Civil Lawsuits: Demanding Justice & Fair Compensation
Civil lawsuits are filed by people who are seeking compensation because they've been physically or emotionally harmed by a third party or their property has been damaged due to a third party.
In a civil lawsuit, you can seek compensation to pay for things like:
- your bills and expenses related to the injury/damage;
- punitive damages;
- your attorneys fees;
- your physical pain and suffering; and
- you mental/emotional pain.
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Reasons People File Civil Lawsuits
Everyone has the right to file a civil lawsuit. If you or your property has been injured or damaged because of another person or company, you can take action by filing a civil lawsuit.
Below are some examples of situations why someone might decide to file a personal injury civil lawsuit:
- a person damaged your property and you want him or her to pay for the cost of repair or replacement;
- a personal physically or emotionally harmed you and you want to seek compensation for your pain;
- a business caused you physical or emotional pain and you want to seek monetary compensation; and
- you were injured because of another person's criminal act and you want to be paid for your emotion and/or physical damages.
If you've been injured, considering talking to a personal injury lawyer today. There are statutes of limitations, so it's important not to delay.
Victims of Crime Filing Civil Lawsuits
Victims of crime often file civil lawsuits. Civil lawsuits are separate from criminal prosecutions. Even if an offender was found to be "not guilty" in a criminal case, the victim can still file a civil lawsuit against the offender and other responsible parties.
In criminal lawsuits, a jury of 12 must all decide upon a unanimous decision of guilt, which can be difficult to accomplish. But in civil lawsuits, only ten of the 12 jurors must agree on a decision.
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O.J. & the Media-Frenzied Civil Lawsuit
Think back to the O.J. Simpson murder case: In 1995, Simpson was acquitted of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman in a criminal case.
However, when the families of the victims sued Simpson in a personal injury civil lawsuit, the jury found that there was enough of a "preponderance of evidence" to find Simpson liable for damages in the wrongful death of Goldman and battery of Brown.
The victims' families were awarded a $33.5 million civil injury settlement.
Civil Lawsuits & The Standard of Proof
In a personal injury civil lawsuit, the case must be proved by a "preponderance of the evidence." This standard is much easier to satisfy than the "beyond a reasonable doubt" criterion of a criminal court case.
To prove the case by a preponderance of the evidence, you and your personal injury attorney must provide enough evidence to show that it's likely that your injury claims are indeed real and were indeed caused by the offender you are suing.
Your Personal Injury Civil Lawyer
A personal injury lawyer makes sure that all of your bases are covered. Laws differ from state to state, which is why we at Total Injury connect you with a local civil lawyer who knows your state's specific laws.
If you're considering filing a civil lawsuit or have questions about other types of personal injury lawsuits, call 1 (877) 288-7564 or fill out our free personal injury evaluation to connect with a local personal injury lawyer today.