If you have been injured due to someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to receive compensation to cover medical costs, lost wages, and other damages. Understanding how personal injury law works can be confusing after an accident but gaining a basic understanding can help you make an informed decision about your next steps. Additionally, speaking with an experienced Frisco personal injury lawyer is always a good idea. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.
Frisco Personal Injury Resources
- What is Personal Injury Law
- Common Examples of Personal Injury Cases
- Types of Damages Recoverable
- Texas Statute of Limitations
- Contact a Frisco personal injury lawyer
What is Personal Injury Law?
Personal injury law is a branch of civil law that allows injured parties to seek compensation for damages caused by another party’s wrongful or negligent actions.
The goal of personal injury law is to ensure that victims of accidents are not left with an unjust financial burden as a result of their injury or losses. It strives to provide victims with access to the compensation they deserve for their pain, suffering, medical costs, and other related expenses.
Common Examples of Personal Injury Cases
There are many different types of personal injury cases, but some are more common than others. The following are some of the more common types of claims:
Car Accidents: Car accidents occur when drivers fail to follow traffic laws or operate their vehicles safely. When drivers engage in this negligent behavior and cause an accident, they can be liable for the resulting damages.
Motorcycle Accidents: Motorcycle accidents are incredibly dangerous because riders don’t have the same protections as those in cars. If someone else’s negligence caused your motorcycle accident, you may have legal recourse.
Truck Accidents: If you’re injured in a truck accident, you may be able to seek compensation from the driver, their employer, or other parties if you can prove they were negligent.
Medical Malpractice: Medical malpractice occurs when medical professionals act negligently and cause harm to their patients through misdiagnosis or mistakes made during surgery or treatment procedures.
Slip and Fall Accidents: Slip and fall accidents can happen when property owners fail to keep their premises safe from potential hazards, such as on wet floors or broken stairs.
Dog Bites: If you’ve been bitten by someone’s dog, you may be able to seek compensation. If you prove that the dog has bitten someone in the past or that the owner knew or had reason to know about the dog’s dangerous propensities, the owner is strictly liable. Otherwise, you would need to prove negligence.
Defective Products: Product manufacturers can be held liable if their products malfunction and cause harm due their defective design or manufacturing process.
Wrongful Death: Wrongful death claims occur when someone dies due to another party’s negligence – for example, in cases involving medical malpractice.
Types of Damages Recoverable in Frisco, TX Personal Injury Cases
There are three primary types of damages a victim can recover through a personal injury claim: economic, non-economic, and punitive. Here is an overview of each type:
Economic Damages
Economic damages are the most easily quantifiable type of damages in a personal injury claim. These are damages that are calculated based on financial losses that are directly related to the accident and injury. Examples include medical bills, lost wages, and property damage.
Non-economic Damages
Non-economic damages are more subjective than economic damages and cannot be easily quantified with hard numbers. These are intangible losses like pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life.
Non-economic damages vary greatly from one person to another depending on their level of pain and suffering endured as a result of their injury.
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages are awarded when the actions that caused the injury were particularly egregious or reckless. These types of cases usually involve intentional misconduct or extreme negligence on behalf of the defendant.
The purpose behind punitive damages is not only to compensate victims for their losses but to punish defendants for their behavior and discourage similar behavior in the future.
Texas Statute of Limitations for Personal Injury Claims
In Texas, the statute of limitations for a personal injury case is two years from the date of your injury. If you miss this deadline, you will be unable to file a claim in the future and you won’t be able to obtain and financial compensation for your injuries.
Exceptions to the Two-Year Rule
There are certain exceptions to the two-year rule in Texas when it comes to personal injury cases. For example, if the victim was a minor at the time of their injury, they have two years from their 18th birthday to file their claim.
In cases involving hidden injuries or injuries that take time to manifest themselves, courts may extend the statute of limitations period beyond two years to ensure that victims are not denied justice due to external factors beyond their control. This is usually referred to as the discovery rule.
Additionally, any claims against the government have a shorter timeline.
You should speak with a Frisco personal injury lawyer as soon as possible after an accident to ensure you don’t miss out on your ability to recover the financial compensation you’re entitled to.
Why Choose The Law Office of Edward W. Sampson For Your Personal Injury Claim?
At The Law Office of Edward W. Sampson, we understand how overwhelming it can be when you’re injured by someone else’s negligence. From mounting medical expenses to emotional trauma, it’s a difficult time. That’s when you need a personal injury lawyer. Here’s why you should work with us:
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- Our board-certified attorneys have more than 25 years of experience handling all types of personal injury claims.
- We are familiar with the tactics insurance companies use to try to avoid paying out what is rightfully yours. We will take steps to ensure that this doesn’t happen.
- We handle exclusively personal injury claims, so when you hire us, you’re hiring experts.
If you need help with any type of personal injury claim, contact The Law Office of Edward W. Sampson to schedule a free consultation.