
You may not have a viable personal injury case if negligence did not exist anywhere within your accident event. Even if negligence did exist, you still may not have a case if you did not collect the proper evidence to prove this as fact. With that being said, read on to discover what you need to satisfy your burden of proof in a claim and how a seasoned Leonardtown personal injury lawyer at The Dorsey Law Firm can assist you in doing so.
What is my burden of proof in a personal injury claim?
Essentially, the burden of proof is the legal standard that plaintiffs of civil cases, such as personal injury claims, are expected to meet. More specifically, it requires that a plaintiff bring forward sufficient evidence that convinces the civil judge and jury that a defendant acted negligently in a personal injury accident event. Further, it must convince the judge and jury that the claim is worth looking into, as it is based on facts rather than your word against theirs.
What do I need to satisfy my burden of proof in an injury claim?
You need a lot of evidence to satisfy your burden of proof in a personal injury claim. Some of the most pivotal pieces of proof are as follows:
- Photos and videos of your bodily injuries, property damages, and the overall scene of the accident.
- A copy of the official accident report written by the responding law enforcement officer.
- A copy of the official incident report written by the property owner where the accident occurred, if applicable.
- Copies of the medical documents and bills on the date the accident occurred up until you reached a full recovery.
- Copies of your past pay stubs and a note from your employer, that indicate the wages you have lost thus far.
- Oral or written testimonies by witnesses who saw the accident play out in real time.
- Oral or written testimonies by loved ones who have seen your quality of life diminish in real-time.
- Oral or written testimonies by medical experts who know how your quality of life will diminish in the long term.
- Oral or written testimonies by accident experts who know who is exactly to blame for this incident’s occurrence.
Evidently, it may take time for you to prepare all this proof. But in the back of your mind, you must remember the statute of limitations for your claim. That is, you have three years to bring all this evidence forward alongside your claim. Though this may seem like a long time, this evidence may take you longer to collect than you initially anticipated.
Contact a competent Leonardtown personal injury lawyer to gain the emotional and legal support you require during this pivotal time. Our team at The Dorsey Law Firm looks forward to helping you.