Suffering a personal injury at the hands of someone else should not result in a heavy financial burden you face alone. The person who caused your injury should be the one who pays. That is the purpose of personal injury law, and a personal injury lawyer has experience in fighting to recover compensation for the losses you sustained due to your accident. If you have questions about the incident that caused your pain and suffering, consider talking to a personal injury attorney to understand the legal options available better.
What Is Personal Injury?
Personal injury refers explicitly to any damage done to the person, distinguishable from property damage. This can include harm to your physical body, psychological state, or reputation by another person or party. Personal injury law, also known as tort law, provides legal resources for victims to seek financial compensation for their losses through civil court. Additionally, many different types of accidents and injuries fall under the umbrella of personal injury.
Types of Personal Injury Lawsuits
Everything from medical malpractice to assault qualifies as personal injury, and there are many specific categories of lawsuits within broader categories. However, some of the most common types of personal injury lawsuits seen by attorneys include:
- Car accident cases. Auto accidents make up a vast majority of tort lawsuits. These include rear-end collisions, rollovers, drunk driving, hit-and-run, front-end collisions, side-impact crashes, and more.
- Truck accident cases. Commercial truck accidents often result in substantial damages, especially involving smaller vehicles, such as passenger cars and motorcycles. Because liability can be complex in these cases, plaintiffs typically need legal representation.
- Pedestrian accident cases. Accidents involving pedestrians typically have more than one cause and can be challenging, depending on the circumstances. Typically, the driver is at fault in these cases.
- Wrongful death cases. Wrongful death is an umbrella term for any case involving a personal injury that results in death. This could be a motor vehicle accident, product liability cause, or any other tort case.
- Drug injury cases. Drug injury cases may involve product liability, which occurs when the manufacturer or retailer distributes a product, resulting in injury to the consumer. Drug injury may also involve medical malpractice if a medical professional prescribes the drug incorrectly.
- Dog bite injury cases. Unfortunately, the majority of dog bite injury cases involve children. A dog owner may be liable for damages if their dog bites another person.
- Slip and fall accident cases. Slip and fall cases fall under the legal concept of premises liability, which states that property owners are responsible for maintaining a safe space for anyone lawfully present on their premises. It can be challenging to prove liability in a slip and fall case. However, a personal injury attorney knows where to look for evidence.
- Workers’ compensation cases. Injuries in the workplace occur daily. While workers’ compensation insurance should provide fast and easy access to coverage for medical bills and missed work, employees sometimes struggle with insurance companies and employers who attempt to limit their payouts. In that case, employees can turn to the legal system.
- Motorcycle accident cases. Motorcycle accidents often result in devastating injuries due to the vulnerability of riders on the road. These cases are often the result of distracted or negligent drivers hitting cyclists.
- Nursing home abuse cases. The family of loved ones who suffer abuse at the hands of nursing home staff can file a lawsuit to seek compensation for medical costs and pain and suffering.
This list is not comprehensive. If you were involved in an incident where another person caused injury to your body, mind, or reputation, you might benefit from finding out what a personal injury lawyer can do for you.
What Does a Personal Injury Lawyer Do?
The specifics of a personal injury lawyer‘s job vary depending on the type of case they handle. However, some essential tasks they perform include:
- Investigating your claim. Your lawyer will investigate the accident that led to your injuries, sometimes using the help of experts in the field. For example, they may enlist an accident reconstruction expert for a car crash case.
- Collect evidence to support your claim. They gather and organize all the evidence necessary to prove liability and support your damages claim.
- Draft and send a demand letter. After the investigation, your attorney will likely send a demand letter detailing the accident and your claim.
- Negotiate for a settlement. Most personal injury cases settle outside of the court system. One significant professional benefit to having a lawyer is they handle all communications with the insurance companies. Insurance agents notoriously act in the company’s best interests, sometimes even resorting to unsavory tactics to prevent substantial payouts. They are less likely to exhibit this behavior when dealing with an attorney, resulting in faster access to a fairer settlement.
- Prepare your case for trial. Should the insurance company fails to offer a fair settlement, your attorney will prepare your case for trial.
- Initiate the discovery process. Your attorney will draft a list of interrogatories to send to the defendant and conduct depositions of experts and witnesses to support your claim.
Because most personal injury attorneys work on contingency, meaning they charge no upfront fees and only receive payment for their services if they secure a settlement for you, they carefully evaluate your case to ensure they feel confident they can win.
What Are Compensatory Damages?
Compensatory damages make up the losses owed to you by the at-fault party in your case. Examples include:
- The cost of your medical bills
- Wages you lost as a result of missed work
- Loss of your ability to earn the same wages you did before the accident
- Cost of any damage to your property
- Any out-of-pocket expenses related to your accident or injury
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Mental anguish
- Disability
- Disfigurement
- Loss of companionship
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of reputation
- Loss of the ability to enjoy life as you did before
In a wrongful death case, the court allows the family of a deceased loved one to seek damages for funeral and burial costs as well. The actual damages from your case depend on the circumstances surrounding the accident and your injuries. Consider speaking with a personal injury lawyer to learn more about what you could recover.
Why Should You Schedule a Consultation with a Personal Injury Lawyer in Natick, MA?
Personal injuries often have deep emotional consequences and severe physical and financial repercussions. Personal injury attorneys dedicate their careers to becoming experts in tort law to help people heal and move on after a devastating incident. The attorneys at Jason Stone Injury Lawyers are committed to providing personal injury victims with aggressive legal representation to reach a fast and fair settlement so they can get their life back on track. If you suffered an injury because another person acted negligently or intended to harm you, our experienced legal team is here for you. Additionally, we understand the financial struggle you face. To help alleviate that burden, we charge no upfront fee to get started on your case. That is the first element of our Stone Cold Guarantee. We only get paid after you get paid. Contact Jason Stone Injury Lawyers today for a no-fee consultation with a personal injury attorney near West Central Street in Natick, MA. There’s No Obligation, Just Information (R).