Personal Injury
Personal injury occurs where you have suffered some form of injury, either physical or psychological, as a result of an accident. Personal injury law is the area of law that protects persons who are harmed by the actions or inaction of others. Sometimes Personal injury is also referred to as “tort” law. A claim for personal injury can be filed for physical or emotional injury incurred by an individual, and can sometimes include damage to property. In certain instances, such as in medical negligence or wrongful death cases, a person may bring a personal injury lawsuit on behalf of a loved one.
Liability and Damages
Two elements exist in every personal injury case: liability and damages.
Liability involves demonstrating that the person or entity being charged is in fact legally responsible for the injury. The magic word is proximate causation.
Damages refer to the extent or amount of injury or loss that a victim alleges he suffered on account of the defendant’s actions or negligence. One or multiple persons can be held liable for the personal injuries sustained. The most common types of personal injury claims are road traffic accidents, accidents at work, tripping accidents, assault claims, accidents in the home, product defect accidents, product liability, and holiday accidents. The term personal injury also incorporates medical and dental accidents. When a personal injury occurs, it is not just the hospital and doctor bills that become a burden; individuals may also suffer losses in salary, benefits, and overall quality of life.
Do I need a lawyer?
It is advisable to hire the services of a lawyer because of the complex set of laws involved in your claim, because the severity of your injuries might cause your desired compensation to vary greatly from the norm, or simply because an insurance company refuses to settle a matter in good faith. It is especially advisable for the following types of injuries and accidents to hire the services of a lawyer.
- Accidents that result in very severe injuries
- Accidents that cause long-term or permanently disabling or disfiguring injuries
- Accidents involving exposure to toxic materials
- Medical malpractice cases, and
- Situations where an insurance company is being difficult or refusing to pay anything for a legitimate injury claim
If you have been hurt in an accident or suffered aphysical or emotional injury, call the Law Offices of Oti W. Nwosu, LLC in Arlington at (703) 294-6627, the Immigration Outreach office in Baltimore at (410) 243-0340, or use the consultation form to describe your case.