Personal Injury Attorney in Jonesboro
Jonesboro personal injury law firm
Butler Kahn is a Jonesboro personal injury law firm that helps people and families in Clayton County after serious accidents, including car crashes, truck collisions, shootings, and sexual assaults. Our Jonesboro office at 21 Lee Street handles only a select number of cases so we can give each client the personal attention they deserve. If you were seriously injured or lost a family member due to someone else’s negligence, call (770) 629-8366 for a free consultation.
What’s on this page
We believe in happy clients. That means winning settlements and jury trials. It also means communication—answering our client’s questions and providing updates even when they haven’t asked yet. We have had many happy clients in Clayton County and Jonesboro. Our personal injury lawyers are available for meetings and consultations in our office at 21 Lee Street, Jonesboro GA 30236.
Personal Injury Lawyer in Jonesboro, Clayton County
Butler Kahn handles lawsuits arising from car accidents, truck accidents, shootings, and rape or sexual assault in the Clayton County and Jonesboro area. But you won’t see us on billboards or in television commercials. That’s not who we are—instead of having thousands of cases with hundreds of cases per lawyer, we take only a few cases so that we can give our full attention to the clients we represent. That means that we can actually talk with our clients and make sure we’re meeting their needs.
Our selective approach also means better results—bigger settlements and verdicts—on the cases handled by our injury firm. Car accidents frequently cause serious injuries like traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, and broken bones that require extensive medical treatment. Truck accidents often result in catastrophic injuries or wrongful death due to the massive weight difference between commercial trucks and passenger vehicles. Some lawyers in Jonesboro are all bark and no bite. Not us. We are perfectly willing to file lawsuits, litigate the cases, and go to trial with our clients—and the insurance companies know that, which is a good thing for our clients. We have tried many cases to verdict in the Clayton County courthouse in Jonesboro.
Car Accident Lawyer in Clayton County
When another driver crashes into you, things change in a flash. You may experience pain in your neck and back and may find that pain radiates from your spine to other parts of your body. In serious collisions, permanent disability can occur or someone can be killed. You may miss work. Family members who depended on you for financial or emotional support may not know where to turn.
We know car accident cases. Butler Kahn has filed, settled, and tried many car accident cases, and we know the tricks that the insurance companies play. We have seen insurance companies try to take recorded statements from victims, hoping to find something to use against that person later. We have seen insurance companies pretend to be friendly to the person who was hurt—even claiming that the insurance company wants to pay the claim—when what the insurance company really wants is to close the file and pay less than they should.
Car accidents in Clayton County frequently occur on Tara Boulevard, Highway 54, I-75, and Mt. Zion Boulevard due to heavy traffic and dangerous intersections. These crashes often cause whiplash, herniated discs, and traumatic brain injuries that may not show symptoms immediately after the collision. Georgia law requires drivers to carry minimum liability insurance, but many serious accidents exceed these policy limits, making it essential to identify all available insurance coverage.
We fight for our clients. Many law firms that advertise on billboards talk big, but they don’t back it up. Most of those billboard advertisers won’t return their client’s phone calls and have paralegals who handle hundreds of cases at a time. They settle cheap, then move on to the next case. At Butler Kahn, that’s not how we operate. Our Jonesboro personal injury lawyers handle approximately 15 cases per lawyer, so we can give each client the personalized attention he or she deserves. When we say we fight for our clients, we mean it.
Truck Accident Lawyer in Clayton County and Jonesboro
When big trucks share the road with small cars, bad things can happen—because when an 80,000-pound truck collides with a 5,000-pound car, the car is a bad place to be. Truck accident cases call for experienced truck accident lawyers who understand federal trucking regulations and can hold trucking companies accountable.
Truck accident cases are different than car accident cases for a few reasons. For one, the trucking company usually blames its own driver but claims that the company is not responsible. But the truck company is responsible, and at Butler Kahn, we win that argument almost every time. We have written multiple briefs on the subject and cross-examined truck company owners and their ‘safety directors’ about it.
The truth is that the truck company is almost always responsible for two reasons:
- The truck company is liable for its driver’s misconduct under the legal rules of “respondeat superior” and “vicarious liability,” and also under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.
- The truck company often hired a driver who should not have been allowed behind the wheel of a tractor-trailer, or the trucking company failed to train that driver to operate a commercial truck safely.
Truck accident cases are also different than car accident cases because of the insurance involved. In many car accident cases, we have to look hard to find all the available insurance, such as liability insurance, underinsured motorist insurance, and resident relative insurance. But in a truck accident case, the trucking company is required by law to have a larger insurance policy. Most trucks that operate in multiple states must have at least $750,000 in liability insurance. With so much money at stake, trucking companies and their insurers hire smart defense lawyers and fight hard. It often takes an experienced Georgia truck accident lawyer to win.
Clayton County sees significant truck traffic on I-75 and Highway 19/41, which connects to the Port of Savannah and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Truck accidents at these locations often involve driver fatigue violations, improper cargo loading, and brake failures that cause multi-vehicle collisions. When these crashes occur, preserving electronic logging data and black box evidence is critical before the trucking company can destroy it.
Wrongful Death Cases in Clayton County and Jonesboro
No case is more serious than a wrongful death case. Wrongful death cases arise when someone is killed through the negligent or wrongful act of another person or company—most commonly from car accidents, motorcycle accidents, truck accidents, or shootings. If you or your family is dealing with a wrongful death case, we would like to first offer our sympathy and condolences.
The law in this area varies significantly from state to state. Below are key points about Georgia wrongful death law:
- If someone is killed through the wrongful or negligent act of another person or a company, the family of the deceased person usually brings two types of claims: a wrongful death claim and an estate claim.
- In the wrongful death claim, the family can recover for the “full value of the life” of the person who died, measured from the point of view of the deceased.
- Under Georgia law, the “full value of the life” has an intangible part (like the value of time spent with family and friends) and a tangible part (like the money the deceased would have earned).
- In the estate claim, the family can recover for certain other types of damages, such as the pain and suffering that the deceased experienced before death.
- Although the time limit can be longer or shorter in special situations, in general, a Georgia wrongful death lawsuit should be brought within two years of the date of death.
- A person does not have to be the administrator of the deceased’s estate to bring a wrongful death lawsuit in Georgia.
For more detailed information about wrongful death cases in Georgia, see our Wrongful Death FAQ page. Contact our Jonesboro wrongful death lawyer today.
Sexual Assault Lawyer in Jonesboro, Clayton County
When an attacker sexually assaults a victim, the attacker takes something that can never be returned. But that doesn’t mean the victim can’t fight back. At Butler Kahn, we empower victims to take control and go after their attackers through civil lawsuits that hold both the attacker and negligent organizations accountable.
Our firm has handled sexual assault and rape cases against attackers and the organizations that allowed the attacker to do what he did. We have handled cases in which minors were sexually abused at school, in which pastors sexually abused fifteen-year-olds, and in which companies that were supposed to provide therapy sexually exploited the very people they were supposed to care for. Sexual assault often causes long-term psychological trauma, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety that requires years of therapy to address.
These are hard cases. We know it is not easy for victims to come forward, so we are here to help when they do. Many times, sexual assault cases settle before they have to be filed with the court. Often our clients want the case handled quietly and privately, and if that is what our clients want, that’s what we’ll do. However, when and if our clients want to do it, Butler Kahn files sexual assault cases and takes the fight to the attacker in court. For more information, see our sexual assault FAQ page or read about Georgia sexual assault laws.
Service Areas in Clayton County and South Metro Atlanta
Butler Kahn’s Jonesboro office serves clients throughout Clayton County and the surrounding South Metro Atlanta area. We handle serious personal injury and wrongful death cases for residents of:
Cities and Communities We Serve
- Jonesboro – County seat of Clayton County, home to the Harold R. Banke Justice Center
- Riverdale – Located along Highway 85 and I-75 corridor
- Forest Park – Near I-75 and I-285 interchange
- Morrow – Along I-75 south of Atlanta
- Lake City – West Clayton County near I-75
- Lovejoy – Southern Clayton County along Tara Boulevard
- Rex – Unincorporated area near Highway 23
- Ellenwood – Eastern Clayton County near DeKalb border
- Conley – Near Hartsfield-Jackson Airport
- Stockbridge – Henry County, just east of Clayton County
- Hampton – Southern Henry County near Atlanta Motor Speedway
- Fayetteville – Fayette County seat, southwest of Clayton County
Major Roads and Accident-Prone Areas
Many of our Clayton County clients are injured in crashes on:
- I-75 – Heavy truck traffic connecting Atlanta to Macon creates dangerous conditions for rear-end collisions and jackknife accidents
- Tara Boulevard (US 19/41) – High-speed crashes and pedestrian accidents near Southlake Mall and commercial areas
- Highway 54 – Multi-vehicle accidents at intersections in Jonesboro and Lake City
- Mt. Zion Boulevard – T-bone collisions and left-turn accidents at busy intersections
- Flint River Road – Rural road accidents involving speeding and failure to yield
- Battle Creek Road – Residential area crashes near schools and parks
- Jonesboro Road – Connects Clayton County to Atlanta with heavy commuter traffic
- Highway 85 – Commercial corridor through Riverdale with frequent intersection accidents
Neighboring Counties
We also represent clients injured in accidents in neighboring counties, including Henry County, Fayette County, DeKalb County, and Fulton County. Our attorneys regularly appear in courts throughout the Metro Atlanta area and can meet with clients at our Atlanta office, Lawrenceville office, or Roswell office if that is more convenient.
Clayton County and Jonesboro Attorneys in Action
Here is a 360-degree tour inside of our Jonesboro personal injury law firm offices:
It never hurts to see your lawyer in action. Below are a few video clips showing our Jonesboro personal injury attorneys taking depositions or trying cases to juries:
In this case, which we filed in the State Court of Clayton County, a commercial vehicle company hired a bad driver, did not train him, and then put him behind the wheel of a commercial truck. In this video clip, we took the deposition of the company’s vice president—and look what he admitted at the end! This trucking case settled against the company on the first day of trial for $460,000.
About Jonesboro and Clayton County
The city of Jonesboro was the setting for Tara, the main setting for Margaret Mitchell’s famous novel Gone with the Wind. It was also the city where many scenes from the 1977 film Smokey and the Bandit were filmed. Originally called “Leakesville” in 1823, the city later changed its name to “Jonesborough.” The spelling was later changed to Jonesboro.
As the county seat, Jonesboro is also home to the historic Clayton County Courthouse which was built in 1898. However, both the State Court and the Superior Court of the Clayton County Judicial Circuit are held at the Harold R. Banke Justice Center which was opened on November 6, 2000 and is located at 9151 Tara Boulevard, Jonesboro, GA 30236. It has 18 courtrooms and is also home to the Clayton County Sheriff’s Department. (The Probate Court remains at the original courthouse located at 121 South McDonough Street, Jonesboro, GA 30236.)
In this car accident trial in Atlanta GA, our client was struck in the rear by a drunk driver—while her two-year-old daughter was in the back seat. In opening statement, we described the wreck to the jury using the present tense.
Practice Areas Our Jonesboro Personal Injury Attorneys Handle
- Jonesboro car accident lawyer
- Jonesboro truck accident lawyer
- Jonesboro motorcycle accident lawyer
- Jonesboro bicycle accident lawyer
- Jonesboro brain injury lawyer
- Jonesboro wrongful death lawyer
- Jonesboro nursing home abuse lawyer
- Jonesboro distracted driving accident lawyer
If We Don’t Take Your Case, We’ll Help You Find a Lawyer Who Can
Because our firm devotes time and attention to each case we take, we only handle a select number of cases. If we can’t handle your case, we’ll help you find someone who can. We know other good lawyers who handle Clayton County cases and can send you to the right place.
Our Jonesboro Office
Butler Kahn – Jonesboro Personal Injury Lawyers
21 Lee Street, Suite 250
Jonesboro, GA 30236
Phone: (770) 629-8366
Our Jonesboro office is located in downtown Jonesboro near the historic Clayton County Courthouse. Free parking is available. We serve clients throughout Clayton County and South Metro Atlanta, including Riverdale, Forest Park, Morrow, Lake City, Lovejoy, Rex, Ellenwood, and surrounding areas.
Contact Butler Kahn by calling (770) 629-8366 or contacting us online for a free consultation. There is no fee unless we win your case.
Frequently Asked Questions About Personal Injury Cases in Jonesboro
You generally have two years from the date of injury to file a personal injury lawsuit in Georgia under O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33. Wrongful death claims also have a two-year deadline from the date of death. However, some cases have shorter or longer deadlines, so you should talk to a lawyer as soon as possible to protect your rights.
Get medical attention first, even if you don’t feel seriously hurt—many injuries like traumatic brain injuries and internal bleeding don’t show immediate symptoms. Call 911 to report the accident and get a police report. Take photos of the scene, vehicle damage, and your injuries. Exchange information with other drivers but do not admit fault or give recorded statements to insurance companies without speaking to a lawyer.
Butler Kahn handles personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay no attorney fees unless we recover money for you. We also advance the costs of litigation. If we don’t win your case, you owe us nothing for our time or the expenses we advanced.
You should be very careful about speaking with insurance adjusters without legal representation. Insurance companies train their adjusters to ask questions designed to minimize your claim or find reasons to deny it. They may ask for recorded statements hoping you’ll say something they can use against you later. It’s generally best to speak with a lawyer before giving any statements.
Georgia personal injury victims may recover economic damages like medical bills, lost wages, and future medical expenses, as well as non-economic damages like pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life. In cases involving egregious conduct like drunk driving, you may also be entitled to punitive damages to punish the wrongdoer.
Georgia follows a modified comparative negligence rule under O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33. You can still recover damages as long as you were less than 50% at fault, but your recovery will be reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if you were 20% at fault and your damages were $100,000, you could recover $80,000.
Every case is different, but most personal injury cases take anywhere from several months to two or more years to resolve. Cases that settle without litigation typically resolve faster than cases that go to trial. Complex cases involving serious injuries, disputed liability, or multiple defendants generally take longer. Our case timeline guide explains the process in detail.
For truly minor accidents with no injuries and minimal property damage, you may be able to handle the claim yourself. However, if you have any injuries—even if they seem minor—you should consult with a lawyer. What seems like minor neck pain can sometimes develop into serious conditions requiring surgery. Insurance companies also have teams of lawyers working against you, so having your own legal representation levels the playing field.
Truck accident cases are more complex because they involve federal trucking regulations, multiple potentially liable parties (driver, trucking company, cargo loader, truck manufacturer), larger insurance policies, and critical evidence like electronic logging data that can be destroyed. Trucking companies also have teams of lawyers and investigators who arrive at accident scenes quickly to protect their interests.
Yes. If a drunk driver killed your family member, you can bring a wrongful death lawsuit against the driver. You may also be able to sue the bar or restaurant that over-served the drunk driver under Georgia’s dram shop laws. Drunk driving cases often allow recovery of punitive damages in addition to compensatory damages.
A wrongful death claim compensates the family for the “full value of the life” of the person who died, including both economic value (lost income) and intangible value (loss of companionship). An estate claim compensates for damages the deceased person suffered before death, such as pain and suffering, medical expenses, and funeral costs. Both claims can typically be brought in the same lawsuit.
You may have a premises liability case if you were injured on someone else’s property due to a dangerous condition they knew about or should have known about. Common examples include slip and fall accidents on wet floors, injuries from broken stairs or railings, inadequate security leading to criminal attacks, and dog bites. Property owners have a duty to keep their premises reasonably safe for visitors.
Bring any documents related to your accident and injuries, including the police report, photos of the accident scene and injuries, medical records and bills, insurance information, correspondence from insurance companies, and contact information for witnesses. If you don’t have all these documents, don’t worry—we can help you obtain them.
Most personal injury cases settle before trial, but we prepare every case as if it’s going to trial. Insurance companies know which lawyers are willing to go to court and which ones will accept low settlement offers. Because we have a proven trial track record, insurance companies take our cases seriously from the start, which often leads to better settlement offers.
Delaying medical treatment can make your case more difficult but doesn’t necessarily prevent recovery. Insurance companies often argue that gaps in treatment mean you weren’t really injured. However, there are many valid reasons people delay treatment, and a good lawyer can help explain those circumstances. The most important thing is to get medical attention as soon as you realize you’re hurt.
If the at-fault driver’s insurance is insufficient, you may be able to recover additional compensation through your own underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage. We also look for other potentially liable parties with deeper pockets, such as employers, vehicle owners, or property owners. Identifying all available sources of recovery is one of the most important things a lawyer can do.
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Lawrenceville, GA 30046
Jonesboro, GA 30236