Liability in Your Civil Case

Liability is the legal term that indicates someone else is responsible for causing your injuries. If you drive your car into a tree because you are not paying attention, you are responsible for your own injuries and you would not be able to get some else to compensate you for those injuries. If someone else runs a red light and smashes into you while you are proceeding through a green light, that other driver is said to be “liable” in the accident and you would be able to seek compensation from that other driver for causing your injuries. Some accidents occur in such a way that liability is said to be “clear,” i.e., one party is clearly responsible for causing the accident. (Rear end collisions typically are clearly the fault of the driver who hits the other car in the rear.) Other accidents are not so clear as to liability and a good lawyer can help you figure out who was responsible and convince the insurance company or a jury of liability.