Individuals and lawyers file millions of legal cases each year. The Arizona court system reported an average of 8,477 new cases per business day in 2014, totaling 2.1 million cases filed in the 2014 fiscal year, representing a 0.5 percent increase in filings over the 2013 fiscal year. There are multiple types of legal cases. Some involve criminal charges, while other people file for divorce. Businesses may seek a court ruling to settle contract disputes, and employees may sue their employers for labor law violations. Individuals may also pursue personal injury cases. Let’s look at how to file a personal injury case and different types of personal injury cases.
How can you file a personal injury case?
Personal injury lawsuits are civil lawsuits filed against a person, professional, facility, or company that caused an injury or wrongful death. While it’s possible for individuals to go to the courts and file a lawsuit, hiring a personal injury lawyer simplifies the process. Personal injury attorneys are licensed attorneys with a law degree specializing in personal injury law. These lawyers studied relevant case law while earning their law degree, so they’re familiar with precedents they can use to build your case.
You can talk to a licensed attorney before hiring a law firm. Personal injury law firms offer free consultations and charge contingency fees, which means they don’t collect any payment until they secure a favorable result for your case. Your lawyer receives a portion of your settlement, so you don’t have to worry about finding funds to pursue legal action.
You may suffer from loss of income after an accident, particularly if your spouse died or you’re unable to return to work due to your injuries. You may have medical bills from your injuries and need to replace damaged property. Filing a lawsuit enables you to receive fair compensation for these costs. When you hire a legal team to handle your case, you can prioritize your recovery.
What types of cases does personal injury law cover?
Every year, there are millions of car accidents in the United States, including tens of thousands of fatal car accidents. Personal injury lawyers handle wrongful death and personal injury lawsuits. The decedent’s next of kin files the suit against the party whose negligence caused the accident leading to their loved one’s death.
Millions of people suffer severe injuries in car accidents every year. These injuries include spinal cord injuries (SCIs), traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), broken bones, lacerations, and whiplash. SCIs, TBIs, and broken bones can impair a person’s ability to return to work or perform routine tasks. In severe cases, whiplash can cause chronic pain lasting years after the accident.
Some motor vehicle accidents are classified as truck accidents. These are accidents involving commercial vehicles, such as 18-wheelers and semi-trucks. Truck accident lawsuits may be trickier than car accident suits because the plaintiff may have grounds to sue both the truck driver and the company that owns the vehicle. Personal injury lawyers may file subpoenas to secure maintenance records to determine if lack of maintenance contributed to the crash.
Personal injury lawyers also represent victims of slip and fall accidents. Suppose you enter a store and slip on a wet surface. The business might be liable if they knew the floor was wet and didn’t place warning signs alerting consumers to the potential safety hazard.
Personal injury lawyers handle cases involving medical malpractice, birth injuries, and defective products. Anyone harmed by medical malpractice, a birth injury, or a defective product should consult a personal injury lawyer to determine if they have legal grounds to pursue a case.
Personal injury cases include car accidents, truck accidents, and wrongful death suits. Your injury lawyer files your case and provides expert legal counsel while pursuing a fair settlement.
Also read: Things You Should Do After Getting Into a Car Accident
