Sometimes, a victim is clueless about what to do after a car accident. However, the first step is to get proper medical treatment and inform their personal injury lawyer about the case.
Although the lawyer will take care of the case, it’s important to have some general idea about the personal injury lawsuits.
In this article, I have shared whether a personal injury lawsuit is a civil or criminal case.
However, you can learn more information on personal injury law in GA, but here you will clearly understand the difference between a criminal case and a civil case and what personal injury lawsuits are.
What Is A Personal Injury Lawsuit?
A person can be a victim of an accident or injury. No matter how careful we are while driving, working at the workplace, or simply walking on the crosswalks, we can meet accidents and injuries.
When a person gets injured, a personal injury lawsuit may arise if someone is responsible for the injury.
Let’s understand the case with an example and what the probable outcomes are after an accident.
Assume a person meets with an accident that results in injury and that the injury is caused by someone else. Now, the victim can opt for a formal lawsuit or informal settlement.
Informal Settlement:
If the insurance company of the person responsible for the accident agrees to pay the bills by negotiating with the personal injury lawyer of the victim of the accident, it may not lead to a legal dispute.
If the insurance company doesn’t agree to pay the amount that the victim demands or deserves, the victim can file a formal personal injury lawsuit.
Formal Lawsuit:
The injured party will then file a personal injury lawsuit against the party responsible for the accident.
In this case, the person who caused the accident would compensate the injured person for lost wages, medical expenses, pain, and suffering.
Usually, personal injury cases are civil lawsuits. However, suppose the accident or injury is more serious, and the person responsible for the accident has caused it intentionally.
Or the individual was driving under intoxication. In that case, it can turn into a criminal case.
Personal Injury Lawsuit: Civil Or Criminal Case
A personal injury lawsuit is generally a civil lawsuit. However, law enforcement will investigate whether anyone committed any crime due to which the accident happened if there is any evidence of any criminal activity such as drunk driving, reckless driving, hit-and-run cases, etc.
In such cases, personal injury coincides with a criminal charge. Learn more about criminal vs. civil lawsuits.
However, there are personal injury cases that have direct relation to accident cases. There are other types of personal injury cases, such as:
Slip And Fall Injury:
In this type of personal injury case, a person slips and falls, causing the injury. It can be inside a retail store office or godown. The victim will get compensation for the injury.
Workplace Injury:
Injuries caused at the workplace within duty hours are also a personal injury case. Here the company has to bear responsibility for the injury and has to pay compensation and other employee benefits like retaining the job.
Medical Malpractice Cases:
It is also a personal injury case if an injury occurs as a result of medical malpractice or a lack of resources inside the hospital.
Defective Product:
If someone gets an injury due to any defective product, the manufacturer takes the responsibility for the loss and injury.
All of these personal injury cases are civil lawsuits, but if there is an involvement of a criminal activity and the investigation proves it, they will become criminal cases.
Factors To Consider When Hiring A Personal Injury Lawyer?
Hundreds of personal injury lawyers have websites to network with potential clients. Yes, you will find many of them. But are they all equally capable enough to handle your case?
It clearly denotes that you cannot arbitrarily select any one organization. Hence, we discuss some of the factors that you must consider when hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer.
First, You Must List Your Requirements
Yes, it is the first step that you need to take when looking for a civil lawsuit expert.
First, you have to identify the type of injury you received. You also have to consider the severity of the incident. Yes, who was at fault? And finally, what were the repercussions of the injury? Yes, you have to consider all these questions before hiring a legal expert.
Start Searching By Seeking Recommendations From Friends And Family
When looking for a civil lawsuit lawyer, you can get help from friends and family. Their recommendations are usually far better if you compare it with the websites.
There are two reasons behind it. Firstly, the civil lawsuit legal expert that you hired using website recommendations might not be effective as one can manipulate the recommendations.
Secondly, the recommendations that you seek from your near and dear ones are tried and trusted.
Look For a civil lawsuit legal expert Who Has the Right Experience To Handle such Cases.
Personal injury cases have their own area of expertise and are therefore attached to complexities.
Yes, some lawyers may claim that they have great experience. But mouth-filled promises are an empty vaunt.
Ask About How Long It Takes To Resolve These Cases
Again, the civil lawsuit lawyer will claim their law firm to be perfect. Maybe they will provide you with detailed cases where they successfully paved the way for success. Yes, it is almost impossible to know exactly how long it will take to resolve the cases.
Do Not Fear High Fees! Weigh The Outcome
Yes, the quality of civil lawsuit professionals will not be cheap. When you are thinking about selecting the right attorney, you may have to bear the fees. Yes, these legal professionals charge high fees.
Moreover, personal injury lawsuits have life-altering effects. This is why you must hire the best civil lawsuit attorney to get the desired effect.
Final Thoughts:
Hopefully, the above information has helped you to understand whether personal injury lawsuits are civil or criminal cases.
So, it’s important to consult a reputed and well-qualified personal injury lawyer when someone has an accident. Lastly, don’t forget to share your opinion on this post in the comments section.
Additional Reading:
