If you have received injuries or property damage resulting from another party’s actions or inactions, you may wonder how you can get help. Personal injury law, also known as tort law, governs cases wherein a person, corporation, or other legal entity causes harm to a person and/or their property. A personal injury lawyer may be able to help you seek payment for the harm that you have suffered.
Do You Have Grounds for a Successful Civil Case?
If the offender was negligent, reckless, or intentionally caused your injuries, you likely have strong grounds upon which to file a personal injury case. Proving the elements of a personal injury case requires you to show evidence of several things:
- Duty: the offender’s duty or liability to you
- Breach: the way they violated it
- Causation: how that offense caused you injury
- Injury: the harm you received as a result
What Kinds of Damages Can You Receive?
In a personal injury case, a plaintiff may receive compensation for the harm they received as a result of the defendant’s actions or inactions. Tort law has two types of damages: economic and non-economic.
The court may award economic damages to make up for the costs that resulted from the injuries in question. These awards compensate for easily quantifiable financial consequences, such as:
- Lost wages
- Medical bills
- Household and family expenses
Non-economic damages are awarded to compensate for losses that are not easily quantifiable, such as:
- Emotional suffering
- Mental health
- Time and relationship loss
The amount of damage defendants receive in personal injury lawsuits can differ significantly. Your unique circumstances and the seriousness of your injuries will impact how much compensation you may be eligible to receive.
How Do You Get Awarded Damages?
If you prove that your injuries are the offender’s fault, you may be eligible for compensation. This award can take the form of economic damages, non-economic damages, or both. Be aware that you may not receive your compensation right away. The defendant might not be able to pay in full, or they might not want to pay it all. As an experienced lawyer can attest, it is a good idea to speak with your attorney about the ways in which you can mentally and emotionally prepare for the ups and downs associated with this kind of lawsuit so that you can know what to expect from all aspects of the process.