From auto accidents, to sudden falls, to defects in popular consumer products, unexpected injuries can result from all sorts of accidents and hazards—often as a result of someone else’s negligence. Unfortunately, not everyone takes responsibility, and you may be feeling the undeserved physical, financial, and psychological consequences of their actions.
If you were injured solely because of another person’s misconduct, you may be eligible to seek financial compensation. To maximize your chances of getting the most money possible for your injuries, seek the help of an experienced St. John personal injury lawyer from the Law Offices of David W. Holub.
Civil Law Versus Criminal Law
While certain types of accidents—like car crashes caused by traffic violations or drunk drivers—can lead to criminal charges being filed against one or more people involved, personal injury lawsuits are not governed by criminal law. Instead, these sorts of cases fall within the purview of civil law, which is broadly intended to restore the injured person rather than to punish the people who were negligent.
As a result, there are many ways in which personal injury litigation differs substantially from criminal prosecution. The most significant of which is that the individual pursuing a personal injury claim only has to prove liability for their injury through a “preponderance of the evidence,” rather than “beyond a reasonable doubt” like in criminal cases. Furthermore, as a St. John personal injury attorney could explain in detail, civil cases do not necessarily need to involve the court. In fact, the vast majority of personal injury lawsuits end with private settlement agreements rather than civil court verdicts.
How Does Negligence Affect Personal Injury Claims?
One of the most important things to understand about personal injury lawsuits is negligence. Someone is considered negligent if they directly cause another person to suffer an otherwise avoidable injury by violating a “duty of care”—for instance, motor vehicle drivers must follow the law and pay attention to their surroundings while behind the wheel.
Someone found to be negligent may be made to compensate for all past and future losses that their carelessness directly caused to the injured plaintiff, including:
- Physical pain and suffering from injuries
- Psychological trauma from injuries or the accident itself
- Lost enjoyment of life, including lost consortium and loss of services
- Costs of injury-related medical care, including things like physical therapy and assistive equipment
- Lost working and earning capacity and lost short-term income while recovering from a temporary injury
A personal injury lawyer in St. John could help fight for justice and compensation in each unique case.
Discuss Your Legal Options With a St. John Personal Injury Attorney
Of course, money alone cannot completely make up for getting seriously hurt by no fault of your own. What civil compensation can do is make sure the person who is truly to blame for your accident is the one who compensates you for the hardships you are forced to go through as a result.
A St. John personal injury lawyer could be your ally from start to finish of your legal proceedings, working tirelessly to get you paid what you deserve for the harm you should never have suffered. Call the Law Offices of David W. Holub today to learn about your options.