It is simply a fact that personal injury lawsuits have gotten a bad name in the US. There are a couple of reasons why that is the case. The media often hypes the notion of “frivolous lawsuits” by taking the most extreme examples and making them out to be the norm. Furthermore, large corporations and insurers are designed around the central concept of maximizing profits for themselves, which means the more money they have to pay to victims injured by a liable defendant’s actions, the less profits their investors receive. The result of this is decades of propaganda designed to shift responsibility for dealing with injuries to the injured victims themselves and away from the negligent actors that actually caused their victims’ injuries. But if you are injured by another’s negligent, reckless, or intentional acts, seeking the damages you are owed through a settlement or verdict is not only the right thing to do for you and your family, it’s the right thing to do for society.
Not Suing Doesn’t Make the Costs of Injury Go Away
If you have been injured by another, then you are going to face costs no matter whether you sue or not. These costs might include:
- Hospital visits
- Outpatient doctor visits
- Rehabilitation
- In-home nursing
- Property damage
- Lost earnings or reduced earning potential
- Pain and suffering
When you choose not to take action to have the person who injured you pay for these costs, they will still have to be paid. Which means either you, your family, or others who had nothing to do with causing your injury will have to bear the costs of another’s wrongdoing.
Courts Will Only Award Damages When It Is Fair to Do so
Although paid lobbyists for large defendants and insurers put out ad campaigns to make it appear as though courts arbitrarily award damages to undeserving plaintiffs, thereby victimizing those brought into court, nothing could be further from the truth. Juries do have some leeway to make decisions regarding fault and damage awards, but every civil suit is overseen by a judge with years of experience in determining what types of actions may proceed to a jury decision and what actions may not.
To receive damages at trial, you will need to prove that the defendant was truly at fault by showing that the defendant in fact caused your injury and either breached a legal duty owed to you or was otherwise strictly liable for your injuries. A good personal injury attorney will only bring a case on your behalf when fault on the part of the defendant(s) can be shown.
Failing to Bring Suit Encourages Bad Actors to Continue to Injure Others
When you bring a personal injury suit to recover damages against a defendant who acted wrongly towards you and caused you injury, you send the message that wrongdoers will be held accountable. When you fail to do so, you send the opposite message: defendants can continue inflicting injury on other innocent victims without consequences. Thus, bringing a personal injury suit not only protects you and your family, it protects others out there who may potentially be victimized.
Experienced Personal Injury Attorneys in the Inland Empire
At McCune Wright Arevalo, LLP, our personal injury team – led by partner Cory Weck, a Marine Corps officer with over 20 years of service to his country and 15 years of experience litigating personal injury cases – has repeatedly won verdicts and settlements on behalf of clients across the Inland Empire in the millions of dollars. Our attorneys understand that the fear, anxiety, and pain that you and your family are going through following a personal injury, and we are dedicated to doing everything we can to help our clients get the help they need. Contact us today to schedule a consultation with one of our experienced personal injury attorneys.