Paris, AR Personal Injury Lawyer
Not all injuries are the result of an act of criminal violence. Instead, many injuries are the result of accidents. While you might be under some pressure to just let the whole thing go because nobody intended to cause you harm, the person who caused your accident can and should be held accountable. You might have hefty costs associated with your injuries, and you should not have to pay these bills alone.
Personal injury claims may cover a broad spectrum of accidents and injuries, including, but not limited to, dangerously defective consumer goods, hazardous property conditions, and car crashes. Finding an attorney with the right skills and experience for your claim is crucial. The sooner you find this attorney, the better. You only have so much time to file your case after you are initially injured, and the clock is likely already ticking. As you prepare to file your case, your attorney can help you collect evidence and assess damages so that your financial compensation is fair and just.
Get a confidential review of your claims for free by calling our personal injury attorneys at Ken Kieklak, Attorney at Law at (479) 316-0438.
Personal Injury Cases Our Attorneys Can Help You with in Paris, AR
Personal injury claims may encompass many different injuries, accidents, and cases. The field of personal injury law is so broad that different kinds of cases might adhere to separate laws and rules. For example, the laws surrounding a car accident claim may differ greatly from those surrounding a product liability claim. Below are a few cases our personal injury attorneys have experience with.
Defective Products
When people buy a good or product, they should be able to use it safely without incident. Unfortunately, not all products are made the same, and some come from the manufacturer with defects or design flaws that make them unsafe to use. While some products are clearly damaged and should not be used, others are less obvious. Every year, unsuspecting customers use goods and products that malfunction and injure them. These product liability claims may involve negligent manufacturers in addition to numerous others in the chain of sale.
Dangerous Property Conditions
Other cases involve injuries that stem from unsafe conditions on someone else’s property. A classic example of premises liability is a slip and fall accident, although many other types of accidents and injuries might be involved. For example, if you were injured on a flight of stairs because the property owner never installed a banister, you may sue the owner for your damages. Generally, only invited guests and people the property owner should reasonably expect to be on the property may have a claim. Trespassers often have no legal recourse as they were not permitted to be on the property in the first place.
Auto Accidents
Arguably, some of the most frequently filed personal injury cases in Arkansas and the rest of the country are car accident cases. People are on the road every day going to work, driving to school, running errands, visiting loved ones, and more. It is no wonder that accidents happen nearly every day. Some accidents are severe, and injuries and other damages might not be completely covered by insurance. Insurance claims are sometimes denied, or the other driver is uninsured. A personal injury lawsuit may help injured drivers get the necessary financial compensation.
How Much Time You Have to File a Personal Injury Case in Paris, AR
Your time to file a personal injury case might be more limited than you realize. According to Ark. Code § 15-56-105, personal injury plaintiffs typically have 3 years to file their claims in court. The limitation period usually starts on the day you are injured, so the clock is likely already counting down. While 3 years might at first seem like more than enough time, it is actually a pretty tight time frame. Plaintiffs and their attorneys often spend months or more preparing a case before it is ever filed. It would be best if you spoke to a lawyer as soon as possible to maximize the time you both have to prepare the case for court.
Under very limited circumstances, it might be possible to have the statute of limitations tolled. For example, according to § 16-56-116(a), plaintiffs who were underage or had a mental condition or disability that interfered with their ability to understand their rights may pause the clock. Plaintiffs may have 3 years from the date the plaintiff turns 21 or 3 years from the date a mental condition or disability is removed.
Under subsection (b), the disability must exist at the time of the accident. If you become disabled sometime after the accident but before the statute of limitations expires, you may not be able to have the limitation period tolled.
How to Collect Evidence for Your Paris, AR Personal Injury Case
Evidence is the lifeblood of your personal injury claim. It might come from almost anywhere, look like almost anything, and be difficult or easy to find, depending on the circumstances. If you are able, you can start collecting evidence immediately after your accident. Taking pictures and recording videos of the accident scene and your injuries is a good idea. These recordings preserve valuable details that might be lost when the accident scene is cleared away.
If certain objects are important to the case, we must collect them as physical evidence. For example, if you are hurt by a dangerously faulty product or good, we need the defective products as evidence. We should also have it inspected to determine exactly what went wrong.
If other people saw you become injured or have first-hand knowledge about how the defendant was negligent, we need them to testify in your cases as witnesses. Testimony can be fickle and is not always reliable. However, if witnesses have clear memories and can offer lots of illuminating details, it can be extremely powerful evidence.
Call Our Paris, AR Personal Injury Lawyers to Get Help Now
Get a confidential review of your claims for free by calling our personal injury attorneys at Ken Kieklak, Attorney at Law at (479) 316-0438.