{"id":352948,"date":"2016-04-04T10:46:31","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T15:46:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/injury\/accident-injury-law\/injury-law-basics.html"},"modified":"2025-10-16T11:38:48","modified_gmt":"2025-10-16T16:38:48","slug":"injury-law-basics","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/accident-injury-law\/injury-law-basics.html","title":{"rendered":"Personal Injury Law Basics"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Personal Injury Law Basics<\/h1>\n\n
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\n By Ty McDuffey, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Katrina Wilson, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n

Personal injury law<\/span> is an area of civil law that allows you to hold someone accountable when they seriously hurt you physically, mentally, or emotionally. A personal injury case<\/span> focuses on compensating the victim for the responsible party’s negligence or intentional wrongdoing.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

You’ve suffered an injury and think that someone else is responsible. Though it’s probably the last thing you want to do while dealing with an injury, it’s best to take certain steps immediately after an injury to protect your legal rights.<\/p>\n

Even if you’ve hired an experienced personal injury attorney<\/a>, it’s good to have an idea of what’s going on in your case. For example, taking detailed notes of the incident and injuries can strengthen your case. These notes can be helpful when discussing your legal options with an attorney.<\/p>\n

This article will introduce you to a few basic topics about personal injury law and define key terms. It explains the different types of personal injuries that could result in a personal injury case. It also offers tips for working with an injury lawyer and outlines the stages of a personal injury case.<\/p>\n

What Is a Personal Injury Case?<\/h2>\n

A\u00a0personal injury<\/a>\u00a0case is a legal dispute. It arises after a person suffers harm from an injury where someone else might be legally responsible for that harm due to negligence. Personal injury law has mostly developed through court decisions, although many states have taken steps to summarize the development of personal injury law in their statutes. A personal injury can result in a civil lawsuit or be resolved through informal settlement negotiations.<\/p>\n

A personal injury case can also be resolved through alternative dispute resolution, which is a middle ground between a court trial and informal settlement negotiations. Examples of alternative dispute resolution are mediation and arbitration. Alternative dispute resolution involves a neutral third party \u2014 a mediator or arbitrator \u2014 guiding the negotiation discussions and sometimes even rendering a decision. There are also instances in which alternative dispute resolution is binding. This means that the parties waive their right to trial and must abide by the third party’s decision.<\/p>\n

Types of Injuries<\/h2>\n

Injuries can happen for a variety of reasons. Sometimes someone else is at fault. Other times, you only have yourself to blame. Maybe it was simply\u00a0an accident. If someone else is at fault for your injuries, you may have a legitimate tort claim for damages.<\/p>\n

There are many situations in which another person or company can be responsible for your injuries. The clearest example is when a person is injured after another person’s intentional acts. Examples of intentional acts that can lead to another person’s injuries are:<\/p>\n