Top-Rated Providence Personal Injury Lawyer
Do you need a Providence personal injury lawyer? If you have been injured as the result of someone else's negligence, you may be entitled to compensation or a cash settlement. There is no cost to determine if you are eligible and it costs you nothing to file your personal injury lawsuit. Contact me today to learn how.
Providence, Rhode Island
With the distinction of being one of the oldest cities in the United States, Providence serves as the capital of Rhode Island. It gets its name from founder Roger Williams, who was a Reformed Baptist fleeing Massachusetts Bay Colony to seek religious freedom for himself and his followers. Located at the mouth of the Providence River, the city certainly has had many opportunities for growth over the years. As one of the first American cities to industrialize, it has a rich history in manufacturing and today serves as a bustling center of education and medicine.
What Does a Providence
Personal Injury Lawyer Do?
- Negotiates on your behalf to maximize the amount of your settlement and ensures that the other party doesn’t trick you into accepting a settlement that is lower than what you are entitled to.
- Is ready to file suit and go to trial should the other side not want to play ball, and acts as the great equalizer to show the other side that you mean business and are prepared to fight.
- A personal injury lawyer ensures that at every step the rules of the court are followed, evidence is submitted correctly and on time, and your rights are being vigorously advanced.
Personal Injury Cases
Personal Injury
Personal injury is what we do — and we do it well. For over 30 years Louis W. Grande has helped people get the compensation they deserve. No matter where you live in Rhode Island we can help you if you have been injured.
Car Accidents
An accident can happen in the blink of an eye. The most common car accidents involve rear-end collisions. If you were injured because of another driver not paying attention, you have a potential claim. Contact us today for help.
Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcycle accidents are serious and can often be fatal or lead to lifelong injuries. Louis W. Grande knows how common it is for a distracted driver to cause an accident in seconds. If you have been injured, give us a call now.
Truck Accidents
Trucks and semi trucks can leave a devastating impact because of the sheer size and weight of the vehicle. The aftermath of a truck accident can leave you seriously injured, which likely means big medical bills and loss of wages.
Pedestrian Accidents
In Rhode Island, one out of every five traffic fatalities happens to be a pedestrian being struck by a driver not paying attention. The crosswalk should be safe, but this is rarely the case in the world of distraction we live in today.
Premise Liability
An owner or operator of real property has the legal obligation to ensure that property is free from dangerous or unsafe conditions. If you were injured on someone else’s property due to negligence, you have a potential claim.
Dog Bites
You’ll likely not get anywhere dealing with anyone, including the insurance company, without a personal injury lawyer. Most dog bites appear as simple lacerations or abrasions of the skin. Some can be even more serious.
Slips and Falls
Serious injuries can occur from a slip and fall, and people who own or manage property that is open to the public have a responsibility to keep the area safe and free from danger. If you have been injured, you should talk to a lawyer now.
Medical Malpractice
While we’ve grown up trusting medical professionals to make the right decision when we count on them, that doesn’t happen every time. When a mistake does happen, you need someone you can turn to for immediate help.
Product Liability
Manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, and retailers are required by law to ensure that the products that they make available are safe and free from defects that can cause harm. Plain and simple. If you have been injured, call now.
Worker’s Comp
If you have been injured at work, there is no reason you shouldn’t receive the benefits you deserve. It’s bad enough to receive an injury on the job. Unplanned medical expenses and bills just add insult to injury. Get a free consultation.
Nursing Home Abuse
There is nothing worse than finding out your loved one has suffered abuse at a nursing home or long-term care facility. Physical and emotional abuse — or even worse — can happen. Let me help you get justice.
Elder Abuse
Elder abuse can occur in and out of nursing homes. The elderly are often targets of scams and can easily fall victim to abuse or neglect, especially if they are mobility-impaired or suffering from decreased cognitive function.
Intentional Acts
Intentional torts are often the result of a criminal act that has repercussions beyond criminal penalties. An intentional act that injures another person can also include civil damages, and as a victim, you have the right to sue.
Wrongful Death
No amount of money can repair the loss of a loved one that died as a result of someone else’s negligence. Unfortunately, there are times when a wrongful death cannot be punished criminally or the punishment is not enough.
Understanding Negligence
in Personal Injury Law
Negligence
Negligence is a legal concept that determines who is at fault in a personal injury lawsuit. Fault can be assigned either by the actions — or inaction — of the party responsible for the injuries.
“Duty of care” is another legal concept that is important to understand. In a nutshell, it is the responsibility one person has to maintain certain standards in order to avoid injuring another person.
So, when someone is said to have “breached their duty of care”, it simply means that under the circumstances surrounding the injury, the at-fault party had a reasonable expectation to adhere to a certain standard, and because that standard was not adhered to, another person was injured.
Gross negligence
Gross negligence is like negligence on steroids. Rather than simply neglecting to maintain certain standards, someone who is guilty of gross negligence acted in a way that any reasonable person would know, or should have known, would be dangerous or unsafe.
Reckless conduct and intentional misconduct
Reckless conduct and intentional misconduct fall into this bucket and the short answer is that if you can prove your injuries were a result of the gross negligence of the other party, you are likely entitled to punitive damages — meaning your claim will be higher.
How do you prove negligence?
There are four main elements that you need to prove in order to move forward with a valid claim.
- Duty of care — The other party had a legal duty to act in a reasonable manner or to take reasonable steps to prevent harm to another person.
- Breach — The other party breached their duty of care because of their actions or inaction and this resulted in another person being injured.
- Causation — The injury occurred as a direct result of the other party and the injury could not, and would have not, occurred in any other way.
- Damages — The plaintiff was harmed physically, financially, and/or emotionally because of the actions of the defendant.
The two main ways that negligence is proven is through evidence and through testimony. Testimony is the recounting of facts from the defendant or witnesses, which can be obtained through witness affidavits and depositions of the defendant(s). Evidence can be obtained through medical and police reports, and any other items that aid in proving up your case. Obtaining all of the evidence you can is a critical first step in filing a personal injury claim.
If you are unsure of what steps to take, please give me a call now or schedule a free case evaluation.
Types of Injuries
Personal injury mainly focuses on injury of the body. Emotional or psychological injury can
be elements or the focus of a personal injury case, but overwhelmingly most cases are
brought for physical injury. If you have been injured, Louis W. Grande can help.
- Whiplash & neck injuries
- Organ failure
- Dog bite
- Back injury
- Infection
- Polytrauma
- Herniated discs
- Nerve damage
- Spinal cord injury
- Broken bones
- Burns
- Knee injuries
- Slip & fall
- Visual impairment
- Amputation(s)
- Severed limbs
- Traumatic brain injury
- Severe lacerations
- Abdominal injuries
- Skull fractures
- Internal Injury
- Eye Injury
- Hip Injury
- Injury Accident
- Soft Tissue Injury
- Uber Accident
- Bicycle Accident
Personal Injury Lawyer Near You
No Win, No Fee — If You Have Been Injured, Get Help Now.
As a Providence personal injury lawyer who has helped hundreds of clients across the State of Rhode Island over the last 30 years, I’ve seen it all.
I’ve seen people try to abuse the system and I’ve seen people with real injuries suffer because they didn’t have the right legal help when dealing with the insurance company or claims adjuster.
In the end, it’s all about liability — whoever is responsible for your injury is liable for any damages you sustain as a result of their negligence.
If you have been injured, you have a right to fair compensation for any and all damages that were a result of your injury.
In a perfect world, after an injury the other party would have insurance and the insurance company would make you whole again.
Unfortunately, that’s not how the world works.
The moment you are injured the other party will typically do all they can to release liability and settle the matter quickly, often for a value far below what you are actually entitled to.
It’s very common for people to see a big number on a check when times are tough and settle without first talking to a lawyer. This is a big mistake. Once you add up lost wages, medical costs, and any other related expenses, that number the other party threw your way might not look so good anymore.
Sometimes, just the simple act of having a lawyer helps level the playing field and makes sure everyone plays fair.
What is Personal Injury Law?
Personal injury is a type of tort lawsuit where one person files a lawsuit against another party or entity for injuries of the body or mind.
Personal injury law dates back to the years where judges decided on a matter, and afterwards, those rulings became the guiding rule on how future cases would be decided.
Over time, these rulings formed a body of law known as “common law”.
In legalese, this is known as “binding precedent” — essentially a rule that must be applied to future cases similar in nature.
There are very few federal statutes that govern how personal injury claims are decided in court. Instead, each state has its own rules and way of doing things that have been established from past court decisions. This “case law” is what the courts use to determine if you have a valid tort.
What is a “tort” claim?
A tort, in common law, is a civil wrong that causes a person to suffer loss or harm, resulting in legal liability for the person who commits a tortious act. It can include the intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, financial losses, injuries, invasion of privacy and many other things.
In essence, there are four different ways in which someone can be sued for causing harm to another person.
- Negligence
- Gross negligence
- Reckless conduct
- Intentional misconduct
Strict liability is another way that liability is assigned in personal injury law, and this has more to do with who is legally responsible when there is no fault or criminal intent on the part of the defendant.
Product liability is a good example of strict liability. There are others, but the important thing to understand about personal injury is the term negligence. If you cannot prove your injuries were the result of the negligence of the other party, you don’t have a case (in most cases).
Do You Have a Personal
Injury Lawsuit?
If you have been injured because of the carelessness of another person, entity or business, you likely have grounds for a personal injury lawsuit.
Should you deal with the insurance company on your own?
The short answer is no.
Appearing in pro se or as a self-represented litigant is perfectly legal.
Is the smart move though?
Here is the reality: most personal injury cases involve an insurance company. Said insurance company has a lawyer. Actually, in almost ALL cases, said insurance company will have a legal team.
So, it is possible to represent yourself? Absolutely.
Should you? Probably not.
Even if you are a genius and have plenty of internet bandwidth and the ability to navigate Google like a pro, time is another factor.
The facts and truth often take a backseat to the procedural rules of court. What that means is that even if the truth is on your side, there are plenty of legal tricks and nuances that you need to know in order to “prove up” your case and submit everything in accordance to the local rules and within the stated timelines. Failing in any one area can have serious consequences to your case and can easily prevent you from getting the amount of compensation you deserve.
When you factor all that in, on top of the fact that a Providence personal injury lawyer ONLY costs you money IF YOU WIN, it’s almost a no-brainer to be represented by an attorney.
Your attorney is paid out of the award of damages or settlement.
Top-Rated Providence Personal Injury Lawyer
If you have been injured because of the carelessness of another person, entity or business, you likely have grounds for a personal injury lawsuit.
Personal Injury — at its core — is using the law to make sure you are not stuck with a financial burden after your injury because of someone else’s negligence.
The real challenge lies in gathering enough evidence to prove your case.
Challenges in Personal Injury Cases
- Gathering evidence can be extremely difficult at times. Without evidence your case has no weight, but with the right evidence your words are concrete and backed by facts.
- How evidence is gathered is another fine line. Serious restrictions are placed on collecting evidence and conducting surveillance. Same goes for recording phone calls or conversations.
- Active lying is another challenge that will completely railroad your case. A personal injury lawsuit is a complicated legal process. If the other side suspects dishonesty, they will fight tooth and nail.
Louis is an amazing attorney! He fights hard to get you what you deserve and he doesn’t give in. You couldn’t ask for a better lawyer to represent your interests and I can’t recommend him enough!
– Steve H.
AWARD WINNING INJURY LAWYER
Louis W. Grande is a top-rated, award-winning Providence personal injury lawyer that has helped clients throughout the state of Rhode Island for the last 30+ years recover millions in compensation for personal injury claims. Call today for a free case evaluation.
Proudly Serving All of Rhode Island Since 1990