A personal injury lawyer provides legal services to those who have been injured, either physically, emotionally or psychologically, due to negligence by another person, company, entity or agency. Personal injury law is an area of law known as tort law (think torturous, i.e., that which causes suffering). Regardless of the basis for any personal injury claim, be it intentional, through negligence, or strict liability, two basic issues must be proven in personal injury cases—defendant liability and the extent and nature of your damages. This is where the expertise of a personal injury lawyer to aid, assist, and represent the injured and afflicted party in proving liability and damages, and to ensure you’re awarded just compensation for your loss, is most valuable and should be sought out. The following are five of the most common areas for representation by personal injury practices: car accidents, slip, and fall accidents, commercial trucking accidents, dog bites or animal attacks, and wrongful death. If you should be an unfortunate party to these or any accident you should consult with a personal injury lawyer.
Do I Have a Personal Injury Case?
Car Accidents
After a car accident, a personal injury attorney can provide the necessary legal assistance and counsel that confronts every victim. Accident attorneys are familiar with this area of law, its procedural rules, and compensation to be awarded. The severity of your injuries, medical bills, loss of wages, emotional trauma can all factor into the award. Above all, the accident attorney will act as your advocate throughout the case to ensure that the insurance company and its team of lawyers do not reduce compensation or deny the claim altogether. In this regard, seeking a personal injury lawyer with expertise in car accidents is your best option to receive the maximum award for your injuries.
Slip and Fall Accidents
In the area of personal injury lawsuits, slip and fall accidents are one of the most common. Slip and fall accidents fall under the category of “premises liability” cases. They occur through the negligence of a property owner or a custodian of a property in the upkeep, repair, and maintenance of the premises in question. If you sustain an injury on a premises as a result of a trip, slip or fall because of a foreign object on the floor, if the walking surface has ice, water, grease, or food on it, or if the surface is broken, e.g, loose floorboards or cracked steps, or the surface has unexpected gaps or holes in it, or is in general poorly maintained or lit, you would be well-advised to seek the legal counsel on a personal injury lawyer for you most likely have a claim.
Commercial Trucking Accidents
Statistically, in terms of the number of accidents, commercial truck drivers are more careful drivers than passenger car drivers. However, when accidents involving a commercial truck do happen, there are a number of considerations to take into account that a personal injury lawyer can help with. No doubt, an injury resulting from a commercial truck accident with a dump truck, tractor trailer, or any big rig can be far more disastrous. Fully loaded commercial trucks can weigh up to twenty-five times more than a standard vehicle. Commercial truck operators are subject to more federal and state regulations than drivers of ordinary passenger vehicles and, depending on their load, other parties than the driver may share in the responsibility of compensation for damages. If you have been a victim in a commercial trucking accident, a personal injury lawyer can best assist you in determining the grounds for a lawsuit.
Dog Bites or Animal Attacks
Even though there are really no bad dogs, only bad dog owners, every year there are thousands of people attacked and bitten by animals, and in most cases, by dogs. If you are bitten or attacked by an animal, through no fault of your own, you have legal grounds to recover damages from the animal’s owner or the responsible party. Personal injury lawyers experienced in animal bite or attack case can advise on legal claims and damages to be recovered because of the attack. The law holds animal owners responsible for injuries sustained in an attack. Owners are liable for compensation for injuries, medical expenses, loss of wages, etc. as a result of an attack by an animal that was not properly contained by the owner. Consult with a personal injury lawyer as homeowner or tenant insurance policy generally will pay the compensation.
Wrongful Death
The act of taking the life of an individual (or individuals) as a result of a willful or negligent act or wrongful conduct by another person or persons is considered wrongful death. Heirs and other beneficiaries are entitled to file a wrongful death action against the responsible parties for the decedent’s death. Though wrongful death statutes may vary from state to state, broadly they outline and define who may sue for a wrongful death and the limits to any damages to be awarded. Because most wrongful death lawsuits rarely face a jury, settlements are left to negotiations between parties to avoid lengthy trials and costly litigation. If you are entitled to bring legal action in a wrongful death lawsuit, you would be well-advised to consult with a personal injury attorney and allow an experienced lawyer to negotiate your settlement.