Exploring the Role of Negligence in Personal Injury Cases in Oklahoma City
When another party’s actions cause you injuries, you may be able to file a personal injury claim against them. What is necessary for a personal injury claim to be successful is the presence of negligence. Negligence is a level of reckless conduct that falls below a legally accepted standard.
If you were injured in a car accident in Oklahoma or another injury accident that you believe was caused by another party’s negligence, you may have a claim to make against them for financial compensation. Though, it is your responsibility to prove negligence existed and caused your harm.
Without legal training, taking on a legal action like filing a personal injury claim can be a challenging thing to do. When a victim has an attorney trained in tort law, the process can move along much more smoothly and with less stress. Your attorney can explain your options to you, investigate your case, evaluate its worth, and then take on the legal battles on your behalf. The Oklahoma City personal injury attorneys at the Putnam Law Office have the skills, resources, and experience to help you get the most from your personal injury claim.
Establishing Negligence in a Personal Injury Claim
There is a certain standard to people’s natural behavior that is understood to be acceptable, and then there are those actions that are widely believed to be unacceptable. When that basic standard is violated, and the behavior a party engages in is reckless and careless, they may also be considered to be negligent.
When filing a personal injury claim, it is imperative to show that the party you are filing against was negligent. To do this, you can ask these four questions.
- Did the party have a duty of care to you?
- Was that duty of care breached?
- Was your accident and injuries caused by that breach of care?
- Did you suffer damages due to the breach of duty of care you were owed?
If you answered “Yes” to all of these questions, then you likely have a case to make that negligence played a part in causing your injury accident.
When considering what a duty of care is, it is a general way of treating others so as not to cause them harm. For example, when a driver speeds at rates far higher than the speed limit, they are putting everyone on the road at risk. Drivers have a duty of care to follow the rules of the road so that they do not cause an accident. Speeding is dangerous and negligent. A speeding driver that causes a crash has violated their basic duty of care to anyone on the road that they crashed into.
Call a Lawyer at Putnam Law
Proving negligence is the burden of the plaintiff or the individual who files a claim. In these instances, victims can benefit from the help of a knowledgeable attorney.
For help with a personal injury claim and showing negligence, please call the Putnam Law Office to schedule a free consultation with an attorney at (405) 849-9149.