As the founding partner at Scholle Law, Charles Scholle has practiced law in the Atlanta metro area and throughout Georgia, for nearly three decades. He has recovered millions of dollars for his clients. He has also earned the highest preeminent ratings from his peers for both excellence in legal practice and ethical standards. Scholle Law is dedicated to injury practice areas including, serious personal injury, traumatic brain injury, wrongful death and motor vehicle accidents. We have a reputation for excellence and dedication to our clients which is backed up by their reviews of their experience with our firm.
We approach cases and clients differently. When you bring your case to us, we evaluate it at no cost to you. What is different than most other firms is this: we treat you with care and compassion. We know that it is difficult to cope with injury and the trauma of an accident of any kind. With this in mind, we answer your questions and keep you informed all along the way. This difference matters. You aren't just another case or client. You will be treated with the respect and care you deserve.
Our dedication to excellence also means that we will fully investigate your case. We leave no stone unturned. We do whatever it takes to find those responsible and hold them accountable for your injuries. We hire experts when necessary to help in specific areas such as medical issues or accident reconstruction. If a case does not settle, we are tenacious, successful trial advocates. We create understandable exhibits to educate a judge or jury about your claims to ensure that you will receive what you deserve for your injuries.
Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
Georgia
Since 1995
U.S. Supreme Court
Since 1995
Professional Experience
Current
Scholle Law
Education
1995
University of Georgia School of Law
J.D. | Law
Honors: with Honors, Cum Laude Graduate
1992
University of Georgia Terry School of Business
B.B.A. | Finance
Honors: Magna Cum Laude with High Honors
Awards
year - P. Charles Scholle
AV Rating Preeminent
Martindale Hubbell
Membership Award
Super Lawyers
Client Satisfaction
Martindale Hubbell
Motor Vehicle Lawyers Top 25 in Georgia
National Trial Lawyers
year - P. Charles Scholle
10 Best Attorneys in Client Satisfaction for Georgia
American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys
year - P. Charles Scholle
Top 100 Trial Lawyers in Georgia
American Society of Legal Advocates
year - P. Charles Scholle
Marquis
Who's Who in American Law
Marquis
Who's Who in America
year - P. Charles Scholle
Top 100 Trial Lawyer
National Trial Lawyers
year - P. Charles Scholle
Lifetime Membership
Million Dollar Advocates Forum
Contacts
Scholle Law6340 Sugarloaf Parkway Suite 150 Duluth GA 30097Toll-Free: (866) 972-5287Telephone: (770) 717-5100Fax: (404) 581-5970
Scholle Law160 Clairemont Avenue Suite 200 Decatur GA 30030Toll-Free: (866) 972-5287Telephone: (404) 566-4520Fax: (404) 581-5970
Scholle Law1170 Peachtree Street Suite 1200 Atlanta GA 30309Toll-Free: (866) 972-5287Telephone: (404) 566-4525Fax: (404) 581-5970
Scholle Law1 Glenlake Parkway NE Suite 700 Atlanta GA 30328Toll-Free: (866) 972-5287Telephone: (404) 566-4530Fax: (404) 581-5970
Seeking a Wrongful Death Attorney | Scholle Law: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A wrongful death case is about the humanity of your loved one. It's about the birthdays missed, the anniversaries missed. It's about the vacations that person will never have. It's all these things that made that person who they were and what they meant to you.
When people are dealing with a situation where someone is grievously injured or has died, they don't think clearly. Their anxiety, their worry, and their regret is overwhelming and they need a steady hand to advise them of that situation. A lot of times the level that's been lost is the one that handled the finances. Maybe they know where the safe deposit box is and the surviving spouse doesn't know any of these things.
We can help you with these issues. We understand a state law and we can help get through that initial month or two to get you to the stage when you can take a deep breath and breathe. And after that, when you've had a chance to grieve, when you've had a chance to stabilize your life, then we can come in and help you with the wrongful death case.
If you've lost someone and you think you may have a wrongful death claim, but you're not sure, you can call me no obligation and I'll be happy to talk to you about your situation.
I represented a truck accident victim and it was a very straightforward case. He was sideswiped, a truck had come in his lane and knocked him off the road, and ran him into a tree. He suffered a very serious back injury for which he had surgery, and the trucking company still blamed him for the accident.
The officer at the scene gave a citation to the truck driver. The truck driver had pulled out a camera from the truck had started taking pictures of the accident scene, had started investigating witnesses, had tried to get the officer to change the story. When we deposed a driver, when we would depose the trucking companies representatives, they applauded her and they said that is standard operating procedure. “That's what we train our truck drivers to do. We issue them a camera, we issue them a microphone and recording device” and they're supposed to go out and try to get the evidence in their favor after the truck accident.
In this case, what we did is we got the dashboard camera from the officer, who had a microphone on his lapel, and he interviewed the accident victim and interviewed the witnesses who all said it was the truck driver's fault. The officers made some comments about how annoying and how aggressive the truck driver had been in trying to get the evidence in her favor and I think that that video was very compelling, not only in counteracting the evidence that the truck driver had compiled, but also in showing just the what lengths the truck company would go to try to manipulate the evidence in their favor.
The end result was that we got a substantial settlement for a client and the settlement was enhanced by the fact that the truck driver looked so disingenuous in trying to cover her tracks in the accident. She had a terrible driving history, she had been reported not only by the law enforcement authorities on on other occasions but people had dialed in on the number on the back of the truck of 1-800 number and complained about her sideswiping other vehicles, before the incident involving my client. So, we were able to bring that evidence to bear and get a very, very substantial settlement.
Truck Accident Lawyer Shares What to do After Truck Crash | Charles Scholle: -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When someone tries to represent themselves in their own trucking case, they usually make a mistake from talking to the trucking company by themselves. Trucking companies and their lawyers are trying to get everything they can to use against you in the case.
When we come into a case representing a trucking accident victim, we stop that. We cut off all communications between our client and the trucking company. Then, we go to the accident report and we interview every single witness and we preserve and detain every single piece of evidence that we can. We send a letter to the trucking company and we ask them to preserve all the records, all on-board computer records, all the logs and all the other records involving that driver in that incident and that trucking company, for use in your case.
The trucking companies are already five steps ahead - they've sent lawyers out, they've sent adjusters out, they sent investigators out, sent accident re-constructionists out to manipulate the evidence in their favor, even if they've gotten the citation, even if their driver has gotten the ticket for the wreck. They are going to present evidence circumstantial or otherwise to make it your fault and you need to be aware.
Because trucking accidents are so different from auto accidents, you really need to talk to a professional about your rights. We offer free consultations and will answer any questions someone has, with no obligation.
Scholle Law Client Testimonials: --------------------------------------------------------------------------
In august of 2011, driving from Columbus, Georgia on Highway 85 North, an 18-wheeler went ahead and veered off the road and hit me, dragged me for a little while and then I ended up hitting into a tree. That day changed my life. I had a fractured rib. I also had to have surgery - I had to have it fused from five to seven on my neck. I'm still being treated on my lower back.
At first, the truck company was even blaming me saying, you know, that I maybe I veered off. That I was speeding, that I had my lights on. All those things that were found not to be true. The one thing I like the say about the case is that I had never been involved in this type of situation like that. Little fender benders, somebody hit me, things like that. I didn't know - well I know it was a serious situation because of my injuries - but, the whole scope of this entire case was really overwhelming to me.
From the very beginning, I found that not only it's Charles, but the staff, as well. They were able to really walk me through the entire process. They were kind, they were informative. It really helped me to deal with just what I had to deal with and that was my injuries. It allowed me to kind of ease off it and put aside the whereabouts – focus on what's actually happening with the case. And if I did have any questions or concerns, it was good that someone was always there to answer my questions. Even when I didn't have any questions, they were always in contact with me. To let me know what exactly was going on with my case. I was never left in limbo about the case and that was really important to me and my family because we kind of knew where we stood at all times and eased off a lot of pressure from us.
Being able to to get this settlement just allowed me to do different things in regards to opening up and looking for a new franchise and a new line of business. Although I'm not able to do all the physical things that I was doing from a previous job, I'm now able to move forward because of the settlement.
- Anonymous Truck Accident Victim Scholle Law Client
Spinal Injury Lawyer Discusses Diagnosis After an Accident | Scholle Law: -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As you get older, the discs in your back begin to degenerate, they lose their elasticity. What an insurance company likes to do is say that if you're injured in an accident, it must have been preexisting. That those are normal degenerative changes that have occurred. That they are not a result of trauma. Even doctors can have a hard time determining what's caused by trauma and what's caused by kind of wear and tear.
What we like to do is make sure that person is properly evaluated and diagnosed with an MRI and then talk to the doctor and see what the doctor's opinion is. If the orthopedic doctor says this is an injury that was caused by trauma, not a degenerative condition, you really really need to seek fair compensation on your case. The gold standard diagnostic tool is an MRI.
An MRI is not like an x-ray, it's a magnet. There are no long-term effects with an MRI. Anyone who suffers a neck or back injury, that has pain for more than a week or two, and has been in physical therapy should have an MRI. If your MRI is clear, then that's probably a good indication you don't have a disc injury.
If you suffered a neck or back injury and the pain is persisting, don't just settle your case and think it's whiplash. If it's getting a little bit better but not all the way, get fully treated, get fully evaluated. Come and see me, let's look over your medical records. Let's see if I can help you on your case, with no obligation.
We represented an elderly lady who'd fallen off a loading dock. The loading dock did not have any rails around it and was not code compliant. We were able to go out and take pictures of the loading dock, the next day. She suffered very, very serious injuries.
Within a week, they had put a rail around it and had painted it, so that it was code compliant. But, we were able to secure the evidence as it was when she fell, by being aggressive. Because we were able to go out and take these pictures the day after the accident, we were able to secure for our client a very substantial settlement, including lost wages, her pain and suffering, and her medical expenses.
Premises liability cases in Georgia are extremely challenging. The law is not on your side. If you have questions, have concerns, if you think you were injured by the fault of an owner or manager of the property, please give us a call.
Motorcycle Crash Victim’s Wife Recovers Over One Million Dollars | Scholle Law: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We were hired by the family of a man who was killed in a motorcycle accident. He was driving to work and someone had pulled in front of him. He had put on his brakes, but unfortunately with the car, he flew over the vehicle that pulled in front of him and he was killed instantly. The single mother of two came to us and her kids were currently in college. She was very distraught and chose us to represent her.
We first started by sending a letter to the insurance company asking for the insurance limits and they weren't honest with us about what those were. They didn't certify what those were, so we sent another letter and we demanded that they certify what the limits were. Instead of a hundred thousand in coverage, they actually had 1.5 million in coverage.
If she had represented herself, she may have only had one hundred thousand to compensate her for the death of her husband and to support her for the rest of her life. But, we got her a much larger result and I was proud to have accomplished that.
Motorcycle Accident Victims Need Legal Representation | Scholle Law: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Motorcycle riders are at a particular disadvantage when it comes to insurance adjusters. I've had insurance adjusters ask me for the leathers that the motorcycle riders are wearing so that they can show those to a jury and use those as evidence to say "oh look - it was that they were had their racing suit on" or they look at the bike, they'll take pictures and they'll take pictures of the muffler and the sports nature of the bike and the knobby tires because they know there's a bias against motorcycles.
You need someone that's going to recognize these tactics and is going to not deny people fair compensation. A motorcycle accident victim is entitled to lost wages, their entitled to their medical expenses. And they are entitled to future medical expenses, future lost wages. If they're disabled, if they've been declared to be impaired in some way going forward they're entitled to compensation for all those things. A lot of times when people represent themselves, they don't realize that. They think that because the insurance adjuster told them that they should get their medicals, plus a little of pain and suffering, that that's all they're entitled to - it's not.
Because motorcycle accidents are so different from auto accidents, not only in the types of injuries and damages you can have but also in the perception of the adjusters and how insurance companies can look at them. You really need to speak to a professional about that. Even if you don't really want to hire a lawyer.
We offer free consultations and we'd be glad to take your call.
Catastrophic Injury Victims Need Protection | Scholle Law: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
People that are seriously injured don't understand that the settlement they enter into with an insurance company is a one-time thing. The insurance company is not going to keep paying you in the future for procedures that you didn’t anticipate when you settled the case. You need an experienced attorney who understands what future treatment you might need. Someone that's talked to your doctors, someone that's talked to a life care planner to see what the future may hold for you in order to make sure that you get fully compensated for everything, at the time you settle.
If you have a future impairment, you have a loss of consortium for your spouse, you have future lost income, future inability to earn an income, you have future pain and suffering. There are many, many more elements of damages that, maybe you don't even consider, but the insurance company knows about that they're not telling you about. And, that's where a lot of people can really get short-changed in their settlement.
What I'll do in your case is go talk to your doctors, I'll go talk to your physical therapist. I'll hire an expert, if I have to, that will talk about the life care that you might need in the future. All elements of those damages will be considered and an insurance company should have to compensate you for each and every element of those damages.
If you or a loved one has been catastrophically injured in an accident, reach out to me. I'll be happy to help you. I'll be happy to answer your questions, free of charge, and consult with you about your case.
Car Accident Lawyer Warns of Insurance Pitfalls | Scholle Law: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I see auto and truck accident victims make the same mistake all the time. When they're talking to an adjuster on the phone, they're thinking in good faith that this adjuster is going to treat them fairly, going to properly evaluate their claim and pay the property damage. But, they want to take a recorded statement and get somebody on the phone and start asking questions about what they were doing with their vehicle. Did you have your cell phone on? Were you distracted? What they’re trying to do is to get you to admit that you were at fault, somehow. This is going to reduce your award or eliminate it completely and that's unfair.
My role, as an attorney for auto and truck accident victims, is to make sure that they are treated fairly in this process. Not only by the insurance adjuster but surprisingly also by the medical providers. The medical providers are not necessarily looking out for the patient's best interest. A lot of times, the medical providers will find out there is an auto accident and will try to get as much reimbursement as they can.
If you're an uninsured person that's been involved in an auto accident, then you are particularly at risk. Your medical providers will try to charge the highest amount they possibly can for uninsured patients, and if you only get your medical expenses back from the car insurance company, you're not going to get anywhere at all.
Most people that have been in an auto accident don't need to hire a lawyer. If they're not seriously injured, if they get better in a few days, they probably can handle it themselves. But, a lot of people have questions about the relative rights and a lot of people don't trust the insurance company, or even their medical providers, to get them the straight shot.
We can help you. We can answer the questions that you have at no obligation. If you want to come in and talk to us, we'd be happy to take your call.
Getting Legal Advice After a Car Accident | Scholle Law: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I represented a man who was in the sheriff's office in a local county and he was involved in an auto accident. He was hit from behind in his truck and he was hit pretty hard and he thought it was a whiplash-type injury. He had neck pain and he went to a chiropractor, he went to his medical provider and there weren't any broken bones. He didn't think he was hurt that bad.
Insurance offered him $2,500 and he was about to take it. He came to me for a second opinion. I just advised him that if you're not feeling 100%, then he should keep treating and make sure that you get the proper diagnostics to make sure that you're okay. He went and got an MRI and the MRI revealed that he had a bulging or herniated disc. He ended up, six months later, getting surgery for that injury.
He might have settled the case for $2,500, we settled the case for a substantial amount, over six figures. I really felt like I helped him in that case.
Most people that have been in an auto accident don't need to hire a lawyer. If they're not seriously injured, if they get better in a few days, they probably can handle it themselves. But a lot of people have questions about the relative rights and a lot of people don't trust the insurance company or even their medical providers to give them the straight shot.
We can help you. We can answer the questions that you have at no obligation. If you want to come in and talk to us, we'd be happy to take the call.
We represented a child who had been out at a mall for a Fourth of July presentation. One of the fireworks had come down in the area where the family was and exploded right on her leg. It caused second and third-degree burns all over her leg. This was significant to her because she had permanent scarring and she was very, very embarrassed about that. Not just as a teenager, but looking forward in her life, that was always going to be there. Every time she went to the beach, every time she exposed her skin, people would see that scar and he was extremely self-conscious about that.
Her medical expenses were maybe two or three thousand dollars. All they did was a little bit of skin grafting and they could not fix it with plastic surgery. So, she had this permanent scar and the insurance company for the firework producer only wanted to offer, say five or ten thousand dollars. But, they did not take into consideration psychological damage from that injury.
We were able to get her significant settlement in that case. If you or a loved one has been a victim of a burn injury, and someone else is responsible, please call us. We would love to talk to you about the case to see if we can help.
Burn injury cases are not like other personal injury cases. A lot of times the medical expenses aren't even that high. So, you can't just say "Well, it's my medical expenses plus a little bit more money" and that's the settlement value. The insurance company likes to get away with that. But, the scarring or the permanent disfigurement on a burn case is so significant and it's so emotionally damaging and physically damaging to a client. That really needs to be brought out and needs to be communicated to the adjuster.
In a burn injury case, the damages for your permanent scarring are compensable. You can get compensation for that and you should get compensation for it. What we do is we take pictures, we take pictures even from the emergency room. If the wound is being depleted, we'll take pictures of that to preserve that evidence. Then, later on, we'll take pictures of any scarring that takes place because that was compensable and you can get compensation for that.
If you or a loved one has been a victim of a burn injury, and someone else is responsible, please call us. We would love to talk to you about the case to see if we can help.
Gwinnett County Brain Injury Victim Gets Help | Scholle Law: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We represented a lady who was about 60 years old and she was very active in her community. She was driving to a tennis match being played when a van pulled in front of her and she t-boned that van. Her airbag went off and she hit her head on the steering wheel and the airbag and blacked out. She had suffered a concussion. She was rushed to the hospital and then she came and saw us about a neck injury. She thought she really hurt her neck, but her neck injury got better over time. Which we were thankful for.
Later, she started experiencing memory issues even though the headaches and the head symptoms had disappeared. She got a CT scan, a cat scan of her brain, and it was pretty normal. But, she kept having these issues and she went to a neurologist and then a neuropsychologist and they diagnosed her with a very, very serious brain injury. The defense tried to argue that it was just Alzheimer's or dementia, but the doctor said no. This is a very different sort of memory loss from Alzheimer's or dementia.
You can't let the other side try to get away with, if you're an older client, suggesting that you're just being you, you just have old age. She didn't have any memory problems before the wreck and she had them after the wreck. He was able to distinguish the type of general memory loss that you might suffer from Alzheimer's or dementia versus the very specific memory loss that she demonstrated in her treatment.
If she had not been proactive in getting the treatment she did, she would not have gotten a fair recovery for her injuries. Her settlement was very significant because her injury was very significant and we're glad we could help her with that.
Brain Injuries Present Long Term Issues and Need Expert Advice | Scholle Law: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Brain injury cases are extremely serious cases that can have long-term effects going forward. Just like an athlete who has suffered a concussion who goes out and plays the next week, and doesn't realize the consequences until years or decades later. Someone who is in an auto accident, who has had a brain injury or a head injury, can suffer the same fate.
Once the headaches disappear, your case is not necessarily over. You need to be properly evaluated. Whether it's through a neurologist or some other professional to make sure that all the long-term implications are considered. Once you settle a case, it's not reopened in the future. If you have cognitive issues, you can't work, or you can't think, or your memories are not what they used to be. If you have a long-term brain injury and you settle the case because your headaches disappear, you could be left with a lifetime of medical bills and other issues.
If you suffered a head injury, brain injury or a concussion, in an auto accident or some other incident, and someone else is at fault, make sure that you fully get evaluated and checked out by the right doctors and make sure that your condition is not cut short.
Give me a call. I'd be happy to discuss your case and look at your medical treatment and make sure you're going down the right path.
