Civil Cases vs Criminal Lawsuits. What is the definition of a Personal Injury?

Is Personal Injury a Civil Case? How does it Differ from a Criminal Lawsuit?

Whatsoever ever accident has occurred, if it was due to the negligence of a third party, there is a possibility that you can claim for compensation and in some cases a civil case. Generally there are two routes. Your injury lawyer may either file a criminal lawsuit or a civil case. To find out which route you may have to take we will explore what a personal injury claim, what a civil case dispute is, and lastly, what a criminal lawsuit is.

Making a Personal Injury Claim

If a third party has caused you physical or psychological suffering, whether it’s due to a slip or trip, work accident, motor car accident and much more, this could be considered a personal injury. This type of claim or filing a lawsuit in this capacity means you will be possibly claiming compensation back for the suffering that was caused to you, whether it be physical or psychological, and/or your incurred financial losses. With work injuries as just one example, your compensation may be inclusive of treatment costs and the relevant income loss. How your claim is settled may be based on many aspects such as the third parties willingness to settle and the the injury severity, just to name two.

What is a Civil Case?

Many types of claims as well as lawsuits fall under the category of civil cases whereas personal injury is only one of them. When it comes to personal injury, you will only file a civil case if you decide not to or are unable to settle the claim with the third party which, in many cases, is what occurs. If not, there is a possibility of a court hearing but there are many risks involved. Usually a claimant will save a lot of money if they settle the claim and do not have to create a civil case and there are usually more legal fees involved in the court process so it is recommended that you speak to your injury lawyer seriously if you are considering a civil dispute and possibly look for no-win no-fee options. Of course, a larger claim settlement can be granted in some cases but this will only occur if you or your injury lawyer manages to win the civil case.

What is a Criminal Lawsuit?

If your injury was caused by another individual intent on damaging or harming you in some way, this can be considered a criminal act and is punishable by law through legal penalties. Examples of this include public service or imprisonment. Although in these cases, there is no payable compensation for such a lawsuit. You should of course, speak to your injury lawyer to find out if your case, does, in fact fall within the category of a criminal lawsuit.

The Severe Impact of an Injury

At the end of the day, whether it’s a criminal or civil case, an injury can have a large impact on an individual’s life from high expenses, income loss and resultant physical disabilities. If you suspect you have a compensation case, use the Personal injury Claims Calculator to estimate the compensation amount that you may receive.