Wisconsin Personal Injury Overview

Wisconsin's personal injury laws, for the most part, are similar to other states, but some of the details are unique. Personal injury law is a broad area of law that includes cases such as automobile accidents, defective products, medical malpractice, and premises liability.

Statute of limitations

All states have time limits in which personal injury lawsuits must be filed. This time limit to file a suit is referred to as the "statute of limitations." In Wisconsin, the statute of limitations for most personal injury cases is three years. However, for some cases this may not be limit. For instance, medical malpractice cases may be based on the date that the error was discovered.

Damages

In Wisconsin personal injury cases, you may be compensated for:

• Medical bills
• Lost wages
• Lost earning capacity
• Property damage
• Disability
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress

Punitive damages may also be awarded in Wisconsin and are intended to punish the responsible party for his/her actions. Wisconsin does not place a limit on punitive damages.

Negligence Issues

In Wisconsin, you are eligible for compensation even if you are partly at fault for your injuries. As long as you are less than 50%, under "modified comparative negligence," you can collect from responsible parties.

In many lawsuits there are multiple responsible parties. When this happens in Wisconsin, a form of "joint and several liability" is used to determine who is required to pay. Defendants who are less than 50% at fault can only be held accountable for damages equal to their percentage of blame. A defendant who is more than 50% to blame can be held liable for the entire amount of damages.

If you have been injured in Wisconsin, or if you have lost a loved one due to someone else's negligence or wrongdoing, please contact a Wisconsin personal injury lawyer to set up a confidential consultation.