Negligence is a legal standard often applied in Minneapolis personal injury cases to determine whether a defendant can be held liable for damages or injuries suffered by the plaintiff. Under the law, all citizens have a responsibility to exercise a “reasonable duty of care” when driving, owning property, or simply going about their daily lives. When an individual fails to uphold this duty of care, they can be held liable for the effects of his or her misconduct.
Negligence and Your Minneapolis Personal Injury Lawsuit
If you choose to file a personal injury lawsuit in Minneapolis, it is important that you understand the idea of negligence. In many instances, only by proving a defendant negligent can you legally claim compensation from them for your injuries. Proof of negligence consists of three parts:
- Proof of duty. Evidence that a defendant knew or should have known about a potential danger or hazard which is located on their property or could be caused by their actions.
- Breach of duty. Proof that the defendant failed to correct, repair, or warn about the potential danger or hazards mentioned above, or that the defendant failed to refrain from taking actions which create potential dangers or hazards.
- Proximate cause. Proof that the defendant’s actions or lack of action led directly to and were the proximate cause of the injuries suffered by the plaintiff.
Why You Need a Minneapolis Personal Injury Attorney
Negligence may not always be easy to prove. Not only does the right evidence have to be collected and analyzed quickly, but it must also be placed in context for jurors to review. Furthermore, establishing the link between a defendant’s breach of duty and your injuries is often difficult; the defense will often argue that other factors – such as your own actions – were at fault in causing your injuries.
Only a competent and experienced Minneapolis personal injury lawyer can adequately handle the challenges facing your personal injury case. For more information, call Terry, Slane & Ruohonen, PLLC at 612-362-0000 today. Our partners are skilled, dynamic litigators with years of experience.
