4 Elements Required To File A Personal Injury Claim
If someone else’s negligent conduct causes an injury to a person, they must have four distinct elements present in order to file a personal injury claim.
1. The Presence of a Duty
Every personal injury case starts with a duty from the defendant to the claimant. In the case of a car accident, this duty can be as simple as driving safely. For example, a driver has a duty to lawfully stop at a stop sign. A company or person may be responsible for preventing injuries caused by their product or on their property. This would be a more complicated situation.
2. Breach of the Duty
In order to successfully prosecute a personal injury claim, not only must a duty exist, but also the duty related to the incident must have been breached. This creates the potential for blame to be placed upon the defendant. For example, if a defendant driver has a “duty” to stop at a stop sign. If the driver fails to stop at that stop sign, he or she breaches his or her duty.
3. An Injury Of The Claimant
To file a claim, the claimant must have suffered a physical, emotional, or financial injury. This injury must result from a defendant breaking a duty. Without evidence of this injury, a lawsuit may not go forward. In the legal context, people often refer to injuries as “damages.”
4. Causation in Personal Injury Claims
One of the most important parts of an injury claim is needed to bring together the other elements. A claimant needs to prove that the defendant’s actions were responsible for their injuries. For example, if a defendant driver fails to stop at a stop sign. They strike another driver that has the legal right of way, and that driver sustains injuries. Then the defendant’s negligence caused the other driver’s injuries.
How Habush Attorneys Can Help
If your injuries were caused by another person or organization’s negligence you may be eligible for compensation to address things like medical bills, lost wages, and other damages. To learn more about your personal injury claim options, contact the personal injury attorneys of Habush Habush & Rottier today.
