Anyone who is injured due to the negligent acts of another person should seek legal representation as soon as possible. But, many of these personal injury victims are surprised to discover that finding legal representation is not as easy as it may seem. This is because law firms often refer personal injury victims to other firms instead of handling the case themselves. Why do so many law firms do this? Here are some of the reasons:

The Case is Too Complex

Law firms often refer personal injury clients to other lawyers when the case is far too complex for them to handle. This is especially common with medical malpractice, wrongful death, and product liability cases, since these tend to be among the most complex. When lawyers believe they cannot provide adequate representation to a client because of the complexity of a case, they would rather send them to another firm than damage their reputation with a losing case.

Law firms can also turn away cases if they don’t represent clients in certain practice areas. For instance, a law firm that specializes in car and truck crash cases may not want to represent someone who was injured by a negligent doctor. Law firms that don’t practice personal injury law at all will also send personal injury clients to other firms that are better equipped to handle these cases. For example, a family law firm that typically handles divorce and child custody disputes would not represent clients in personal injury cases.

The Firm is Too Busy

Some law firms get in the habit of taking on any client that walks through the door. Even though the lawyers have every intention of helping all of these clients, they quickly find that it is impossible to do so. Instead of simply cutting some of the clients loose, these law firms make it easier on them to find new representation by referring the clients to another firm.

Contingency Fees Could Affect Compensation

Lawyers that practice other areas of law such as criminal law or family law charge either an hourly rate or flat fee. However, personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis. This means personal injury clients are not expected to pay for legal services unless their attorney successfully recovers compensation. Then, the attorney takes a percentage of the compensation so the victim never has to pay a dime out of their pocket.

This arrangement ensures that all personal injury victims‚regardless of their financial status‚can afford to hire an attorney. This arrangement also ensures that personal injury lawyers do not get paid for their work unless they win the case. Working on a contingency fee basis motivates hardworking personal injury lawyers to aggressively fight for their clients. After all, the more compensation they are able to recover for their clients, the larger the attorney’s share will be. But, working on a contingency fee basis may not be appealing to personal injury lawyers who aren’t willing to put a lot of effort into winning your case. For this reason, law firms may send personal injury victims to other firms so they can focus solely on cases where revenue is guaranteed.

Expenses Associated With the Case

Because personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, they don’t get paid until the case has been resolved. But as personal injury lawyers prepare your case, they may incur a number of expenses. For example, some personal injury lawyers will need to hire expert witnesses to testify in their clients’ cases. Most of the time, personal injury lawyers agree to cover these expenses upfront as long as they are reimbursed when the client recovers compensation at the end of the case.

A law firm may send you to another lawyer if they realize that there will be a lot of upfront expenses in your personal injury case. Sometimes, the law firm may not think that they will be able to recover enough compensation to cover the expenses, so they don’t want to risk losing the money. Law firms can also make the decision to send you to another firm if they simply don’t have the cash flow to cover the expenses. Instead of presenting a weak case, they refer you to another firm that will be able to spend a significant amount of money to build a strong case on your behalf.

The Location of the Case

The location where the lawsuit will be filed could also affect whether a lawyer will accept your case or refer you to another firm. If your lawsuit will need to be filed in a different state, the lawyer may not be licensed to practice law in that state. Therefore, the lawyer will need to send you to someone who is licensed for that area.

Lawyers from other counties or cities within the state are legally permitted to work on your case. However, they may choose to refer you to another firm if they are not familiar with the local court’s practices. For example, if the lawsuit needs to be filed in County A, but the lawyer usually works in County B, the lawyer may feel that someone who is familiar with County As courts would be better suited for the job. They can also refer you if they are not willing to commute to another city or county in order to represent you in court.

Have you been injured in a crash that was not your fault? If so, contact Trial Lawyers for Justice today to schedule a consultation regarding your case. We don’t refer clients to other law firms, we represent them ourselves. Our experienced personal injury attorneys will fight tirelessly to recover compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

We all know that mishaps happen, but when it has injured yourself or a loved one, the pain from the injuries is just a fraction of the difficulty it encompasses. The injury itself can cause a host of medical visits and financial expenses, not to mention physical pain. It’s possible the injury has caused an inability to work, perhaps just temporarily, and a lot of emotional strife, too.

Dealing with a personal injury can be one of the most difficult things, as some injuries are drastically life changing. Since every personal injury case is unique, the rules and regulations need to be considered on a case by case basis.

When Can A Personal Injury Case Be Filed?

If you are injured in an incident yourself, you can file a lawsuit or personal injury case against the party at fault. If a child has been injured, their parent can file a case on their behalf (and in some cases on their own behalf as well), but a child under the age of 18 cannot file a claim on their own behalf. There are, however, some situations where an adult child (who is not a minor) can file a case on behalf of their parent. Again, legal counsel can help to navigate the legal rules and statutes pertaining to your specific case.

What’s The First Step?

If you or a loved one has been injured due to the negligent acts of another party, the first thing to do is to seek the appropriate medical treatment, and to so do as soon as possible. This is not only first, but most important. Making sure you are getting any medical needs addressed, and in a timely manner is crucial to your health and well being. Don’t forget that not all injuries may appear right away; keep close attention to your body and for any new or unusual indications that there could be something wrong.

Documentation

For any medical care that comes along with an injury, there should always be documentation so it can be admitted as evidence for your case. Collecting and obtaining the correct documentation ¬†includes retaining receipts for medical care which might include doctor’s visits, x-rays, diagnostic tests, scans or imaging, lab work, prescriptions, and any therapy, or rehab. Keep in mind that there may also be ongoing (future) medical needs, and that this should be taken into account as well when it comes to expenses. Aside from obtaining copies of expenses for medical care, it’s necessary to make reports of the injuries to medical professionals. Having all of your documentation clear and organized will make it easier as you progress along in your case.

Additional Evidence

Further documentation for any personal injury case requires photos and a description of the injury and the incident themselves. If you are able to take photos of the scene of the mishap, this would be helpful too. The scene of the event may include anything having to do with the vehicle(s) or surroundings, and most importantly, the name of, contact and insurance information of the at-fault party in the situation. The incident should also be reported promptly to the police or local authorities.

Having all of your documentation clear and organized will make it easier as you progress along in your case. While documentation of medical expenses and of the incident are key, the psychological impact of the event (and for any caregiver of an injured party) also play a role in the evidence and strength of the case.

Can A Child File A Personal Injury Suit?

According to the law, minors cannot act for themselves in contracting with counsel or filing a lawsuit, which means that a minor child cannot file a suit on behalf of themselves or someone else. A child does have the right, though, to compensation for pain and suffering from an injury or disability in the same way that an adult does. As such, an adult is also entitled to these rights on behalf of their child. For example, a parent whose child got a spinal cord injury from a car crash is entitled to compensation for the expenses they became subjected to (medically, care for the child, missed employment or lost wages, and even psychologically as well). A parent can file a lawsuit or claim on behalf of their child for those injuries, although it’s important to remember that in some states the parent might need to seek the approval of a judge to do so.

One exception where a child can file a case would be if they were an adult child who is filing a case on behalf of their parent, for example. Of course, since each case is unique in nature, the nuances should be discussed with a knowledgeable attorney. If an adult child is named as a power of attorney (by the parent), or is appointed one by the court, then the adult child would be able to file a personal injury case on behalf of the parent.

Another situation where an adult child would file a personal injury case on behalf of their parent could be if the parent was injured and their injuries caused them to be unable to make decisions for themselves, or if the parent was already in such a state at the time the incident occurred. Either way, the adult child would need to seek guardianship of the parent from the courts if they have not already been appointed as a power of attorney to the parent. These appointments are what would allow the adult child to file a case, then.

Making The Best Choice

Again, cases of personal injury are nuanced, complex processes. Consulting with an experienced Des Moines personal injury lawyer will put you in the best position to determine how to proceed with your case. With personal injury cases, attorneys only take a fee if the case has been won, and it is also a responsibility of the personal injury attorney to bear the burden of dealing with the insurance company, who is often the one defending the at-fault party.

Allow an experienced attorney at Trial Lawyers for Justice help you along this arduous journey.

No two personal injury cases are alike, however the steps that each plaintiff must take in order to recover compensation are typically the same. If you have been injured and want to file a personal injury lawsuit, here’s a step-by-step guide of what you should expect:

Hire A Personal Injury Attorney

It’s in your best interests to immediately contact an attorney after you have been injured. The attorney will review the details of your case and determine whether he believes you will be able to recover compensation from the at-fault party. If he believes you have a legitimate claim, he will agree to represent you and work for you on a contingency fee basis, which means he will not be paid unless you recover compensation through a settlement or verdict.

File An Insurance Claim

In most personal injury cases, you will be filing a claim against the at-fault party’s insurance company instead of the individual himself. For example, if you were injured in a car crash, the claim would typically be against the other driver’s insurance company and not the other driver.

After you have filed the claim with your attorney’s help, an insurance adjuster will be assigned to your case. The insurance adjuster is responsible for gathering evidence related to the case, including proof of injuries and property damage, and then negotiating a settlement with you. It’s important that you let your attorney handle the negotiations with the insurance adjuster. Insurance companies do not have your best interests in mind, but your attorney does. He will aggressively negotiate on your behalf to ensure that you do not accept an unfair settlement.

File A Lawsuit

Most personal injury cases can be resolved through negotiations between your attorney and the insurance company. In fact, a very small percentage of cases make it to court. But, you will still need to be prepared to file a lawsuit in the event that you are not able to reach a settlement with the insurance company.

Your attorney can initiate a lawsuit by filing a complaint, which will include details on the injuries you have sustained, how you sustained them, the laws that the liable party has violated, and the damages you have suffered as a result of your injuries. After the complaint has been filed, your attorney will need to serve the defendant with a copy of the complaint so he is aware that you are filing a lawsuit. The defendant will then have a chance to respond to the allegations that you made within the complaint.

Discovery

During the discovery process, attorneys will attempt to gather as much information from the other side as possible as they prepare their case for trial. Some of the most common methods used to collect information are depositions, document production requests, and interrogatories.

If you are asked to sit for a deposition, the other side’s attorney will ask you a series of questions while you are under oath. A court reporter will also be present to record everything that is said. Interrogatories are similar to depositions except they are in written form. During an interrogatory, the attorney will submit a list of questions to you that you must answer under oath. Finally, you may also be asked to submit documents to the other side during the discovery process. This can include medical records, proof of expenses, and any other documentation that you may have that is related to the case.

Pre-Trial Motions

Before the actual trial begins, it’s likely that both sides will file a number of motions, which are formal requests. There are several different types of motions, including those asking to have evidence excluded from the case and those asking for the entire case to be dismissed.

As both sides go through the process of filing motions with the court, it is likely that the defendant will attempt to reach a settlement with you once more. This is because it is very expensive for a defendant to take a case to court, so they may want to avoid doing so at all costs.

The Trial

If you have still not accepted a settlement, a trial date will be set for your case. The trial will begin with both sides making their opening statements, which are used to introduce the case to the jury. Then, each side will have an opportunity to present evidence by calling witnesses to the stand and questioning them. Witnesses can include those who were directly involved in the case such as the plaintiff and at-fault party, those who witnessed the incident, and expert witnesses such crash reconstruction specialists or medical specialists. Both sides will rest their case after they have finished calling all of their witnesses. At this point, each attorney will be able to deliver his closing statements to the jury. Closing statements will highlight the main points of the case so they are fresh in the jury members minds.

Once both sides have finished their closing statements, the judge will instruct the jury to begin deliberating. Deliberations are completely confidential, so you will not be able to hear what the jury is discussing as they decide on the verdict.

The Verdict

At the end of the trial, the jury will return with a verdict. The jury will either rule in favor of the defendant, which means you will not recover any compensation and may be ordered to pay the defendant’s attorneys fees, or he will rule in favor of you, the plaintiff. If the jury rules in your favor, the defendant will be ordered to pay you a specific amount of compensation for your medical expenses, pain and suffering, and more.

Now that you know exactly how a personal injury lawsuit works, take the first step today by contacting an attorney. If you have been injured due to another person’s negligence, contact Trial Lawyers for Justice today to speak to one of our Des Moines personal injury attorneys and schedule a consultation regarding your case.

Talcum powder is primarily made out of talc, which is a mineral comprised of magnesium, silicon, and oxygen. In 1892, Johnson and Johnson began to market talcum powder to women as a sanitary product that absorbed moisture and smells. Soon, it was being used in everything from baby powder and women’s cosmetics to condoms. It became so popular that some women even sprinkled talcum powder into their underwear on a daily basis to keep the area clean. Today, it is estimated that Johnson & Johnson takes in over $300 million in revenue per year from talcum powder products alone. These products include baby powders, body powders marketed towards adult women, foot powders, and feminine hygiene products.

The Discovery of Talcum Powder’s Harmful Effects

In the 1970s, scientists began to study the effects of talcum powder on women’s reproductive systems. Researchers believed talcum powder entered a woman’s reproductive system when used on the genitals and traveled all the way upwards into the ovaries. Through various studies, they found that the majority of tumors found in the ovaries contained small amounts of talc, which validated their beliefs. Similar studies were conducted throughout the late 1970s and 1980s, and all of them reached the same conclusion.

But, these studies only proved that talcum powder was present in ovarian tumors, not that it was a risk factor for ovarian cancer. Researchers then began to focus on determining whether women who used talcum powder were at a greater risk of developing ovarian cancer. A Harvard physician began to study the product in 1982 and found such a strong, undeniable link between talcum powder and certain types of cancer that he wrote Johnson & Johnson asking them to remove all products containing talc from the shelves. In 2003, researchers analyzed 16 different research papers and concluded talcum powder users had an increased risk of forming cancerous ovarian tumors. In 2013, another study confirmed this finding. Researchers studied almost 2,000 women and found those that used talcum powder as a feminine hygiene product were between 20-30% more likely to develop ovarian cancer.

The Talcum Powder Lawsuits

In 2006, a physician assistant in Sioux Falls, South Dakota named Diane Berg was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at the age of 49. Berg had been using talcum powder nearly her entire life to remove bad smells, but was completely unaware of the potential side effects of long-term use. She was not alone. Talcum powder manufacturers such as Johnson & Johnson did not include any warning labels on their product, despite allegations that they knew of the dangers of talcum powder as far back as 1971. Berg filed a lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson, who soon approached her with an offer to settle the case in exchange for her silence. Berg refused to sign the confidentiality agreement because she did not want to see other women suffer the same fate of being diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

Although Berg was the first to file a lawsuit regarding talcum powder, she was far from the last to do so. Most recently, judges in St. Louis ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay $127 million in damages to two families of women who died of ovarian cancer.

Why was there such a large settlement? One of the plaintiffs provided evidence that Johnson & Johnson knew of the potential dangers of using talcum powder, but intentionally kept the information secret in order to protect the company’s image. In 1992, an internal memo circulated between Johnson & Johnson employees discussed the ‚Äúnegative publicity from the health community on talc‚Äù as a huge obstacle for the company to overcome. In 1997, a toxicologist retained by the company to offer his opinion on ovarian cancer research, wrote a letter to the manager of preclinical toxicology, Michael Chudkowski. In the letter, he discusses multiple studies that indicate there is a link between talcum powder and ovarian cancer, and even advises that if Johnson & Johnson denies the existence of this link, they will be perceived just as negatively as cigarette companies.

Based on this evidence, it is clear Johnson & Johnson was aware there were risks associated with using talcum powder. The court punished Johnson & Johnson for their negligence and failure to warn consumers of the link between talcum powder and ovarian cancer.

Even though these cases have now come to a close, it is estimated that Johnson & Johnson and other talcum powder manufacturers still face around 1,200 additional lawsuits with similar claims.

The Future of Talcum Powder Lawsuits

Johnson & Johnson is planning to appeal the verdicts made in the two St. Louis cases. Through a spokesperson, the company stood behind‚30 years of studies by medical experts that support the safety of using talc.

Researchers have been unable to determine how talcum powder causes ovarian cancer, if it in fact does. However, as shown in the previous examples, that has not stopped juries from awarding large settlements to talcum powder consumers who now have ovarian cancer. How can Johnson & Johnson be held liable when there’s no scientific proof? Because plaintiffs have been able to show that Johnson & Johnson was aware of the potential risk but did not put a warning label on their product, they will most likely continue to be held liable in these cases. Manufacturers have a legal obligation to warn consumers of the potential dangers of using a product so consumers can make an educated decision on whether or not to use it. When manufacturers fail to fulfill this obligation, they become liable for injuries or deaths that occur as a result.

If you have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer and believe it is related to talcum powder or if you have been injured by another type of defective product, contact us today to discuss your case. Our product liability attorneys can help defend your rights and fight for compensation to cover your medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

If you have been injured and are considering filing a lawsuit against the at-fault parties, you may be wondering exactly how much you would be awarded for your injuries. This is one of the first questions that clients ask attorneys when discussing their case, but it’s a difficult one to answer. Compensation is never guaranteed in personal injury lawsuits. The amount and type of compensation you are awarded will depend on the details of your case. But, to get an idea of how much other people have been awarded in personal injury lawsuits in Iowa, take a look at some of these verdicts:

Alcala v. Marriott International, Inc.

In 2014, Brenda Alcala was a guest at Courtyard by Marriott, a hotel chain owned by Marriott International, Inc. During her stay, she slipped on ice that had accumulated on a walkway and within the parking lot, and shattered her ankle as a result. She was forced to have two surgeries to repair her ankle, and had to switch jobs as a result of the chronic pain. Alcala filed a premises liability lawsuit against Marriott International, Inc. alleging that the hotel chain created a safety hazard by not clearing the ice.

The parties were not able to reach a settlement outside of court, so the case went to trial in February of 2014. The jury awarded Alcala over $1.2 million, which included $35,000 for past medical expenses, $250,000 for estimated future medical expenses, $50,000 for lost wages, $100,000 for estimated future lost wages, $400,000 for pain and suffering, and $400,000 for loss of function of the body.

Despite the large settlement, the jury did not believe Marriott International, Inc. was completely at fault for the incident. In the end, the jury placed 2% of the blame on the plaintiff and 98% on the defendant.

Antonio Arenas and Laura Perez v. University of Iowa Hospital

Antonio Arenas and Laura Perez filed a lawsuit against the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics after their daughter was born in 2012 with a brain injury. The couple claimed that the medical staff at the hospital failed to perform a C-section in a timely manner, and their newborn daughter suffered a birth injury as a result of this mistake.

Arenas and Perez were awarded nearly $2.2 million in the settlement of this case. Their daughter’s guardians will also be entitled to $1,000 per month, increasing at 3% annually, through November of 2028. After this time, the payments will increase to $2,570 per month, increasing at 3% annually, until November 2068. The university’s insurance policy is covering around 70% of this settlement, and the state of Iowa will also pay $1.1 million in total.

Jonathon and Martha Fountain v. University of Iowa Hospital

The University of Iowa Hospital was involved in another birth injury lawsuit in 2012. Jonathon and Martha Fountain claimed that their son was born with a number of injuries, including cerebral palsy, which he sustained because of the medical staff’s negligence. Ms. Fountain visited the hospital in 2007 to give birth, and was given the hormone Pitocin, which is administered to speed up labor. But, Ms. Fountain claimed that she was already experiencing severe contractions at this point, so there was no need to administer the hormone in the first place. If Pitocin is administered when it is not needed, it can actually do the opposite of what it is intended to do and prolong the labor because of excessive contractions. Babies are at a higher risk of suffering from injuries when labor is extended, so Ms. Fountain and her husband argued that the choice to administer Pitocin put her baby in harm’s way.

The couple’s baby was born when the doctor made the decision to perform a C-section after an astonishing 28 hours of labor. The couple alleged the medical staff had access to medical records that clearly showed the baby had brain damage, but they failed to take action to rectify the situation. The lawsuit came to an end in July of 2012, when the couple was awarded a $3.75 million settlement.

Plaintiff v. 633 Partners

A student of the University of Iowa was watching fireworks from her fire escape on the second floor of off-campus housing. The fire escape quickly became loose and fell to the ground, taking the student with it. The student suffered a hip fracture as a result of the fall and sued the off-campus facility to hold them accountable for her injuries. It was discovered that prior to the incident, the facility’s owner had replaced the siding on the building, and failed to secure the fire escape bolts to keep it attached. The property owner’s negligent mistake caused a serious mishap, and the defendant eventually settled with the plaintiff for $800,000 before the case was taken to court.

Plaintiff vs. Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART)

Unfortunately, there have been multiple lawsuits filed against DART by pedestrians who allege they were injured after being involved in an crash with a DART bus. In fact, DART even put new rules in place in 2009 to reduce the number of crashes. One of the rules prohibited drivers from making left hand turns because so many pedestrians were being injured when DART bus drivers turned left.

One of the largest settlements involved a 24-year-old pedestrian who was run over by a DART bus in downtown Des Moines, Iowa. She suffered multiple pelvic fractures and a concussion as a result of the incident. DART settled the case for $2.74 million to cover her current and future medical expenses, pain and suffering, and lost wages.

This list has been compiled based on our research and what is available to the public online. If you would like to discuss your case with an attorney to get a better idea of how much your claim is worth, contact us today to schedule a consultation with our team. 

Drunk driving isn’t just illegal, it’s also dangerous. Alcohol can severely impact a driver’s ability to multitask, judge distances, pay attention to the road, and steer a vehicle, which is why drunk drivers cause so many injuries and fatalities every year. In fact, it is estimated that 28 people are killed in accidents involving an alcohol-impaired driver everyday in the United States, and many more suffer serious injuries. When someone is injured or killed in a drunk driving accident, who is held responsible? Here are some of the parties that could be held liable:

Bars/Restaurants

Many people choose to drive drunk so they can get home after consuming alcohol at a bar or restaurant. In some cases, the licensed vendor that sold the drunk driver the alcohol can be held responsible for the victim’s injuries. However, the dram shop in Iowa states that the vendor can only be held liable if the drunk driver was served alcohol when they were already intoxicated or appeared to be intoxicated.

For example, let’s say a bartender continues to serve a man who is slurring his speech, uneasy on his feet, and visibly drunk. If this man gets into a car accident on his way home and injures or kills another driver, the vendor is liable since they continued to serve an intoxicated man alcohol. However, the vendor cannot be held liable if they immediately stopped serving the man drinks when they noticed that he appeared to be intoxicated.

Proving that a vendor is responsible for a victim’s injuries can be difficult since it requires retracing the drunk driver’s steps to determine where they were served alcohol and how much they drank. Even though it is challenging, it’s not impossible with the help of an experienced personal injury attorney.

Social Hosts

People who serve alcohol to guests at a private residence as opposed to a bar or restaurant are known as social hosts. These individuals can also be held liable for a victim’s injuries in certain situations. But in Iowa, social hosts can only be held liable if the drunk driver was a minor and obviously intoxicated.

For example, if a woman is hosting a dinner party at her house, she should know which of her guests are over the age of 21. She should also watch her guests carefully to determine who is visibly intoxicated or who is drinking so much that they will quickly become intoxicated so she can prevent them from consuming more alcohol. If the woman continues to serve a minor alcohol even though he is visibly intoxicated, she can be held liable if he crashes into another car and injures someone on his way home. Even if he wasn’t visibly intoxicated at the party, the woman can still be held liable if she served him so much alcohol that she should have known he would eventually become intoxicated.

As previously mentioned, the social host can only be held liable if the drunk driver was a minor. This means that a social host who serves alcohol to a legal adult even though they are noticeably intoxicated cannot be held liable if the adult injures or kills someone.

The Driver

In every personal injury or wrongful death claim, the victims must be able to prove that their injuries were caused by the defendant’s negligent behavior. There are many different types of negligent behavior, but one of them is drunk driving. Driving while under the influence of alcohol is considered a negligent behavior because it puts other drivers on the road in danger. As a result, drunk drivers are also held liable for injuries and fatalities caused in drunk driving accidents.

Multiple Parties

It’s important to note that multiple parties can be held liable for an accident. For example, let’s say a bartender serves alcohol to a man who is visibly intoxicated, and the man then gets into a car accident and seriously injures the other driver. In this case, both the bar and the other driver could be held liable since both contributed to the cause of the accident. The bar’s employee was negligent because he continued to serve someone who was already intoxicated, and the driver was negligent because he got behind the wheel after consuming alcohol. The victim in this accident would need to file a personal injury claim against both parties in order to recover as much compensation as possible.

Recovering Compensation in a Drunk Driving Accident

Victims who have been injured by a drunk driver may be able to recover economic, non-economic, and punitive damages by filing a personal injury claim. Economic damages are awarded to victims who have incurred expenses or suffered losses as a result of the accident. This type of compensation covers current and future medical bills, lost wages, and any other injury-related expense or loss.

Non-economic damages, which are often referred to as compensation for pain and suffering, are awarded to victims who have suffered due to their injuries. For example, victims who suffered painful injuries or who experienced a great deal of mental anguish after the accident could be awarded non-economic damages.

Drunk driving victims may be awarded punitive damages as well. Punitive damages are awarded in cases where the defendant acted with extreme negligence. These damages are not supposed to reimburse or compensate the victim for anything that they experienced as a result of the accident. Instead, these damages are meant to punish the defendant and deter negligent behavior in the future.

Have you been injured by a drunk driver? If so, contact Trial Lawyers for Justice today to schedule a consultation regarding your case. Our skilled personal injury attorneys will fight tirelessly to recover the compensation you deserve for your injuries.’,’Drunk Driving Accidents: Who is Responsible?