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Personal Injury Attorney Serving Albany, Troy & The Capital Region

While many people assume that these types of cases are largely frivolous lawsuits brought to try and squeeze money out of a corporation, they serve an important purpose in society. These lawsuits not only protect people who have been injured due to another’s negligence, but they also tend to improve safety standards for everyone else after the fact. If you’ve been injured through no fault of your own it’s important to contact an experienced Albany personal injury attorney.

What is Personal Injury Law?

Personal injury is the name given to a branch of the law known as tort law which covers any wrong or damage done to another person in his person, property, rights, or reputation. This law initially found its way into the New World during the beginning of British colonization. England established its own system of common law in the 16th century (separate and apart from the Canon Law which governed the rest of Europe). This law was passed to the colonies and became the backbone of our current legal system today.

Law related to personal injury derives from the Latin phrase “res ipsa loquitur” which translates to “the thing speaks for itself.” This phrase essentially means that an accident does not just happen in daily life, but instead a person must have been responsible for the event which caused the accident. A common example of this doctrine is a sponge which is found in someone’s stomach after surgery. Since sponges do not normally appear inside an average person, the presence of the sponge inside a person’s stomach is enough to prove that a surgeon must have left the sponge inside.

Res ipsa loquitur evolved into our current legal doctrines found in personal injury cases, namely the following 4 points:

  • A person has a duty
  • The person breached this duty
  • But for the breach of this duty, the injury would not have occurred
  • Injury occurred

After the 17th century, common law recognized the ability of a person injured to receive “reasonable compensation” for any injuries sustained during the injury. Compensation law has evolved over the years to include tests for the amount of compensation which people can receive based on their own fault.

Hug Law, PLLC

Personal injury is an important section of our legal system and exists to provide punishment for those individuals who negligently caused injury to others. Matthew Hug is experienced in cases of this nature and recently secured a products liability settlement with a large corporation for nearly $1,000,000. Hug Law, PLLC accepts cases in the following areas:

Each personal injury case is unique and involves a new set of facts, witnesses, and different legal background to research. A successful case requires the expertise of an experienced lawyer who understands what documents are important and when they should be presented. If you have been injured by the negligence of another person, do not hesitate to contact Hug Law, PLLC today. These kinds cases have a two year limitations period, and it is important that you contact an attorney as soon as you are able so the case can begin moving forward and evidence can be collected shortly after the accident.