812-213-4551Kentucky Personal Injury Lawyers
Let’s Work Together to Get Your Life Back!
Getting hurt is a scary prospect, especially if you have a family that depends on you. But getting injured because someone else dropped the ball, acted negligently or recklessly, and left you to suffer the consequences? That’s downright infuriating.
Getting injured by someone else’s actions can leave you feeling angry, lost, and unsure of what you should do next. You need a personal injury lawyer.
You may be hesitant to hire a lawyer. Maybe you don’t think your injury is that bad or that your settlement wouldn’t be worth the hassle.
Gerling Law Injury Attorneys is here to help you understand your personal injury case, the steps you should follow, and how a personal injury lawyer can help you get your life back.
What is Personal Injury Law?
Personal injury law, also known as tort law, is a specific set of laws that apply when someone harms another person.
These laws allow you to pursue legal action against the party or parties that have caused harm or damage to you and your personal property.
When you file a personal injury claim in Kentucky, you are the plaintiff in your case. The person or parties you file your claim against are called the defendants. You can file personal injury lawsuits against private individuals, companies, and other entities that have caused you harm.
Whether you are injured by someone else’s accidental negligence or you were hurt by someone’s intentional actions, there is a legal process you will follow under personal injury law.
Who Can Be Sued Under Personal Injury Law?
Under most circumstances, you can sue any person, company, government agency, or other entity that was directly responsible for your injuries.
Here are a few examples of injuries and who you can sue through your personal injury claim:
Medical Malpractice
If a doctor or other medical professional provides you with care that doesn’t meet the proper standard of care, and you are injured. As a result, you can file a personal injury claim against the person or entity that hurt you. You can file a suit for both actions and omissions. This means that if a doctor fails to treat you, especially if a competent doctor would have successfully treated you, you can hold that doctor accountable for their inaction.
Car Accident
Car accidents are among the most common personal injury cases. If a reckless or negligent driver injures you, you can be left with substantial medical bills, lost wages, and damaged personal property.
Car accident victims can sue any number of responsible parties for their accident. Perhaps the other driver was distracted, using their cell phone, and accidentally ran into you. You would sue the other driver in this case. Or, the manufacturer of your vehicle failed to recall a defective product, and as a result, you are involved in a serious car wreck. In that case, you would sue the manufacturer of the defective product.
Bicycle and Pedestrian Accidents
Bicyclists and pedestrians don’t have the same safety features as car and truck drivers. When a vehicle is involved in an accident with a biker or pedestrian, the pedestrian victims are far more likely to suffer serious injury. In these circumstances, the injured person relies on the driver and their insurance company to do the right thing.
Gerling Law Injury Attorneys is here to make sure they do the right thing.
Premises Liability
People, companies, and other entities are required to create a safe place for people who are legally allowed to be on their property. The most common type of premises liability injury claim is a slip and fall accident. Still, any injury that happened as a result of the property owner’s negligence can lead to a solid personal injury case.
Workplace Accidents
Similar to premises liability laws, employers are required to create a safe place for their employees to work. While personal injury cases against your employer can include recuperating losses from your injury, they also often involve a denied workman’s compensation claim, the insurance you rely on to keep your life on track after suffering an injury at work.
Wrongful Death
In some extreme cases, negligence can be deadly. When a company’s or person’s negligent or reckless actions kill someone, their family is often left to pick up the pieces of their life. Their surviving family members may choose to file a wrongful death claim against the party that killed their loved one.
A wrongful death claim usually follows a criminal trial against the negligent party. Still, you can file a wrongful death claim even if the other party is not found guilty in their criminal trial.
If you have lost someone close to you, you may be struggling without the emotional and financial support they once provided you. Call 812-213-4551 to find out how Gerling Law Injury Attorneys can help you and your family during this difficult time.
What Kinds of Injuries Can You Sue For?
You can sue for pretty much any kind of injury caused to you by someone else’s negligence. Some of the most common injuries suffered that you can sue for can include, but are not limited to, the following:
Head Injuries
Traumatic brain injuries and other injuries to the head can result in long-lasting complications. What’s even more concerning about head injuries is the fact that many symptoms do not arise immediately, instead manifesting days, weeks, or months down the road. That is why it is important to seek immediate medical help after an accident that results in a head injury.
Back and Spinal Cord Injuries
Blunt force to the back or spinal cord can result in many different injuries that can have a wide range of symptoms, from chronic back pain to partial or total paralysis.
Broken or Fractured Bones
Broken bones are common injuries suffered by car accident victims. A broken arm, leg, or collarbone can set you back with an extensive recovery process, lost wages, and lasting pain.
Pain and Suffering
Pain and suffering usually refer to the psychological and emotional damage caused as a result of someone else’s negligence. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is among the more common pain and suffering injuries you could be diagnosed with after an accident.
What Can Be Recovered by Personal Injury Lawsuits?
Let’s take a look at what you may be able to recover in your personal injury case.
Medical Expenses
Medical bills are often sought in a personal injury claim because they come with a price tag that is easily verified and comes with a medical diagnosis from a professional. Medical expenses can really stack up, but the person who injured you should be the one footing the bill.
Lost Wages
When you are injured, you likely won’t be able to work. The question is, for how long? By working with your personal injury lawyer, you will be able to fight for the wages you have missed because of your injuries. Furthermore, you may be entitled to further compensation depending on how long you will be unable to work.
Repairs and Other Expenses
If you are involved in a car accident that puts your vehicle out of commission, you should be compensated for the repair costs and the cost of using ride-share apps or renting a temporary vehicle.
Non-Economical Damages
Not all damages and injuries come with a bill. These are called non-economical damages and cover things like emotional and psychological damages, often called “pain and suffering.”
You will need to work with your personal injury attorney and other medical professionals to prove that someone else’s actions have caused you significant non-economical damages.
What Do Personal Injury Lawyers Do?
A personal injury lawyer acts as both your guide and your defender. They are there to answer your difficult questions. If you are struggling with insurance companies, a lawyer can take over communication with them. If you are nervous about accepting an insignificant settlement, a lawyer will tell you if you can realistically expect more. And if your case goes to court, your attorney will guide you through every step of the litigation process.
When Should You Call a Personal Injury Lawyer?
With personal injury cases, time is of the essence. The longer you wait to file your claim, the more ammunition you give to the defending party.
If you are unsure about your case, call 812-213-4551 to schedule your free consultation with the Gerling Law Injury Attorneys. Your free consultation is the first step in figuring out if you have a case.
Gerling Law Injury Attorneys is available to our clients 24/7, meaning you always have an experienced attorney in your corner to help you, regardless of when the insurance companies or anyone else tries to call.
Schedule your consultation today!