Defining Personal Injury and Its Scope
Personal injury law covers a broad array of civil cases in which individuals who have been harmed because of another person’s negligent or intentional conduct seek monetary damages to make them whole. In the event the victim dies from his or her injuries, a personal injury lawyer can help eligible surviving family members file a wrongful death lawsuit. This type of claim is similar to personal injury but involves a different set of damages.
Do I Have Grounds for a Personal Injury Case?
To succeed in a personal injury lawsuit, you (the plaintiff) must prove the following elements:
- Duty of care: This means that the at-fault party (defendant) owed you a legal obligation to avoid causing reasonably foreseeable injury. Drivers, for instance, owe everyone else on the road a duty to obey traffic laws and drive safely.
- Breach: A breach occurs when, by a negligent or intentional act or omission , the defendant failed to observe the duty of care. Drunk driving is an example.
- Causation: Next, the breach must have actually caused you injury and harm. Causation can be complex with multiple defendants, but your Lafayette personal injury lawyer will understand how to prove it.
- Damages: Lastly, as a result of the above, you must have suffered personally, financially, or in other ways. You can seek compensation, known as damages, to make up for these losses.
Reasons to Hire a Lafayette Personal Injury Lawyer
Although you have the right to handle your legal claim on your own, you should consider hiring legal counsel. The right Lafayette personal injury attorney:
- Understands the laws, rules, and court decisions that govern personal injury cases
- Knows how to determine the fair and full value of your claim
- Has a reliable network of expert witnesses who can bolster your allegations and your demand for damages
- Negotiates aggressively on your behalf with the insurance company and lawyer representing the defendant
- Navigates the complexities of court procedures, rules of evidence, and discovery if a trial is needed
- Represents you on a contingency fee basis so you don’t have to worry about paying upfront costs
How Our Lafayette Personal Injury Attorneys Can Help You
If you have questions about whether you have a case, it’s time to talk with a dedicated personal injury lawyer in Lafayette. We can review the facts surrounding your accident and explain your legal options in detail. Then, we can get to work fighting for you so you can focus on recovery. That’s the level of commitment that so many of our clients have come to expect from Inzina Law Firm Injury Attorneys. Call us today to get started.