Personal Injury

Injuries can occur anywhere -- on the job, at home, school or church, even at home. Many accidental injuries are caused by the negligence or the careless actions of another person, corporation or institution -- and in such cases, the injured person may be able to recover actual and punitive damages. The term actual damages covers medical bills, lost wages and other expenses or lost income that result from the injury. Punitive damages means additional payments that a judge or jury may award as punishment for the offending party's actions or omission. Many cases are fairly obvious. For example, if you are hit by an object dropped out of a window or struck by a runaway bus you would expect to recover damages from the responsible party. But other cases are not as obvious. If you cut yourself with a poorly-made power tool, burn yourself because of a defective gas grill or sustain repetitive motion injuries from using your computer, you may be able to recover damages from the manufacturer of the defective device. Most lawyers who specialize in personal injury are happy to meet with you to evaluate your case and most charge for their services only if you actually recover damages. Click here to find an attorney specializing in personal injury.

What to bring Bring as many of these items with you to your first consultation as possible: Medical records and bills that document your injury and the treatments you received. Any evidence that shows when, where and how the injury occurred. The names, addresses and telephone numbers of witnesses who saw the injury occur or who can verify your account. Any correspondence you have had with the person, company or institution that caused your injury.