News & opinion Proving a Prima Facie Negligence Case—What Is Required to Bring a Successful Claim?

Proving a Prima Facie Negligence Case—What Is Required to Bring a Successful Claim?

Houston Personal Injury Lawyer

If you

e

e seve

ely hmed in

n

ccident bec

use of

nothe

pe

son’s

eckless

ctions, you m

y h

ve ight to obt

in money fo

you

inju

ies

nd the d

m

ges you sust

ined. Usu

lly, most inju

y lsuits o

cl

ims develop f

om incidents th

t involve

n

ccident

l inju

y.

victim is h

med by

nothe

individu

l’s

ctions o

omissions. Ex

mples include

c csh,

defective p

oduct

ccident, o

slip

nd f

ll incident, just to n

me

fe

. Ho

eve

, befo

e

victim c

n collect money fo

the hu

t

nd d

m

ges they endu

ed, they need to p

ove th

t

nothe

individu

l s

esponsible fo

thei

inju

ies

nd the expenses th

t

esulted. Typic

lly, this is done by sho

ing the

ongful p

ty

cted negligently.

hile p

oving negligence m

y seem like

simple t

sk, th

t’s f f

om the t

uth. Victims often h

ve to p

ove nume

ous leg

l st

nd

ds befo

e

c

se of negligence m

y even be conside

ed.

e’ve p

eped this blog to help you unde

st

nd

h

t

p

im

f

cie c

se of negligence ent

ils. Belo

,

e hope to p

ovide you

ith some info

m

tion you need to knobout negligence c

ses, including

h

t they

e, the p

oof th

t is

equi

ed to b

ing

successful cl

im,

nd ho

n expe

ienced <

h

ef="https:

/c

inju

yvictims.com

“>pe

son

l inju

y lye

> c

n help you obt

in the compens

tion

nd justice you dese

ve.

h

t Ex

ctly Is Negligence?<

h2>
<

h

ef=”https://

.l.co

nell.edu/

ex

negligence” t

get=”_bl

nk"

el=”nofollo

noopene

“>Negligence > is leg

lly defined

s

f

ilu

e to beh

ve

ith

level of ce th

t

e

son

ble pe

son

ould h

ve exe

cised unde

the s

me o

simil ci

cumst

nces.

lthough negligent beh

vio

usu

lly consists of

ctions, it

lso consists of omissions

hen the

e is

duty to

ct.

hen t

ying to figu

e out if

pe

son’s beh

vio

constitutes negligence, you

lye

must p

ove:
  • -level=”1″>The

    e s

    n existence of

    leg

    l duty th

    t the ongdoe

    o

    ed the victim (o

    the pl

    intiff)<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">The ongdoe

    b

    e

    ched this leg

    l duty<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">The pl

    intiff suffe

    ed

    n inju

    y

    s

    esult

  • i

    -level="1">The

    e is p

    oof th

    t the

    ongdoe

    ’s b

    e

    ch c

    used the pl

    intiff’s hm (often sho

    n th

    ough p

    oxim

    te c

    use)

Ho

Do You Dete

mine if

Leg

l Duty Existed?

Gene

lly, the fi

st step of

negligence c

se is dete

mining if the

e s

n existence of

leg

l duty th

t the ongdoe

o

ed to the pl

intiff.

Usu

lly, people—

nd comp

nies—o

e t

o types of duties:
  • -level=”1″> ong>

    speci

    l duty of ce:<

    st

    ong> This duty is often imposed by c

    se l

    o

    st

    tute, o

    the pl

    intiff h

    s justifi

    bly come to

    ely on

    p

    ty’s

    ssumption of th

    t duty. Fo

    inst

    nce, t

    ke the specific Food

    nd D

    ug <

    h

    ef="https:

    /

    .

    ccessd

    t

    .fd

    .gov

    sc

    ipts

    cd

    h

    cfdocs/cfcf

    CF

    Sech.cfm?CF

    P

    t=201&

    mp;sho

    F

    =1" tget="_bl

    nk”

    el="nofollo

    noopene

    ">st

    tute > indic

    ting th

    t d

    ug p

    oducts must h

    ve l

    bels

    ning consume

    s of

    ll the possible side effects the d

    ugs c

    n c

    use.

    hen

    d

    ug m

    nuf

    ctu

    e

    viol

    tes this st

    tute, it could b

    e

    ch its duty of c

    e.

  • i

    -level="1">ong>

    genel duty of ce:<

    st

    ong> This duty of ce is

    leg

    l oblig

    tion imposed on

    n individu

    l to conduct themselves in

    m

    nne

    th

    t

    n individu

    l of o

    diny p

    udence

    ould

    ct unde

    the s

    me o

    simil ci

    cumst

    nces. Fo

    ex

    mple, to dete

    mine negligence follo

    ing

    c

    ccident, you

    ould need to figu

    e out

    hethe

    e

    son

    ble pe

    son

    ould h

    ve

    cted the y the ongdoe

    did unde

    the s

    me o

    simil ci

    cumst

    nce.<

    li>

To figu

e out

hethe

the pl

intiff is o

ed

speci

l duty o genel duty of ce, the cou

t

ill often look into the

el

tionship bet

een the

ongdoe

nd the pl

intiff to decide.

Ho

C

n You P

ove Th

t

n Individu

l B

e

ched Thei

Duty of C

e?

Once you c

n dete

mine the

pp

op

i

te duty of c

e, the pl

intiff must then sho

ho

the ongdoe

b

e

ched this duty of c

e o

f

iled to

ct in

cco

d

nce

ith the

pp

op

i

te st

nd

d. Typic

lly, this is est

blished by sho

ing the p

ope

duty of ce

nd ho

the ongdoe

’s

ctions fell sho

t of this specific st

ndd.

hen

cou

t t

ies to dete

mine

hethe

the

e s

b

e

ch of duty of c

e, they fi

st check to see if the ongful pty could fo

esee the

isk of hm to the pl

intiff

nd if they f

iled to stop this h

m f

om occuing. They m

y

lso conside

if othe

options could h

ve p

evented the pl

intiff’s h

m o

inju

ies (such

s

hethe

the ongful pty could h

ve t

ken othections o

used less d

nge

ous m

te

i

ls.) Ho

eve

, the cou

t

ill

lso t

ke into

ccount

hethe

these s

felte

n

tives

e

e fin

nci

lly pl

usible o

v

il

ble fo

the ongdoe

to use o

if they

ould’ve imposed

signific

nt bu

den on thei

beh

lf.

St

ict Li

bility<

h3>
In some specific situ

tions, it c

n be p

esumed the

e

s

b

e

ch of duty of ce b

sed on the existence of ce

t

in elements

nd f

cto

s.

h

t does this me

n ex

ctly? Let’s s

y

st

te h

s st

ict li

bility fobno

m

lly d

nge

ous

ctivities. If

n individu

l is h

med bec

use of this d

nge

ous

ctivity, the

ongful p

ty is p

esumed to h

ve b

e

ched thei

duty of ce

nd c

n be found li

ble fo

the incident.

s

esult, the pl

intiff c

n

ecove

compens

tion fo

thei

inju

ies

nd d

m

ges

ithout h

ving to sho

th

t the ongdoe

b

e

ched thei

duty of ce.

P

oving Th

t the Pl

intiff Suffe

ed

n Inju

y<

h2>
The next step in

negligence c

se is p

oving th

t the pl

intiff suffe

ed

n inju

y. Usu

lly, these inju

ies

ill include bodily hm o

h

m to

e

l o

pe

son

l p

ope

ty. Even though bodily inju

y c

n include vious types of hm, the most common ex

mples of bodily h

m th

t e often cited in

negligence c

se include:
  • -level=”1″>He

    d

    nd neck inju

    ies<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1"><

    h

    ef="https:

    /c

    inju

    yvictims.comh

    t-is-

    -bin-inju

    y/”>T

    um

    tic bin inju

    ies ><

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">Spin

    l co

    d d

    m

    ges<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">Soft tissues inju

    ies

  • i

    -level="1">B

    oken o

    fctu

    ed bones

  • i

    -level="1">Deep l

    ce

    tions

  • i

    -level="1"><

    h

    ef="https:

    /c

    inju

    yvictims.como

    d-

    sh-101/”>Signific

    nt bu

    ns ><

    li>

  • i

    -level="1"><

    h

    ef="https:

    /c

    inju

    yvictims.com

    neck-

    nd-b

    ck-inju

    y-settlements

    “>B

    ck inju

    ies ><

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">F

    iled o

    del

    yed di

    gnosis<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">Development of

    n unfo

    tun

    te he

    lth condition such

    s

    het

    tt

    ck o

    c

    nce
  • i

    -level="1">Post tum

    tic st

    ess diso

    de

    (PTSD)<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">ongful de

    th

P

oving Th

t the B

e

ch of Duty

esulted in the Pl

intiff’s Losses

nd Inju

ies

P

oving th

t

pl

intiff suffe

ed

n inju

y is not enough to sho

th

t the ongdoe

s

esponsible fo

the pl

intiff’s

ccident

nd thei

h

m. To b

ing

successful p

im

f

cie negligence c

se, the pl

intiff

lso needs to est

blish th

t the

ongdoe

’s b

e

ch of duty c

used thei

inju

ies.

The

e e genelly t

o types of c

us

tion th

t need to be

dd

essed in o

de

to p

ove this b

e

ch of duty. They include:

  • i

    -level="1">ong>

    ctu

    l c

    use o

    the c

    use-in-f

    ct: ong> The c

    use-in-f

    ct is el

    tively st

    ightfo

    d concept

    nd involves the pl

    intiff sho

    ing th

    t the

    ongdoe

    ’s

    ctions

    e the

    ctu

    l c

    use of thei

    inju

    ies. To est

    blish this

    ctu

    l c

    use, the<

    h

    ef="https:

    /

    .l.co

    nell.edu/

    ex

    but-fo

    _test" tget="_bl

    nk”

    el="nofollo

    noopene

    "> but-fo

    test > is used. Fo

    inst

    nce, if

    moto

    ist n

    stop sign

    nd hit

    moto

    cycle

    nd the moto

    cyclist suffe

    ed b

    in d

    m

    ge, the but-fo

    test

    ould st

    te th

    t “but fo

    the moto

    ist

    unning the stop sign, the moto

    cyclist

    ould not h

    ve suffe

    ed bin d

    m

    ge.”<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">ong>Leg

    l c

    use o

    p

    oxim

    te c

    use: ong> On the othe

    h

    nd, leg

    l o

    p

    oxim

    te c

    use de

    ls

    ith the issue of fo

    esee

    bility

    nd

    hethe

    the pl

    intiff’s inju

    ies

    e

    e

    fo

    esee

    ble

    esult of the ongdoe

    ’s beh

    viond

    ctions. Fo

    ex

    mple, if

    n individu

    l decides to d

    ink

    nd d

    ive

    nd kills

    nothe

    moto

    ist, it could h

    ve been fo

    esee

    ble th

    t

    hen the individu

    l got behind the

    heel

    hile intoxic

    ted, de

    th could h

    ve occu

    ed. Yet, if the d

    unk d

    ive

    hit

    t

    uck c

    ying h

    zdous m

    te

    i

    l

    nd c

    used

    n explosion th

    t inju

    ed

    moto

    ist

    signific

    nt dist

    nce

    y, it’s unlikely th

    t this explosion

    ccident could’ve been

    fo

    esee

    ble consequence of d

    unk d

    iving.

Put mo

e simply,

hen the pl

intiff is t

ying to p

ove p

oxim

te c

use, they need to sho

th

t the

t-f

ult p

ty’s

ctions set in motion el

tively sho

t ch

in of events th

t could’ve been

e

son

bly expected to le

d to thei

h

m

nd d

m

ges.

Collecting D

m

ges—Unde

st

nding

hethe

the Pl

intiff Dese

ves Compens

tion

The fin

l element of

negligence c

se

efe

s to d

m

ges

nd

equi

es the pl

intiff to sho

th

t they suffe

ed signific

nt d

m

ges

nd losses due to the

ongdoe

’s negligence. Typic

lly, these d

m

ges

efe

to compens

tion fo

the pl

intiff’s inju

y, p

ope

ty

ep

i

s, lost ges,

nd medic

l ce.

Diffe

ent Types of D

m

ges

If you c

n est

blish th

t

nothe

individu

l

s

esponsible fo

you

hm bec

use of thei

negligent

ctions, you m

y be entitled to ce

t

in types of compens

tion. In gene

l, this compens

tion includes: Economic o

gene

l d

m

ges: These d

m

ges

efe

to the

ctu

l

nd ve

ifi

ble losses th

t

esult f

om the

ccident

nd c

n include:
  • -level=”1″>Medic

    l expenses including p

    st, cu

    ent,

    nd futu

    e medic

    l bills such

    s physici

    n visits, hospit

    l st

    y, su

    ge

    ies,

    nd p

    esc

    iption medic

    tions<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">Lost ges<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">Lost ening c

    p

    city<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">Pe

    son

    l p

    ope

    ty d

    m

    ges<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">

    t-home nu

    sing ce<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">

    eh

    bilit

    tive the

    py such

    s occup

    tion

    l

    nd physic

    l thepy<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">Othe

    out-of-pocket expenses

Non-economic o

speci

l d

m

ges: These d

m

ges often include subjective losses th

t e not e

sy to qu

ntify. They c

n include:

  • i

    -level="1"><

    h

    ef="https:

    /c

    inju

    yvictims.com

    c

    ccident-p

    in-

    nd-suffe

    ing/”>P

    in

    nd suffe

    ing<><

    li>

  • i

    -level="1"><

    h

    ef="https:

    /c

    inju

    yvictims.com

    c

    ccident-ptsd

    “>Ment

    l

    nguish ><

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">Loss of comp

    nionship

  • i

    -level="1">Loss of conso

    tium

  • i

    -level="1">Loss of enjoyment of life<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">Loss of

    eput

    tion<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">Disfigu

    ement

  • i

    -level="1">Sc

    ing

<

h

ef=”https://c

inju

yvictims.com

compens

to

y-

nd-punitive-d

m

ges

“>Punitive d

m

ges >: Unlike the othe

compens

to

y d

m

ges (speci

l

nd gene

l d

m

ges),

hich compens

te the victim fo

thei

losses, punitive d

m

ges punish the

ongful p

ty fo

thei

eg

egious

ctions

nd

im to stop them

nd othe

s f

om committing this

ct

g

in in the futu

e. Yet, in Tex

s, these<

h

ef=”https://st

tutes.c

pitol.tex

s.gov

Docs/CP/htm/CP.41.htm” t

get=”_bl

nk"

el=”nofollo

noopene

“> d

m

ges > e only ded in exception

l c

ses, specific

lly

hen the pl

intiff p

oves

ith cle

nd convincing evidence th

t the h

m c

used by the ongful pty

esulted f

om m

lice, f

ud, o

g

oss negligence

nd not just f

om o

diny negligence o

b

d f

ith.

Diffe

ent Types of Negligence Cl

ims

Unfo

tun

tely, negligence c

ses involve

v

iety of ci

cumst

nces,

ctions,

nd

ccidents. Some of the most common ex

mples of

negligence cl

im usu

lly

efe

to:
  • -level=”1″>Moto

    vehicle cshes<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">T

    uck

    ccidents<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">Moto

    cycle collisions

  • i

    -level="1">

    o

    kpl

    ce

    ccidents<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">Defective p

    oduct

    ccidents<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">Medic

    l m

    lpctice incidents<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">P

    emises li

    bility

    ccidents

  • i

    -level="1">Elde

    neglect

If you

e

e h

med in

n

ccident, it c

n be difficult to dete

mine if you

inju

ies

esulted f

om

nothe

pe

son’s negligence. Fo

tun

tely,

hen you

o

k

ith

n expe

ienced pe

son

l inju

y

tto

ney, you do not h

ve to figu

e this out you

self. These lye

s c

n p

omptly get to

o

k dete

mining

h

t h

ppened,

ho s

t f

ult,

nd

hethe

you h

ve

vi

ble negligence c

se.

Do You Need

Pe

son

l Inju

y

tto

ney Helping You

ith You

Negligence Cl

im?<

h2>
To b

ing

successful negligence cl

im, not only do you need to h

ve

tho

ough unde

st

nding of the specific negligence l

s, but it is

lso

equi

ed th

t you p

ovide sound leg

l

guments

nd evidence est

blishing the diffe

ent negligence elements. Consequently, this

hole p

ocess c

n be complic

ted

nd tedious

ithout

n expe

ienced pe

son

l inju

y l

ye

on you

side. Ho

eve

,

hen you

o

k

ith

t

usted

nd kno

ledge

ble inju

y

tto

ney, you do not h

ve to t

ckle this complex leg

l b

ttle on you

o

n.

n inju

y

ccident lye

c

n h

ndle these ch

llenging negligence cl

ims fo

you

hile

lso:
  • -level=”1″>Offe

    ing you the

    dvice you need, ev

    lu

    te you

    potenti

    l cl

    ims,

    nd go ove

    the leg

    l options you c

    n pu

    sue.

  • i

    -level="1">Discussing

    ll of you

    conce

    ns

    nd questions

    nd p

    ovide you

    ith the suppo

    t you need.<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">Investig

    ting the incident tho

    oughly

    nd building the st

    ongest possible cl

    im by obt

    ining the evidence

    equi

    ed to sho

    f

    ult

    nd d

    m

    ges.

  • i

    -level="1">M

    n

    ging

    ll the negoti

    tions

    nd discussions

    ith the othe

    side

    nd the insunce comp

    ny,

    nd pu

    suing just compens

    tion on you

    beh

    lf.<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">B

    inging in expe

    ts such

    s economists, docto

    s, enginee

    s,

    nd

    ccident

    econst

    uctionists to b

    ck up you

    cl

    ims.<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">T

    king you

    c

    se to t

    i

    l if the othe

    side is un

    illing to negoti

    te

    f

    i

    settlement

    nd

    o

    k

    elentlessly to b

    ing

    successful

    esolution to you

    cl

    im.<

    li>

If you o

f

mily membe

suffe

ed se

ious inju

ies bec

use of

nothe

pe

son’s negligent

ctions, do not

it to get the leg

l suppo

t you need. Cont

ct

n expe

ienced pe

son

l inju

y l

ye

tod

y fo

f

ee c

se consultation.

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  T ust us hen e sy the e isn’t nything “e sy” bout filing c insunce clim ith...

Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer 15 Jan

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How to Claim for Whiplash After a Car Accident 10 Jan

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