PERSONAL INJURY
Personal Injury involves civil law cases where a person is trying to obtain compensation for an injury sustained. Physical injuries could arise from being involved in an automobile accident (or an airline, railroad or other common carrier accident), a construction or workplace accident, being injured as a result of a dangerous or otherwise unsafe product and other injury-causing situations. Personal injuries may not necessarily be physical; they can be psychological. Psychological injuries are often caused by trauma associated with life-threatening and/or disfiguring physical injuries, or as a result of witnessing trauma in others or following escape from serious injury following a traumatic event. These cases require evidence that the defendant is liable. If the injured party wins the case, there may be a monetary award to compensate for medical costs, lost wages and lost future earnings as well as possibly for pain and suffering and punitive damages.
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WRONGFUL DEATH
This is an assertion of the right to recover actual damages for wrongful death; often brought by the administrator of the estate of the decedent. It usually involves claims for actual medical and funeral expenses. Additionally, heirs of the decedent may attempt to bring a claim for pain and suffering associated with the wrongful death. This claim is not easily calculated as it is general, not actual, in nature. Therefore, actual damages may be the best indicator of general damage. Actual damages may include the expense of medical treatment, therapy, rehabilitation, funeral preparation and lost income.
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