Has someone caused your recent injury? If so, you are now affected by what is known as tort law in the American legal system. What is a tort? How are you impacted by torts? And what recourse do you have to get what you need to recover? Here are answers to some of your questions.
1. What Is a Tort?
In legal terms, a tort is an act or omission by one party that causes some form of injury to another. It is a civil legal issue, addressed through the civil courts where the injured party seeks compensation from the party that committed the tort. Generally, torts come in three main varieties: intentional torts, negligence, and strict (product) liability.
Tort law comes primarily in the form of personal injury law, but this category is much broader than most people realize. Why? The injury caused by a tort can take many forms, some of which are not easily recognizable.
2. What Sort of Injuries Are Included?
If torts and personal injuries take many forms, what might these look like? It is most often bodily injury such as might occur as a result of a car accident, a pedestrian being hit, a fight between individuals, or a fall on badly maintained stairs. This bodily injury might be intentional, perhaps from an assault, or it might be accidental and come from negligence.
Injury can also include non-bodily harm or loss. If your business rival prints a libelous statement that you are participating in fraud, you may have a personal injury case. Why? The injury is to your reputation and your ability to earn an income. The losses are financial rather than bodily, but they remain caused by the actions or omissions of another party and are injurious to you.
Other non-bodily injuries include invasion of privacy, defamation, infliction of emotional distress, and false imprisonment.
3. How Can You Get Compensation?
Because tort law is a civil matter, you have three primary means of getting compensation for your injury. The first is through submitting a claim to an insurance company. Most bodily injury cases involve some type of insurance coverage. This insurance may be your own or it may be someone else’s liability coverage.
The second means of being compensated is through negotiation and settlement. Settlements happen outside the courtroom and allow you to avoid the extra expense and time involved in getting a legal judgment. You do not need to prove your claim beyond a shadow of a doubt, but you must build a strong enough case that the other side feels its best interests are to avoid an actual court battle.
The third method to receive compensation is to bring a case before the court. This route is usually pursued only when the first two options have been exhausted. Because you must now win your case to receive anything, most tort cases that reach this point require the help of an experienced attorney.
4. How Is Compensation Granted?
What restitution might you get for a tort violation? Generally, you may seek what is called general and special damages.
General damages put into dollar amounts the consequences in terms of pain and suffering, impairment, quality of life, reputation damage, or other non-financial issues both present and future. Special damages add up determinable financial losses such as expenses incurred, lost earnings, and loss of irreplaceable assets. These calculations can be applied to insurance claims, settlements, and court judgments.
Where Should You Start?
Tort law is complex. It is also vital to your recovery from any personal injury, either bodily or non-bodily. Therefore, you do well to start by learning how it may be applied in your particular case. Bradley, Drendel & Jeanney has assisted Nevada residents with all their personal injury needs for more than 50 years. Call today for a free consultation.
5 Benefits of Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer
Suppose you are seriously hurt in an accident. In that case, the immediate effects are not only painful, but some personal injuries can permanently change your life due to the negligence of another party.
If you or a loved one has survived a personal injury caused by another party, you can seek compensation for your medical bills, lost income, and other related expenses. But the process to do so can be confusing. A personal injury lawyer can help you handle all the formalities required to make a claim or build a case against the responsible party.
Here are five benefits of working with a personal injury lawyer.
1. Offer Objective Opinions
Pain and emotional distress often accompany many personal injury cases and directly impact your recovery. As such, building a personal injury claim following a traumatic event is not without emotional repercussions that can affect your ability to make objective decisions as far as your injury is concerned.
A personal injury lawyer eliminates overwhelming negative emotions that affect your decision-making process and can give you expert advice on how to pursue compensation based on both the physical and psychological impacts.
2. Provide Professional Knowledge of Personal Injury Law
Current knowledge of personal injury laws and possible outcomes is critical. Better yet, you need someone who can demonstrate how the specific injury impacts your life, interest, and relationships and can provide evidence. When it comes to winning personal injury cases, it’s not the claim that matters. It’s what you can prove.
A personal injury lawyer can look at all facets of the case, honing in on key laws at play, and review all relevant information for the best possible outcome.
3. Help With Insurance Settlement Negotiations
When pursuing maximum compensation, you want an expert engaging in negotiations on your behalf. This is because insurance adjusters may try to tempt you into a quick settlement to keep you from pursuing a lawsuit that may be worth much more money.
The insurance company’s best interest is to settle as quickly as possible to avoid costly legal battles. However, a personal injury lawyer is your best bet in dealing with insurance companies or adjusters to make sure the offer you receive is not less than your settlement is worth.
4. Minimize Financial Risks
Having a personal injury lawyer is not only key to getting the most money out of your settlement and faster compensation, but they can also save you time and money.
Personal injury lawyers eliminate mistakes when filing a claim, manage strict deadlines, and handle everything at a contingent fee. In addition, they alleviate the financial burden for you if you need to raise a court action by handling court proceedings on your behalf. This way, you will have no legal expenses to contend with in case your claim fails.
5. Let You Focus on Your Health
Once you hire a personal injury lawyer, you can relax and focus on your physical and mental health, knowing that you no longer have to deal with lengthy insurance calls or other attorneys.
The results will be reduced stress and less intense emotional trauma and physical pain as you try to deal with the claim. In addition, an experienced lawyer will handle all parameters of your case, giving you peace of mind so that you can focus on your recovery.
At Bradley, Drendel & Jeanney, we have experience dealing with personal injury cases to maximize clients’ results. We have a proven track record of success in handling the legal work of personal injury claims so that you can focus on healing from your injuries. Contact us today to obtain the compensation you deserve.
Driver faces DUI charges after fatal head-on crash
Head-on collision
DUI charges
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Fatal hit-and-run crash
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Tragedy
Slow down
Do not impede traffic flow
Always stay focused
Just be patient
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Always wear a helmet and protective gear
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Defensive riding
It’s no secret that driving at night can be more difficult and hazardous than driving during the day. Fatigue and low visibility are just a couple of factors that add to the dangers of traveling at night. According to the National Safety Council, fatal traffic accidents are about three times more likely to happen at night versus the day. The following advice could help Nevada drivers avoid car accidents when traveling at night .
Clean windshields and headlights
When traveling on Nevada roadways, it doesn’t take long for windshields and headlights to become cloaked in dust. Built-up grime on windshields can make it difficult for drivers to see the road in already low visibility conditions. Likewise, dirty headlights shine less light on the road, making visibility worse. Always clean windshields and headlights before driving at night. Intermittently stopping to clean them is also a good idea.
Use high beams
Many drivers are so used to only using low beams that they can sometimes forget about high beams. However, high beams can greatly improve night visibility, especially in rural and isolated areas. Remember to only use high beams when no other vehicles are present.
Defensive driving
Defensive driving habits are beneficial at all hours, but practicing defensive driving can be even more beneficial at night. It’s important to be extra careful at night because it is harder to see road signs, pedestrians and animals. Also, remember to reduce speed when driving at night and never drive when exhausted or sleep deprived.
Taking the proper precautions and staying focused behind the wheel can be crucial in making night time road trips safer. Unfortunately, there will always be a chance for car accidents no matter how prepared drivers are. Those in Nevada who suffer injuries or loss due to negligence in car accidents can take action by consulting an experienced litigator. Damages from a successfully litigated lawsuit could help victims and families pay medical expenses and recover financial losses.


