Personal injury, legally speaking, is the term used for an injury to the body, emotions or mind that is the result of the negligence of another person.
A few of the most common types of personal injuries are car accidents, slip and fall accidents, and wrongful death.
The injuries sustained from a personal injury include bodily injury and intentional or negligent infliction of emotional distress.
It is important to know how to determine if you have a personal injury case and what to do if you find yourself involved in one of these accidents.
In the United States, there are over 6 million car accidents each year and more than 40,000 people die in those accidents.
In the aftermath of a car collision, your reaction can prevent additional injuries, lower costs linked with the accident, and speed up the repair process.
If you find yourself involved in a car accident, there are several steps you can take in order to prove fault and expedite your claim.
First and foremost, you should remain calm and prevent further damage by moving cars of the road if possible and turning on your hazard lights.
Be prepared by keeping emergency equipment, such as cones and warning triangles, in your vehicle in addition to having a camera, cell phone, pen and paper handy.
Be sure to swap information (name, phone number, address, insurance policy information, license plate number, etc.
) with the other driver and begin to write a report about the accident.
Ensure that you take photos of the accident from several different angles and obtain basic information from any witnesses.
Next, you will want to file a car accident report at your local police station to speed up your claims process.
Contact your insurance agent to determine what the insurance covers and possible claims.
Lastly, hire a personal injury lawyer especially for those cases where both parties deny fault or if injuries were sustained.
Slip and Fall accidents occur when you have slipped and fallen on someone else's property as a result of dangerous or poorly maintained conditions, resulting in significant personal injury.
It is important that a personal injury lawyer is contacted if you experience a Slip and Fall accident as these cases are quite complicated and not easily understood.
Under Premises Liability Law, your attorney must prove that the property owner was responsible for, or knew about and did not correct, the hazardous condition.
Or they must prove that the property owner should have known about the conditions as any responsible property owner would have been aware of the conditions and corrected them.
The key to a successful Slip and Fall case is hiring an experienced personal injury attorney to protect your rights and seek compensation for your injuries.
If you have lost a loved one due to the negligence of another, you have the right to file a Wrongful Death claim against the responsible party.
Wrongful Death claims allow the survivors to seek compensation for funeral and burial expenses, loss of wages, pain, and medical bills as well.
In order to file your Wrongful Death claim, you must prove the existence of four different critical components.
You need to show that the defendant had a duty to the deceased and failed to uphold that duty.
Additionally, you will need to show that the death was caused by that breach of duty and that the survivors are entitled to damages.
Anyone who has been injured as a result of the misconduct or negligence of another individual, company or other entity should seek a personal injury attorney to provide them with proper legal representation.
Personal injury cases can often times be quite complicated.
An experienced and knowledgeable personal injury lawyer will gather information and research your case in order to seek the justice and compensation you deserve.