An accident can strike at almost any time or place, and unsuspecting victims may be severely hurt. The road to recovery may be long and expensive, and you deserve fair financial compensation for everything you have gone through. Speak to an attorney about your situation to begin exploring your legal options.
Damages in personal injury cases are unique to each plaintiff, but they often include expenses for medical treatment, property damage, and lost income. You may also claim non-economic injuries like physical pain or emotional distress. Starting a case is no small feat; therefore, it is advisable to contact an experienced lawyer for assistance immediately. Often, plaintiffs have only 2 years to file their cases in court, barring special situations. Your attorney should help you prepare your case and file everything on time.
Receive a free, confidential case review from our personal injury lawyers with Cardamone Law when you call us at (267) 651-7945.
Claiming Damages in Personal Injury Cases
Personal injury damages may encompass monetary expenses, property damage, pain, distress, and potentially other related costs. These kinds of cases often involve a wide range of injuries and damages, and your attorney can help you make sure that nothing is overlooked.
Hospital Bills
Personal injury cases must involve bodily harm, and plaintiffs often require urgent medical care. Your medical expenses may be vast, even for relatively minor injuries, and your hospital bills should be factored into your damages.
For many, hospital bills may continue long after their personal injury case is complete. In such cases, plaintiffs may estimate the cost of future medical care and add it to their damages.
Lost Property and Income
Property damage is another common claim in personal injury cases. Depending on the situation, you might have lost personal items or suffered damage to larger property. For example, in a car accident case, you may claim the damage to your vehicle, including expensive repairs.
You might lose even more in the form of income. Serious injuries might stop you from returning to work, possibly for a long time. The longer you are unable to work, the more income you might lose.
Pain and Suffering
Many damages do not involve money or economic expenses. Instead, many damages revolve are personal, painful experiences that are highly subjective and unique to each plaintiff.
Many plaintiffs suffer a great deal of physical pain after a bad accident. They might also experience emotional and mental distress, especially if the accident was traumatic. Since these damages are so subjective, the jury typically determines their value.
How to Start a Personal Injury Case in Kutztown
Starting a personal injury case can be challenging for many, as most people do not know where to begin. Your first step is to contact someone who knows what to do: an attorney. They can review your situation, go over various legal options, and help you choose one that is right for your needs.
A personal injury lawsuit begins when we file a formal complaint in court. To prepare the complaint, our personal injury lawyers must gather information about you, the defendant, and the accident. We may need details about how the accident happened, the extent of your damages, and some proof to back up your allegations.
As we gather more information and prepare the complaint, we must also develop effective legal strategies to support your case. Depending on the complexity of your case, we should have several strategies prepared. This may involve working out a settlement, pursuing a full trial, or something in between.
Filing Your Personal Injury Case On Time
It is crucial that we file your case within the time defined under the statute of limitations. If we do not, you risk being time-barred from filing your claims for this particular cause of action.
According to ֻ 42 Pa.C.S. § 5524(2), personal injury plaintiffs have 2 years to file their cases in court. This time typically begins on the day the cause of action (i.e., your legal claims regarding the accident) accrue, which is usually the day of the accident.
However, the cause of action may not accrue for some until later, essentially giving them additional time to prepare their claims. If you believe you should have more time, we may have the statute of limitations tolled, and your time extended.
For example, according to § 5533(b), individuals who were minors when they were injured may have the statute of limitations tolled, and their cause of action would not accrue until they turn 18, giving them until age 20 to file.
Similarly, we can have the statute tolled for the defendant’s absence. Under § 5532(a), the time that the defendant is outside of Pennsylvania and cannot be reached by long-arm statutes may not be counted toward the limitation period.
What Your Lawyer Should Do to Help You with Your Personal Injury Case
It is normal for injured victims to resist the idea of hiring a lawyer and taking their claims to court. Fears of high legal fees and lengthy legal battles are common. However, your attorney may be your most valuable asset and help you obtain the compensation you need.
First, your lawyer can help you handle paperwork, documentation, and communications with the court and the defendant while you focus on recovering. While these might seem mundane, they are crucial aspects of any personal injury case, and your attorney should have the skills and experience to handle them.
Your attorney should also help you develop legal strategies, review legal options, and understand the best path forward. This may require a deeper understand of the law and how it applies to your claims, and an attorney’s help may be priceless.
Speak to Our Kutztown Personal Injury Attorneys for Legal Help Now
Receive a free, confidential case review from our personal injury lawyers with Cardamone Law when you call us at (267) 651-7945.
