Tate Meagher of the Meagher Injury Lawyers here, Kentucky personal injury attorney. I’m here today to talk about what makes a good personal injury case. When I say good, I mean a case that has significant value.
1. Severe Injuries
The first thing you’ll see in any of these types of injury cases where there’s significant value is that, unfortunately, there are bad injuries involved. For example, you may have to use a walker or a wheelchair for the rest of your life. The worse the injuries, the more potential the injury case has as far as value.
2. Clear Relation of Injuries to the Accident
Second, the injuries must be clearly related to the accident. Objective injuries like broken bones, bruising, lacerations, and dog bites are easier to show as related to the accident. Pre-existing conditions, on the other hand, may not be as easy to show as related, and the defense or insurance company may argue that these conditions were not caused by the accident. As a personal injury attorney, I would argue that the pre-existing conditions were aggravated or exacerbated by the accident.
3. Significant Damages
Third, significant damages make for a good personal injury case. The most common types of damages you can recover include medical expenses lost wages, and pain and suffering. If you have severe injuries, you will likely have substantial medical expenses and may be out of work for a long time, or possibly unable to work at all in the future. Future lost wages and future pain and suffering can also be included.
4. Clear Liability
Fourth, clear liability on the part of the defendant strengthens a personal injury case. In motor vehicle accidents, if you were stopped and rear-ended, the liability is clear. In slip-and-fall cases, while the defendant might argue that the plaintiff shares some liability, clear-cut cases do exist. In dog bite cases, dog owners are strictly liable for any injuries their dogs cause, although the owner might argue that the plaintiff was negligent.
5. Deep Pockets to Pursue
Fifth, it helps if the defendant has “deep pockets” or sufficient insurance coverage. In Kentucky, the state minimum limits for car insurance are $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident. You should pursue every possible insurance option, such as uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. In slip and fall cases on business premises, businesses usually have commercial insurance policies with large limits or are self-insured. Dog bite cases can be tricky in terms of finding insurance coverage, but it’s essential to investigate whether the dog owner has homeowner’s or renter’s insurance and whether there are exclusions in the policy.
Conclusion
If you’ve sustained a dog bite or been involved in any type of accident, I highly suggest you consult with an attorney to investigate potential insurance coverage. Remember, if you’ve been injured in an accident in Louisville Kentucky, don’t wait. Call Tate. Please subscribe to my YouTube channel and watch more of my videos. Thanks!
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