After An Accident, Trust Your Case To A Trial-Tested Honolulu Personal Injury Attorney

You have a lot to worry about after a devastating injury. Healing is often a full-time job, leaving little time or energy to argue with insurance companies or investigate the details of the accident to determine fault. That’s why, if your injuries were caused by another person’s negligence, it is beneficial to seek the help of a skilled personal injury lawyer.

In Honolulu and throughout Hawai‘i, the firm to contact is Harrison Law Center, A Law Corporation. My name is Bill Harrison, an attorney with more than 40 years of legal experience. As your lawyer, it will be my job to advocate vigorously on your behalf, leaving you free to focus on your health and your loved ones.

What Is Personal Injury?

Personal injury is the area of law concerned with the harm that you may suffer to your body, emotions or mind due to someone else’s negligent or intentional actions. This can include injuries from car accidents, falls, dog bites and more. If you were hurt because another person didn’t act responsibly, you might have the right to seek compensation for your injuries and losses. The goal of a personal injury claim is to ensure that you are not left bearing the costs of another’s mistake.

What Types Of Accidents And Injuries Can An Oahu Personal Injury Lawyer Assist With?

My firm represents victims injured by the negligent actions of others in a variety of scenarios. Some of the most common types of cases I handle relate to:

Car accidents – Crashes are commonly caused by distracted driving, speeding and aggressive driving, drunk driving and other preventable acts of negligence.

Truck accidents – Hawai‘i doesn’t have nearly as many semi trucks as the mainland does, but these giant nonetheless pose a threat to other drivers. Truck accidents are more likely than other types of crashes to result in catastrophic injuries or death to the occupants of smaller vehicles.

Motorcycle accidents – The biggest threat to motorcyclists is driver inattention. Operators of cars and trucks often fail to keep a lookout for motorcyclists, leading to devastating accidents.

Pedestrian and bike accidents – Hawai‘i is a scenic and inviting place to walk or ride a bicycle. While the weather and the views are idyllic, however, the roads and sidewalks are far less accommodating. Bicycle and pedestrian accidents are common, largely because of driver inattention.

Uber and Lyft accidents – Were you injured in a car accident while riding as a passenger in a rideshare vehicle? Or was your car struck by a rideshare vehicle? Insurance coverage in rideshare accidents is complex and can change from minute to minute, which makes it difficult for the average accident victim to seek compensation on their own (when their injuries exceed the coverage limits of their Personal Injury Protection benefits). My firm can help you hold at-fault driver’s insurance company accountable.

Slip-and-fall accidents – Property owners in Hawai‘i have a duty to ensure that their premises are reasonably safe for guests and visitors. If you were seriously injured in a slip-and-fall accident on commercial or residential property, your injuries may have been caused by property owner negligence. I can help you investigate the details of your accident and seek appropriate compensation in a personal injury lawsuit.

Dog bites – If you were the victim of an unprovoked attack by another person’s dog, it may be possible to hold the dog’s owner liable for your injuries. Each case is unique, so it is important to seek the help of a reputable Hawai‘i personal injury law firm when pursuing a claim.

What Types Of Compensation Can You Receive In A Hawai‘i Personal Injury Lawsuit?

Plaintiffs in a personal injury lawsuit may be entitled to “damages,” which refers to money owed for harms suffered. Most damages are classified as economic (meaning they have an objective financial cost) or noneconomic (intangible losses that are most complex to calculate). Specific examples include:

• Medical expenses: This can include costs for hospital stays, doctor visits, physical therapy, prescription medications, and any other medical treatments you need now or in the future because of your injury.
• Lost wages: If your injury has kept you from being able to work, you may be compensated for the wages you’ve lost. This also includes the loss of earning capacity if your ability to work in the future has been affected.
• Pain and suffering: This type of compensation is for the physical pain and emotional distress you’ve experienced because of your injury.
• Property damage: If any of your property was damaged as a result of the accident, such as your vehicle in a car crash, you could receive compensation to repair or replace it.
• Loss of enjoyment of life: Injuries can sometimes prevent you from enjoying your daily activities or hobbies that you once took part in before the accident.
• Loss of consortium: If your injury has had a significant negative impact on your relationship with your spouse, you may be able to claim loss of consortium damages.

In some cases, if the person responsible for your injury acted with extreme negligence or intentional misconduct, you might be awarded punitive damages. These are not tied to any specific loss you’ve suffered but are meant to punish the wrongdoer and deter similar actions in the future. Punitive damages are rarely awarded in Hawai‘i, but they are possible.

Is A Personal Injury Award Or Settlement Taxable?

For the most part, if your settlement or award is compensating you for physical injuries or physical sickness, then it is not considered taxable income at the federal or state level. This means you usually don’t have to pay taxes on that money. It is meant to help you recover from your injury, not create an additional financial burden.

Even if you receive punitive damages, which are meant to punish the person or company that caused your injury, those are typically taxable.

Each case is unique, and there may be specific exceptions to the information provided above in your particular case. Before agreeing to a settlement or structuring a settlement, I will take time to explain how it could impact your tax liabilities so that you can make an informed decision.

Contact My Firm Today For A Free Initial Consultation

From my office in Honolulu, Harrison Law Center serves clients throughout the state of Hawai‘i. To take advantage of a free consultation about your legal options, you can contact me online or call 808-501-0408.