Sometimes, people want to file a lawsuit over a specific accident but might not have a realistic chance of winning. The key element in any situation where you were injured and want to file a lawsuit is whether or not the injury was due to the negligence of someone else. There are some ways that you can try to determine whether or not this was the case on your own, but you’ll want to speak with Dallas personal injury attorneys to get a realistic assessment of your situation.
The Basics of Negligence
Reasonable people can be expected to take certain actions in some situations and to avoid those actions in others. That is one of the primary parts of negligence as it’s defined in the law. For instance, a reasonable person can be expected to check to make sure that a traffic light is not red and, if it is, to apply brakes before they reach the intersection so that they do not endanger other drivers.
Where negligence is concerned, no one is expected to be heroic. The average driver is not expected to react like a professional driver in a situation that could result in an accident, but they are expected to act with reasonable care. If someone did not exercise reasonable care and you came to harm, that may be a valid reason to consider filing a lawsuit.
Did You Cause It?
One of the things your attorney will have to look into is whether or not you actually caused the accident that you were involved in. There are situations where someone is convinced that the accident was caused by another driver but where the evidence doesn’t bear that out. For instance, someone may want to sue for damages because another driver struck their parked car, but if they were parked in a no-parking zone, that may not be a realistic option. An attorney will take all of this into account when they’re trying to determine whether or not your case has a shot of winning.
Talking to an Attorney
Getting a consultation from a personal injury attorney generally doesn’t cost anything. They have to meet with clients to determine whether or not they can help them before agreeing to take their claims, so this is a free service. If you’re not sure about whether or not you have a valid claim, talk to an attorney as soon as possible to find out.
