Most people do not go about their day-to-day lives expecting to be involved in an accident or to suffer a serious injury. Unfortunately, the reality is that thousands of people are injured every year in accidents caused by someone else’s negligence. Whether they occur in a grocery store parking lot, on the freeway, at a crosswalk, or at a place of business, injuries sustained in negligence-related accidents can have far-reaching consequences for victims, who could be forced to pay costly medical expenses and take time off from work, all while trying to focus on their recovery.
Fortunately, Indiana residents who are injured as a result of another person or entity’s reckless or negligent conduct can hold the at-fault parties accountable by filing a personal injury case in court. However, filing these types of claims can be difficult, especially for those who do not have legal representation.
Personal injury lawsuits are a type of legal claim that can be filed by individuals who are injured as a result of another person or entity’s negligent or reckless conduct. There are a variety of accidents that can support a personal injury claim, but the most common include:
Personal injury claims stemming from each of these accidents come with their own unique set of difficulties. For instance, there are specific laws in Indiana that dictate how cases based on animal attacks, and dog bites, in particular, must be handled. Failing to have a firm understanding of these issues can delay a case by months or even years, and in some devastating cases, could even result in dismissal. To avoid this, injured parties should speak with an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible after their accident.
Most personal injury suits aim to compensate injured parties for their economic losses and so cover expenses like medical costs, lost wages, diminished earning capacity, and property damage. It is, however, also possible to receive compensation for losses that are less easy to calculate, including compensation for the pain and suffering that a person endured because of an accident, emotional distress suffered by the injured party’s family members, and compensation for permanent scarring or disfigurement. In especially tragic cases, when the injured party passes away, his or her family members could also file a wrongful death claim on the victim’s behalf.