What Is Injury Law?

The law of injury is focused on civil violations that could cause harm to your body, emotions and mind. The aim of an injury lawsuit is to obtain money for damages like medical bills, pain and suffering.

It's hard to avoid injuries like this, but it's important to take precautions as much as possible. For example, if you are going to fall backwards, make sure to turn your head to the side and then shield it by your arms.

Negligence

A person who has suffered injuries or other injuries as a result someone else's negligence may bring a lawsuit against the negligent party and seek financial compensation. But, the plaintiff must prove four things to establish their case: duty, breach, causation and damages.

Negligence is the inability to act in a manner that reasonable people would do in similar circumstances. A driver, for example must follow traffic laws to prevent injuries or accidents to other road users. A doctor is obliged to provide patients with the kind of care that a similarly qualified medical professional would offer in similar circumstances. Lawyers may also rely on expert testimony to demonstrate that the defendant's conduct was below industry norms.

To be successful in a negligence claim the plaintiff must show that the defendant's breach of duty was the direct cause of their injury. This is known as legal causation, and a skilled personal injury attorney will argue that the defendant's actions could have been the sole cause of their injuries.

The plaintiff must prove that their injuries have caused verifiable monetary loss including lost income and medical bills. The most serious type of negligence is gross negligence, which involves a complete lack of concern for others' safety. A nursing home that isn't able to change a patient's bandages for a period of time is an instance of gross negligence. In some states, defendants can use a defense called contributory negligence, which can prevent the plaintiff from seeking damages.

Statute of limitations

If someone else's negligence or careless disregard for your safety causes injury to you, the law provides an amount of time to bring a lawsuit, referred to as the statute of limitations. The statute of limitations is established by the state legislature to encourage timely filing and to prevent unreasonable delays.

The time limit for filing a claim varies from state to state, and depending on the type of injury attorneys to the next. For instance in Pennsylvania personal injuries such as car accidents, you generally have two years from the date of the accident to file an action. However, certain claims could be subject to what's called the discovery rule. This means that the statute of limitations does not start until your injury is discovered or should reasonably have been discovered.

In other cases, such as those involving intentional torts, like assaults and false imprisonment, defamation, and intentional infliction on emotional distress the statute of limitation is longer. It is also possible for a statute of limitation to be waived or tolled such as in the instance of minors or a person who is detained or on military duty.

If you try to file a lawsuit after the statute of limitations has been reached, your case may be dismissed without hearing. It is therefore important to consult with an experienced injury lawyer before the statute of limitations expires.

Damages

Many costs related to an injury come with costs. These are referred to as special damages. They could include medical expenses, out-of-pocket costs, lost wages, the cost of repairing or replace your property and other fixed costs. The law does limit the amount you can claim in special damages.

Other losses are harder to quantify, such as suffering and pain, loss in enjoyment of life, and other intangible harms. It can be difficult to put a value on subjective losses, such as physical or emotional discomfort however lawyers and insurance companies use formulas to quantify the amount of these losses.

For instance, a defendant in a personal injury case for whiplash could have sustained significant injuries that bring lots of pain and a lot of difficulty in their day-to-day lives. They might have to get help with chores around the home, eat in a different way and avoid recreational activities or spending time with family. The victim may experience an absence of pleasure and this is a redressable loss as general damages.

To determine the value of a claim for general damages, lawyers and insurers typically begin by calculating the amount for medical special damages and add the value of any income losses. They then multiply this figure by a number that ranges from 1.5 to 5. More powerful multipliers are typically associated with more serious injuries.

Liability

In law, the term "liability is a term used to describe a person who is held accountable for harm or injury. This can be due to strict liability or negligence. Most claims for injuries are based upon the notion of negligence. Negligence is the failure to exercise with reasonable care under the circumstances. The jury determines what reasonable people in similar circumstances would do and then decides whether the defendant's actions and inactions violated the law. However, certain injury cases are built on strict liability, for instance, the case where a defective product causes injuries.

In addition to the damages for economic losses, victims may be entitled to compensation for other damages such as suffering and pain. The amount of these damages can be difficult to determine but our experienced lawyers for injury are adept at maximizing the value of your claim.

Most personal injury lawsuits pit one plaintiff against multiple defendants, however there are also multi-plaintiff lawsuits like class actions and mass torts. These plaintiffs can be corporations such as an insurance company or a pharmaceutical company, or they could be individuals just like you. In these instances, multiple parties could be held accountable depending on the evidence offered by each plaintiff and results of an investigation. Contact us right away if you have been injured due to someone else's negligence or wrongdoing.