When a person speaks of negligence in a personal injury case, they are talking about the “failure to use reasonable care.” The reasonable care that a person must provide is one that an average, reasonable person would provide in the same situation, under the same set of circumstances.
For example, when driving a vehicle, a reasonable person will obey traffic laws, operate their vehicle safely, and drive at speeds that are appropriate for the current road conditions. This is done so that the driver avoids colliding with another vehicle. A person is considered negligent when they fail to do these things and, ultimately, causes an accident.
There are other types of negligence under Georgia law. For instance, a doctor may be found negligent if they perform an operation and make a mistake or if they misdiagnose a condition. A doctor may also be found negligent in the case of medication errors.
When a person is found to have been negligent in such a way that a person sustains injury as a result, they may be held legally liable for medical bills, lost wages and more. While some injuries that arise may be compensated during a settlement process, others will need to be compensated through a lawsuit.
If you have been injured due to someone’s negligence or error in Atlanta, an experienced personal injury attorney can provide more information about your legal rights, including your right to different kinds of compensation. They can also advise you the next steps to take in your case.