Pittsylvania County Personal Injury Lawyer
A single moment in time has the potential to forever change a person’s life. This can include a car crash, a slip and fall, a product failure, or a medical professional’s error. In each of these situations, an individual may experience harsh physical injuries, lose the ability to earn a living, or suffer significant lost quality of life.
Under the law, the parties responsible for an accident have an obligation to compensation the victims. However, it is only possible to collect this compensation if an injured person can prove that another party was solely to blame for the incident. Failures to prove this concept can leave victims with significant financial stress.
Fortunately, a Pittsylvania County personal injury lawyer is available to help you. Experienced attorneys could explain the laws that apply to your situation, gather evidence of liability, and demand fair payments on your behalf.
Liability in the Commonwealth
Accident cases comprise the majority of personal injuries. They can include collisions on the road, incidents between vehicles and pedestrians, failures on the part of landowners to keep visitors safe, and medical errors. In each of these examples, an injured person needs to show that the other party was solely responsible for the incident. This is because of the Virginia Civil Model Jury Instruction 6.000, which allows defendants to argue that an injured person did not act reasonably in protecting themselves to avoid an incident. If a jury believes this defense, the court cannot award any compensation. A Pittsylvania County personal injury attorney could help protect victims from these allegations of contributory negligence.
Criminal Actors are Also Responsible for their Actions
Sadly, not every personal injury is the product of an accident. Situations do arise where the responsible party breaks the law and injuries someone as a result. For example, a drunk driver may cause a car accident that results in personal injuries.
In these situations, it is important to understand the relationship between the criminal and civil courts. A person who violates the criminal code will likely face charges in criminal court. However, a victim has the option to separately pursue a case for compensation in civil court.
The outcome of a criminal case can be useful in a civil claim for damages. In fact, a finding of guilt in criminal court, whether by plea bargain or a jury verdict, means that a civil court will assume that a defendant was at-fault for the incident that resulted in an injury. A Pittsylvania County attorney could explain how a criminal case could impact a related personal injury lawsuit in civil court.
Contact a Pittsylvania County Personal Injury Attorney for Assistance
The law says that people who inflict injuries must provide compensation to their victims. This includes both the victims of accidents and those who suffer injuries because of criminal activity. In both situations, the law requires an injured person to demonstrate fault for the incident and show how that incident has impacted their life.
A Pittsylvania County personal injury lawyer could take the lead in your case. An attorney could explain the laws that control your case, gather evidence of a defendant’s fault, and use that evidence to demand fair payments for your losses. The law places a strict time limit after an injury to seek compensation, so contact an attorney today to get started.
