This is a lawyer who specializes in civil litigation, especially those touching on psychological and physical injury resulting from careless or negligent acts of other persons, an organization or an entity.
These attorneys concentrate on an area called tort law. This area covers civil or private injuries or wrongs including actions which touch on bad faith, breach of contract and defamation. Tort law aims at restoring the injured close to or what they were before and deterring others who intend on committing such an offense in the future.
In addition to deterring and restoring the plaintiffs, they also help them receive compensation for any losses incurred due to the injury. This includes hospital bills, loss of income due to the injury, emotional distress not forgetting the attorney fees and other legal costs.
Types of Personal Injury Cases
Cases which involve bodily harm pass as personal injury cases. Check out the most common cases:
What is the Work of a Personal Injury Lawyer?
These lawyers work similar to other lawyers who handle other cases. This includes overseeing the case from inception until the judge gives their verdict. This process involves investigating the claims and the clients so they can weigh the case.
Afterward, they’ll collect the evidence they need, prepare legal theories and conduct any necessary research which will aid in the case. In addition, the lawyers will draft pleadings, motions, interview and depose witnesses and generate discovery requests.
Furthermore, they’ll be their client’s legal counsel before and after the trial. This involves counseling the client and providing information regarding the case. Most of the lawyers such as Personal Injury Lawyer Richmond Hill who practices personal injury law do so out of passion. Their joy comes from helping victims and their families get justice.
Education
With regards to education you must have a law degree to practice law. This you will get after passing the bar examinations and the LSATs – the Law School Admission Test – with a high score for that matter. In addition, you must be a certified specialist in civil trial advocacy.
To achieve this, you must complete a specialty certification program. One which is approved by the National Board of Legal Specialty Certification. This board also has the blessings of the American Bar Association.
Other states also have their own regulations which require all lawyers who intend on practicing personal injury law to pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination. This examination focuses on the lawyer’s conduct.
Expected Salary
Starting at an established injury law firm will see you pocket a decent salary. However, you’ll also receive a certain percentage of the fees the firm collects from all the cases you’ve won. Otherwise, many plaintiff lawyers take home as low as $30,000 to as high as $300,000.
The salaries vary depending on the location and practice size. However, in 2017, attorneys earned a median salary of $119,250 with half earning less than this while the other half earned more.
Employment
Most law firms rely on litigation to the pay the bills. The same goes for an injury law firm. As a result, they’ll be on a constant search for the best brains available to improve their reputation and stay ahead of their competition.
Therefore, if you intend on pursuing personal injury law as a career, the future is bright if you have what it takes.
Being a lawyer is an interesting career path, especially if you decide to walk down tort law. Apart from bagging huge cheques, you have the unique opportunity to help victims of carelessness and negligence. This more than anything will give you the strength to carry on even in the darkest days.
