Despite your best efforts, accidents still happen. There are instances when accidents cause injuries severe enough to require medical treatment and other times when treatment is not needed.
Obtaining monetary compensation is a possibility for various injuries. Therefore, it is likely that compensation law will cover your type of injury.
This article will help you better understand injury law. We’ll also examine when compensation and your rights as an injury victim might be awarded.
You’ll understand whether you can claim and your compensation expectations have a realistic grounding. Then, you’ll hopefully be able to answer the question, “What types of injuries can I get compensation for in Arizona?”
How Do Personal Injuries Happen?
Personal injuries happen all the time. You might think you’d never get hurt. But unfortunately, accidents happen far too frequently.
It is our job to take steps to ensure financial recovery if you’ve been injured.
Compensation can be awarded for medical bills, lost wages, pain, suffering, and emotional distress.
Car accidents
If you’re involved in a car accident, you’ll want to know how much responsibility you bear for the calamity.
You could be at fault if you contributed to the accident. However, if you’re not negligent, you won’t be accountable.
After an accident, irrespective of the quality of repairs, a vehicle will be worth less than its pre-accident price. Fortunately, Arizona law supports a “diminished value” policy. This policy makes up for the deficit between your car’s current and pre-accident value.
A good law firm will be able to present a diminished value claim against the third party that caused the accident. This claim allows you to regain the loss in value for your vehicle that you would otherwise have to have suffered.
Slip and fall accidents
When a pedestrian trips over anything on the ground and tumbles, it is called a slip-and-fall. It can happen anywhere.
Typical sites for slip and fall accidents:
- Inside a store
- Restaurants
- Hotels
- Office buildings
- Apartment complexes
- Malls
- Hospitals
- Schools
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows 2015 slip-and-fall accident costs totaled $50 billion.
Dog bites
When a dog bites someone, the owner usually faces liability.
Personal Injury Compensation in Arizona
If someone else’s negligence causes injury, you should seek professional consultation. You will receive advice from an accomplished personal injury lawyer on how to proceed.
Is It Time for Professional Legal Advice?
You will likely need expert advice if a mishap has resulted in harm. A consultation with a compensation lawyer will clear up a lot of questions.
Your comp claim depends on many factors. These could include the type of injury and where it happened.
A personal injury lawyer can help you decide if you have a case and what damages you might receive. They also know how to reach the best settlements with insurance companies. Therefore, good legal advice is vital.
You must especially seek advice in the following cases:
- If you need prolonged treatment
- If you have a permanent disability
- An injury causes a loss of income or monthly wage
Recovering monetary damages is, of course, crucial. However, a personal injury attorney may also help you defend your rights and interests. Then, he or she could represent you in court proceedings.
Another reason you might want to consider hiring a lawyer is because you aren’t sure how to proceed. After reporting the injury, accident victims will always need good legal counsel.
A competent attorney can offer guidance on exorbitant medical bills. Additional financial hardships, such as lost wages and property damage, will also be advised.
Finally, a personal injury lawyer might be able to help in case of future potential issues. He or she can ensure you know your legal standing and can give the advice you need.
Types of Compensation in an Arizona Personal Injury Case
Arizona compensation and injury law cover two kinds of personal injury compensation. Under the legal framework, you can claim two types of damages. These are punitive damages and the more common ordinary damages.
General damages are more subjective and hard to quantify as they consist of mental misery, loneliness, pain, and suffering.
Reckless conduct or malice can result in punitive damages. These awards punish the defendant and serve as a deterrent.
In most cases, punitive damages are rare and legal proceedings must prove them. They must be large enough to hurt a defendant financially.
Types of Injuries You Could Suffer
Multiple types of injuries can arise as a result of motor vehicle accidents. Common injuries include whiplash, broken bones, cuts, bruises, sprains, concussions, and burns. In addition, slip-and-fall accidents can cause similar injuries to car accidents.
Workplace accidents can lead you to suffer from various injuries. This type of accident can include fractures, dislocations, lacerations, contusions, strains, sprains, and abrasions.
Even defective products can cause serious injuries. These can include amputation, blindness, paralysis, and death.
Legal counsel will help you decide your best course of action in all of these cases.
What Is Covered in an Injury Claim?
Medical costs are often covered by healthcare insurance. However, you might have to bear the extra costs if you don’t have adequate protection. Future medical expenses could also include the costs of future procedures, ongoing prescriptions, and therapies.
It is far better that your medical bills are paid from the plaintiff’s insurance. However, your case will have to be represented by a lawyer for this to occur.
Reimbursement for loss of income includes any payments you would receive during your absence from work. Pain and suffering are usually determined by injury severity and the therapy needed.
Mental anguish and emotional turmoil are sometimes included in pain-and-suffering calculations. In addition, you must also investigate uncomfortable topics such as death benefits and burial expenses.
Furthermore, you should consider the combined experience of all family members. Even if only the victim has physical pain, the rest of the family will likely suffer emotional trauma.
After an accident, make sure to contact an attorney to help you pursue a personal injury claim. A seasoned lawyer can assist you in navigating the legal process and ensure you receive compensation for your losses.
What Kind of Compensation Am I Entitled to in a Personal Injury Case?
Financial damages include medical bills, lost income, and other out-of-pocket expenses. As such, punitive damages may result in additional monetary compensation.
Non-financial damages include compensation to replace things like:
- Clothing
- Furniture
- Household goods
- Vehicles
Typically, insurance will cover this loss via the responsible party’s coverage.
Claimants must show negligence before being eligible for any monetary awards. For example, not taking the necessary safety measures in light of the situation constitutes negligence.
There could not be a liability if the defendant had no duty to protect the plaintiff.
An example of this case is a store owner not owing a legal duty for a slip on ice. But if the owner knew about the dangerous conditions and failed to warn customers, he could be liable.
Is There a Limit to the Amount of Compensation I Can Receive?
You’ve been injured in an accident. Now it’s time to start thinking about the maximum compensation your legal counsel can secure for you.
A multitude of variables determines your case’s worth. These can include injury severity, the extent of your medical treatment, and the burden of lost wages.
Every situation is different. It requires an experienced legal advisor to understand the context of each case. Therefore, there isn’t necessarily a set amount that you can expect to receive.
Instead, each case must be evaluated individually. Facts and circumstances are on a case-by-case basis.
If your previous insurance company didn’t adequately compensate you for your injuries, you might want to talk to an experienced personal injury lawyer. You might ask him or her to help determine if you’re fairly compensated for your losses.
In addition to helping you decide if you’re receiving fair compensation, a good lawyer can also advise you on maximizing your recovery. For example, they can tell you whether or not you should accept a lump sum payment or wait for periodic payments over time.
They can also explain how long it takes to reach a settlement and how to avoid paying unnecessary legal fees.
A skilled lawyer can also help you identify potential sources of additional funds. Their experience will allow them to suggest if you should file a lawsuit.
Finally, a competent lawyer can guide your best action following a settlement. This action includes advising you on whether you should pursue further claims against the person responsible for your injuries.
And if you choose to sue someone else, your lawyer can help you to negotiate a favorable settlement.
Are You the Victim of an Injury?
Arizona has a very specific set of laws on personal injury claims, so you should consult an attorney before filing a claim. Only a professional can properly investigate your right to compensation.
If filing a personal injury lawsuit can seem intimidating, we are here to help.
We cover various areas in Arizona, including Phoenix and Scottsdale. Please schedule a no-cost, no-obligation legal strategy session with our team where we can identify your requirements and the best way forward.
We will guide you through the process professionally and methodically to ensure you receive the maximum amount of compensation possible. So contact us today to schedule a consultation.
