The Ultimate Guide to a Personal Injury Lawsuit
An average human will experience more than 4,000 injuries and illnesses in their lifetime. That’s a lot of scratches, bruises, colds, and infections!
The thing is, we aren’t always to blame for our injuries. Mother Nature also isn’t always the culprit. In many cases, it’s the fault of other people’s negligence.
From car accidents to medical malpractice, the list of personal injury causes goes on. That doesn’t mean victims have to suffer in silence though.
The good news is, there are laws designed to help injury victims “become whole again.” Or at least, recoup their losses.
That’s where filing a personal injury lawsuit comes into play.
The question is, what exactly does this type of lawsuit entail? A much bigger question is, should you even file one?
All these and more, we’ll cover in this guide.
Breaking Down Personal Injury
As of September 2017, civil case filings in the country totaled to 267,769. Many of these are personal injury cases.
Personal injury is considered any injury to the mind or body that someone else is responsible for. Take car accidents, for instance. They’re the most common reason people file injury lawsuits.
After all, in 2015 alone, a crash took place every 4.5 minutes, with someone getting injured every 11 minutes.
Personal injuries aren’t limited to road collisions though. There’s also medical malpractice, defective product injury, and dog bites. Slips, trips, and falls as well as nursing home abuse can also fall under personal injury.
In any case, know that negligence and intentional wrongs are both reasons for filing a lawsuit.
To Sue or Not to Sue
If you were in a car crash, your first priority may be to recover from the accident. The thought of suing may not have even crossed your mind. Until you see your medical and car repair bills.
That’s why it’s important to understand your right to file a lawsuit. If you know for yourself that you had no fault in the crash, you have every right to receive compensation.
The Legal System Won’t Wait Too Long
Granted, the U.S. courts strive hard to help injury victims recover from their losses. However, you can’t expect them to wait for a long time and still allow you to file a lawsuit.
There are “deadlines” for filing lawsuits, known as “statute of limitations”. They vary from case to case and state to state.
For instance, Texas has a two-year limitation on filing personal injury court cases. If you miss that deadline, the courts may already reject your lawsuit. As such, Doug Zanes & Associates, a law firm in Texas, recommends victims to process their case ASAP.
Filing an Injury Lawsuit Doesn’t Have to Be a Nightmare
If you’ve suffered from the hands of others, intentional or not, consider filing an injury lawsuit. You don’t have to suffer in silence, nor do you have to pay for the losses you’re not at fault in the first place.
Looking for more useful info? If so, feel free to read more educational posts.