Personal Injury

If you have suffered from an injury as a result of an accident, either physically or emotionally, that means you have suffered a personal injury.

You may simply want an apology from someone if you suffered a minor injury but you might want compensation if your injury was more serious -- and that often involves taking legal action.

You can claim monetary compensation if there is a person or an organization partially or totally to blame for your injuries. A court will award you damages, i.e. money paid or awarded to you, (the plaintiff or claimant) in a successful lawsuit.

A personal injury can occur due to a multitude of reasons, from defective products (such as a vehicle) to medical malpractice to even slipping on a sidewalk. The most common personal injury claims result from traffic accidents, accidents at work and in the home. Illness is also classified as personal injury in work-related and industrial diseases, from stress and anxiety to asbestosis and pulmonary disease.

Take Action
After the initial shock and any immediate medical treatment required, start to collect evidence about the accident. Were there any witnesses? If so, get their names and contact information. If applicable, take photos of the accident scene. Get copies of all your medical reports. If your accident happened at work, tell your employer immediately and fill out the necessary forms - you will need these for insurance purposes and/or worker's compensation.

Next, you will want to talk to your insurance company and figure out how much your claim is worth. There are a lot of variables to take into account, particularly if your injury is ongoing and medical attention will be needed down the road.

A person or organization that is liable (to blame) for your accident usually has liability insurance from their insurance company. A personal injury claim should cover the following:

• medical care and related expenses


• lost income lost because of time spent unable to work or undergoing treatment for injuries


• permanent physical disability or disfigurement


• loss of family, social, and educational experiences, including missed school or training, vacation or recreation, or a special event


• emotional damages, such as stress, embarrassment, depression, or strains on family relationships - from the inability to care for children to psychological sexual disfunction


• damaged property

Next, an insurance company will determine the amount of compensation. Generally, an insurance adjuster negotiates a claim by a "damages formula" that includes medical expenses as well as pain and suffering and other non-monetary losses, referred to as "general damages". If you think you are not being treated fairly or believe you are entitled to more compensation, you might want to seek legal help.

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Personal Injury Articles

Deadly Bridge Collapse in Minneapolis: Who Dropped the Ball?
Imagine driving to work, as you do every day, only to have the bridge underneath you suddenly give way and collapse. That's what happened to scores of people last year after an unsafe bridge in Minneapolis simply gave up, killing 13 people and injuring 145.

Perils of Lasik: Double Vision, Eye Pain and even a Suicide
Colin Dorrian was a promising law school student when he sought relief from a chronic dry eye condition by undergoing Lasik laser eye surgery. However, rather than improving his vision and freeing him from his contacts, the procedure left him with so much eye pain and fuzzy vision that after six years, he took his own life.

Oprah Faces Personal Injury Lawsuit
A woman who attended a taping of the Oprah Winfrey Show on December 5, 2006 says that she was seriously injured in a stampede of audience members rushing to find the best seats. The crowd was placed within a waiting room and told to sit wherever they wanted, which caused a frenzy amongst the audience members to rush to the best seats as fast as they could. In the process, the woman was pushed down the stairs. As a result, she alleges that she has suffered permanent injuries that are severe.

Kid Rock Faces Battery Lawsuit
Three men have sued Kid Rock for battery after he allegedly lashed out at them physically when they asked him for his autograph. All three plaintiffs say that they were seriously injured in the incident.

California Injury: Negligence Comes in Various Forms
Injury can mean different things to different people, and negligence can take on all forms. In the case of individuals adversely affected by California injury negligence, some of those injuries, and your rights, might surprise you.

Personal Injury California: Two Sheriff�s Deputies Collide, One Killed
A three-vehicle crash January 11th on a busy California thoroughfare is noteworthy in that it involved two, off-duty sheriff's deputies. What's more, the crash could involve liability issues that may require the services of a California personal injury lawyer, and is being handled as such. Authorities were anticipating having to close down all eastbound lanes of Highway 4 west of Bailey Road, for a thorough investigation.

Personal Injury in the News

MAY-22-08: A woman who was injured in a fall down a stairwell has won $1 million in her personal injury lawsuit. The woman now suffers chronic pain and lost 80 percent of the use of her arm. [THE DAY: PERSONAL INJURY]

JAN-16-08: A personal injury lawsuit was filed against Luby�s Inc. alleging a defect in the restaurant�s parking lot caused a woman to trip and hurt her elbow. The plaintiff is suing for pain, impairment and medical expenses. [RECORD: PERSONAL INJURY]

JAN-13-08: The family of a man who wandered away from a nursing home has filed a lawsuit against the facility's parent company alleging that not enough was done to keep the man safe. The suit seeks damages for personal injury and emotional trauma. [TIMES-NEWS: PERSONAL INJURY]

JAN-10-08: A woman who was injured when an out-of-control vehicle ran into her building has filed a personal injury lawsuit against the driver of the vehicle. The plaintiff is suing for past and future mental anguish, impairment and lost wages. [RECORD: PERSONAL INJURY]

JAN-9-08: A Putnam County mother has filed a personal injury lawsuit against the school board, claiming officials were negligent when her 14-year-old son broke his ankle after falling off a skateboard in an unsupervised school gym. [GAZETTE: PERSONAL INJURY]

JAN-7-08: Summit County has agreed to pay $12,000 to settle a personal injury lawsuit against one of its off-duty deputies who rear-ended a vehicle while working security in a county vehicle. [OHIO.COM: PERSONAL INJURY]

DEC-28-07: The family of a man who was mistakenly declared dead has filed a lawsuit alleging that the mistake led to injuries from which he might not recover. The man suffered a severe head injury and currently lives in a nursing home. [HERALD: PERSONAL INJURY]

DEC-28-07: A man filed a one million dollar personal injury lawsuit against Tin Inc., alleging a piece of salt cake fell and hit him while he was working. The plaintiff alleges he suffered injuries to his neck, back, shoulder and head. [RECORD: PERSONAL INJURY]

DEC-22-07: A jury awarded a young boy and his family $2.85 million in their personal injury lawsuit. The boy�s hand was mangled in an escalator accident. [TELEGRAM: PERSONAL INJURY]

DEC-20-07: A woman filed a personal injury lawsuit against Super 8 Motel alleging the motel allowed a key to her room to fall into the hands of several men who assaulted her in the room. [RECORD: PERSONAL INJURY]

DEC-19-07: The US Indian Health Service will pay $25 million plus interest to cover health care costs due to the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta villages. [HERALD: PERSONAL INJURY]

Personal Injury Legal Help

If you have suffered personal injury and would like the help of a lawyer or attorney, please click the link below and your complaint will be sent to a personal injury lawyer who will review your claim at no cost or obligation.