When you are a victim of crime, such as assault or robbery, it is important to always speak with an attorney. There are many legal concerns that can arise from the incident and having an experienced lawyer on your side can help in resolving them. It is important to know how a civil lawsuit differs from a criminal case and how you may go about receiving compensation for the damages you have suffered.
The criminal justice system will fight to ensure that an individual who is charged with a crime faces stiff consequences. The victim of the crime, however, might have suffered serious, long-lasting injuries. It is our goal to seek the maximum monetary compensation possible for our injured clients.
At The Law Offices of John Phebus, our Glendale crime victim lawyers have handled cases involving a wide range of injuries and circumstances. Our diverse experience and detailed understanding of personal injury law directly benefit our injured clients. We will fully examine the criminal activity and the resulting personal injuries to develop an effective case strategy. Clients rely on our firm for personal service and prompt communication. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.
It is important to speak with a lawyer about your crime after it has occurred. You need assistance in determining what type of compensation you may be eligible for, how to handle any criminal charges that arise from the incident and more.
A lawyer knows the ins and outs of the legal system and can advise you on the proper steps to take after you have been the victim of a crime. Additionally, no one wants to go through this process alone, and having a trusted legal expert by your side will make the process much more tolerable.
A civil lawsuit differs from a criminal case because they are not concerned with guilt or innocence. It will instead focus on who was negligent and caused damages as well as figuring out the amount of monetary relief an individual needs.
For instance, if someone crashes into your car while texting behind the wheel but has no insurance coverage available, compensation for this would fall solely on them personally (or your uninsured motorist policy) rather than their company’s policy paying up front.
The goal of a civil lawsuit is to seek compensation for damages in the event that a crime was committed. The process of recovering damages against a perpetrator is significantly different than when seeking damages from a personal injury, such as suing an insurance company after a car accident.
The type and amount of compensation an individual can get from a civil lawsuit varies depending on the severity or damages.
For example, if someone was murdered then they would likely be entitled to punitive damages as well as compensating for things like mental anguish and emotional distress caused by your loved one’s death. If you’ve been sexually assaulted or harassed in some way this too is liable to fall under “compensatory/punitive” damages when it comes time to file a civil suit against the perpetrator.
In cases where there appears to be no criminal intent behind injuries sustained, victims have two options: either offer up what financial losses are necessary before filing any sort of action (this includes pain, suffering and emotional distress in the form of either mental or physical pain) or go ahead with a lawsuit.
Punitive damages are awarded to victims who have been seriously injured from an intentional act committed by another person such as assault, battery or property damage (quite often these awards will be for more than compensatory damages). This type of payout is meant to punish the offender rather than compensate the victim.
These types of damages can include monetary penalties like fines and community service hours imposed on offenders while still allowing them access to their civil liberties. Injuries sustained without criminal intent typically fall under “compensatory” damages.
Even if an individual is convicted of a crime, the victim of the crime does not automatically receive monetary compensation for his or her injuries. The victim might suffer physical, psychological and monetary losses while receiving no compensation. Our Peoria personal injury lawyers have handled cases involving a range of criminal offenses, including:
Schedule a free consultation with a Glendale crime victim attorney at our firm to learn more about your legal options for monetary compensation. We will aggressively fight to preserve your future financial stability.
If you have questions regarding injuries suffered during criminal activity, schedule a free consultation at The Law Offices of John Phebus. Our firm can be reached by calling (623) 847-7117 or by completing our online contact form. Our office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Evening and weekend appointments are available based on the needs of our clients.
