Accidents happen, but the reality is that most accidents can be traced directly back to a specific person’s reckless or careless actions. Unfortunately, enforcing your right to seek civil restitution from someone who causes you harm through their misconduct can be difficult, especially if you try to do it entirely on your own.
In a situation like this, there is no substitute for the support of an experienced Chesapeake personal injury lawyer who has handled many cases like yours and recovered tens of millions of dollars in total compensation. Even if you are unsure whether you want to pursue legal action over your injury, a conversation with a qualified attorney from The Law Firm of Carlton F. Bennett could answer pressing questions about the proper course of action for your circumstances.
Generally, holding someone liable for a personal injury requires proving that they were negligent in some way. As a Chesapeake personal injury attorney could explain in more detail, someone is negligent if they have a duty to act a certain way under certain circumstances, do something irresponsible and illegal to breach that duty, and directly cause someone else to sustain an injury requiring professional medical attention through that breach of duty.
If someone’s negligence caused a traumatic accident in Virginia, they can be made to pay financially for all past and future damages the injured person experiences, including:
While rare, a court can also impose punitive damages against someone who injures another person through extremely egregious negligence or a malicious and intentional act.
Even if someone else is primarily to blame for causing a personal injury, the injured person may be unable to recover any civil compensation if they are found partly at fault for causing their injuries through their misconduct. Virginia still adheres to a strict pure contributory negligence system for personal injury claims, which is extremely harsh compared to most other states’ approaches.
Another detail that could prevent civil recovery for a severe injury is failing to file within the deadline set by the statute of limitations, which, as per Code of Virginia § 8.01-243, is usually two years after the date of the initial injury. Support from a knowledgeable personal injury lawyer in Chesapeake could be all but essential to ensuring these and other procedural obstacles do not sidetrack the recovery process.
Thousands of accidents resulting in injuries happen in Chesapeake every year, and most of them could have been prevented if someone had acted more responsibly. If you have sustained a severe injury because of another person’s irresponsible actions, you have essential legal options that a seasoned attorney could help you make the most of.
Working closely with a Chesapeake personal injury lawyer may dramatically improve your chances of getting a desirable case result and obtaining the civil restitution you deserve. Call today to schedule a meeting.
