What Can You Sue for in a Personal Injury Case?

Accidents happen when you least expect them. Whether it’s a car accident, an accidental slip-and-fall in a grocery store, or a dangerous product, the effects can be life-changing. However, knowledge about the legal rights and options becomes essential when the injury arises from someone’s negligence or wrongful act. Having top-rated Santa Monica personal injury attorneys can help with the complex process of filing a lawsuit and getting proper compensation for your losses. There may be many facets involved in personal injury cases, and understanding what you can sue for will help clarify your grievances.

Types of Personal Injury Claims

Personal injury law encompasses various of potential accidents. Every case has specific facts and legal considerations, and being aware of which kind of case pertains to you is necessary to develop a good claim. Following are some typical personal injury cases:

Automobile Accidents

Car accidents are a common reason for personal injury claims. If you have been hurt in an auto accident brought about by the reckless or negligent behavior of another driver—such as speeding, distracted driving, or driving under the influence—you might be qualified for compensation. Auto accident victims can claim damages like medical treatment, loss of income by being unable to work, pain and suffering brought about by the accident’s trauma, or long-term medical expenses if they’re unable to work due to permanent disability because of the accident.

Premises Liability Cases

The property owners must ensure the safety of visitors. If injuries are caused by hazardous conditions, improper upkeep, dustbins, bad lighting, or disrepair, these facilities may become the liability of their owners. Common causes are slip-and-fall incidents in shops, uneven walkways, and injuries resulting from falling objects. The victims can sue for compensation for medical bills, pain, and even lost income if they are forced to miss work because of their injuries. Victims can be compensated for injuries and incidental damages if negligence on the part of the property owner is established.

Product Liability Suits

Manufacturers and sellers have to make their products safe for consumers. If an aspect in the design, manufacturing, quality control, or marketing processes renders a product unsafe, that product can be considered defective. You may file a product liability lawsuit if an injury due to a defective product. Examples include defective appliances, dangerous medications, faulty car parts, or choking hazard toys. In a product liability claim, a party injured by a defective product can recover damages for medical bills, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and any other harm resulting from the defective product.

Wrongful Death Actions

Whenever death occurs as a result of negligence or wrongful acts of another, their close relatives or family members can sue for wrongful death. The causes of wrongful death include accidents, medical negligence, or criminally negligent acts. The family members are entitled to compensation of burial and funeral costs, loss of income, loss of companionship, and distress.

Damages You Can Claim in a Personal Injury Case

After determining that you have a legitimate personal injury case, it is essential to understand the damages you can recover. Damages are the compensation money awarded to the victim for their loss.

Medical Expenses

Medical expenses are typically the most significant thing in these cases. You can recover all the medical expenses incurred due to the injury, such as hospitalization charges, surgeries, consultations with doctors, physical therapy sessions, and extended care. In case your injuries are such that they need medical treatment in the future, you can also recover future medical bills. For example, if you need lifetime treatment or therapy because of a permanent disability, you can recover future costs of such treatment as well.

Lost Wages and Future Earnings

Injuries can create both immediate and long-term financial hardship due to missed work. If you have lost your wages due to injuries from an accident, the time period you have missed may render you compensation; if injuries affect your ability to work in the future, compensation may also cover future earnings lost. If the injuries have caused some permanent inability to continue present employment or employment of a particular type, the law may limit recovery in such a context to lost future income.

Pain and Suffering

Aside from physical injuries, victims of personal injury usually suffer emotional trauma and psychological suffering. Pain and suffering are the physical pain and emotional suffering brought about by the injury. Factors like the intensity of the pain, the length of the recovery period, and the effect on your quality of life are considered while calculating compensation for pain and suffering. These damages are more difficult to measure than medical bills but are still necessary in most personal injury cases.

Property Damage

If your property, like your vehicle, was destroyed in the incident that led to your injury, you can sue for damages to restore or replace the damaged property. This may involve car repair costs or the replacement of items in full that were lost or destroyed due to the accident.

Punitive Damages

Punitive damages may be awarded in cases where the defendant’s acts were particularly reprehensible (cases that use extreme negligence or intentional harm). These damages are not supposed to compensate the victim; they are intended to punish the wrongdoer and deter others from similar conduct.

How a Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help

It can be difficult to navigate the legal system and insurance companies when trying to heal from an injury. That’s where LA Law Group comes in. With the guidance of an experienced personal injury lawyer, you can focus on your recovery while they handle the complexities of your case. An attorney will collect evidence, negotiate with insurers, and advocate for your best possible outcome. They will evaluate the entire scope of your medical, financial, and emotional damages and ensure that all of these elements are considered in your lawsuit.

Call a Personal Injury Lawyer Today

Experiencing an injury caused by someone else’s neglect can change your life forever, affecting your bodily health, psychological state, and economic stability. Knowing what to sue for in a personal injury case is the beginning of demanding justice. Whether it is medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, or punitive damages, it is most important to know that you are awarded the right compensation to recover.

Having the best legal team to help you is worth it if you have a personal injury case. LA Law Group has a lot of experience in handling various types of personal injury cases and specializes in upholding the rights of injury victims. Call LA Law Group now for experienced legal counsel and allow our experts to fight for your deserved compensation.