Accidents and mishaps are ordinary experiences we all go through eventually. Unfortunately, some accidents are very serious, and injured individuals may be badly hurt. In such cases, victims can file personal injury lawsuits to recover compensation.
It can be difficult to know when you have suffered a personal injury. You should consider your accident, injuries, and ability to pay for things like medical treatment. You should also consider the responsibilities of the other person involved. If the accident happened because of the other person’s negligence, you might have a personal injury claim. Car accidents, surgeries gone wrong, faulty power tools, or slip and fall accidents all might lead to personal injury cases. The damages available to injured victims vary from case to case, but people can generally recover economic and non-economic damages. If you believe you have experienced a personal injury, you should seek immediate medical attention and talk to a lawyer.
Your injuries and legal options deserve attention from trained professionals. Our Schenectady personal injury attorneys can evaluate your situation and help you begin a lawsuit. For a free case review, call The Carrion Law Firm at (718) 841-0083.
How to Know if You Have a Personal Injury Case in Schenectady
It is okay if you are unsure whether you have experienced a personal injury. Our Schenectady personal injury attorneys can evaluate your case and help you determine if you have a cause of action. In the meantime, you can assess a few key aspects of your case to figure out if you have a potential lawsuit on your hands.
First, you should ask yourself whether you were actually injured. This might seem like a silly question since most people know if they have been hurt or not. But it is sometimes confusing when an injury becomes a legal claim. Generally, you cannot sue for hypothetical injuries. For example, if your neighbor came “this close” to hitting you as they drove through the neighborhood, you likely do not have a valid case. A near miss is not a personal injury. If your neighbor actually hit you with their car, that is a different story.
Second, think about who was involved. Even if your accident happened when you were alone, someone else’s negligent behavior might still play a role. The defendant should be someone who owed you a duty of care. This means they were legally obligated to keep you safe, at least within reason. Drivers on the road have a duty to drive reasonably safely under the circumstances. By speeding or running lights, they breach this duty and may be liable for any accidents they cause.
Examples of Personal Injury Accidents and Lawsuits in Schenectady
Personal injury law is a broad legal field that encompasses a wide variety of accidents, injuries, and people. An accident may happen almost anywhere under any conditions, and you should not rule out the possibility of a personal injury lawsuit. Our Schenectady personal injury lawyers are experienced in several different areas of personal injury law, including:
- Car accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Construction site accidents
- Slip and falls
- Premises liability
- Products liability
No two accidents are alike, and the unique circumstances of your case will determine how our team approaches your personal injury lawsuit. For example, there are hundreds of different ways a car accident can happen. Maybe you were T-boned in an intersection, or perhaps you were rear-ended at a red light. However, your injuries happened, you need to comb through each and every detail with your lawyer.
Damages Available for Personal Injury Plaintiffs in Schenectady
Damages are the losses you endured because of the accident. Damages refer to more than just the physical damage done to your body. Damages also encompass monetary losses and traumatic experiences related to the accident. Our Schenectady personal injury lawyers can accurately calculate your damages and help you fight for the most compensation possible.
Economic damages are related to money you lost because of your personal injury. Most personal injury plaintiffs report losing vast amounts of money to medical bills. A serious accident may lead to severe injuries that require costly medical attention. This is especially problematic for people who do not have health insurance and must pay for all their medical treatments out of pocket.
Non-economic damages are like injuries that did not cost you any money but were painful to endure. For example, after a surgery gone wrong where a negligent doctor left dangerous medical equipment in a patient’s body, the patient might experience severe emotional trauma. Living through such a nightmare leaves many plaintiffs with serious issues like PTSD, depression, panic attacks, or other signs of psychological trauma. Although your mental and physical pain and suffering do not come with a bill, they still deserve compensation.
What to Do After Experiencing a Personal Injury in Schenectady
Immediately after you realize your personal injury, you should get immediate medical attention, even if you think you do not need it. This is important for two reasons. First, you need to get fast medical treatment to recover from your injuries. Second, you need to start compiling accurate medical records that your attorney may use later to establish damages.
Once you are able, you should consult with and hire an experienced personal injury attorney. Our Schenectady personal injury attorneys can evaluate your case and determine whether you have a cause of action. If you do, we can assess your damages and begin gathering evidence to support your compensation claims. The sooner you speak to a lawyer, the better. As time goes on, important evidence in your case might be lost, and your chances of success in court start to go down.
Call Our Schenectady Personal Injury Lawyers for Help Right Away
Personal injury cases are sometimes viewed as frivolous or even ridiculous, but we know that this could not be further from the truth. Your injuries may be painful, traumatic, and costly. Our Schenectady personal injury lawyers will help you fight for justice. For a free case review, call The Carrion Law Firm at (718) 841-0083.