney: Good jury verdicts usually do not happen unless the plaintiff's attorneys presented a great case to the jury. Then all of the other elements listed above typically have to be there too. A well tried personal injury case alone will always help, but standing alone great jury verdicts usually require a "perfect storm" of all of these factors.

Why should every personal injury claimant contact an experienced personal injury attorney?
(1) Thorough Accident Investigation: Personal injury attorneys can investigate the accident and secure evidence that supports liability. This could include photographs, surveillance videos, recorded statements, and other important evidence.
(2) Preservation of Evidence: Good personal injury lawyers will send spoilation letters to make sure the defendants preserve rather than destroy evidence such as surveillance tapes.
(3) Medical Documentation: Experienced personal injury attorneys will assist their clients in finding doctors who will provide the needed treatment and evaluation. If the client does not have health insurance or med pay coverage, then good personal injury lawyers can even find doctors who will treat on a lien or will accept medical funding company payments.
(4) Lost Wage Documentation: Strong personal injury lawyers will assist their clients in making sure lost wages are fully documented with work excuses and Wage and Salary Verifications.
(5) Great Recoveries: Great personal injury settlements or jury verdicts do not usually happen by accident. Rather good settlements or jury verdicts are normally the result of excellent personal injury representation. In the area of slip and fall, trip and fall, dog bites, negligent security, and other premise liability cases, cases can even be dismissed by summary judgment if the evidence does not meet the high burden of proving that the land owner or occupier was negligent or that they either knew or should have known of the dangerous condition on their property.

How can I get a free slip and fall personal injury consultation?
Attorney Richard Griffin of The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. will always provide a free consultation for your personal injury, wrongful death, worker's compensation, or social security disability claim. For your free legal consultation, please call 866-847-6545 or submit your case to our firm through the following link: [FREE SETTLEMENT EVALUATION]

Personal injury claims can be settled in Georgia by signing a General Release:
Personal injury claims are not hard to settle in Georgia. In fact insurance adjusters will often attempt to get personal injury claims from auto accidents, truck accidents, and motorcycle accidents settled very quickly after the accident by offering small settlement offers of $500 or so. If the injured victim accepts their offer and signs a General Release of all claims, then the personal injury claim is normally settled. Attorney Richard Griffin of The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. has received many calls every year from injured victims that accepted very small offers and signed General Releases only to realize later that their injuries were more serious than they had originally thought. If the General Release is signed, then this usually bars the personal injury claimant from any additional recovery.

Why is it risky to accept a quick personal injury settlement?
The severity of the injury is sometimes hard to determine at the beginning of the personal injury case. Attorney Richard Griffin often sees personal injury clients that appear to have soft tissue injuries, but later after conservative treatment fails and after additional diagnostic testing such as a MRI or CT scan are done, the injuries are diagnosed as disc herniations or traumatic closed head injuries. Attorney Richard Griffin explains that the value of a personal injury claim involving a herniated disc, spinal injury, traumatic head injury, or other permanent and debilitating injury often be $25,000 to $1,000,000 based on the facts surrounding the case. This is, of course, a great deal more than the settlements for most soft tissue (neck and back) sprains or strains. Therefore, if you accept a quick settlement before your injuries have been fully diagnosed and treated, then you may be very, very disappointed that you have settled your case for pennies on the dollar of what it is actually worth. Anyone who has a personal injury claim from an auto accident, truck accident, motorcycle accident, bicycle accident, pedestrian accident, or slip and fall should always contact an experienced personal injury lawyer for a free consultation and free settlement evaluation.

How do I get a fair personal injury settlement?
Fair personal injury settlements do not usually happen by accident. Usually a fair personal injury settlement occurs when the personal injury victim is represented by an experienced and successful personal injury lawyer. One recent study found that personal injury claimants who were represented by an attorney recovered three times more than those who represented themselves.

An experienced and good personal injury attorney will do the following:
(1) Accident investigation.
(2) Witness recorded statements.
(3) Photograph property damage.
(4) Photograph injuries.
(5) Identify and notify all insurance carriers who cover the claim.
(6) Obtain the policy limits information and stack the insurance policies when possible.
(7) Assist the client in getting all of the medical treatment the client needs.
(8) Prepare a settlement demand package that fully documents all of the medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and punitive damages if applicable.
(9) Negotiate a fair settlement that fully compensates the personal injury client.
(10) Litigate the claim whenever the adjuster is not negotiating in good faith by making unreasonable offers.

Why is it important to hire a personal injury attorney?
It is important for every personal injury victim to be represented by a personal injury lawyer because:
(1) The personal injury victim does not know the value of his or her case.
(2) The personal injury claimant does not know how to properly document the damages in a personal injury claim.
(3) The personal injury claimant does not know how to get the treatment they require even if they do not have health insurance. In this tough economy many people simply do not have health insurance.
(4) The personal injury victim does not know how to litigate so the adjuster will often convey low ball offers knowing there is not much the claimant can do on their own.

How can an experienced personal injury attorney help their client get the needed medical treatment?
A good personal injury lawyer is able to make sure their client gets the medical treatment that they need to recovery from their injuries and to document the injuries even if they do not have health insurance. This can be done in the following ways:
(1) Med Pay: Assist the personal injury client is using his or her Medical Pay Coverage (med pay).
(2) Doctor Lien: Assist the personal injury client in finding a doctor that will treat on a lien. The client can get the treatment needed without paying for the treatment has he or she is receiving it. These doctors agree to wait for payment until a personal injury recovery is reached. Doctors will only do this if they know and trust your personal injury attorney.
(3) Medical Funding Company: Assist the personal injury client in the use of a medical funding company that will pay for specialists such as pain management doctors, neurologists, orthopaedic surgeons, neuro-surgeons, etc. The doctor is paid by the medical funding company and then they are paid from the future personal injury settlement. Medical funding companies will only do this if they know and trust your personal injury attorney and if there is sufficient insurance coverage to insure they will be repaid.

How can I get a free consultation for an experienced personal injury lawyer?
You can call the experienced personal injury lawyers at The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. at 866-847-6545 or submit your personal case for a free evaluation to the following link:
FREE SETTLEMENT EVALUATION:

A Fulton County State Court jury awarded Donna Williams (a slip and fall victim) a judgment for $5 million dollars on 09/29/10. The Defendant was The Sports Authority Stores (TSA, Inc.). The personal injury claimant tripped and fell over an unpainted include in front of the store. Experienced Atlanta personal injury lawyers can make all the difference in the outcome of a personal injury case.

Why was The Sports Authority Stores liable or responsible for Ms. Williams slip and fall (trip and fall injury)? The legal theory is that the store has a duty to keep their store in a safe manner for the public. The personal injury attorneys for the plaintiff argued that this unpainted incline was a hazard that the store knew was dangerous due to two previous falls. The defense attorneys argued that the defect was open and obvious so Ms. Williams should have been able to walk up the incline without falling. The jury agreed with the plaintiff's attorneys and awarded $5 million dollars. However, the jury did attribute 14% of the negligence to the plaintiff. This defense is called comparative negligence and allows a jury to reduce the verdict by the percentage that they believe the plaintiff was negligent. The net recovery to the plaintiff in this case was $4,300,000.00 because the jury reduced the $5,000,000.00 verdict by the 14% negligence they attributed to the plaintiff.

What injuries did the personal injury victim in Fulton County, Georgia suffer? Ms. Williams suffered catastrophic injuries from this accident. She fractured her right hip which required surgery to repair. She also suffered from a disc bulge in the lumbar spine (L4-L5) which also required surgery. The defense argued that she had degenerative disc disease which was a pre-existing condition.

Why is it important to hire an experience personal injury lawyer? As you can see this personal injury case which arose from a slip and fall (premise liability) claim required litigation. If this personal injury victim had gone it alone and represented herself, then it is very likely that she would have been offered little or nothing from the store and their insurance company. The slip and fall lawyers at The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. have experienced similar success in negotiating and litigating premise liability claims. If you would like to learn more about premise liability claims (slip and falls, trip and falls, dog bite cases, improper installation or construction, and other premise liability claims) I encourage you to visit our website at www.injuryatlanta.com. Our slip and fall attorneys will also provide free consultations through the forms in our website or by phone at 866-847-6545.