Personal Injury Law

Personal injury is a branch of civil law. A claim asks for money to cover the losses an injury caused: medical bills, lost income, property damage, and the pain and disruption that cannot be itemized. Most cases rest on negligence, where the question is whether someone failed to take reasonable care. Some rest on strict liability, where a defective product or an abnormally dangerous activity makes the defendant responsible regardless of care. In practice the other side is usually an insurance company, and the case is about evidence, medical records and the value of the loss.

Minor property-damage claims and small medical bills are often settled directly with an insurer. A lawyer becomes worth the fee when the injury needs ongoing treatment, when you missed work for more than a few days, when fault is disputed, or when the insurer offers a figure that does not cover your bills.

Most injury attorneys work on contingency: no fee unless you recover, and a share of the recovery if you do, commonly around a third. Ask how costs are handled if the case is lost, and whether the percentage rises if the case goes to trial. Talk to a lawyer well before your state's filing deadline — evidence such as video and vehicle data disappears within weeks.