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What is personal injury law?
What is the definition of tort law?
What are the most common personal injury lawsuits?
What is a deposition?
How will I pay all my medical bills?
If I slip and fall at a business, is the owner of
the business or other premises legally responsible for my injuries?
What issues will I face in making a claim for my
injuries sustained in an auto accident?
What is personal injury law?
Personal injury
law, also known as tort law, is a civil wrong or wrongs recognized
as legal causes for lawsuits. Injuries sustained by the victims
of such wrongs provide the basis for a claim for damages incurred
by the injured party.
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What is the definition of tort law?
Tort law is broken into three categories:
Intentional Tort - the Defendant knew, or should have
known, injury could occur as a result of his or her actions
or inactions.
Negligent Tort - the Defendant was unaware that an injury
could occur as a result of his or her actions, and, at the same
time, the Defendant was not acting in a safe manner.
Strict Liability Tort - a specific action caused the
damages rather than the lack of care on the defendant's part.
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What are the most common personal
injury lawsuits?
Others include sexual abuse, wrongful
death, denial of civil rights, unfair employment practices,
medical malpractice, professional malpractice, product liability,
slander, and damage to property.
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What is a Deposition?
A deposition is a statement given under oath before a Court
Reporter. This is usually done in a lawyer's office where the
witness will answer questions given by attorneys representing
both parties to the case. The reporter makes a written transcript
of everything said at the deposition, and the witness signs
the transcript swearing it is an accurate rendition of the evidence
he or she gave.
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How will I pay all my medical bills?
| If you have been injured, you will likely have medical
bills from physicians, hospitals, physical therapists,
and other health care providers. Those bills will be in
your name and usually are sent to your address. You are
primarily responsible for paying your bills, regardless
of the cause of your injuries. |
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The at-fault person's liability insurance
carrier is responsible for paying you reasonable compensation
for damages incurred, which includes medical bills. However,
there are physicians that work on a "lien basis,"
meaning the physician will not expect to be paid until your
case is finalized.
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If I slip and
fall at a business, is the owner of the business or other
premises legally responsible for my injuries?
Typically, it is the duty of an owner to exercise reasonable
care in the maintenance of the premises and to warn a visitor
of any dangerous conditions that are known. For example, if
an owner, or his employees, know that there has been a spill
within their establishment, then they must act reasonably to
clean up the spill and to prevent visitors from walking through
it.
It is the responsibility of your experienced personal
injury attorney to gather the relevant facts and to
know the applicable legal principles in order to determine if
the owner can be held liable for the injuries caused in a fall.
Frequently, it is a difficult process because most of the evidence
and testimony must come from the owner and his employees.
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What issues will I face in making a claim for my injuries
sustained in an auto
accident?
| A claim for injuries sustained in an automobile
accident is usually based upon carelessness or negligence.
In the worst-case scenarios, it is based on an intentional
or reckless act. |
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The two categories of issues that typically arise in a tort
claim after an automobile accident are the following:
Liability - who is at fault and to what degree?
Damages - injuries or losses that were caused by the
accident.
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