EXPERIENCED WISCONSIN PERSONAL INJURY LAWYERS
An unexpected injury can upend a person’s life. Whether the injury arises from a car accident, a defective product, or a workplace accident, you deserve fair compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and other losses you’ve suffered—financial and otherwise.
But the insurance company isn’t going to make it easy. The best way to level the playing field is with aggressive representation from an experienced personal injury lawyer. Barton Cerjak has won millions for personal injury victims and their loved ones. Call today for a free consultation.
Personal Injury Claims in Wisconsin
Most personal injury actions involve claims of negligence, which impose liability for injuries caused by a defendant’s failure to act with due care under the circumstances. A plaintiff must prove the following four elements to establish a negligence claim:
- The defendant owed the plaintiff a duty to act in a certain way—that is, a duty of care.
- The defendant breached that duty by failing to conform its conduct to the applicable standard of care.
- The defendant’s conduct caused the plaintiff’s harm.
- The injury resulted in damages.
Apart from negligence claims, however, other statutory causes of action are commonly asserted by injured parties. For example, the safe-place statute in Wisconsin law provides that “employers” and “owners” of “places of employment” or “public buildings” must provide a safe environment to those who frequent the building. See Wis. Stat. § 101.11(1).
In other cases, a plaintiff or its property is injured by a defective product. In these situations, the manufacturer of the product, as well as its distributors, wholesalers, and the retailer who sold it, may be liable to the injured party under numerous theories of liability.
How Much Is My Personal Injury Claim Worth?
Damages you can seek in a personal injury lawsuit include:
- Economic damages. This includes medical bills, lost wages, reduced earning capacity—essentially any losses that you can put a specific price tag on by totaling previous expenses and calculating estimated future ones.
- Non-economic damages. This includes losses that are more subjective, such as pain and suffering, emotional trauma, or loss of enjoyment of life. If you’ve suffered a serious injury, the value of non-economic damages may be several times greater than the economic damages.
- Punitive damages. These might be awarded if the at-fault party acted with extreme negligence, recklessness, or malice—to the point where the court believes additional punishment is warranted as a deterrent. Most cases will not include punitive damages.
Of course, in practice things are rarely as simple as they appear. Estimating future economic damages, such as the amount of follow-up medical care you’ll require or the total value of a lifetime of lost earnings, is hard enough. Determining a fair settlement for non-economic losses is even more difficult.
Furthermore, the amount of money you can actually recover in a personal injury case can also hinge on things like the amount of insurance coverage available, the aggressiveness and skill of your attorney, and even the whims of a jury. Working with an experienced personal injury attorney who is thorough, detail-oriented, and willing to go to trial can make a large difference in terms of the financial outcome.
When Winning Really Matters
Regardless of how your injury occurs or whether you have been accused of injuring another, Barton Cerjak understands the complexities of personal injury claims.
If the insurance company doesn’t outright reject your insurance claim, they will most likely try to get you to accept a lowball settlement offer. While this may seem tempting, it’s far better to take the time to fight for what’s fair. The last thing you need is for money to dry up when you’re still unable to work and still in need of expensive medical care.
Our law firm prides itself on providing uncompromising advocacy for our clients, helping them recover the most money possible for their personal injury claim while allowing them to focus on healing and recovery. Give us a call for a free consultation with a Milwaukee personal injury attorney today.