Have you been injured in an accident caused by someone else’s negligent or reckless act? Under Kentucky law, you have the right to demand compensation for your losses. At Meagher Injury Lawyers, we help people throughout the Louisville region seek damages for their medical bills, lost income, and other out-of-pocket losses. We know how to obtain justice for victims and their families. Call our Louisville office today to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation.

Louisville Personal Injury Lawyer

A personal injury lawsuit is a claim that arises when one person suffers some sort of injury or harm as the result of another person or legal entity’s actions. While some personal injury claims involve intentional or criminal acts, most cases involve accidents resulting from negligence. In legal terms, “negligence” requires proof of the following:

• The defendant–the person being sued–owed some legal duty of care to the person filing the lawsuit (the plaintiff);
• The defendant violated that duty of care by some act or omission; and
• The plaintiff suffered a loss or injury as a result of the defendant’s breach of the duty of care.

While this may sound complicated, it is actually quite simple to explain in practical terms in some factual scenarios. Say you are driving your car down the street. You proceed at a green light through an intersection. A distracted driver failed to notice the signal change and entered the intersection simultaneously with yours. Your vehicles collide and you end up in the hospital.

In this scenario, the other driver owed a duty of care to obey the traffic laws and operate their vehicle in a reasonably safe manner. By running a red light–even if it was not intentional–they violated the duty of care. And as a result, you incurred thousands of dollars in medical bills. You also incurred lost wages since you were forced to miss time off from work. You can therefore seek compensation for these and other kinds of damages through a personal injury claim.

Personal Injury Attorney in Louisville, KY

In addition to car accidents, some of the other kinds of personal injury cases we can assist you with include:

• Truck Accidents: Crashes involving commercial trucks are often far more devastating than normal car crashes. An 80,000-pound tractor-trailer can easily cut a swath of destruction across I-71 or I-64. And in many cases, negligence on the part of a truck driver or truck owner played a critical role in causing such accidents.
• Motorcycle Accidents: Motorcyclists often get a bad rap for being reckless and ignoring the rules of the road. In fact, motorcyclists are far more vulnerable to accidents caused by other motorists who refuse to share the road with these smaller vehicles. If a motorcyclist is struck, they are far more likely to be killed or sustain permanent injuries than someone riding in a car or truck.
• Slip and Fall Accidents: Any property owner who opens their premises to members of the public has a duty to keep their grounds in a reasonably safe condition or warn of any hazardous condition on the property. This means that if you are injured in a slip and fall accident at a store or other public building, the owner may be legally responsible for your damages.
• Dog Bites: Dog bites are among the most common injuries reported in Louisville emergency rooms. While you may not think a dog bite is that serious at first, it is easy for these kinds of wounds to become infected and cause serious long-term health complications. And under Kentucky law, a dog’s owner is strictly liable for any injuries caused by their animal. This means that a dog bite victim does not have to prove the owner had prior knowledge of their animal’s propensity to attack people.
• Wrongful Death: If you have lost a close family member due to someone else’s negligent or intentional conduct, you have the right to seek compensation by filing a wrongful death lawsuit.

Kentucky Law Affects Your Right to Compensation

There are a number of Kentucky laws that govern how victims can seek compensation through a personal injury claim. Our experienced Louisville personal injury lawyer can guide you through this often complex process. Here are just a few things that you need to keep in mind when it comes to bringing a personal injury lawsuit in Kentucky:

• Statute of Limitations: Kentucky requires victims to bring a personal injury lawsuit within 1 year of the date of the accident or event that caused the injury.
• No-Fault Insurance: If you drive a car or truck, your motor vehicle insurance policy includes up to $10,000 in personal injury protection (PIP) coverage. Unless you reject such coverage, PIP provides “no-fault” benefits usually up to $10,000 in medical expenses and up to $200 per week for lost wages following an accident. In exchange for these benefits, however, you cannot file a personal injury lawsuit against a negligent driver unless the victim’s medical bills exceed $1,000 or involve a broken bone, permanent injury, disfigurement, or death.
• Comparative Fault: Kentucky follows a “pure comparative negligence” rule in personal injury cases. This means that if you file a personal injury lawsuit, the defendant can turn around and try to shift the blame onto you. And if a judge or jury agrees you were partly at fault, your share of any damages is reduced accordingly.

Personal Injury Attorneys In Louisville

A sudden injury can leave you struggling not just to recover physically and emotionally, but also financially. If this describes your situation, it is in your best interest to speak with a skilled Louisville personal injury lawyer who can review your case and assist you in holding any negligent parties accountable. Contact Meagher Injury Lawyers today to schedule an initial consultation.

Personal injury cases can be complicated, and it is highly recommended that injury victims consult with an injury attorney to learn their options. To protect your rights, it is important that you contact a Louisville personal injury lawyer as soon as possible if you have been injured in a car accident, slip/trip and fall accident, or dog bite incident, as Kentucky has a statute of limitations on these types of cases.

Reach out now to schedule a free consultation or visit us at one of our Louisville offices: