There are few things as traumatic as being seriously injured in a Mesa car accident or any other accident caused by the careless or reckless actions of another person. In addition to paying the costly medical bills that typically accompany serious injuries, you may also have to take time off work to recover or possibly even take a leave of absence, which can result in an additional financial burden for you and your loved ones. No one should ever be made to suffer hardship because of another person’s negligence, and if you have been injured or lost a loved one in a Mesa accident, retaining an attorney with experience handling Mesa personal injury cases is the best move you can make. Determining liability and obtaining fair compensation in a personal injury case isn’t always easy, and that is where the expertise of a seasoned Mesa personal injury attorney can come in handy. Our knowledgeable attorneys at Personal Injury Attorneys, PLLC know that no two personal injury cases are the same, and we can help you determine the fair value of your claim so you can get the compensation you deserve.
Reputable Personal Injury Attorneys
Serious personal injuries resulting from a Mesa accident can cause unexpected hardship and can change the entire course of your life in a matter of seconds, which is frightening and trying, but you don’t have to deal with these difficulties on your own. Our attorneys at Personal Injury Attorneys, PLLC are committed to helping Mesa accident victims through the legal personal injury process while pursuing maximum compensation on their behalf. Too often, accident victims in Mesa and the surrounding area miss their opportunity to collect the compensation they are entitled to for their losses, either because they are focused on recuperating from their injuries or don’t know where to turn for help. Under Arizona law, any person or party responsible for causing an accident where injuries or fatalities occur is liable for the resulting damages, and our legal team is dedicated to helping Mesa accident victims and their loved ones defend their rights and hold the at-fault person or party accountable for their actions. Don’t hesitate to protect yourself and your loved ones in the aftermath of a serious accident in Mesa. Contact our personal injury attorneys today.
What to Do After Being Injured in a Mesa Accident
Seek Medical Attention
Any time you are involved in a Mesa accident caused by the negligence or carelessness of another person, you want to seek immediate medical attention to determine the extent of your injuries. Even if you don’t think you have suffered any harm, you should have a medical professional examine you as soon as possible after the accident and document any injuries that may be related to the accident, no matter how minor they may be. If you decide to sue the at-fault person or party for damages, having a record of the accident and the injuries you suffered is the best kind of proof you can provide. Without any documentation of your injuries, you will find it difficult to prove your case.
Hire a Personal Injury Attorney
No matter how cut and dry your personal injury case may seem, it can quickly become too complicated for you to handle on your own, and at that point, it may be too late to hire an attorney. You should retain legal counsel as soon as possible after being involved in an accident for which another person or party is at fault, so you can ensure that your legal rights are protected and that you receive the compensation your injuries warrant. Whether your injuries occurred because of a car accident, dog bite attack, semi-truck accident or bus accident, having a knowledgeable personal injury attorney on your side is the best way to hold the negligent person or party liable for your damages.
Types of Personal Injuries
Personal injury is a legal term used to describe any injury a person suffers to his or her body, emotions or mind, and personal injury law is an area of the law that has to do with the civil claims that victims of personal injuries can bring as a result of negligent or wrongful conduct on the part of another person or company. All personal injury cases in Mesa and throughout Arizona are different and depending on the circumstances of your accident, you can sustain any number of personal injuries, ranging from minor to catastrophic, or possibly even fatal. The following are some examples of personal injuries that can result from accidents in Mesa or the surrounding area:
- Brain damage
- Broken bones and fractures
- Lacerations
- Severe bruising
- Road rash
- Whiplash
- Concussion
- Head injury
- Neck injury
- Back injury
- Spinal cord injury
- Amputation
- Paralysis
- Permanent disability
- Wrongful death
Examples of Personal Injury Accidents
Personal injury cases in Mesa are legal disputes that occur when one person suffers some sort of harm from an accident or injury caused by the recklessness or carelessness of another person or party who may be liable, or legally responsible, for that harm. Unlike criminal cases, which are brought by the government, a personal injury case typically begins when an individual (the plaintiff) brings a civil complaint against another person, corporation, business or government agency (the defendant), alleging that the defendant acted negligently or carelessly and caused the plaintiff’s injuries. Some examples of accidents that can result in personal injury or wrongful death include the following:
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Train accidents
- Slip and falls
- Dog bite accidents
- Bus accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Car accidents
- Elevator accidents
- Construction accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Truck accidents
- Premises liability accidents
Filing a Personal Injury Claim for Compensation
If you have suffered one or more of these injuries in a Mesa accident, you may be able to recover both economic damages – like medical expenses, loss of income due to missed time at work, and car repairs – and non-economic damages – like emotional distress, pain and suffering, and disfigurement or disability. Damages are intended to compensate injured victims for the harm they suffered because of another person’s wrongful act and are meant to make victims “whole” again. If you sustain serious or catastrophic injuries in a Mesa accident, if a wrongful death occurs, or if the insurance company offers you a settlement that is less than you deserve, you may have grounds to file a personal injury lawsuit to obtain the compensation you are entitled to. While some states put a limit on the number of damages you can recover in a personal injury case, there is no cap on damages in personal injury or car accident cases in Arizona, which means you can collect the full amount of compensation awarded by the court for your claim.
Mesa Personal Injury Statute of Limitations
After being involved in an accident in Mesa, you may need time to recover from your injuries, both physical and emotional, and probably the furthest thing from your mind at this time is finding a personal injury attorney and filing a lawsuit. What you need to know is that Arizona law establishes strict deadlines for bringing civil actions, known as statutes of limitations, and if you wait too long to file your personal injury claim, you could lose your right to compensation for good. The general statute of limitations for personal injury claims in Mesa is two years, which means an injured victim in Mesa has two years from the date of the injury to file a legal claim for compensation, or in some cases, less than two years. Once the statute of limitations has expired, you are barred from pursuing recovery through a personal injury lawsuit, so don’t wait. It is in your best interest to file your insurance claim as quickly as possible after your accident since delays are common, so you still have time to file a lawsuit, if necessary.
Determining Liability in Your Personal Injury Case
In general, any time an accident occurs in Mesa, whether it’s a truck accident, a pedestrian accident or a slip and fall accident, someone is liable for the accident and the injuries or harm sustained by victims. Liability for a Mesa car accident or any other type of injury-causing accident is based on what person or party caused or contributed to the accident, and when it comes to proving that the at-fault person or party was negligent in causing the accident and your injuries, there are four basic elements you must establish:
- Duty – The at-fault person or party (the defendant) owed you a duty of care (i.e. a driver in Mesa has a duty to drive safely and obey traffic laws),
- Breach – The defendant breached or violated that duty of care by acting in an unreasonable manner (i.e. the driver ran a stop sign or was driving while intoxicated),
- Causation – The defendant’s actions directly caused your injuries, and
- Damages – You suffered compensable damages as a result of your injuries.
Understanding the Law of Comparative Fault
Any time you accuse another person of causing you harm in a Mesa car accident or another type of accident, it is likely the other person will try to place part of the blame on you, and in states that follow the law of contributory fault, this can pose a serious problem. In contributory negligence states, injured victims are not able to obtain any compensation at all if they are found to have contributed in any way to the accident that caused their injuries, even if they are only 1% at fault. Arizona, however, is a pure comparative fault state, which means injured victims can recover damages for their injuries even if they are found to be 99% at fault for the accident. In shared fault situations in Mesa personal injury cases, the injured victim’s total damages award is reduced by an amount equal to his or her percentage of fault. For example, if you are found to be 55% at fault for the accident that caused your injuries, and your total damages award is $200,000, you would only be entitled to recover 45% of that amount, or $90,000.
How We Can Help
If you have suffered injuries or lost a loved one in an accident in Mesa or the surrounding area, and you are looking for an experienced attorney to represent your case, we can help. Our personal injury attorneys have years of experience handling cases like yours and we have the skill and experience necessary to protect your rights, ensure that your case is processed in a timely manner, and recover the compensation you are entitled to for your injuries and losses, which may involve pursuing damages in court. If, for instance, the insurance company offers to settle your claim and the amount isn’t enough to fairly compensate you for your injuries, we will attempt to negotiate a reasonable settlement on your behalf outside of court. However, if we aren’t able to reach a settlement agreement with the insurance company, we are prepared to take your personal injury case to a jury trial to get you the compensation you deserve. After being injured in an accident, you should be able to focus on recuperating from your injuries without having to worry about dealing with insurance companies or familiarizing yourself with the intricacies of personal injury law. Our attorneys can handle your case for you and ensure that you are treated fairly and with the respect you deserve.
Contact Our Mesa Injury Attorneys Today
By filing a personal injury claim for your Mesa accident injuries, you can recover compensation for medical bills, property damage, pain and suffering, lost wages, emotional distress, and loss of future earning capacity, among other damages. However, interpreting the various state laws that apply to your personal injury case and accurately estimating the value of your claim so you can ensure that you are fairly compensated for your injuries and losses can be complicated and confusing, especially if you have little to no experience with the personal injury process. If you have been injured in a Mesa motor vehicle accident, premises liability accident, or any other type of accident, contact our seasoned legal team at Personal Injury Attorneys, PLLC. We care deeply about the well-being of our clients and we will devote our time, energy and resources to helping you win your personal injury case.
