Memphis Personal Injury Lawyer
If you have or a family have suffered damages as the result of the negligence of another, you may be entitled to financial compensation, as a Memphis personal injury lawyer can explain. Personal injury law is one of the most common areas of law in today’s world. People and corporations are responsible for their actions or inactions and usually have insurance companies and lawyers under contract to protect yourself.
If you’re like most people, you probably don’t have a lot of experience with a Memphis personal injury lawyer. So, where do you start? First it helps to familiarize yourself with a little bit of law terminology so you can better understand your situation, ask the right questions and make sure you have the best Memphis personal injury lawyer for you.
The law firm of Patterson Bray has many years of experience in the field of personal injury law. We have successfully prosecuted hundreds of cases, achieving millions and millions of dollars of compensation for our clients. Call us today for a free consultation. If we aren’t the right legal team for you, we will refer you to another firm within our national network of attorney contacts.
As an individual going through a personal injury lawsuit, it is helpful to understand the basics of negligence and also what kinds of damages you may be entitled to. It is our job, as your attorney, to fight for you and make sure you get what you deserve.
But where do you start. First you need to prove negligence. What is negligence? Generally speaking, actions are considered to be negligent if the carelessness of a person, business or other entity creates a situation that results in harm to a person. The responsible party can be held legally liable for damages caused to another and is often sued in court.
There are Three Main Types of Damages You May Be Able to Sue For in A Civil Lawsuit
- Compensatory Damages are also called Actual Damages, as a Memphis personal injury lawyer can explain. They are concrete and identifiable. These include specific, documented amounts for lost income, property damage, and medical care resulting from a Defendant’s negligence.
- General Damages can be sought jointly with compensatory damages. These damages are different, in that they are less tangible and specific than compensatory damages, and it is therefore more difficult to put a dollar amount on them. Examples may include mental anguish, pain and suffering, loss of consortium and other harder to prove items, such as future medical care or anticipated future losses due to loss of earning capacity.
- Punitive damages are designed to punish a Defendant for particularly despicable conduct, such as when the Defendant knew the damage existed and did nothing to correct it prior to the Plaintiff’s injury. Punitive damages are the most difficult damages to obtain as the burden of proof the Plaintiff must meet is very high. When awarded, punitive damages are often far in excess of the amount of compensatory and/or general damages awarded.
You owe it to yourself to know your rights. A Memphis personal injury lawyer from Patterson Bray is here to help you get a fair settlement for you. Call us today for a free consultation.