The aftermath is so sudden. In one moment, everything changes. You realize how quickly things can change. It’s scary to realize how fragile we all really are. What you do next will either help your case or hurt you more…
Should you file a personal injury lawsuit after an accident or injury, and what can you expect if you do? In this section, we offer tips on how fault is established in an injury case, figuring out how much your claim might be worth, and the best early steps you can take to help your case and protect your legal rights.
First Steps After an Accident or Injury
Take Notes After an Accident or Injury
Writing down the details after an accident is more accurate than relying on your memory.
Preserve Evidence for Your Personal Injury Claim
After an accident, finding and preserving evidence can be the key to a successful personal injury claim.
Getting Your Medical Records: Rights, Procedures, and Denials
Your right to obtain medical records, and tips on how to get them.
Get Prompt Medical Attention After an Accident
At the first hint of injury after an accident, it’s crucial to protect your health and your legal rights.
Who Is at Fault?
Who’s at Fault for an Accident FAQ
When you’re making an injury claim after an accident, proving who is responsible is crucial, but it can be a challenge.
Proving Fault in Personal Injury Accidents: General Rules
How to decide who is legally at fault for an accident or personal injury.
Negligence, The ‘Duty of Care,’ and Fault for an Accident
There is no limit to the kinds of accidents — some pretty strange and many beyond one’s capacity to invent — that cause people injuries.
Key Considerations in an Injury Claim
Damages: How Much Is a Personal Injury Case Worth?
Valuing a personal injury claim starts with understanding the different types of compensable losses.
What is ‘Pain and Suffering’ in a Personal Injury Case?
Learn about this key component of damages, and the factors that go into its calculation.
Defenses in Personal Injury Cases
If you’re filing a personal injury lawsuit, don’t be surprised to hear the defendant raise these arguments in an attempt to limit (or even bar) your claim.
Finding a Personal Injury Lawyer
How to connect with the right attorney for you and your personal injury claim.
What If My Accident Made a Pre-Existing Injury Worse?
How aggravation of an existing injury or condition can affect your personal injury case.
Filing Your Lawsuit in Federal Court
If you have a negligence claim against the federal government, usually your only option is to sue under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA). Unfortunately, suing the federal government under the FTCA is trickier than suing a private citizen — you will have to jump through a number of hoops, and the lawsuits are subject to a lengthy and sometimes confusing list of limitations.
Get Prompt Medical Attention After an Accident
At the first hint of injury after an accident, it’s crucial to protect your health and your legal rights.
Personal Injury Cases in Small Claims Court: How to Calculate Your Damages
Personal injury cases are less likely than other cases to end up in small claims court.
Personal Injury Law Concepts
What are ‘Intervening’ and ‘Superseding’ Causes in a Personal Injury Case?
An intervening or superseding cause between an accident and your injuries can affect (and sometimes derail) your personal injury case.
What is “Respondeat Superior” in a Personal Injury Case?
When you’re injured by someone who was “on the clock” as an employee at the time of the accident, you may be able to sue the employer for your injuries.
What is the “Last Clear Chance” Rule in Personal Injury Law?
It’s important to understand the interplay of the “last clear chance” doctrine and your state’s shared fault rules when sorting out liability after an accident.
What is ‘Pain and Suffering’ in a Personal Injury Case?
Learn about this key component of damages, and the factors that go into its calculation.