What is Personal Injury law
Knowing your rights is important, but let us not forget about the ways we can guarantee justice as well.
One of the laws that will protect you from the wrongdoings of others is a personal injury law that is connected to victims of accidents and social wrongs. Read this article to find out more about this law, when it is applied, and how it can be dealt with.
Personal Injury Cases
There are always two sides to any conflict, and the lawsuit follows after it. In the case of personal injury law, the person that was somehow injured is called a ‘plaintiff,’ and the person who is responsible for the conflict is called a ‘defendant.’
Both sides of the conflict could have more than one person on them, as it all depends on the situation. What is more, both sides can also invite witnesses to the court. And in the case of a fatal ending in the story, the family of a victim can proceed further and create a wrongful death suit.
The main aim of creating a personal injury lawsuit is to receive compensation for the wrongdoings of another person. However, there might be cases when more severe punishments are made, but even then, the burden of proof is lower for a personal injury lawsuit as it is a part of civil law, not a criminal one.
Here are examples of situations when personal injury law might be used:
- Vehicle accidents;
- Professional malpractices;
- Nursing home abuses;
- Premises liabilities.
All of these situations might also be dealt with under other laws. However, it is more probable that a personal injury lawyer will be used for them when the conflict appears as an accident, not as an intentional action.
So that if the plaintiff wants the case to be proceeded with, he or she will need to prove that negligence has taken place from the side of a defendant. In other situations, the lawsuit might be dismissed.
The compensation for the plaintiff can be done for the following damages:
- Medical expenses (both past and future);
- Lost income (both past and future);
- Pain and suffering;
- Rehabilitation.
As you can see, compensation might be both for economic and non-economic damages. For the first ones, you usually will need to provide documentation to prove that certain expenses were made. As for the second ones, they are usually included in every personal injury lawsuit, but there also might be a restriction on the number of damages that you can include in your case.