Helping Injured Victims in Louisville & Throughout Kentucky
Louisville is Kentucky’s largest city, and for a good reason. Sitting along the Ohio River, Louisville offers culture, entertainment, access to nature, industry, and, of course, the Derby. With a population of nearly 1.4 million, though, accidents are common. Unfortunately, serious and potentially life-threatening personal injuries can occur as a result. At Noakes Law Group, our Louisville personal injury lawyers can provide the legal representation you need if someone else’s negligence has caused you or a loved one harm. To find out more about personal injury cases and how we can help you get the compensation you need to recover, call or contact our office online today.
Call Our Lousiville, KY Law Office Today
Noakes Law Group
10200 Forest Green Blvd. Suite 112
Louisville, KY 40223
Tel: (502) 777-7854
Free Consultation.
What Is a Personal Injury Claim?
A personal injury claim is a type of civil action that is brought when one person’s negligence causes harm to another, and the injured person wants to seek monetary compensation for their damages. A civil action is completely separate from a criminal action, and many civil offenses are not necessarily crimes.
Depending on the circumstances surrounding a personal injury case, an injured party generally has two options in filing a personal injury claim:
- File a claim through the at-fault party’s insurer: If the at-fault party has insurance in place, it may help offset some of your expenses. At Noakes Law, our Louisville personal injury lawyers negotiate with insurance representatives on your behalf, helping you get the maximum amount in a settlement.
- File a personal injury lawsuit: If insurance is unavailable or fails to cover your costs, you may need to take your case to court. In this situation, a personal injury claim involves a type of civil action, brought when one person’s negligence causes harm to another, and the injured party wants to seek monetary compensation for their damages.
In court proceedings, personal injury cases are categorized as civil action, which is completely separate from criminal action. While the at-fault party may have acted in a reckless and negligent manner, many civil offenses are not necessarily crimes.
In either situation, it is important to seek professional legal help. Our experienced personal injury lawyer can thoroughly review the circumstances surrounding your personal injury case and advise you on the best course of action in seeking financial compensation.
Elements of a Personal Injury Lawsuit
In order to get compensation in personal injury cases, you (the injured party or plaintiff) must be able to prove four elements by a preponderance of the evidence. A preponderance of the evidence means that it is more likely than not.
- Duty. Duty means that the defendant in the case had an obligation to act with a certain standard of care as it pertained to their relationship with you. For example, all drivers on the road have a duty to others to operate their vehicles responsibly.
- Breach of duty. In personal injury cases. You’ll need to prove that the defendant did something to breach the duty of care owed to you—for example, speeding or running a red light.
- Causation. Next, the injured party needs to prove that the breach of duty of care was the proximate cause of your injuries. In other words, you’ll have to prove that your injuries would not have occurred but for the other party’s negligence.
- Damages. Finally, you’ll need to prove the damage you’ve suffered. Both economic and noneconomic damages are recoverable.
5 Mistakes to Avoid in a Personal Injury Case
Most of our clients receive maximum compensation for their injuries. But there are certain mistakes which can make a financial recovery for the injured party in a personal injury case much harder. If possible, avoid these mistakes following an accident:
- Don’t admit fault. Because Kentucky recognizes comparative negligence, you will likely reduce the amount of compensation you receive if you admit being responsible in any way for your injuries.
- Don’t negotiate a settlement on your own. Insurance companies would love nothing more than to see you unrepresented by a legal team. They know that few people can properly value their claims or negotiate effectively.
- Avoid giving a recorded statement without an attorney present. An insurer could try to trick you into saying something that undermines your legal claim. It’s best to always have your attorney sitting in on any conversation you have related to your claim.
- Avoid delay. You don’t get forever to file a lawsuit and vindicate your rights. Please reach out to Noakes Law Group as soon as possible. If you don’t meet deadlines, you could forfeit your right to sue.
- Don’t assume you have no case. We see many people decide that it’s just not worth it to seek compensation for personal injury claims. Let us analyze the facts to determine what is the right course to take.
Types of Cases Our Louisville Personal Injury Attorneys Work on
Our Louisville personal injury lawyer has years of experience representing injured parties in personal injury cases. We take action to help you get compensation and work on a wide range of personal injury claim types, including:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Wrongful death
- Motorcycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Dog bite claims
- Medical malpractice claims
- Birth injuries
- Premises liability accidents
- Defective product claims
- Any type of situation in which personal injuries occur due to the negligence of others involved.
Please call our law firm directly to schedule a free consultation with our Louisville personal injury attorneys. We can explain more about the types of personal injury cases we handle and whether you have a viable claim.
Common Types of Personal Injuries In Louisville
According to statistics from the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 100 people visit hospital emergency rooms each year as a result of serious injuries. When these happen due to negligence on the part of others involved, the injured party has the right to hold them liable for costs they incur as a result.
At Noakes Law, our Louisville personal injury attorney provides the caring support and professional legal representation you need throughout the claims process. Common injuries suffered by clients in personal injury cases we handle include:
- Back and neck injuries include whiplash and vertebrae or disc damage.
- Broken bones may involve multiple fractures.
- Deep cuts and lacerations, which are capable of causing permanent scarring and infections.
- Head injuries, such as concussions and skull fractures, which can end up resulting in traumatic brain injuries (TBI).
- Internal injuries, resulting in internal bleeding and causing damage to body organs.
- Soft tissue injuries, such as muscle strains, sprains, and tears.
- Spinal cord injuries, which can result in either partial or complete paralysis.
Damages Recoverable
As an experienced Louisville personal injury attorney, Noakes Law is committed to helping injured parties in personal injury cases and works hard to get you the settlement that you deserve. Types of damages recoverable in a Louisville, KY personal injury claim include:
- Economic damages. Economic damages are damages for actual monetary losses, such as property damage, lost wages, and medical expenses. You are entitled to compensation in full for your economic losses, which includes both your current costs and any future financial losses you are likely to suffer.
- Noneconomic damages. Noneconomic damages are harder to calculate. They refer to intangible losses in personal injury cases and include compensation for pain, suffering, scarring or disfigurement, and any lost enjoyment in life the injured party or their family experiences. It’s important to work with an attorney who can guide you through the various methods for calculating non-economic damages.
One factor which can reduce the amount of compensation you receive is your own degree of fault. For example, you might not have been paying attention when a speeding motorist hits you, or you could have tripped and fallen because you failed to watch where you were walking. In these examples, a victim shares some fault for the accident, so their compensation is reduced. As an example, if you are 50% to blame, you will receive only half of the compensation you could. If you were a third to blame, then you would receive two-thirds.
What to Look for In a Personal Injury Attorney
Louisville has hundreds of personal injury lawyers to choose from, so how do you know if Noakes Law is the right law firm for you? When shopping for a lawyer after an accident, we recommend that injured parties look for the following:
- Experience. Your attorney should have ample experience in personal injury law. A divorce lawyer might be a nice guy and know his way around a divorce court, but that doesn’t mean he can bring an effective personal injury claim.
- Passion. You want a lawyer who is passionate about justice for accident victims. The other party across the courtroom is usually an insurance firm with thousands of employees and millions of dollars in profits. We aren’t afraid to take on these big insurance companies on behalf of our clients.
- Knowledge. Obtaining fair compensation in personal injury cases is harder than it looks. A skilled advocate should have detailed knowledge of Kentucky personal injury law and use that knowledge to their client’s advantage.
To help you decide whether we are the right law firm for you, reach out to our Louisville personal injury lawyer today. We can meet for a free consultation. This will allow us to discuss in more detail the services we provide.
What Are You Waiting For?
Don’t make the mistake of waiting too long to seek legal representation and bring forth a case when your future is on the line. As the injured party in a personal injury case, you deserve to be compensated. If you’ve been discriminated against you deserve justice. Reach out to Noakes Law today online or by phone to schedule your free case review and learn more about legal services.
Call Our Louisville Personal Injury Lawyer Today
If you have been injured in an accident that you believe would not have happened but for the failure of another party to uphold the duty of care owed to you, call our Louisville personal injury attorney at the office of Noakes Law today. We offer free consultations and work on a contingency fee basis.
STRAIGHT FROM
Our Clients
"I called Noakes Law and they took care of everything. They took my case seriously and treated me so well. They care about you and getting you what you deserve."
Kevin K.
Personal Injury Client
"I honestly cannot say enough good about Noakes Law. I was in an auto accident which had several different variables that make my case very difficult to navigate. Ms. Noakes and her team were top notch and went above and beyond to help me. I HIGHLY recommend this law firm to anyone!"
Megan O.
Personal Injury Client