An injury often leaves victims feeling confused and overwhelmed. You may face significant losses, including physical wellbeing, mental wellbeing and financial expense. Personal injury law helps you get compensation to cover these losses. If you are the victim of personal injury, here’s what you need to do.
What Is Personal Injury?
Personal injury law is also known as “tort” law. If you suffered a loss (whether financial, mental, physical, etc.) due to someone else’s negligence or intentional action, you may sue to obtain compensation for the damages.
What Does Personal Injury Include?
Personal injury covers many common situations, including:
1. Accidents. Most people think of accidents when they consider personal injury law. This includes car accidents, slip and fall accidents, incidents that occur on someone else’s property, workplace incidents, etc.
2. Intentional action. If someone deliberately causes harm to another person, that action may qualify as personal injury. The most common examples are assault and battery, defamation and fraud.
3. Negligence. Negligence isn’t necessarily deliberate, but it may still cause personal injury. Nursing home neglect and defective products are both examples of negligence.
Steps to Follow After Personal Injury
Let’s assume you’re a victim of personal injury. What should you do now?
1. Get Medical Assistance
Whether or not your injuries are obvious, you should always ask for medical assistance after a personal injury. Not only does this ensure proper diagnosis and treatment, but some areas require documentation of medical care within a certain timeframe. Otherwise, you may forfeit your right to a claim.
2. Contact an Attorney
Once you’ve obtained medical care, contact a reputable personal injury (or tort) attorney for assistance. An attorney can help determine whether you have a valid claim and walk you through the next steps. Many personal injury attorneys offer free consultations, and some provide services on contingency, so you don’t have to pay any fees up-front.
3. Follow the Steps of the Investigation
Your attorney will conduct a thorough investigation of your situation to help prove your injuries were the other party’s fault, whether due to negligence, intentional action, or wrongdoing.
During this process, your attorney may work with a number of professionals, including medical experts, reconstruction specialists, etc. They will also need your cooperation.
4. Determine Your Compensation
Your attorney will use the information they gather during the investigation to determine the compensation you should receive. There are many factors to consider, including:
Medical transportation (e.g. ambulance) fees
Medical care expenses
Prescription expenses
Medical equipment expenses
In-home or nursing home care expenses
Funeral expenses
Pain and suffering
Lost wages
Property damages
In some situations, the court may also award punitive damages.
Final Thoughts
If you’re a personal injury victim, it’s important to seek help immediately. Contact Mellor Law Firm today.