A personal injury lawyer installed in Adelaide is an attorney who offers legal representation to people who claim to have been hurt, either physically or emotionally, due to the negligence of someone else, business, government agency or some other entity. The term ‘personal injury’ implies that the injury was caused by an individual or group’s negligent or reckless action or behaviour. Personal injury attorneys primarily practice in the field of law referred to as tort law. Tort law governs how pecuniary damages and/or personal injury claims are settled. It is not federal law but has come into being due to decisions made by state courts.
In most cases, the injured party must be a resident of the state in which the incident occurred to be eligible for compensation under the law. The balance sought through personal injury lawyers is to help the victim to compensate for past and future medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, physical disability, property damage, and psychological harm. Sometimes, punitive damages may also be awarded in cases involving criminal wrongdoing on behalf of the defendant.
Most personal injury lawyers work on a contingent basis, i.e. they receive a portion of the settlement offer in exchange for having their client represented by them. However, in some states, like California, it is not required for lawyers to accept this agreement. Only when lawyers receive a reasonable percentage of the settlement offer can they agree to take on the case.
There are many circumstances under which a personal injury lawyer installed in Adelaide can help you. In the case of work-related injuries, they may be able to help you recover payments from your employer. For instance, if your employer pays your medical bills, but neglects to provide you with adequate sick pay, you can claim compensation for lost wages. Similarly, if you are injured on the job, your employer may be liable for negligence leading to your injury.
Another situation where a personal injury lawyer installed in Adelaide can help you is when you claim damages against another party because of negligence. If you were walking along a sidewalk when a car ran into a brick wall, you might be entitled to compensation for the injuries you suffered. If the brick wall were damaged due to careless driving, or reckless behaviour by another driver, your claim would include medical costs, loss of earnings, and other compensation. Again, if your request is successful, your injury attorney may refer you to an insurance adjuster to investigate the accident and see if any of your claims are valid.