Personal injury victims often feel lost when talking to attorneys about their situation. One of the reasons why they feel this way is because of the many legal terms that attorneys use when discussing personal injury cases. If you feel as if your attorney is speaking a different language, it may help to become familiar with some of these common personal injury terms:
Damages
When you hear the word “damages,” you may think your attorney is referring to your physical injuries or property damage. But in the legal world, the term damages is actually used to describe monetary compensation that can be recovered in a personal injury case.
Contingency Fee
Has your lawyer mentioned that he works on a contingency fee basis? Most personal injury attorneys do. This means that you will not be responsible for paying any attorneys’ fees unless your attorney is able to recover compensation by reaching a settlement or winning a trial verdict. If your attorney fails to recover compensation for you, he will not be paid for his legal services.
Loss of Earnings
Some injuries are so severe that the victim is forced to take time off of work in order to recover. In other cases, the victim may be required to change to a less physically demanding job or give up working altogether. In these situations, the victim may be able to recover compensation from the defendant for her loss of earnings.
Negligence
This is a term that you will probably hear from your personal injury attorney a lot. Legally speaking, negligence is the failure to exercise a reasonable level of care. In simpler terms, it means that a person is acting in a careless manner. Negligence is often the reason why people are injured in car accidents, motorcycle accidents, slip and fall incidents, and many other personal injury cases.
Statute of Limitations
The state puts a time limit on how long victims have to file a personal injury case. In Colorado, personal injury victims have two years from the date of the injury to file a case. The only exception to this rule is if the victim was injured in a motor vehicle accident. These victims have three years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit. After this time has passed, the victim loses the right to take legal action against the party that has caused him harm.
Have you been injured? If so, contact Reisch Law Firm today. Our experienced attorneys will always work closely with you to ensure that you understand everything that is going on in your personal injury case. Schedule a free consultation today by calling 303-291-0555 or filling out this online form.
