Personal Injury is a legal term used when an injury is caused to a person or persons as a result of the negligent conduct of another person, group or establishment.

One of the most common causes of personal injury is from motor vehicle accidents and often include injuries to the body like whiplash, spinal or back injuries, broken bones, traumatic brain injuries and psychological injuries.

In addition to those associated with motor vehicle accidents, other personal injury claims can arise from slips, trips or falls; dog bites; assaults; medical malpractice; and defective products.

When it comes to determining the nature and extent of a personal injury, two factors will play a critical role: fault and compensation.

• Fault basically answers the question of who was responsible for the cause of the injury? How this is determined can vary, depending on whether the other person readily admits fault or, alternately, if they deny any wrong-doing.
• Once fault has been established, assessing the level of compensation is the next step. Compensation is essentially a cash settlement, or trial judgment, that the courts feel the person experiencing the personal injury is entitled to receive. Depending on the nature and scope of the injury, compensation can be based on a number of factors including pain and suffering, lost wages, out of pocket expenses, property damages and the future prospects of living with a disability (sometimes referred to as future care). Loss of future earning capacity may also be recoverable.

Due to their complex and challenging nature, it’s recommended that personal injury claims always be handled by legal professionals who have experience and expertise in this area of the law. The outcome of a claim will undoubtedly affect not just one’s current situation but any future plans he/she may have as well.