Tuesday 20 April 2010

What Does A Personal Injury Attorney Do?

Personal injury attorneys specialize in helping clients who have suffered a physical, emotional, or mental harm and believe that another party is responsible for that injury.

Although most commonly associated with car accident cases, personal injury attorneys also handle slip and fall cases, defective products, assault injuries, and work and home accidents. Some Personal Injury Lawyers also handle workers compensation cases, asbestos litigation, and even hospital and medical malpractice suits because the burden of proof in those suits is similar.

Under the law, the plaintiff in a personal injury suit may recover monetary compensation when they are hurt if they can prove that the defendant is liable for it. The standards for liability differ from state to state, but generally a person suing is required to prove that the defendant's action or inaction was the primary cause of the plaintiff's harm. To prevail in a lawsuit, the plaintiff must prove that the defendant's negligent or malignant actions are the proximate cause of the plaintiff's injury and that the defendant had a legal duty to act more responsibly.

For instance, in a car accident suit, the plaintiff is required to prove that the defendant's behavior caused the accident and that the plaintiff was injured as a result of the car crash.