Getting injured in an accident, whether it involves a defective product or reckless driver, can have lifelong repercussions. People can experience long-term pain and emotional distress; they can wind up facing massive medical bills; they could lose jobs and relationships with loved ones.
Considering the extent to which an accident can affect someone’s life, it is crucial to hold the responsible parties accountable. To accomplish this, we will clear up some common misconceptions.
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- A person can still be liable without acting intentionally. Someone does not need to try to hurt someone or deliberately put them in danger to be liable for damages suffered in an accident. Parties who fail to take proper care to keep people safe can be responsible for any damages that their negligence causes.
- Liability is not an “all or nothing” situation. In many personal injury claims, especially car accidents, all parties involved can carry some of the blame. In terms of negligence, Pennsylvania state laws acknowledge the fact that a claimant may have been partially negligent, but as long as he or she was not more negligent than the other party, the victim can still recover damages.
- Multiple parties can be responsible. In all types of accidents, whether they are medical mistakes, car crashes or slip-and-falls, more than one person can be responsible for the incident. Identifying everyone involved can be crucial in maximizing the damages a person may receive and ensuring all parties are held accountable.
- Liability is not always obvious. People often think that there is clearly someone in the wrong after an accident. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. For instance, an average person would not know if a designer or manufacturer was negligent in creating a defective product. And there can be numerous causes of a crash that individuals would not know about without the help of a detailed investigation and accident reconstructionist.
Too often, people let misinformation or assumptions dictate their responses after an accident. Those who do this could be missing out on critical legal remedies, so it can be crucial to consult an attorney who can help you make informed decisions. If you have questions about an accident you were involved in or to learn more, contact the Quinn Law Firm at 814-806-2518.
