Personal Injury FAQ

One of the more common times to contact a lawyer is after a personal injury, especially if someone else is to blame for causing your injuries.

A personal injury can harm you, your property, your rights or even your reputation.

Here are some common questions you may have about personal injuries:

What Are The More Common Types Of Personal Injury Lawsuits

Automobile accident are probably the most familiar personal injury accident that can lead to a lawsuit. However, there are many other types of personal injury accidents, such as:

• Trucking accidents
• Boating accidents
• Dog bites
• Slip-and-falls
• Sexual abuse
• Work-related accidents
• Medical malpractice -- when a medical professional causes you additional harm beyond the health reason that brought you to him in the first place
• Product liability -- when a faulty product hurts you

How Do I Win A Personal Injury Lawsuit

To collect on a personal injury lawsuit, attorneys must show two things: First, that you were harmed; and, second, that someone caused this harm.

Harm isn't limited to physical injuries. You can receive monetary compensation for emotional distress, lost wages, an invasion of privacy or if your reputation is attacked.

Depending on your state laws and the type of injury case, to prove someone caused your injury, you will have to show either negligence, intentional actions or strict liability:

• Negligence means that someone acted unreasonably and unsafely
• Intentional actions means that someone set out to purposely hurt you
• Strict liability means that anyone involved in the production, distribution or sale of a defective product can be held responsible if the product injures someone

When your personal injury lawyer proves you were hurt and someone caused this hurt either intentionally, through negligence or by distributing a defective product, you are in a position to collect money for your injuries.

How Long Can I Wait To File A Personal Injury Lawsuit

Each state sets a deadline for how long you have to file a personal injury lawsuit. This deadline is called the statute of limitations. Not only may it differ from state-to-state, but different types of injuries have different time limits.

Depending on your state's laws and the type of incident that caused your injury, you may have as little as one year to file a lawsuit. If you miss the deadlines, you lose the ability to file a lawsuit.

How Much Money Can I Collect In A Personal Injury Lawsuit

Your personal injury lawyer will request compensation as part of your lawsuit. This amount will cover the cost of your medical bills, property damage and lost wages. It may also include harder-to-measure damages such as pain and suffering, mental anguish and loss of spousal companionship.

In addition, your lawyer may ask for punitive damages. Just as it sounds, punitive damages are designed to punish the person or company responsible for your injuries. The idea is that better care will be taken in the future to prevent similar injuries.

However, ultimately, it is up to a judge or jury to decide how much your case is worth.

How Often Do Personal Injury Lawsuits Go To Trial

Not often. Most are settled before trials begin. In considering a settlement offer, your attorney will weigh your options, including how long a trial might take and how much a jury is likely to award you.

How Do I Find A Personal Injury Lawyer

Recommendations can be invaluable. Check with your friends, family and acquaintances to see if they have ever hired a personal injury lawyer. If they haven't or you need another name to round out your list, LawyerLocator offers a service that can connect you with a personal injury attorney in your area. Call 1-888-490-2407 for more information. The service is free.