Possibly the city with the richest history in all of Wyoming, Laramie sees tourists and locals alike gathering all year long to see such sights as Vedauwoo Recreation Area or the Wyoming Territorial Prison. With a near constant influx of people, it raises the likelihood that accidents can occur, which could cause personal injury claims.
If you or someone you know has been injured or suffered property damage due to the negligent actions of another person or entity, you have the legal right to pursue legal action and Edwards Law Office, P.C. can help. You shouldn’t have to pay for the recklessness or inaction of someone else. Let an experienced Laramie personal injury lawyer from our office help you understand rights afforded to you for seeking compensation under Wyoming law during a complimentary case review.
What Is Personal Injury?
According to the American Bar Association, personal injury law, also called tort law, is specifically designed to protect you (the victim) if you or your property is injured or harmed because of someone else’s actions or failure to act. In a successful case, the victim receives compensation from the responsible party for the losses the victim has suffered.
Some of the most common personal injury claims are:
- Car accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Truck accidents
- Wrongful death
- Product liability
- Premises liability
- Medical malpractice
- Workers’ compensation
These are a few of a long list of claims that fall under personal injury, and no matter which of these apply to you or something else does, our legal team can help you fight for the compensation you deserve.
How To Prove Negligence
In most personal injury claims, the process is often not as straightforward as you might think it should be. Most of the time you, the victim, have to prove that the responsible party is liable for the damages that occurred. You must also prove the extent of your injuries and damages and how they relate to your accident.
As your Laramie personal injury lawyer will likely explain to you during your initial consultation with them, there are four generally accepted elements that your lawyer will look for to prove negligence in your case. Those are:
Duty of Care
The responsible party owes you a legal duty of care. A good example of this would be in a car accident situation. The at-fault driver has an obligation and expectation to drive safely and responsibly to prevent accidents from occurring.
Breach of Duty
This happens when the responsible party’s actions go against the legal duty of care that they have. Using the car accident example again, if the at-fault driver was texting on their cellphone when they hit you, that inattention would be a breach of their duty to drive safely.
Causation
Often the most difficult of all of the elements is proving that the responsible party’s actions directly caused your injuries or damages. That would prove that the at-fault driver’s inattention caused them to run a red light and if they hadn’t been texting, the accident would not have occurred.
Damages
The final element to prove is that the accident the responsible party caused directly led to damages. This is proven by documentation from doctor’s offices, automotive repair shops, proof of being out of work, etc.
Once all four of these elements have been proven, your lawyer will help you move forward with your personal injury lawsuit by seeking compensation for the damages caused.
Recovering Damages in a Personal Injury Claim in Laramie, WY
With any type of personal injury case, you, as the victim, have the legal right to pursue compensation from the person or entity responsible for your injuries and damages. Your Edwards Law Office, P.C. lawyer can assist you in filing for the following damages as they pertain to your claim:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Loss of earning capacity
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress (including PTSD)
- Disability
- Disfigurement
- At-home care
- Rehabilitation and therapies
Occasionally, punitive damages are considered for cases where the responsible party’s actions are determined to be particularly reckless. Your personal injury attorney can answer any questions you may have and if your case might fit the criteria for these damages.
Why You Should Hire a Laramie Personal Injury Attorney
You are perfectly within your legal right to pursue a personal injury lawsuit without the assistance of a lawyer. However, our team at Edwards Law Office, PC. suggests you hire an experienced attorney as it can only benefit your case.
Your Laramie personal injury lawyer will gather the necessary evidence and ensure your claim is filed within the four-year statute of limitations. The only exception is if the responsible party is a government entity, in that case then you only have two years to file your claim, per WY Statute 1-39-113.
If you or someone you know has suffered injuries or damages due to the reckless or negligent actions of another person in Albany County or anywhere in Wyoming, contact our office today for a free consultation. We’re here to help you fight for the compensation you deserve so that you can move forward with your recovery.