When you have suffered an injury due to someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation. A personal injury lawyer can help you get the compensation you deserve. Whether you are dealing with medical malpractice, intentional torts, or any other form of harm, it pays to hire a good lawyer to represent you.
Negligence
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, a personal injury lawyer can help you recover damages. A personal injury lawyer will assist you in the initial stages of your case, helping you negotiate with the other party and preparing your case for court.
To win a personal injury lawsuit, a plaintiff must prove the defendant acted negligently. To do this, the plaintiff must prove four different elements. The first is the chain of causation. The second is the proximate cause, which is the act that caused the injury. The third is the harm, which is the damage or loss the defendant caused.
The third and most important element is the breach of duty. This is the legal obligation the liable party has to the injured party.
The breach of duty must be a direct cause of the injury. An example would be a car careening around a corner. The driver of the car barely misses an innocent passerby.
Intentional torts
If you or a loved one has been injured through an intentional tort, you may be eligible for a settlement. It is important to discuss your claim with an attorney at the earliest possible opportunity. The availability of insurance coverage can greatly affect the outcome of your case.
Intentional torts are wrongful actions that someone intends to cause harm to another. Examples include assault and battery, defamation, fraud, and trespass to property. These types of claims can be filed in both criminal and civil court.
Unlike ordinary torts, intentional torts can involve more than physical injury. Intentional harm can include emotional distress, reputational damage, and more. The severity of the incident – and the degree to which it harmed the victim – determines the value of an intentional tort claim.
Depending on the state, you can sue for intentional infliction of emotional distress. This type of claim arises when you are subjected to harassing or threatening behavior by another person.
Compensation for damages
If you’ve been injured in an accident, you may be entitled to compensation. A personal injury lawyer can help you to assess the value of your claim.
An accident victim can sue for economic and non-economic damages. These two types of compensation are designed to compensate an injured person for the physical and emotional harm that was caused by the incident.
Often, compensation for damages includes lost wages and medical bills. Expenses that are part of an accident case include hospital stays, prescriptions, ambulance rides, and various treatments.
A personal injury lawyer Toms River, NJ can also help you assess any property damage that was caused by the incident. For example, if you sustained serious injuries, you may need to pay for the repair or replacement of a vehicle. Alternatively, you may be able to recover damages to your homes, such as the cost of a new roof or other home improvements.
In addition to compensation for damages, an accident victim may be able to sue for punitive damages. This type of award is meant to deter others from acting in a negligent manner in the future.
Cost of hiring a personal injury lawyer
Personal injury lawsuits can be expensive. Depending on the complexity of the case, legal costs may include expert witness fees, travel expenses, and court document filing fees. It’s important to know what you’re paying for so that you can understand your fees and make a wise decision.
Personal injury lawyers will often work on a contingency fee basis. Under this arrangement, you won’t have to pay for attorney’s fees unless you win. In other words, you don’t have to pay until you’ve been able to collect compensation for your injuries.
In a contingency fee, your attorney receives a percentage of the money that you’ve recovered. This is determined by the case’s complexity, as well as the risk that your lawyer is taking in securing the money. Typically, your attorney will charge about 30 percent of the total settlement offer.
The cost of hiring a personal injury lawyer will vary greatly, depending on the type of lawyer that you hire. Some attorneys are willing to do pro bono work, and others will charge an hourly rate.
