Alaska Personal Injury Law Overview

Personal injury law if a very broad category of law that covers a wide variety of claims involving physical injuries or wrongful death. Personal injury cases can also stem from emotional or even financial injuries. Some of the most common types of personal injury cases in Alaska are:

• Vehicle accidents
• Traumatic brain injury
• Medical malpractice
• Wrongful death
• Premises liability

Monetary Compensation

Alaskans who suffer a personal injury or wrongful death due to the negligence or wrongdoing of another party may be entitled to compensation for:

• Past, current, and future medical expenses
• Lost wages
• Diminished earning capacity
• Property damage, including vehicles
• Expenses incurred as a direct result of injury
• Permanent disfigurement
• Permanent disability
• Emotional distress
• Loss of consortium

In the state of Alaska, if the jury or judge finds that the responsible party's actions were motivated by financial gain, the punitive damages can be four times the amount of the compensatory damages, four times the financial gain, or up to $7 million. In other cases, punitive damages cannot be more than three times the total compensatory damages or $500,000 total.

Non-economic damages may include:

• Pain and suffering
• Loss of consortium
• Loss of quality of life
• Disability
• Disfigurement
• Emotional distress

Non-economic damages cannot exceed the injured person's life expectancy in years multiplied by $8,000 or $400,000, whichever is greater. In cases of severe disability or severe disfigurement, damages (non-economic) may not exceed $25,000 times your life expectancy in years, or $1 million.

Proving Negligence

In Alaska, you must have the following four elements to prove negligence:

• The other party owed you a duty
• The other party failed to fulfill that duty
• That breach of duty caused your injuries
• You suffered damages as a result

If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in Alaska and feel you may have a personal injury claim, please contact an Alaska personal injury lawyer in your area to evaluate your claim.