Personal Injury Law

Personal injury or wrongful death may result from a range of causes including motor vehicle accidents (auto, truck or motorcycle), bicycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, construction accidents and loading dock and premises liability (such as slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall) cases. Medical malpractice can result in personal injury or death as well, and injuries to infants (minors) come with their own set of legal parameters. Each type of case is unique, but all of them generally arise from negligence – a person’s failure to exercise due care under the circumstances which caused an injury.

At Morris & Morris, we recognize that our clients are going through a very difficult time. We are sensitive to the confusing world of claims, no-fault, insurance, underinsurance, interviews, investigations and other unfamiliar processes that victims of accidents experience while trying to focus on the most important issue — getting better. We feel it is important to help our clients navigate through this unfamiliar world as easily as possible so that they can devote their energy to getting back to normal life.

Compensation in personal injury cases can involve many categories of loss, both past and future, including pain and suffering and the loss of enjoyment of life, loss of household services, lost wages and medical and other expenses. Where injuries are permanent, these damages can be calculated to compensate an injured person for his or her entire life-expectancy. Wrongful death cases are treated differently as described on our website under wrongful death.

10 Things to Know Before Hiring a Personal Injury Attorney >

The Importance of Timing

If you are injured in an accident, it is best to retain a lawyer of your choosing promptly. Although you typically have three (3) years to file a lawsuit (except in cases involving death, a municipality, the state or federal government, or in cases of infancy), it is important to allow your attorney to conduct a prompt investigation before too much time has passed. Memories fade and witnesses disappear, so starting the process quickly is important. In addition, there are other important deadlines, and some can be as soon as 30 days after the accident. Most important, however, is choosing a law firm that is best suited to you as an individual.

Note: Cases against certain levels of government require you file to your your claim in as little as 90 days. In the event of a wrongful death case, the statute of limitations is two years from the date of death. If the case is not commenced within the two-year period, the claim will be forever barred.

Minors ordinarily have three (3) years from the date of his or her eighteenth birthday to commence litigation. However, for medical malpractice actions, litigation must be commenced within ten (10) years from the date of the act or omission giving rise to the injury.