Personal Injury Lawyer Tacoma
The effects of an injury can be life-changing. You may no longer be able to work, go to school, or perform your daily duties as you used to. This injury may also affect your finances, mental health, and social life. Fortunately, you don’t have to bear all the burden alone; a personal injury lawyer Tacoma can help you pursue your much-deserved claim.
What Is Personal Injury?
Personal injury is an injury inflicted on a person’s body, mind, or emotions. Usually, these injuries result from another person’s negligence, intentions, or irresponsible actions.
However, personal injury doesn’t include property damages even if they stem from the same incident. Instead, the law handles these claims separately.
What Are Some Types of Personal Injury Cases?
Personal injury lawyers help injury victims seek legal remedies for their claims. Here are some personal injury cases such lawyers can help pursue.
Car Accidents
If you were injured in a car accident, a car accident lawyer may assist you with your claim. Some of the documents you’ll need to support this claim include:
- A police report of the accident
- A medical report showing details of the injuries caused by the accident
- Medical bills for the injuries
- Your insurance details
And more.
Wrongful Death
Usually, wrongful death results from a person’s negligence. For instance, the deceased may be a victim of a drunk driving accident or a slip and fall on an unmarked slippery surface. In that case, the deceased’s family can file a lawsuit seeking compensation for their loved one’s death.
Workplace Accidents
Employers are responsible for ensuring the safety of their employees while at work. For this reason, they can be held accountable for workplace accidents resulting from their negligence.
Unfortunately, many employees often avoid filing personal injury claims against their employers for fear of losing their jobs and facing other repercussions. Rather, they continue working in unsafe environments. This is where a personal injury lawyer specializing in workplace accidents comes in handy.
Product Liability
Product liability cases occur when a defective product causes harm to a person. This defect may occur at any stage within the production line, including manufacturing, storage, or sales.
Athough there’s a wide variety of product liability cases, they often fall under these three categories.
- Defective product design
- Manufacturing defect
- Failure to warn or disclose vital information to users
Medical Malpractice
Medical malpractice occurs when a medical or healthcare personnel neglects their professional responsibility or uses an incorrect treatment method on their patient. This malpractice may cause physical injuries or even the patient’s death.
Some of the evidence your injury lawyer may use to prove medical malpractice include:
- Healthcare regulations and policies
- Medical reports
- Evidence of resulting injuries
- Results of diagnostic tests
- Evidence of incorrect prescriptions
And much more.
Premises Liability
Public and private property owners must ensure that their visitors are safe while on their premises. For instance, they’re responsible for installing secure handrails, clearing ice from sidewalks, securing carpets, hanging frames, and providing clear signage on unsafe surfaces to prevent slip and fall accidents.
Sadly, slip and fall accidents are among the leading causes of personal injuries. These cases can also be complicated due to the challenges of proving the property owner’s negligence. If such is your case in Tacoma, it’s best to contact an experienced Tacoma personal injury attorney for guidance.
Insurance Disputes
Sometimes, your insurance company may deny your personal injury claim for one reason or another. However, that doesn’t mean the insurance company is right. If you feel you were wrongfully denied a claim, you can contact a competent personal injury lawyer to assist you with the case.
Frequently Asked Questions
Before filing a personal injury case, you need to know what you may be able to recover as compensation for your injuries. Ideally, there are several damages you can claim, depending on the circumstances of your case. These damages may belong to one of these three categories below:
Economic Damages
Economic damages are any financial losses or expenses you incur due to your injuries. These damages are often easy to prove and trace. Some examples of economic damages include:
- Money spent on medical expenses
- Future medical expenses related to the injuries
- Lost income following the accident
- Loss of the capacity to earn a living
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are non-financial damages resulting from such injuries. Usually, these damages relate to a person's pain and suffering after getting injured.
Although non-economic damages can't be measured in monetary value, you can still seek financial compensation. Examples of these damages include:
- Emotional suffering
- Disfigurement
- Mental trauma
- Loss of lifestyle enjoyment
- Damaged reputation
- Physical pain
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages, also called exemplary damages, is money awarded to the plaintiff in addition to their economic and non-economic damages. This compensation serves two purposes:
- To punish the defendant for their conduct
- To warn others against such conduct
However, punitive damages are rare and only awarded in cases where the defendant was extremely negligent.
You deserve fair compensation for the damages caused by someone else's carelessness. But unfortunately, it can be challenging to get what you deserve, especially when coming up against the big bullies in the industry.
A personal injury lawyer can be of great help in pursuing challenging personal injury claims.
A seasoned attorney can:
- Evaluate your case to determine whether it is valid
- Assess your damages
- Identify the party responsible for your injury
- File a personal injury claim on your behalf
- Negotiate a fair settlement
If you or your loved one has been injured due to negligence, don’t hesitate to contact the Law Office of Serah Waweru to talk to a competent personal injury attorney. We may be of great help!
