Getting injured is pretty common for humans. Sometimes, we hurt ourselves, and sometimes others hurt us. Accidents can happen anytime and anywhere. Not just road accidents, but any kind of accident is unpredictable. You can be hurt due to a workplace accident, or you may just slip and fall. Regardless of the type of accident, it will cost the victim a lot.
It is not fair for a victim to pay out of their pocket for an accident caused by a negligent party. The person who caused the accident should compensate the victim. That is why personal injury law exists. It is important for victims to get the justice they deserve, and personal injury law is the way to do it.
Cases of personal injury claims are pretty common and filed regularly. However, the outcomes of such cases can vary. Usually, the plaintiff files such a case to recover some of the cost from the opponent to reduce the financial strain that the incident cost him. In addition, the person who filed a personal injury claim can claim compensation for being harmed due to someone else’s negligence or irresponsibility. However, it is always essential that the plaintiff hires a professional and experienced lawyer for the case. Many reputable firms offer free consultation services and have some of the best lawyers with tons of experience in their respective fields. You can learn more by visiting credible law websites like https://www.dolmanlaw.com/.
However, there is one slight problem. Many victims of negligence don’t file a case. Honestly, we can’t blame them. It is very hard to decide what to do after an accident. As said, accidents take us by surprise. So, no one will be prepared for the aftermath of the accident. In my opinion, everyone must learn what they should do in case of an accident. Because the level of damage you will suffer depends on your actions after the accident.
Being vigilant after an accident is important. For simplicity’s sake, let’s assume it is a car accident. When a negligent driver injures you, you will likely incur a lot of damages. You need to file a claim against the negligent driver because only then can you receive compensation for the losses you incurred.
Receiving compensation is not the only good thing about filing a claim. It also punishes the negligent driver and potentially stops them from acting recklessly again in their life. It is very important to punish the wrongdoer. Because accidents are on the rise, to stop that, we have to go through the law.
Before knowing about the possible outcomes of a personal injury case, you need to know about the damages you can receive for your accident.
The Damages You Can Recover in a Personal Injury Claim
First, you need to know about the possible losses you will suffer from an accident. You will be seeking medical attention for the physical injuries you suffered. The cost of health insurance is huge in the US. So, you need to seek compensation for your medical costs.
The second damage is the damage done to your car. You need to repair that. Repairing a broken car also needs a huge financial commitment. In a personal injury case, you need to seek compensation for that too.
Further, you need to seek compensation for any long-term injuries. Long-term injuries that will affect your quality of life or that will stop you from working. Some injuries will make you paralyze, and because of that, you will not be able to work anymore. You can seek compensation for that in the name of loss of income. In addition to monetary damages, you can also file for non-economical damages. You can seek compensation for the pain and suffering you underwent because of the accident.
The Possible Outcomes of a Personal Injury Case
Drop and Dismissal of Case
Usually, both parties find it convenient to settle the case out of court because it might take months and months for the case to reach a trial finally. The court then dismissed or dropped the case in such a situation. Both parties agree to specific terms and conditions, and the defendant usually offers a sum of money to avoid the court’s hassle. If the proposal of the defendant party seems reasonable to the plaintiff, he will take his case back.
Plaintiff Wins
In most cases, the plaintiffs win the case if they have all the pieces of evidence, such as the purchase bill, medical records, and so on. When the plaintiff wins, the opposite party will pay compensation for the harm caused to the plaintiff by using their product or services. At times the court even orders the losing party to pay all of the future medication costs and expenses of the injured person. In this way, justice is served to the victim. Unfortunately, though it is a very much expected outcome, people sometimes lose a winning case just because of some negligence or hasty decisions. So, it is better to remain calm and follow your lawyer’s advice carefully.
Defendant Wins
In case the plaintiff fails to submit all of the pieces of evidence and is unable to prove the other party guilty of the harm caused to them by the opponent party. Then, they will have to pay the defendant’s cost, which includes filing fees, fees for witnesses, attorney fees, and so on. Hence, this can cause a lot of damage or harm to the plaintiff.
Retrial of Case
The party that loses the case can always appeal the court’s decision. Once the losing party requests a retrial, the appeal judge will either hold the court’s decision or overrule it; if none of these strategies seem to work, then the court will order a complete retrial.
So these are some of the standard and possible outcomes we can expect from a personal injury claim. However, the party claiming compensation must not take long to file the case as it can weaken their case. Also, the medical and purchase bills must be kept safe because these documents are essential and serve as genuine evidence.