Being involved in an accident in LaGrange and dealing with an injury can be scary. You might end up in the hospital because of your injuries, or you may be unable to work while you recover.
The consequences of an accident don’t stop on the date of the injury. It can take a considerable amount of time to heal and recover. And in serious cases, it can touch every part of your life. Plus, it’s extremely frustrating dealing with accident costs when you know some or even all of it was not your fault. In those situations, you need to talk to a LaGrange personal injury lawyer so you can explore your legal options.
We understand what you are going through at John Foy & Associates because we have been helping accident victims just like you for over twenty years. We know how hard it can be to deal with medical bills, your employer, and even just getting out of bed in the morning in some cases.
We want to put our experience and knowledge to work for you. We never work for insurance companies—our goal is helping victims get back on their feet after an accident. Let us give you a FREE consultation. Call us and get your free consultation today.
What Is a Personal Injury Case? Do I Have One?
“Personal injury” is a broad term that covers a variety of legal claims. It arises when someone harms another person, whether that harm is physical or mental. Personal injury cases often involve property damage, too, but that isn’t necessary to have a valid claim. Some of the most common examples of personal injury cases include:
- Car accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Slip and fall injuries
- Dog bites
- Medical device malfunctions or defects
Virtually any situation where you are harmed due to someone else’s action or inaction can trigger a personal injury claim.
Every personal injury case requires that you show four things to recover the losses and damages that you experienced because of the incident. These include:
- Duty. The other person had an obligation to you to keep you free from harm. This duty can be very broad—such as the duty to drive your vehicle in a safe manner.
- Breach. The other person violated the duty to you.
- Causation. The violation of the duty caused you harm. The harm must be traceable back to the breach itself, even if it was somewhat remote.
- Damages. The breach that caused you harm must also cause damages.
Some people overlook the damages requirement. But you must have also been harmed in some way to have a legal claim. It’s not enough that someone did something wrong—you must have also been physically, mentally, or economically harmed to have a valid legal claim.
Personal injury law is deliberately broad to cover a variety of circumstances. The best way to know if you have a case is to talk to an experienced LaGrange personal injury lawyer and explain your situation. Your attorney can examine the facts of your case, apply the right law, and determine whether you should move forward.
What Money Damages Are Available in a Personal Injury Case?
Money damages for a personal injury case are designed to put you back in the same position that you would have been if the accident had not occurred. That means all of the money you receive from your lawsuit should be directly related to the losses that you experienced due to your injuries or damage—nothing more, and nothing less.
Although not all of your damages in a personal injury case will be based on money, quite a few of them are. Some of these include things like:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Lost time away from work in the future
- Loss of earning capacity
- Future required medical treatment or care
- Prescription medication
- Medical devices or aids (like walkers or back braces)
Money is also the only real way the law has to compensate a personal injury victim for the damage that occurs because of an accident, even if your loss isn’t directly tied to something you have to spend money on. For example, you may be physically and mentally suffering after a crash, but money can’t really correct that type of loss. It can pay for your medical expenses associated with the crash, but it can never make up for what you are feeling.
Some losses are hard to measure. These damages include:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Humiliation
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Disfigurement or scarring
An accident affects everyone differently. Some people may have a great deal of pain and suffering right away. Others may have more mild pain, but it is chronic or will last for the rest of their lives. Perhaps most of your injury was based on mental anguish. Scarring and disfigurement that will last the rest of your life can affect your mental and physical health for years to come, as well.
All of these potential areas of damage are considered part of your personal injury case. Your attorney will be able to work with you to determine how much you lost because of an accident.
In some situations, you may not realize just how much an injury has affected your life until you sit down and start really thinking about it. The idea is to present a full listing of your damages and any potential future issues that you may face as well, so the at-fault party can be held fully responsible for their actions.
Talk to a LaGrange Personal Injury Lawyer for Free
If you think you may have a legal case, or even if you just want some advice on what you should do next, give us a call. We can point you in the right direction by answering your questions, helping you decide how to work with the insurance company, and a lot more.
You can’t learn your rights if you don’t ask. Let us give you a FREE consultation. Call us or fill out the form to your right and get your FREE consultation today.
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