Personal Injury Law in Green Bay, WI
Were you hurt due to another’s negligence in Green Bay? If so, it may have far-reaching consequences such as a loss of wages or extensive medical treatment. Personal injury law allows an injured person to get damages if the responsible person acted recklessly. A personal injury attorney in Green Bay, WI can help navigate the lawsuit to make sure you receive all of the compensation you deserve.
What Is Personal Injury Law?
Personal injury law in Green Bay relates to the legal process of getting compensation for an injury caused by someone else’s negligent behavior. These cases involve one party, the plaintiff, trying to seek financial compensation for expenses incurred and money lost as a result of the defendant’s reckless behavior. These cases involve both parties’ insurance companies and may even settle before proceeding to litigation.
Examples of Personal Injury Claims in Green Bay, WI
Some personal injury claims are more common than others. However, almost any incident that ends with a physical or mental injury could qualify, depending on the circumstances.
A few of the most common personal injury claims are:
- Car Accidents
- Slip and Fall
- Dog Bites
- Medical Malpractice
- Workplace Accidents
- Burn Injuries
Most Common Injuries in Green Bay
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services collected reports for over 27,000 hospitalizations from non-fatal injuries in 2019. These incidents resulted in over 393,000 emergency room visits across the state. In response to this public health risk, legislators passed the Wisconsin Injury Prevention and Control Statute. This law gives the department the authority to survey, collect data, and educate the public.
Steps in a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Green Bay, WI
Once you determine that you wish to proceed forward with a personal injury action in Wisconsin
A lawsuit begins when a complaint is filed with the court and served on the defendant. The complaint alleges your assertion as the plaintiff that the defendant’s negligent behavior resulted in damage to your body or mental state. As the process proceeds forward, you may have to go through depositions, independent medical evaluations, and document production. This discovery process is lengthy and ends in either a settlement or a court appearance. According to the State Bar of Wisconsin, a judge has the power to make alternative dispute resolution mandatory. To avoid leaving the final word to a courtroom, participants are often encouraged to find a mutual settlement. The sessions run by an arbitrator can include evaluations, conferences, and direct negotiations. If an agreement does not seem likely, the mediator can inform the judge with jurisdiction over the lawsuit. With most personal injury cases, insurance companies and injured parties prefer settlement negotiations rather than going to court for a trial. You may wonder how much you should seek in your settlement and the factors that impact the final amount. The most recent Burden of Injury Report for Brown County estimated that the average cost per injury-related hospitalization was $24,352. This report dates back to 2011, however. But using U.S. Bureau of Statistics data for inflation, this would cost about $29,767 a decade later. If the other party has insurance, the insurance company likely wants to settle out of court to avoid leaving the final settlement decision to a jury. Settlements benefit injured parties as much as they do insurance companies. This is because accepting a settlement means you receive compensation sooner rather than later. Also, by going to court in WI, that means you risk not receiving any compensation at all. If your Wisconsin personal injury lawsuit goes before a judge or jury, your legal team will be ready with a request for damages. In personal injury cases, there are three types of damage awards a court may order the defendant to pay to compensate you for the damage he or she inflicted. Special compensatory damages reimburse you for things such as lost income, medical bills, and insurance deductibles. You submit receipts proving these losses. General compensatory damages address non-economic losses that are more subjective. If you are awarded special compensatory damages for tangible losses, you may also qualify for general damages to cover pain and suffering. In cases where an injury causes significant physical or emotional distress, the court may order the defendant to compensate for the anguish endured. Punitive damages, on the other hand, are rarely granted and are entirely at the discretion of the court. These damages are intended to punish the defendant for particularly egregious negligence or misconduct. If the court or jury deems the defendant’s actions especially reprehensible, punitive damages may be awarded in addition to other compensation. Wisconsin Public Radio reported in June 2018 that the Supreme Court upheld Wisconsin’s $750,000 cap on non-economic damages. Additionally, punitive damages in civil litigation cannot exceed $200,000. The injured party may have a set amount of time to file suit for a personal injury case. State law establishes statutes of limitation. Commonly, the plaintiff’s injury or discovery of the injury begins the statute of limitations. However, the latter factor is trickier, as the plaintiff will have to prove when the injury was first realized. Green Bay residents have up to 3 years to file a personal injury claim with the court system. If your lawsuit goes against the government, you need to submit a 120-day notice before taking civil action. We recommend you speak with a personal injury lawyer for this matter. Don’t wait too long and miss out on receiving the compensation you deserve for your injury. Pursue a personal injury claim in Green Bay against the responsible person if you are dealing with an injury caused by someone else. One of our experienced lawyers can help you navigate your personal injury claim. We can even help you connect with an attorney across Wisconsin state lines. Submit a request online or call us today at (866) 345-6784 to get in touch with an experienced lawyer in your area! Aaron is a professional legal writer with a B.S. in English Education from Southern Illinois University – Carbondale. He has written, published, and edited thousands of legal articles for RequestLegalHelp, which has connected over 5 million people to legal help in the United States. With over five years of experience writing thousands of legal articles for law firms across the U.S. and Canada, Aaron specializes in covering federal, state, and city-level legal issues ranging from auto accidents to wrongful terminations. If you would like to know more about other areas of law in Green Bay, WI, then we’ve also got you covered!Wisconsin Personal Injury Settlement
Damage Awards in Wisconsin
Statute of Limitations in Green Bay, WI Personal Injury Law?
Work With an Experienced Green Bay, WI Lawyer
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