Greenville Personal Injury Attorneys How to Prove Negligence in Your Case

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Having witnessed someone’s careless actions that have led to an injury can be difficult for most people to come to terms with. Negligence can be proven as there are different forms of harm conducted upon the person’s well-being, be it physical or mental. Most forms of personal injuries such as slips, trips, falls, car accidents, etc. all display some form negligence be it on the person’s own fault or the others involved in the activity. A greenville personal injury lawyer knows how to approach these different cases of personal negligence and get you justice.

The rest of this article will describe how one can prove negligence along with what elements must be fulfilled in order to get a settlement. Dallas Car Wreck Lawyer By the time you are done reading this article, you will know much more about how a lawyer for personal injury in Greenville will guide you through the challenges of dealing with your case.

What is Negligence in Personal Injury Cases?

The term “negligence” in personal injury law means an act of not observing attention and effort when needed to avert any pretense harm or injury. A negligent act can take place due to delays in decision-making or overcomplicating a problem. In legal contexts however, most non-action is covered by inaction which gives room for much more serious legal problems, hence personal injury.

There are four key elements that must be proven to establish negligence:

  1. Duty of Care
  2. Breach of Duty
  3. Causation
  4. Damages

In order to prove each element, we will see how these factors affect your case and how a Greenville personal injury attorney can assist you. 

1. Duty of Care

The initial aspect of negligence is that you were given a duty of care from the defendant. This duty of care means that one is required to take reasonable care so as not to harm others. Some examples of cases of duty include:

  • In a car accident case, drivers have a duty to follow traffic laws and drive safely.
  • In a slip-and-fall case, property owners must maintain safe conditions for visitors.
  • In a medical malpractice case, doctors have a duty to provide a standard level of care to their patients.

A personal injury attorney in Greenville will find out first whether or not the defendant breached his duty of care. Then, the attorney will find for whom the defendant breached this duty in order to prove that he indeed injured someone.

2. Breach of Duty

The final step would be to prove that the defendant breached the duty of care. A breach of duty exists where the reasonable person standard is not met by the actions of the defendant. For example:

  • The duty of care while driving is breached when someone is texting while driving.
  • Breach of duty is committed by a shop owner when they fail to mop a spill and place warning signs.
  • A surgeon who omits a diagnosis of a condition or performs a surgical procedure is likely to breach their duty of care if they do not perform the surgery well.

A injury lawyers greenville sc will use evidence such as eyewitness testimony, expert opinions, and physical evidence to demonstrate that the defendant acted negligently and failed to meet their duty of care.

3. Causation

Proving causation is perhaps the most significant step in a personal injury case. You need to prove that the breach of duty caused your injuries through a reasonable process. The different causations include the following two:

  • Actual cause (Cause-in-Fact): Injury cases are divided into sections, and direct causes are referred to as actual causes (cause-in-fact). That means if the actions of the defendant were not implemented, then the injury would not have been caused.
  • Proximate cause: This relates to whether the defendant’s actions were closely related to the harm that occurred. In personal injury cases, the law considers whether the harm was a foreseeable result of the defendant’s actions.

For example, if a driver runs a red light and causes a crash, the actual cause would be the driver’s decision to run the red light, and the proximate cause would be the injuries you sustained in that crash.

A personal injury lawyers greenville sc will work with medical experts, accident reconstruction specialists, and other professionals to establish a direct link between the defendant’s actions and your injuries. They will use this evidence to prove that the defendant’s actions were not only responsible for your injury but that your injury was a foreseeable result of those actions.

4. Damages

When establishing negligence, one must, lastly, prove real incurred damages because of the actions of the offending party. Such injuries include:

  • Medical bills – costs that stem from the care and treatment of your injuries.
  • Lost wages – if your injuries rendered you unable to work.
  • Pain and suffering – injury suffered, both physically and psychologically.
  • Property damage – if your property, such as your vehicle, was damaged in the accident.

If the actions of a defendant were particularly irresponsible or shocking, punitive damages could also be incorporated in certain situations.

A personal injury attorney from Greenville will assist in calculating damages by scrutinizing medical files, collaborating with specialists, and estimating the costs over the duration of your injury. They will make sure that all of your expenses are accounted for when claiming compensation.

How a Greenville Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help

An injury lawyer has the knowledge, level of detail, and legal understanding necessary to prove negligence on someone’s part. This is where a Greenville personal injury lawyer steps in. Here’s how they can assist you:

1. Investigating Your Case

An injury lawyer will be investigating the cause of your injury. They will gather evidence including, but not limited to, witness interviews as well as expert consultations. And Your case should be watertight without any loopholes in regard to negligence. Ultimately, this becomes the goal.

2. Negotiating with Insurance Companies

Many insurers will try to settle with you for the lowest amount possible just so they can close the case quick. An attorney that deals with personal injury cases in Greenville will negotiate with the insurer to try and get a satisfactory payment for your injuries. In case a fair agreement is not achieved, your lawyer is prepared to go to court.

3. Filing a Lawsuit if Necessary

If the defendant or the insurance company is not willing to negotiate a reasonable settlement, your lawyer is going to file a complaint in court and act on your behalf during the trial. They will gather and present necessary materials, formulate arguments, and do everything you have to win the case.

Why Choose Parham Law Firm?

Parham Law Firm understands how difficult it is for personal injury victims from Greenville to seek justice, so the firm is here to help you. Having years of experience dealing with negligence claims, the firm promises to offer you the attention and care that you deserve. The group of compassionate and experienced personal injury attorneys in Greenville will collaborate with you to comprehend and analyze the particulars of your case so that they can get you the compensation that is rightfully yours.

To know more about how the Parham Law Firm can help you prove negligence and get what you are owed, please go to Parham Law Firm’s Personal Injury Page.

Conclusion

Establishing negligence is extremely important in a personal injury case. It can be quite different if you have an experienced Greenville personal injury lawyer beside you. A competent lawyer will handle everything for you, beginning with identifying the obligation to care to establishing the causative connection and and compensatory damages. Do not attempt to deal with the intricacies of personal injury law on your own; call the Parham Law Firm to get the expert legal guidance you need and put you on the path of justice.