After you suffer a personal injury, you have a number of options for seeking the compensation you need to pay off medical bills and to replace your lost wages. One of the options you have is to seek a civil lawsuit, which is one that you take to court to make a claim for compensation. This kind of case doesn't have anything to do with the criminal aspect of the case, so no charges are typically discussed or penalized at the trial.
Civil litigation allows you to take your case to court at the same time or a different time than a criminal case. For instance, if you are struck by a drunk driver, the authorities may seek a criminal case while you may choose to pursue a civil lawsuit. In the case that no criminal lawsuit is filed, you are still able to take a civil lawsuit to court.
There are various personal injury situations where you may want to head to court. Pedestrian accidents involving dangerous drivers, premises liability issues, and animal attacks can all be brought to court as part of a civil trial.
At your trial, you can show how your injury has affected you, your family, and your life. You can show the cost of medical bills, future expenses, and lost wages. With all these pieces of evidence in hand, the court may be able to help you get compensated for the accident. You can read more about this and other topics on our website, where we have more information about civil lawsuits, criminal cases, and personal injuries.