A picture of a personal injury lawyer pushing a wheelchair with an injured plaintiff.

Personal Injury 101

Injuries that result in lasting harm can cause stress, force-time off work and cause lasting effects on your life. You shouldn’t have to bear the brunt of these unfortunate circumstances, and often you don’t have to. Knowing how to handle a personal injury claim is essential in receiving the compensation, and peace of mind, you deserve. Consulting a professional personal injury lawyer can help you understand what to do next.

Elements Of A Personal Injury Claim

Knowing what goes into a personal injury claim can help you determine how to move forward. A personal injury claim is based on negligence that leads to injury. So, In order for a claim to move forward, you or your legal team need to convincingly prove that this negligence caused you harm. Here are some elements of negligence that need to be present for personal injury claims to be successful:

Legal Obligation:

This is legal documentation that says that one party has a responsibility to take reasonable measures to keep another safe. This includes manufacturers verifying that their products are safe, or restaurants ensuring that their food won’t make anyone sick.

Violation:

The next step in the process is to determine if the party that caused harm had a legal obligation to keep you out of harm’s way. Your representation will have to prove that your injury was because of a violation of this obligation next. Slip-and-falls on unmarked wet floors would be one example of a business violating the legal obligation of care.

Finding Fault:

This stage of the claim is where it is important to have skilled personal injury lawyers on your side. Your lawyers then need to prove that the harm was sustained because of the violation of a legal obligation. Your representation also needs to prove that the harm wouldn’t have happened without the breach.

Awarding Damages:

In order for a personal injury case to resolve successfully, all three of the first elements must be present to prove that damages need to be awarded. Working with experienced personal injury lawyers can help you organize your case, so all the pieces are ready.

How To Begin A Personal Injury Claim

Contact a personal injury lawyer if you believe you have sustained harm that warrants starting a claim. At Nelson Personal Injury, our team of experienced personal injury lawyers know Minnesota law and can help you fight for compensation. For any questions about starting a claim or any process along the way, contact us for a free case evaluation or give us a call at (320) 252-1200