Personal injury is the term most commonly used to refer to an injury sustained through another person’s negligence or intentional tort.

An ‘injury’ can mean physical or emotional hurt. Personal injury claims are commonly brought because of traffic accidents, as well as accidents at home, at work or even on vacation. A personal injury lawsuit may arise from a myriad of events, such as tripping on an uneven sidewalk, slipping on the ice, being hit by a fallen branch, snow falling off a roof, a bike striking you, or someone opening a car door, without looking, and hurting you.

What is personal injury exactly?

Personal injury can also apply to medical or dental negligence resulting from misdiagnosis or faulty treatment. Many personal injury lawsuits are brought because of medical conditions suffered because of exposure to disease causing particulates such as asbestos, which can cause mesothelioma or other types of chest disease. Another type of personal injury that can be caused by negligence is deafness caused by workers not being provided with earplugs.

Depending upon the liability of the negligent party, the extent of physical and emotional injury, time out of work, the cost of medical treatment and the length of a resulting disability or pain and suffering, the injured party may be entitled to monetary compensation from the negligent party through a settlement or a judgment. The resolution of a personal injury case can be very complex and will likely require a legal advice and services of a Boston personal injury lawyer. Even with the attorney, your case may take a long time in the courts, even years, to resolve. However, the eventual reward could be tens of thousands of dollars, even millions.

On the other hand, the cost of pursuing a personal injury claim can be very costly because of lengthy investigations, research, discovery, motions, and prolonged negotiations between the parties. Eventually, there may be a costly trial either with a jury or judge. Fortunately, many cases are resolved short of trial, but the costs can still be staggering. Nonetheless, many Boston personal injury lawyers or boston criminal lawyers are willing to represent clients on a “contingent fee basis,” in which the attorney’s fee is a percentage of the plaintiff’s eventual compensation, payable when the case is resolved, with no payment necessary if the case is unsuccessful. In that case, the client has nothing to lose and everything to gain. Legal aid from the government is very unlikely, for example, it was largely abolished in England in the late 1990s and replaced with arrangements whereby the client would be charged no fee if her or his case was unsuccessful.

If a person thinks that he or she may have a legitimate claim for damages arising from the negligence or even intentional tort of another party, the person should sit down with a Boston personal injury lawyer and discuss the likelihood of success and potential damages.

Most Boston personal injury lawyers will not charge for this initial consultation, and the injured party will leave with a better idea as to whether he or she should pursue a personal injury claim. Finding a good Boston personal injury lawyer can be as easy as checking the internet or asking friends, relatives, neighbors or business associates for a recommendation.