Imagine you’re driving through an intersection after your light turns green and, out of nowhere, a car slams into yours from the side. The other driver ran a red light, thus causing the accident and leading you to sustain possibly serious injuries. When this happens, you may have a personal injury claim.
Personal injury claims can range from car accidents to animal attacks to premises liability, and they stem from the other party’s negligence that leads to harm.
Defining personal injury
Personal injury is typically defined as an injury to a person’s body or mind that occurred due to negligence. It is a legal term that covers several different types of cases. Typically, once the injury occurs, negligence must be proven for the plaintiff to claim damages and win their deserved compensation. Negligence is at the core of most personal injury cases, which is why hiring an experienced personal injury attorney with a track record of proving negligence is important.
What it means to be negligent
In personal injury cases, one of the key components – if not the most important component – is negligence. Proving negligence can be difficult and requires gathering evidence to support the claim, which is why having an attorney is so crucial. In most cases, negligence claims must consist of four elements proven in court: duty, breach, causation, and damages or harm.
Types of personal injury cases
Personal injury cases can run the gamut and don’t just mean car accidents. They can also include motorcycle accidents, slip and falls, product malfunctions or defects, animal attacks, negligent security, and more. For example, if your neighbor’s dog attacked you or a company sold a product to you that had a defect that directly led to an injury, these would be potential grounds for a personal injury claim.
Common injuries include neck and back sprains/strains, neck or back disc herniations, rotator cuff (shoulder) tear, joint injuries, or fractured bones.
Consulting with an experienced personal injury attorney
One of the best ways to know if you have a personal injury case is to consult with an experienced personal injury attorney. When you arrive at your consultation, you’ll want to bring as much evidence as you can and be sure that the attorney has experience in your type of claim. Once you’ve reviewed everything with the attorney, they will typically let you know how strong of a case you have and what the next steps will be.
Brooke Boltz knows insurance & personal injury
If you’ve been injured in an accident and feel it’s the result of negligence, you need to contact Brooke Boltz today. Brooke has fought tirelessly for her clients because she knows how important it is for them to get their lives back on track after an injury. If you believe you have a personal injury case and are the victim of negligence, schedule your free phone consultation with Brooke today.