According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are an estimated 10,429,379 people living in the state of Georgia an estimated 486,290 of which are here in Atlanta. Out of the millions of people that live in our state, the American Bar Association estimates that 31,672 of them are lawyers. We place a great deal of trust in lawyers to act in our best interests and to perform their services to the best of their abilities, but when you hire a lawyer, you are essentially entering into a partnership that places responsibilities on you as a client and on your attorney.
The reason your legal relationship is characterized like this is due to the fact that successful cases are built through an effective exchange of ideas, opinions, and information between you and your lawyer. As such, it is important that you ask your personal injury lawyer certain questions during your initial consultation.
Can Surveillance be Conducted on Me?
Being involved in a civil matter involves very high stakes and competing interests. On the one hand, you as an injured party believe you should be compensated for your injuries and damages. On the other hand, the negligent party typically believes that they did not do anything wrong or that you’re injuries are very minor. It is because of these competing interests that you should discuss the topic of surveillance with your personal injury lawyer.
O.C.G.A. § 16-11-62 makes it a crime for an individual to record you in a private place such as within your home. It does not, however, prohibit a party from recording you in a place that is within the view of the public. Moreover, video recordings can be detrimental to your case at trial. So, you should ask your personal injury lawyer about what you should or should not do in public areas.
Should I Close My Social Media Account?
The advent of social media has changed many things in our society including legal matters. Anything that you publicly post on social media can and usually will be used against you in a court of law. This information can be damaging to your case and can also be mischaracterized given the limited scope and lack of context that is present in social media posts.
As such, it is important that you speak with your personal injury lawyer about your social media usage due to the fact that defense attorneys and insurance company routinely monitor the social media posts of a plaintiff.
Which Doctor Should I Treat With?
The medical and legal industries are intertwined in many ways, and the doctor you choose to treat with can change depending on the type of personal injury case you are involved in. However, regardless of what type of claim you have initiated, you should always have a discussion with your personal injury attorney about which physician you choose to treat with.The reason being, although it may seem obvious, a doctor’s primary function is to practice medicine, not to be involved in the legal arena.
As such, an excellent well respected doctor could be a horrible witness in a legal case based on the way that the doctor articulates their testimony or medical opinions. It’s important to understand that your doctor could be asked to testify in your case, to justify statements made in their medical records, or to have conferences with your lawyer. Therefore, your personal injury lawyer will normally have an opinion or recommendation regarding the various physicians in the Atlanta area based on their experience. Your goal is to try and find a balanced physician that is both an excellent doctor that can render the medical care you need and give testimony that can be used as evidence in your case.
Personal Injury Lawyer in Atlanta, GA
These are questions that are applicable in most personal injury cases, but this list is not all-inclusive. The success of each personal injury case hinges on an open constructive dialog between you and your lawyer. At Cambre and Associates, our team of personal injury lawyers are dedicated to building relationships with our clients that allow us to obtain the best possible result in each claim. So give our office a call today to find out how a personal injury lawyer can help you.