Liability of Individual Defendants

Jed Dietrich, Esq., Distinguished as a Member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, and His Top Rated Team of Attorneys at the Dietrich Law Firm P.C., Acclaimed as an American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys 10 Best Personal Injury Law Firm, Battle to Obtain the Maximum Compensation for Victims Seriously Injured in Accidents in Buffalo, New York; Niagara Falls, New York; Rochester, New York; Throughout New York State and Beyond.

Suffering serious personal injuries in an accident can be a devastating ordeal. Victims may need emergency medical treatment, surgery, and physical therapy to fully recover. Instead of being able to work, injury sufferers are often incapacitated in bed for days or even weeks. As a result, victims often find themselves in grim physical, emotional, and financial circumstances. Fortunately, in most personal injury cases, such as car crashes, slip and falls, and accidents involving defective property conditions, the responsible party carries some form of liability insurance. Liability insurance was designed to protect insured parties against others’ injury and property damage claims.

When insured parties are found to be liable for accidents involving negligence, insurance companies hold the burden of satisfying damages that are obtained through negotiated settlements or awarded by courts. Additionally, most insurance companies will cover a defendant’s legal costs and conduct a private investigation to reach an independent liability decision. If you, or a loved one, were seriously injured in an accident, you need the best attorney in Western New York to pursue your case and obtain sufficient compensation. Although no amount of money can take away your pain and suffering, you may be eligible to file a personal injury lawsuit against the responsible party. Receiving compensation for all your damages may be the only way to start rebuilding everything you lost.

Jed Dietrich, Esq. founded the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. in 2005 with a mission to provide the highest level of personal injury service to accident victims. Since 1999, Jed Dietrich, Esq. has exclusively handled serious personal injury cases. Throughout the years, the Dietrich Law Firm P.C.’s highly skilled team has seen the overwhelming impact that accidents and resulting injuries can have on victims and ultimately their loved ones. Our battle-tested attorneys will take immediate action to thoroughly investigate your accident, determine liability, and file a claim to preserve your rights. We are determined, disciplined, and dedicated to obtaining you the best possible result for your injuries and all other damages. Contact our remarkable law firm today at (716) 839-3939 or by filling out the online consultation form. There is never a fee unless we WIN for you!

After all underlying insurance coverage policy limits have been exhausted, an umbrella policy can provide additional liability coverage. These policies typically have high enough limits to cover large damages and can protect those at fault for accidents involving severe injuries or major property damages. For instance, if a pedestrian suffers complete paralysis and traumatic brain injury after getting struck by a negligent driver who has a $250,000 insurance policy. In this situation, the pedestrian may be awarded more than $250,000 in compensation. If the driver also purchased an umbrella policy, it would activate once the underlying $250,000 has been tendered to the victim.

When a victim is seriously injured or killed on someone else’s property, the owner may be held responsible under the theory of premises liability. If the negligent owner has already exhausted his homeowner’s insurance, the victim may be able to obtain additional compensation from the property owner’s umbrella policy. While every policy is different, most umbrella policies are very particular as to what is covered. Most umbrella policies can also be used to cover the costs for repairing or replacing damaged property once any underlying policies are exhausted. Further, umbrella policies often include coverage for accidents involving underinsured and uninsured motorists. One of the main reasons individuals choose to obtain umbrella policies is to safeguard themselves in cases they cause severe accidents and do not want to lose their assets. These policies can save liable parties from losing their houses and life savings.

A tort is any wrongful act or omission that causes injury to another person for which courts impose liability. Although negligent and intentional acts are both considered torts, the fundamental difference between the two is intent. In negligence claims, defendants cause harm to victims through carelessness, while in intentional tort claims, defendants cause harm to victims on purpose. Some intentional torts can be considered both civil and criminal matters. For instance, if a defendant punches someone in the face, he or she may be prosecuted for criminal assault and also be sued in a personal injury lawsuit for civil assault.

Financial awards in personal injury cases involving negligence are designed primarily to compensate victims for all of the damages caused by the accident. In these cases, victims can recover economic and non-economic damages, such as compensation for all past and future medical treatment, rehabilitation, lost wages from missing work, diminished future earning capacity, loss of consortium, pain and suffering, permanent disability suffered, costs to repair or replace damaged property, and any other unanticipated damages. Damages in cases involving intentional acts are designed to compensate victims and punish wrongdoers. Since the defendant acted purposely in an intentional tort case, the scope of damages is typically broader and more generous. For instance, punitive damages may be awarded to deter similar future behavior and punish defendants.

Nevertheless, it is often more difficult for victims to recover damages in intentional tort cases because defendants are not be covered by their insurance policies. Most insurance policies have specific exclusions for any intentional acts. Thus, even if a defendant is insured and hurts someone on purpose, his or her insurance is unlikely to cover it. In contrast, insurance policies cover accidents caused by negligence. Despite the more generous damages awarded in intentional cases, victims typically recover more in accidental cases. Our highly experienced lawyers can determine if a wrongdoer has any assets, such as a car, house, or large savings account. Lawsuits can still be filed directly against someone that acted purposely, as opposed to pursuing an insurance claim. Additionally, there may be other responsible parties that carry insurance. For example, if someone punched you at a bar, we may file a claim against the bar owner for overserving patrons or having inadequate security.

The Dietrich Law Firm P.C.’s battle-tested team can analyze all potential avenues for compensation to ensure that you obtain the highest possible recovery for your injuries. Insurance companies have paid Jed Dietrich, Esq. over $175,000,000.00 in verdicts and settlements to resolve personal injury claims. Our elite attorneys have a long track record of obtaining justice for victims of both negligent and intentional accidents. We will act reasonably and appropriately to develop the most effective legal strategy to prove liability, enhance your chances of obtaining the maximum compensation for all economic and non-economic damages suffered, and ensure that justice prevails. The Dietrich Law Firm P.C.’s seasoned team offers complimentary lawsuit evaluations and consultations. We would be honored to speak to you about your possible claim. Our veteran team is available 24 hours per day and 7 days per week at (716) 839-3939 or by filling out the online consultation form.

Call the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. immediately at (716) 839-3939 so that our aggressive, tenacious and hardworking personal injury lawyers can fight to obtain the best result for your personal injury claim in Buffalo, New York. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and there is never a fee until we WIN for you!