Misdemeanor Lawyer
If you suffered injuries due to a misdemeanor’s negligence, you may be considering a personal injury claim. While most people know that you can file a personal injury lawsuit, some do not know when they are eligible for compensation. If you’re uncertain about your claim, here are three tell-tale signs you have a personal injury case.
You Suffered Damages on Behalf of a Person’s Negligence
The main reason for personal injury claims is to be compensated for damages that you incurred due to someone else’s negligence. These damages can include economic and non-economic losses. The most common losses are due to medical bills. To file a claim, there must be damages. For example, if someone acted negligently and could have harmed you but you suffered no damages, you would not be owed compensation for it.
To file a claim, make sure that you have evidence of your damages. For example, keep track of all medical bills, lost wages and property damage costs.
The Other Party Breached His or Her Duty of Care
To be held accountable for your injuries, the defendant has to owe you a duty of care. For instance, if you were in an automobile accident, the other drivers on the road owe you a duty of care by following the laws and driving safely. However, if you were to receive medical advice from a friend who was not acting as your physician, he or she would not owe you a duty of care. A breach of duty of care occurs when someone fails to exercise the level of care any ordinary person would in the same situation.
You Suffered Injuries Within the Statute of Limitations
Every state has a different statute of limitations. If you’re injured, you have a limited time to file a claim. If you file after the statute of limitations, the case would be dismissed. In most states, it is between one and three years. To ensure that you can file a claim, you should always speak to a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. Following an accident, even if you don’t know the extent of the damages, you should be in contact with a lawyer to file a claim.
If you were injured in an accident, you may have a personal injury claim. To determine your next steps, set up a consultation with a local misdemeanor lawyer such as May Law, LLP as soon as possible. He or she will be able to walk you through the steps of your case.