Personal Injury Law Terms You Need to Know

San Antonio residents don’t have to live with the consequences of a sustained injury that wasn’t their fault. Personal injury cases involve both an injured party and an at-fault party. If you have been injured and believe your injuries are the result of someone’s negligence, then you may have a case.

Before filing a claim, consider speaking to a lawyer at Carabin Shaw, a San Antonio personal injury law firm, for a free legal consultation. As you move forward, it is worth knowing personal injury law terms; we’ll review some of this vocabulary here.

What is personal injury, anyway? Personal injury is the area of law which covers all physical, financial, and emotional damages caused by another party’s negligence. Personal injury law examples include medical malpractice, auto accidents, and slips and falls and other work-related injuries.

Some key personal injury law terms you need to know are:

• Negligence, or carelessness, is the root cause of all personal injury cases. These lawsuits require evidence of another party’s negligence.
• A settlement is an agreement from both sides that typically results in financial compensation. The guilty party must pay this monetary amount to the plaintiff, the individual who filed the lawsuit.
• A court awards compensation by determining damages, or the monetary value of your injuries. Damages are what you can sue for, such as medical bills and treatment, lost wages and benefits, property loss, and emotional pain and suffering. Keep track of all injury-related expenses as you build your case.
• The statute of limitations is the time limit after the incident during which you can file a case. For example, under personal injury law in Texas, you have two years from the accident to file a claim.

Lawyers, insurance companies, friends—even television characters!—throw these personal injury law terms around a lot, so understanding what they mean can make the legal process easier for you. If you need help decoding legalese, speak to a Carabin Shaw attorney.

Technically, you do not need to file a suit. Lawyers typically resolved personal injury cases in one of two ways:

• Formal lawsuit: involves going to court and establishing proof of negligence
• Settlement: a written agreement between the two parties—usually made to avoid a lengthy trial

Although both types of cases may end with financial compensation, a settlement payout is typically one lump sum, whereas payment from a formal lawsuit, which may take months or even years to finalize, is generally given in installments. Regardless of which you choose, it is in your best interest to work with a skilled lawyer.

If you are serious about hiring an attorney, you should be looking for the best personal injury lawyer in San Antonio. Luckily, you have access to the team at Carabin Shaw. Our lawyers understand Texas personal injury law, and we have successfully litigated cases involving auto accidents, medical malpractice, workplace injuries, and more. Our experience and compassion for our clients set us apart from other firms.

We begin by offering a free legal consultation from one of our skilled San Antonio personal injury lawyers. We want to ensure that we meet your needs. Furthermore, our San Antonio location is convenient so you won’t need to travel far to see us. Don’t let your injuries ruin your life.

Schedule your free consultation today. Dial 210-222-2288 to get in touch with our local office or call us toll-free at 1-800-862-1260.