The 3 Primary Categories of Torts

Torts are civil wrong-doings, immoral behaviors, failing to use reasonable care and/or actions against civilians. Most often, torts come with consequences, like serious injuries and death. These consequences establish a civilian’s right to file a personal injury claim against a wrongful party and to recover damages from the wrongful party’s insurance carrier, except for intentional crimes.

Torts that result in serious injury or death can be punishable by imprisonment depending on the wrongful act; however, the objective of tort law is to provide for compensation for damages incurred by victims and families of victims. Its additional, and equally important, depending upon the tort, the intent is to prevent similar wrongdoings from occurring in the future.

Continue reading to learn the 3 categories of torts, and what to do if you are an injured victim who was wrongfully hurt in an accident caused by another.

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Tort Law

There are several individual capacities of tort law that all depend on the type of injury or accident that harms a person. Types of cases involving torts include motor vehicle accidents, product liability, assault and battery, sexual harassment, drunk driving accidents, wrongful death, slip and falls, head or brain injuries, dog bites, nursing home neglect, motorcycle accidents, and several other types of infliction of emotional or physical trauma.

Most torts can be grouped into at least one of three separate categories: Intentional Torts, Negligent Torts, and Strict Liability Torts.

Intentional torts are deliberate, premeditated, and purposeful. Assault and battery, sexual misconducts, and nursing home neglect are some examples of intentional tort.

Negligent tort occurs as a result of carelessness and disregard. Disobeying traffic signals, failing to pay attention while driving, speeding and causing an accident that harms another person are examples of negligent torts.

Strict liability torts, on the other hand, occur when a particular action causes harm or damage to another person, such as liability for making and selling defective products that are hazardous.

What to Do as an Injured Victim of a Wrongful Accident

Victims of torts can pursue fair compensation for damages incurred as a result of the tort. Exemplary damages include everything from pain and suffering to loss of companionship, and much more, such as lost wages, hospital bills, medical expenses, scarring or disfigurement, funeral expenses, prolonged rehabilitation, permanent disabilities, and much more.

Injured victims can also pursue compensation for damages like diminished quality of life and loss of benefits from a loved one’s death. Tort law is established to protect injured victims that were wrongfully hurt by a negligent party. Negligent parties can include people, companies, individuals, organizations, etc…

If you are a victim of tort or were recently injured in an accident caused by the negligence or misconduct of another party, you may be entitled to compensation for your damages. Contact a licensed personal injury law firm for professional guidance and counsel. It is important to take immediate action following a serious injury before the statute of limitation runs out. An experienced tort lawyer will substantially increase your chances and likelihood of winning your personal injury claim recovering compensation for your damages.

Are you ready to learn about your eligibility for recovering compensation as a survivor of a wrongful accident in Indiana? Contact the Law Office of Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 and schedule a free consultation with a seasoned personal injury lawyer in Indianapolis, today. We represent inured persons and the survivors in wrongful death cases throughout the state of Indiana.

You Might Also Read:

Interesting Facts About the History of Tort Law
What are Dignitary Torts?
The Difference Between Intentional and Unintentional Torts

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A Brief Explanation of Compensatory and Punitive Damages

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In tort law, there are 2 main categories of damages that can be awarded in a personal injury case: compensatory damages and punitive damages. The chief objective of such damages is to restore an injured victim’s quality of life back to the way it was before they were involved in an accident. Continue reading to learn more about each category of damages, as well as, what to do if you were recently denied sufficient compensation to cover your losses after being injured in a serious accident.

Compensatory Damages

Compensatory damages are meant to restore a victim’s losses that were incurred as a result of a defendant’s wrongful conduct or negligence. Types of losses that fit this category include property damage, hospital bills, current and future medical expenses, lost wages, prolonged physical therapy, permanent disfigurement or scarring, loss of consortium, reduced quality of life, loss of enjoyment of life, pain and suffering, mental anguish, and more. The most common accidents that result in compensatory damages being awarded are generally those that involve carelessness and negligent, such as car accidents, slip and fall accidents, and product defects.

Punitive Damages

Cases in which a defendant’s conduct was especially egregious, a court may award a victim with punitive damages. These are generally reserved for those who deserve penalty or punishment for an outrageously negligent or illegal act that harmed another person. An at-fault party in this type of case would likely face criminal prosecution too. Not only will courts use punitive damages to punish a defendant, they may also award them to set an example for the rest of the community. Common examples of such cases include drunk driving accidents, wrongful deaths, and medical malpractice.

Nominal Damages

Aside from the standard compensatory and punitive damages awarded in a personal injury lawsuit, there is a third category that is not as common called nominal damages. Nominal damages are small sums of money that are sometimes awarded to injured victims who have not incurred a significant economic loss or injury, but did experience an invasion of rights. Although minimal in funds in most cases, these damages are still important because they allow injured victims to pursue legal recompense for an immoral act against them, even if the act didn’t cause any financial repercussions. A court may award nominal damages to a plaintiff simply to show that the plaintiff is right and the defendant is wrong. They can be as low as 1 dollar since they are really meant to prove a point.

An Indianapolis Personal Injury Law Firm You Can Trust

Personal Injury Law Firm 317-881-2700

Personal Injury Law Firm
317-881-2700

Call Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 for help making a personal injury claim in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our seasoned accident attorneys are eager to recover the full and fair compensation you deserve. We offer free initial consultations and never collect lawyer fees unless we prevail for you.