Personal injury law encompasses a variety of cases where a person is injured as a result of an individual’s or company’s negligence. The law allows those injured to go to court and get compensation (damages) for losses that stemmed from the accident. 

Whether it be in a working environment or personal life, if someone culpable for an accident that causes your injury, you are able to make a personal injury claim. There are many situations where a claim can be made, but the most common examples are car accidents, workplace injuries, defective products, and medical malpractice.

Tort law allows injured persons to be compensated for damages – a monetary award intended to return the person back to the position they were in prior to the injury. These damages are divided into general and specific. General damages compensate for the injury itself and specific damages compensate for monetary loss resulting from the injury (lost wages, medical bills).

What is personal injury? 

Personal injury is an injury to an individual’s body or mind. Personal injury is covered by tort law, a body of law that looks over cases where a person’s behavior causes injury, unfair loss, or harm to another person. This is a broad category of law that can include many different types of personal injury claims which are generally categorized into three categories: 

1. Intentional torts (assault, battery, fraud, defamation) 
2. Unintentional torts/negligence torts (car accidents, slip and fall accidents, workplace accidents, medical malpractice) 
3. Strict liability (defective products, animal attacks, ultrahazardous activities)

Every personal injury claim, whether it be intentional, negligence or strict liability, has two issues: liability and damages. Is the defendant liable for the injuries and, if so, what is the extent of the damages? 

To prove liability and be awarded suitable damages, you need an experienced personal injury lawyer in your corner. 

What is a personal injury lawyer? 

Should you suffer injuries through someone else’s fault, it is likely that you’ll need the assistance of a personal injury lawyer

A personal injury lawyer provides legal assistance when a company or individual, through their actions, causes injury to a person. The role of the personal injury lawyer is to prove the defendant is liable for the injury and recover financial compensation for the damages inflicted. 

Personal injury lawyers have many duties in aiding their clients. Part of preparing the case involves:

• Collecting evidence, which may involve gathering witness statements, photographs, video evidence, and medical professional statements. 
• Helping you understand the compensation you deserve. An experienced personal injury attorney can provide you with more information about the compensation you really deserve.
• Negotiating with insurance companies by reviewing policy details and determining the maximum level of compensation that is available on the case specifics.
• Advising you on when to accept a settlement offer, when you deserve more compensation, and when you should take the matter to court.
• Representing you if your claim is not settled early on and goes to court. With a personal injury lawyer on your side in court, the right evidence and arguments will be made to give you the greatest chance of receiving compensation for your injuries.

How much to ask for in a personal injury settlement

Putting together and sending a demand letter to the other side is a crucial step toward settling a personal injury case before it goes to court. It is at the end of the demand letter that the injured party states a dollar amount that would be accepted to resolve the personal injury claim. 

When deciding the compensation amount, you should consider medical care expenses, lost income, pain, permanent disability, loss of quality of life, and emotional suffering. 

To determine the amount, add up measurable expenses and multiply that total by 2 to 5 to account for the factors that are hard to monetize.

How to find a personal injury lawyer? 

The personal injury area of law is vast. If you have been incurred a personal injury at the fault of another individual or company, it is vitally important to get in touch with an experienced personal injury lawyer to fight your corner. 

Whether you have experienced a slip and fall accident, been assaulted, or injured by a faulty product, finding the right experienced personal injury lawyers can be the difference between getting the compensation you deserve and going without. To help, LegalBreeze created ez-estimate, a feature that shows you how much a lawyer typically charges for a specific service in your area, whatever your personal injury case involves. 

Find a highly qualified personal injury lawyer