Personal Injury Verdicts
Lavish personal injury verdicts can often make headlines on the news, particularly when it is a high profile case. These types of verdicts are very rare and may give the impression that personal injury lawsuits are only successful in the event of an extreme injuries or bizarre circumstances.
Less attention is given to personal injury lawsuits that arise from common occurrences, like car accidents, slip and fall injuries, and worker’s compensation claims. These injuries, however, often can lead to settlements.
What kind of personal injury verdict could you expect from your case? Get answers during a free case evaluation with a personal injury lawyer near you when you complete the form on this page.
Getting a Personal Injury Verdict
While most personal injury cases do not result in a dramatic verdict, they typically have several common elements. The first common element is the burden of proof on the plaintiff.
In order to successfully prove an injury claim, plaintiffs must usually show that:
- They suffered an actual injury.
- Their injury was caused by the negligent or intentional actions of someone else.
- They suffered damages - lost wages, medical bills, property loss - that a positive verdict could remedy
Of course, personal injury claims vary widely by state law, and different injury claims have different requirements of proof. Injuries suffered as a result of events like sexual harassment, police brutality, and on-the-job accidents are all governed by complex bodies of state and federal law.
As a result, many people who have suffered injuries turn to local injury lawyers to learn more about their state’s injury laws.
Differing Personal Injury Verdicts
Not every personal injury claim goes to trial. In fact, the majority of civil lawsuits are settled out of court.
Why is this important? Well, it just goes to show that personal injury lawsuits are not always decades-long tests of will.
In addition, you may be able to obtain adequate compensation through a personal injury settlement. Of course, your personal injury lawyer will help you determine whether a settlement or a trial is the best course of action for your case.
Whether you get a verdict after a trial, or settle out of court, you may be able to obtain compensation for the following types of damages:
- Medical bills
- Pain and suffering
- Diminished enjoyment of life
- Lost wages
- Loss of future earning capacity
Again, these types of damages may be available for a broad range of injuries, ranging from severe head and neck injuries to broken bones and emotional pain.
Contact a local injury attorney today to discuss your personal injury case.