Have you suffered an injury due to someone else’s negligence? A skilled McKinney personal injury attorney can help you understand your options when you have been wrongfully injured in a car collision, defective product incident, slip and fall, or through another type of accident. In these cases you might need to make a liability claim to seek compensation for medical bills, lost wages and other damages. Here’s a look at what a liability claim involves, and how it could help you recover after an accident.
What You Should Know About Liability Claims and Coverage
You have probably heard the term “liability claim” and asked yourself, “What exactly is a liability claim?” The answer is a bit more complicated than the term implies. This post will briefly explain the term and what it covers in an injury case.
What Is a Liability Claim?
A liability claim can be anything stemming from negligence. A personal injury liability claim is a common type of liability claim. You may have also heard of a car accident liability claim. This term just simply means, “Any type of claim in which someone could be found liable.” The injured person typically needs to prove that the other party was negligent or careless. If the claim is successful, several factors can influence the value of the personal injury case, including the severity of the injuries.
What Does a Liability Claim Cover?
A person would file a claim in order to get compensation for damages they incurred due to the situation at hand. There are two main types of damages when it comes to personal injury claims: compensatory and punitive.
Compensatory Damages
Compensatory damages are often broken up into two types: general and special. The general idea behind compensatory damages is to compensate for losses that stem from the incident that caused the personal injury. For example, compensatory damages would be awarded to an injured party to help pay for medical bills, lost wages, or any other rehabilitation costs. This is a common type of damage award for many types of liability claims.
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages aim to punish instead of compensate. Punitive damages are only awarded in a handful of cases where a party’s negligence was so bad that it is warranted to punish them monetarily. The court hopes that this will serve as an example to the public so that they do not copy that same behavior.
When Would Someone File a Liability Claim?
An individual can file a liability claim when they suffer harm because another party failed to act responsibly. There are several common situations where a liability claim may be necessary.
- Car, bike or truck accidents caused by negligent drivers.
- Slip and fall accidents on unsafe property.
- Injuries from defective or dangerous products.
- Workplace accidents not covered by workers’ comp.
- Dog bites or animal attacks due to careless owners.
Filing a liability claim allows injured individuals to seek compensation for medical bills, lost income and other damages. In most cases, you have two years from the date of the accident or injury to file a claim, making it crucial that you speak with a personal injury law firm as soon as possible.
Experienced Liability Claims Attorney in North Texas
At Lucé Law, PC, we help clients secure compensation for damages in personal injury, auto accident, and other common liability claims. For help filing a claim in Collin County and the surrounding areas, speak with our attorney team today. Call (972) 632-1300 or request a free legal consultation now.
