Person injury law is centered around fault. The person responsible for an injury should compensate the injured. It is the very backbone of civil justice. Imagine, then, that you are hurt in an accident, but you know you are partly to blame. Let’s say you slip on a puddle in a dilapidated parking lot, and you injure your back. Without…
In the mid-1990s, O.J. Simpson was famously found not guilty for the murder of his wife, Nicole Brown Simpson. Not long after, the family of the deceased sued Mr. Simpson and won millions. Many wondered how this was possible if he had already been acquitted. The answer lies in the difference between civil and criminal justice. Criminal justice exists to…
Before embarking on a personal injury lawsuit, you probably want to know if the potential reward is worth the effort. You must make sure you are sufficiently reimbursed for your damages. Remember that a personal injury suit is not about getting rich quickly. At its core, a personal injury suit strives to give a reasonable amount of money to a…
Proving fault in a personal injury case is often about showing a defendant’s negligence. Sometimes that negligence is direct, and the facts are obvious. For example, imagine a driver who was clearly speeding through multiple stop signs and hit another driver who was obeying traffic laws. A case like this requires little investigation. This is what you might call an…
In the U.S., it is technically legal to file a lawsuit for any reason, but a lawsuit does not automatically go forward just because it was filed. Often, judges will “throw out” a case that they believe has no merit. Sometimes, however, lawsuits that seem unjustified make their way to court. People often refer to these suits as “frivolous.” What…
As a major metropolitan state, New York has several laws specifically designed to protect construction workers. One such protection is its “scaffolding law,” also known as New York Labor Law 240. This law is designed specifically for workers who deal with scaffolding, a dangerous job at the best of times. What Is This Law? There is a long history of…
Drivers have a responsibility to always be alert and aware. If they are distracted, they could cause serious injury to themselves and others. There are specific laws designed to prevent distracted driving, most of them revolving around electronics use. With the cultural rise in cellphones, there are more and more cases of car accidents involving people texting or talking while…
In 1992, Stella Leibeck opened a cup of McDonald’s coffee while in the parking lot, waiting for her relative. The coffee splashed into her lap, quickly causing severe burns. She eventually sued McDonald’s for her injuries. Her case was much maligned in the media and pop culture. Late night hosts joked about coffee being hot, so what did she expect?…
Personal injury cases are designed to compensate people for their injuries. In a best-case scenario, an injury can be immediately paid for, and everyone can move on. There are times, however, when the injury is so severe that someone will need financial benefits for a long time, maybe for the rest of their life. Such injuries are often classified as…
Depending on the circumstances, there are many possible individuals who could be held liable in a bicycle accident. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), biker accidents per year break down as follows: 30% were hit by a car. 17% fell while biking. 13% had an accident due to poor roadway conditions. 13% were classified as “rider error.”…