The Basics of Personal Injury
Personal injury, as defined by Merriam-Webster, is “an injury affecting one’s physical and mental person as contrasted with one causing damages to one’s property.”
Basically, if someone else’s negligence causes your injury, then that’s personal injury.
If someone ran a red light and slammed into your car — injuring you — then that’s personal injury. If you slipped and injured yourself on water in a restaurant, then that’s personal injury. If your elderly mother was abused and injured in a nursing home, then that’s personal injury. And there are many other types, which I’ll talk about in a bit.
Why Should Make a Personal Injury Claim?
When you’re injured in an accident, you’ll likely need medical attention. And we all know how expensive health care is.
But if the accident wasn’t your fault, then you shouldn’t be responsible for footing that bill. The person that caused your injury should.
And what about the lost wages or vacation days you’ll lose from time off work healing? What about the pain and suffering you’ve endured? What about the qualify of life you’ve lost? You should be compensated for all of that!
That’s why you should make a personal injury claim. To hold the negligent party accountable and get the compensation that you deserve for the damages you’ve suffered.
Are There Different Kinds of Damages?
There are two types of damages that can be awarded in a personal injury claim:
Compensatory damages are designed to compensate the injured victim for what was lost due to the accident. For example: medical bills, lost wages, property loss, pain and suffering, etc.
There are also punitive damages. These are awarded when the negligent party’s behavior is outrageously careless. These damages may be awarded on top of the victim’s compensatory award. They can be used to make an example out of a particular case — to show that kind of behavior will not be tolerated.
Do You Need an Attorney?
You don’t need legally need an attorney for your personal injury claim, but you’ll want one.
It’s technically possible to proceed without at attorney. But studies show that with attorneys, the plaintiff gets on average three times the money of those who don’t have one. That’s why insurance companies try to keep you from getting one.
Yes, hiring a law firm to handle your case will cost you money. But the skills and experience of the lawyer — along with the potential threat to an insurance company that a lawyer can bring — is worth the expense.
And here at Darrell Castle & Associates, we work on a contingent fee basis. This means we only charge you a percentage of the money you’re awarded. We front the legal costs and only get paid if and when you get paid.
If you don’t win your case, then we don’t get paid. But you can feel confident that if we take your case, it’s a good one.
Are There Different Types of Personal Injury?
There are many types of personal injury cases. And I mentioned some above.
For a comprehensive list of the areas of personal injury we practice at Darrell Castle, & Associates, go here to our personal injury resources page. There, you can find the areas of practice with blog posts answering common questions for each.
What is Tort Reform?
Want a free case evaluation?
If you were injured and think you have a personal injury case, we’d love to talk to you. Call (901) 327-1212 today for a FREE case evaluation.