Personal injury lawyers handle any type of claim or lawsuit involving personal injury; if it’s covered under personal injury law, personal injury attorneys can help.
Personal injury, in legal terms, is an injury to the body, mind or emotions of an individual, as opposed to damage to property.
Personal injuries can be the result of deliberate assault or the result of someone else’s negligence. Either way, you should contact an personal injury attorney if you have suffered any type of personal injury.
Some Common Examples of Personal Injury Cases
Car Accident Injuries
Personal injury claims are often filed due to injuries sustained in car accidents.
Personal injury car accidents are some of the most common cases PI attorneys handle.
If you have been injured in a car accident, you will need to prove that the other driver was at fault in order to recover damages.
You will also need to show that your injuries were caused by the accident. Severe injuries are easy to prove in court. Traumatic brain injuries can also easily be proven with medical records.
Workplace Injuries
Another common type of personal injury case is a workplace injury.
These cases can be filed against an employer if the employee was injured while on the job.
To win a workplace injury case, the employee will need to prove that the employer was at fault for the accident.
Some ways of proving this include showing that the employer did not provide proper safety equipment or that the employer did not properly train the employee.
Product Liability Cases
Personal injury lawyers also handle cases involving defective products.
If a person is injured by a defective product, they may be able to file a lawsuit against the manufacturer of the product.
To win a product liability case, the injured person will need to prove that the product was defective and that the defect caused their injuries.
This can be done by presenting expert testimony or by showing that the product did not meet industry standards.
Slip and Fall Accidents
Slip and fall accidents are another type of case that personal injury lawyers handle.
These accidents can occur on both private and public property.
To win a slip and fall case, the injured person will need to prove that the property owner was negligent in keeping the property safe.
This can be done by showing that the property owner knew or should have known about the dangerous condition and failed to fix it.
Medical Malpractice
Examples of medical malpractice include birth injuries, misdiagnosis and surgical errors.
Medical malpractice cases are some of the most complex cases that personal injury lawyers handle.
This is because they require expert testimony to prove that the medical professional was negligent.
Wrongful Death
Wrongful death means that the death of a person was caused by the negligence or intentional act of another person.
For example, if a drunk driver hits and kills someone, the family of the victim could file a wrongful death lawsuit against the driver. Nursing home neglect, medical malpractice and construction site accidents can also qualify as wrongful death cases.
Get Legal Help with Your Personal Injury Case
If you’ve been injured in an accident, it’s important to speak with a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible to discuss your case and learn about your legal options.
The personal injury lawyers at MZJ can help you file a lawsuit, negotiate with the insurance company, and represent you in court if necessary.
Don’t wait too long to speak with a lawyer; there are deadlines for filing personal injury lawsuits in most states.
Frequently Asked Questions
You should file a personal injury claim as soon as possible after the accident occurs.
This is because there is a statute of limitations, which is a time limit for filing a claim.
If you do not file your claim within the statute of limitations, you will not be able to receive any compensation for your injuries.
The amount of time it takes for a personal injury case to be settled depends on many factors.
For example, if the other party does not admit fault, the case could take longer to go to trial.
In some cases, the parties may come to an agreement during mediation or arbitration.
However, there are many cases that go to trial. In this case, it could take months or even years to reach a verdict.
Approximately 5 percent of personal injury cases end up going to trial. The reason for this is that most cases are settled out of court due to the defendant deciding it’s more affordable to settle rather than go to trial.
In most cases, the parties come to an agreement during mediation or arbitration.
When looking for a personal injury lawyer, it is important to choose someone with experience in the specific type of case you have.
For example, if you were in a car accident, you would want to choose a lawyer who specializes in car accident cases or has a lot of experience with said cases.
It’s always a good idea to choose a lawyer who has experience handling cases similar to yours.
For example, if you were injured in a slip and fall accident, you would want to choose a lawyer who has handled slip and fall cases before.
You can ask family and friends for recommendations or look online for reviews. You should also meet with the lawyer to make sure you are comfortable working with them.
Contingency fees are when a lawyer agrees to represent you in a case and only gets paid if they win the case or settle it out of court.
The lawyer will usually get a percentage of the settlement or verdict. If the lawyer does not win the case, they do not get paid.
Contingency fees are common in personal injury cases because it gives people who may not be able to afford a lawyer the opportunity to have one.
If you win your personal injury case, you will be awarded damages. These are monetary compensation for the injuries and damages you suffered as a result of the accident or incident.
The amount of damages you receive will depend on the severity of your injuries, as well as what types of injuries you’ve suffered.
Physical injuries require medical treatment and can result in lost wages from time missed at work; emotional injuries, such as pain and suffering, can also be compensated for with damages.
Punitive damages may also be awarded in some cases, which are designed to punish the person or company responsible for your injuries.
An experienced personal injury lawyer can help you achieve all of this.
