When a person is injured, tort law will govern whether that person may be compensated for the injury, the amount of compensation that may be recovered, as well as which parties will be liable for the injury. Tort law, also known as injury law, comes from federal and state codes, as well as judicial opinions from prior cases. The amount of damages a plaintiff to a personal injury action may receive can be determined by statute, or by a judge or jury. Typical recoveries may include compensatory damages (e.g., lost wages, medical bills, etc.) and in particularly egregious situations, punitive damages. In some cases, a plaintiff may recover certain non-economic damages such as pain and suffering, loss of consortium, or loss of enjoyment of life.

Personal injury lawyers help injured people seek compensation from those who have harmed them. Some injury attorneys focus on a specific type of case, such as truck accidents, car accidents, slip-and-fall injuries, medical malpractice or products liability cases. If a person is injured as a result of criminal behavior, it may be appropriate to pursue a personal injury lawsuit in addition to the state's criminal investigation or prosecution.

Many personal injury attorneys offer a free consultation to evaluate your claim.

Negligence: Failure to use care which a reasonable and prudent person would use under similar circumstances.

Joint and several liability: A legal doctrine that makes each of the parties who are responsible for an injury, liable for all the damages awarded in a lawsuit if the other parties responsible cannot pay.

Researching Attorney Discipline

Find out whether an attorney has ever been disciplined.

Resources for Lawyers