A “personal injury” occurs when you or a family member are injured by someone else’s negligent conduct. The negligent party could be an individual or business entity, or both, and can involve everything from dog attacks and slip and falls to car and motorcycle accidents, medical malpractice, work-related accidents like those now occurring in the Marcellus shale gas fields, or injuries caused by defective products like airbags or pharmaceuticals.
In a personal injury lawsuit, you can sue for past and future wage loss, past and future medical bills as well as pain and suffering. In certain cases, where the defendant showed a “reckless disregard” for your safety, you may be entitled to seek punitive damages, which are intended to punish the defendant, deter future reckless conduct and keep others safe from harm.
Whether you have grounds for a personal injury suit, and how much you can expect to recover in monetary damages from the case, depends on many factors. Personal injury lawsuits are also subject to a two-year time limitation from the date of the injury, known as a statute of limitations. The clock starts ticking on the date of the injury, and after it runs out, you forfeit your right to sue.
You may also be approached by the defendant’s insurance company with a cash offer to settle your case before you’ve had the chance to talk to a lawyer. It is likely that if they are making you an offer, they know you have a good case and they want to settle it for far less than what it’s really worth. Our advice is not to talk to any insurance company representatives and not to sign anything until you speak to the experienced lawyers at Powell Law.
While you may choose to pay your attorney on an hourly basis, most personal injury lawyers handle cases on a contingent fee basis, meaning any fees are paid only after the case ends in a jury verdict or out-of-court settlement. If you don’t win, you don’t pay any fees.
Contact the experienced personal injury lawyers at Powell Law to evaluate your case and determine if you have a viable claim today. We will explain details, answer questions and fight for you.
