Personal Injury Law in Wyoming

Were you hurt due to another’s negligence in Wyoming? 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 Wyoming 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 Wyoming 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 Wyoming

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 Wyoming 

According to the Wyoming Injury and Violence Prevention Program, the leading cause of injury in the state was falls, motor vehicle traffic crashes, and poisoning. From 2009-2015, injuries suffered from traffic crashes resulted in 868 hospitalizations on average each year. Over 4 times higher than the next leading cause of injury. Unfortunately, unintentional injuries led to more deaths among Wyoming residents ages 1-44 than any other cause.

Steps in a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Wyoming

Once you determine that you wish to proceed forward with a personal injury action in Wyoming

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 settlement or a court appearance.

Wyoming has two trial court levels. If your personal injury suit is for less than $50,000, it will be handled by a circuit court. If it exceeds that amount, a district court will be in charge of your case. For a Wyoming medical malpractice case, you must file a claim with the Wyoming Medical Review Panel in most instances before you can file a lawsuit in court. This requirement is designed to discourage the filing of lawsuits where injuries can not be reasonably associated with an occurrence of malpractice.

Wyoming Personal Injury Settlement

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 factors that impact the final amount.

In Wyoming, personal injury settlement amounts depend on the severity of medical bills. Compiled with the cost of lost wages, pain and suffering, and/or property damage. According to the Cheyenne Regional Medical Center, the full cost of hospital treatment for trauma injuries such as fractures, sprains, and dislocations, typically ranges from $12,500-30,000. A comprehensive assessment of your damages in all forms may add tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars to that total. Ultimately, the amount of damages for which you are compensated in your settlement hinges on proving how responsible the other party is for causing your injury.

If the other party has insurance, the insurance company likely wants to settle out of court. In order 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 WY, that means you risk not receiving any compensation at all.

Damage Awards in Wyoming

If your Wyoming Personal Injury Law?

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.

Generally, you are able to file a personal injury lawsuit in the State of Wyoming up to 4 years after suffering an injury. However, your right to take action on a claim against a government entity is protected for just 2 years. Your lawsuit does not need to be resolved by this time, but it must at least be established within the limitation period to ensure the right to pursue compensation for your injuries.

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. 

Work With an Experienced Wyoming Lawyer

Pursue a personal injury claim in Wyoming 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 Wyoming state lines.

Submit a request online or call us today at (866) 345-6784 to get in touch with an attorney in your area!