Personal injuries are injuries suffered by a victim through no fault of his or her own.  Personal injuries are caused by someone else’s negligence, carelessness, lack of planning or thought, or simple disregard of the law.  Personal injuries fall under the category of law known as tort law; torts are actions that injure others.  When someone’s actions cause another person injury, whether that person intended to hurt anyone or not, a tort has been committed.

Personal injury attorneys represent the victims of personal injury accidents and help them to recover damages.  “Damages” is a collective term for any remedies available under the law to compensate a victim for a tort against him or her.  It usually means money, but could also be some action that the at-fault party, or defendant, has to perform, such as repairing a vehicle or taking a biting dog to training classes.

Personal injuries cause terrible damage to the victim as well as his or her family and friends.  This damage is most visible in the physical injuries suffered by the victim, but these are not the only types of injuries involved in a personal injury case.  The victim’s family suffers from the victim’s pain and suffering, loss of income, and loss of ability to participate in family life.  The victim may suffer from terrible mental anguish due to these problems, as well.  Things that were once easy are now difficult or impossible; this can lead to depression and other very real mental issues that accompany many personal injuries.

Some people feel that anyone who has a mental issue surrounding a person injury is just trying to “make money” off the accident.  This very attitude can actually contribute to the victim’s depression and withdrawal, especially if the people expressing this opinion are friends or family of the victim.  It is very important for family members and friends to be supportive of the victim of a personal injury accident, even if they do not understand everything that is happening or why the victim has certain feelings about his or her personal injury.

Personal injury law firms help both personal injury victims and their families to weather the storms of a personal injury accident.  By providing families with information about the case with the victim’s permission, a personal injury attorney can help them understand what their loved ones are experiencing.  A personal injury lawyer can also provide support for the family’s needs during the stressful time of negotiating the personal injury claim with the opposing parties and give advice on how they can support the victim and make this time less taxing on everyone.

Most of all, personal injury lawyers support the victims of these tragic accidents and help them recover damages for their injuries.  No matter what the circumstances of a personal injury accident, a personal injury lawyer can usually find a way to help the victim get payment for his or her injuries.