Vermont Personal Injury Law

Personal injury laws are in place in order to protect the public from the negligence of others. When you are in an accident that results in personal injury, you may be entitled to compensation. Personal injury law covers all sorts of accidents, including:

• Auto accidents
• Slip and fall
• Medical malpractice
• Nursing home abuse
• Products liability
• Accidents at work

Personal injury laws vary from state to state and can be quite confusing. Completely understanding the personal injury laws that govern your state is imperative to ensuring that you receive the compensation you may be entitled to.

The state of Vermont's personal injury laws stipulate that even if you are somewhat at fault, you may be entitled to receive compensation. This is referred to as comparative negligence. As long as your fault does not surpass that of the defendant's, you can still be successful in your personal injury case. The amount of fault attributable to your actions will simply reduce your monetary award proportionately. For example, if it is found that you are 30% at fault, any compensation you are awarded is reduced by 30%.

Another aspect of personal injury law that varies from state to state is the statute of limitations. The statute of limitations puts a time limit on how long you have to file your personal injury case after your accident. Every state's statute of limitations varies, and it is always best practice to contact an attorney as soon as possible after an accident. Even if you do not think you will be entitled to receive any compensation, consult an attorney before making any assumptions. In Vermont, the statute of limitations generally requires you to bring a case for personal injury or medical malpractice within three years. Wrongful death cases, however, have a statute of limitations of only two years. These laws not only vary from state to state, but can also vary depending on the type case you have.

If a plaintiff fails to bring a case within the time limits set forth for their type of case, he or she is then barred from ever bringing a case and compensation can never be received for that incident. For this reason, it is imperative that you speak with attorney as soon as possible, even if you are unsure if you may be entitled to any compensation.

Regarding damages, in Vermont, you may receive multiple types of damages, including:

• General damages. These damages are paid for pain and suffering, loss of quality of life, disfigurement, lost wages, loss of the ability to work, or many others.
• Future damages. Plaintiffs may also be entitled to damages to cover future losses, such as pain and suffering, or any loss of future wages that would have inevitably been earned.
• Punitive damages. Punitive damages are rarely awarded, but you may be entitled to receive them. Punitive damages are those awarded with the intent to punish the negligent party if their conduct was extremely egregious.

If you or a loved one has been the victim of negligence in Vermont, please contact an experienced personal injury lawyer today.