Personal injury law covers a multitude of different injuries. The one thing all personal injury law cases have in common are:
In plain English, it means you personally suffered an injury or loss of some kind because someone else messed up. However, you should know that personal injury law specifically governs civil cases. While there are many examples of the same accident resulting in both criminal and civil cases, they are two separate things. In other words, personal injury attorneys do not prosecute or defend individuals who face criminal charges. Since personal injury law covers a lot of different claim types, we’ll list the most common ones below.
Attorneys who specialize in personal injury law can accept any of the following cases:
Many people mistakenly believe that they can simply file an insurance claim to recover enough money to cover their losses. However, homeowner’s, renter’s and workers’ compensation insurance policies often specifically refuse to cover the cost of certain injuries. Dog bites are just one example; slipping and falling in an icy parking lot outside of work is another. You might think if a company recalls something dangerous or defective, they’ll automatically pay anyone with injuries from that product. Unfortunately, that assumption is almost always incorrect.
Without an attorney who specializes in personal injury law, small claims court might be your only recourse. The amount you can win there without representation can vary widely. For example: In some states, the maximum payout is $2,500. However, no small claims court in the U.S. can award you more than $10,000 in damages.
If your medical bills are more than a few thousand dollars, consult an attorney who specializes in personal injury law!