If my friend was driving a golf cart at the public course and I was a rider and was injured, what are my options to get paid for my damages?
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If my friend was driving a golf cart at the public course and I was a rider and was injured, what are my options to get paid for my damages?
At steep hill, she panicked and turned the cart to the left and caused the cart to be overturned onto my side. I hit the cartpath with my face and right side of my body and the cart landed over me. I ended up airlifted to the trauma center and stayed hospital for 2 weeks. My medical bill was over $200k but luckily Medicare paid most of it but $1700. My friend paid for my portion but I’m still suffering from injuries especially my head and knee.
Asked on December 21, 2014 under Personal Injury, Georgia
Answers:
S.L,. Member, California Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 9 years ago | Contributor
It would be advisable to contact the golf course to obtain the name, address, and telephone number of its insurance carrier. Inform the golf course's insurance carrier in writing that you will be filing a personal injury claim.
When you complete your medical treatment and are released by the doctor or are declared by the doctor to be permanent and stationary, which means having reached a point in your medical treatment where no further improvement is anticipated, submit your medical bills, medical reports and documentation of wage loss to the golf course's insurance carrier.
Compensation for the medical bills is straight reimbursement. The medical reports will document the nature and extent of your injuries and will be used to determine compensation for pain and suffering, which is an amount in addition to the medical bills. The medical report should also include an estimate of the cost of future treatment discounted to present value. Compensation for wage loss is straight reimbursement.
If the case is settled with the insurance carrier for the golf course, NO lawsuit is filed.
If you are dissatisfied with settlement offers from the insurance carrier for the golf course, reject the settlement offers and file a lawsuit based on premises liabiity against the golf course.
If the case is NOT settled with the insurance carrier for the golf course, your lawsuit against the golf course must be filed prior to the expiration of the applicable statute of limitations or you will lose your rights forever in the matter.
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