Qualifications for a Personal Injury Claim

Every year, thousands of people are injured as a result of someone else’s negligence. In fact, these types of accidents have become commonplace. However, they do not feel common when they happen to you or a family member. You often feel confused and may even experience severe pain as a result of one of these accidents. However, you need to know the qualifications of a personal injury claim.

Types of Personal Injury Claims

First, you need to have the right type of accident. A lawyer will give you more details about personal injury cases Decatur GA, but these are general cases.

Traffic accidents are considered personal injuries. You can be a driver, passenger or pedestrian, and if you are injured, you may have a claim. Personal injury occurs when you or a family member is harmed by a defective product. If you or a family member undergo a medical procedure that results in serious injury or death, you may have a claim.

Workplace accidents or injuries on others’ property may also be considered personal injuries. If your spouse, parent or child are killed because someone else was careless, you may have a claim. Abuse in nursing homes, airplane or boat accidents, food poisoning, legal malpractice and other accidents or injuries may also be considered personal injuries.

The Role of Negligence

The injuries you or your family members received must be the result of negligence. For example, in a traffic accident, the opposing party may have ignored a stop sign. The injury has to be the result of this negligence.

Finally, the injury needs to have cost you something (compensatory damages). For example, you may have to pay medical bills, have lost income, experienced pain and suffering, etc.

Statute of Limitations

Every personal injury case has a statute of limitations. This means that you have a limited amount of time to file your claim. Each state has different rules, but the time period typically starts when you realize you were injured. When the lawsuit begins, you are no longer subject to a statute of limitations.

Consult a personal injury attorney as soon as you realize you are injured to discuss possible remedies.