A personal injury might result from any number of accidents and injuries. Since the personal injury field is so broad, you must take your case to a lawyer with experience with similar claims.
Personal injury law is so vast that if you are unsure what kind of claim you have, there is a good chance it is a personal injury claim. Personal injuries involve bodily harm, although other damages and claims may be brought alongside a personal injury. An attorney can help you assess the money you spent or lost because of your injuries, including non-economic damages for things like emotional suffering and psychological turmoil from your injuries. Numerous people and parties might be named in a personal injury case. Many claims are filed against individuals, but businesses and even government entities might be named in certain cases. You should talk to a lawyer about your situation as soon as possible. The deadline to file your case might be approaching quickly, and there is no time to waste.
For a free, confidential case evaluation with our experienced personal injury lawyers, call Howe Law at (844) 876-4357.
How Do I Know if I Have a Personal Injury Claim in Cleveland, TN?
Understanding the nature of your legal claims can be difficult, especially when you are dealing with painful injuries and simply trying to recover in peace. While a great many cases are classified as personal injuries, the personal injury field can be broken down further into many subcategories.
A personal injury case must involve bodily harm. You likely do not have a personal injury claim if you were not physically injured. This is sometimes confusing as personal injury cases often involve claims and damages unrelated to bodily injuries. Plaintiffs may claim various damages alongside personal injury claims if they are connected to the same accident or incident. For example, you can claim damages for injuries sustained in a car crash while also claiming damages for your wrecked car.
Personal injury cases span a wide range of specific cases and claims. For example, you might have a premises liability claim if your injuries happened because of the hazardous conditions on someone’s property. A product liability claim arises when someone is injured because of a faulty product or goods they purchased. Our personal injury attorneys can help you figure out what kind of claims you have and help you get the most compensation possible.
How an Attorney Can Help You Assess Your Damages in a Cleveland, TN Personal Injury Case
Figuring out what kind of damages you have and how much compensation they warrant is a major component of your case. We often think of damages as a single sum of money, but this is not exactly true. Damages are comprised of various costs, expenses, and injuries. Some damages do not actually cost money, so factoring them into our calculations can be tricky.
Many of your damages are those that cost you money. While hospital bills and property damage are major contributors to our calculations, many other costs should be considered. If you had to travel for medical treatment, your travel costs (e.g., gas, flights, lodgings) should be included. We must also consider the income you missed out on because you could not return to work after being injured.
Many other damages stem from painful experiences but do not cost money. For example, after a traumatic accident in which the plaintiff sustained severe and painful injuries, they might live with depression, PTSD, anxiety, panic attacks, and many other emotional and psychological conditions that cause distress. These experiences do not exactly have a price tag, but juries may award significant compensation for non-economic damages that take a significant toll on plaintiffs’ lives.
Who is Responsible for the Injuries and Damages in Cleveland, TN Personal Injury Cases?
Naming the right defendants can be harder than you might think. While some plaintiffs might know exactly who caused their injuries, others might be less certain. Not all negligent defendants stick around to be identified after causing an accident. Others might not even have been present when the plaintiff was injured. Your lawyer can help you determine who should be held responsible for your injuries.
Perhaps most commonly, private individuals are named as defendants. This might be the case if another driver crashes into you on the road. Similarly, if you suffered a slip and fall accident on a neighbor’s unsafe stairs they should have repaired sooner, that neighbor would be the defendant in a subsequent lawsuit.
However, many other cases are filed against groups or organizations. The group might be multiple individuals whose only connection to each other is that their combined negligence caused your accident. Alternatively, the group might be a formal organization. Even businesses may be named in personal injury lawsuits.
There is sometimes an overlap between a private person’s negligence and their employer. For example, if a delivery driver crashes into you, you may sue that driver. Since the driver was in the course of their normal job duties when they hit you, you could also sue their employer.
When You Should Speak to a Lawyer About Starting a Personal Injury Case in Cleveland, TN
It is wise to contact an attorney as quickly as possible. Personal injury claims and many other kinds of legal action come with strict deadlines. In Tennessee, under Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-104(a), personal injury claims must be filed no later than 1 year after the injuries occurred. This is an extremely tight deadline, especially compared to many other states that allow plaintiffs several years to get their claims into court.
Starting as soon as possible is important because of the above deadline and because your attorney needs as much time as possible to prepare the case. A lot of the work that goes into a lawsuit happens before the case is even filed. Assessing damages, finding evidence, and developing legal strategies all happen while preparing the case. As such, giving your lawyers as much time as possible to prepare is in your best interest.
Call Our Cleveland, TN Personal Injury Attorneys if You Were Hurt Because of Someone’s Negligent Actions
For a free, private case assessment with our dedicated personal injury attorneys, call Howe Law at (844) 876-4357.
