Personal Injury

If you suffered severe or catastrophic injuries due to an accident that was someone else's fault, you may be entitled to full compensation for your injuries and losses. For 30 years, Vermont personal injury attorney David Lynch has worked to protect the rights of injured accident victims. He and his legal team are ready to help you.

Even when your injuries were caused by someone else, we understand that you might want to avoid conflict. Hiring an attorney can often seem intimidating and stressful. But you should not have to bear the financial consequences of injuries that you've suffered through no fault of your own.

That's why we want to serve as your voice and as an advocate for your best interests. We offer our clients personalized attention to help them feel comfortable, understand their rights, and make the process of pursuing full compensation as stress-free as possible.

Contact Lynch Legal Services, PLLC in Williston, Vermont, to set up a free case evaluation to discuss your claim in further detail with a knowledgeable Vermont personal injury lawyer. We'll help you learn more about your legal options for pursuing compensation for your injuries and losses.

A personal injury claim is actionable if you can prove that you have suffered an injury or other physical and emotional harm as a result of the actions of a third party that were either willful, reckless, or negligent act of another party.

Proving that someone willfully caused your injury requires showing that the other party intended to cause harm.

Proving that someone recklessly caused you injury requires that you can show that another person or entity consciously (with full knowledge and intent) disregarded a substantial risk that the person's or entity's actions would lead to you suffering bodily injury.

Most personal injury claims are based on a theory of negligence. Proving negligence requires you to establish four elements:

• First, you must establish that the other party owed you a duty of care. 
• Second, you must establish that the other party breached their duty of care in some way.
• Third, you must prove that this breach of the duty of care directly or proximately caused you to suffer injury. 
• Fourth, you must establish that you have suffered damages for which you can be financially compensated. 

If you've been injured by somebody else, you will want to determine how much the other negligent party owes you for your injuries. This can be a complex question. Obviously, the injury you have suffered cannot be undone. The courts are limited to providing you with monetary compensation. The compensation you could receive in a personal injury claim will largely depend on the severity of your injuries, the extent of your losses, and the amount of insurance coverage or other assets available to pay a claim.

Some of the damages you could be compensated for in a Vermont personal injury case include:

• Medical expenses, such as ER visits, surgeries and other medical procedures, pain medication prescriptions, physical/occupational therapy, doctor's appointments, or medical/mobility equipment you purchase for your treatment and relief
• Costs of personal and home care, when your injuries prevent you from performing personal care or home maintenance tasks
• Lost wages, income, or business opportunities when you are forced to miss work while recovering from your injuries
• Lost earning capacity, if your injuries leave you with disabilities that prevent you from returning to your old job
• Pain and suffering
• Lost quality of life

You may also be entitled to compensation for property that was damaged or destroyed in the accident that injured you.

In Vermont, you generally have three years from the date of your injury to file a lawsuit against the party or parties liable for your losses.

In limited circumstances, this three-year statute of limitations can be paused, or "tolled." This is possible for a minor child who suffers an injury (they have three years from their 18th birthday), or if you do not initially know that you have been injured or who was responsible for your injury (in which case the limitation period begins when you discover that you have a cause of action to sue).

If you don't file your lawsuit before the statute of limitations expires on your claim, the court will most likely permanently bar your claim.

Even when you know you've been injured because of someone else's negligence or recklessness, you may not want to undertake the challenges of pursuing compensation for your injuries on your own. Let our Vermont personal injury attorney help take the stress of pursuing financial recovery off you by:

• Conducting an investigation 
• Collaborating with highly experienced experts
• Documenting your injuries
• Filing your claim
• Preparing your case to be filed in court

Our firm works to help you obtain the fair outcome you deserve so that you can fully recover and get back to your normal life.

An accident can be a shocking or disorienting experience, making it difficult to think about how to protect your rights. However, you can put yourself in the best position possible by following the advice below:

• Notifying the appropriate parties about your accident
• Collect the names and contact information for each of the parties 
• Documenting the accident scene 
• Getting checked out by a physician
• Get a free case review from Lynch Legal Services, PLLC, to learn more about your legal rights and options following your accident.