A personal injury claim may result when you are injured by the negligent, careless, reckless, or willful and deliberate actions of another person.
It may sound obvious, but you must be injured in order to have a personal injury claim.
Regardless of what another person's actions were, if you are not injured, you do not have a personal injury claim.
If you are injured, you may have a claim for: Actual Damages: Actual damages are the actual out of pocket expenses that you have incurred and include: - doctors - hospital - drugs and medication - therapy - prostheses - ambulance - travel to and from doctor's offices - loss of income Specific Injuries: Specific injuries are injuries to a specific part of your body.
For example, a broken arm or broken leg.
Pain and Suffering: While it is difficult to calculate the "cost" of enduring pain, you are entitled to be compensated for any pain that you have suffered as a result of being injured.
Permanent Disability: If you are no longer able to perform some act, you may have suffered a permanent disability and are entitled to compensation.
A permanent disability does not have to be a total disability, it can be a partial disability and can be as simple as losing the ability to use your finger so that you cannot write.
Future Damages: If your injuries will affect you in the future, you are entitled to compensation.
This includes future medical bills, loss of future income, etc.
Punitive Damages: Punitive damages may awarded to punish a person for reckless, willful and deliberate actions which caused your injuries and to discourage a person from those actions in the future.
This is general information only.
If you have any questions whatsoever, talk with a lawyer licensed in your state.
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