Washington D.C. Jury Instructions for Damages – Auto Accident Attorney

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Washington D.C. Jury Instructions Personal Injury Lawyer

If you are assigned jury duty, the judge will read to you the jury instructions – his or her “charge” to the jurors. The instructions are the rules that jurors should follow when deciding a case.

In Washington D.C., Chapter 13 of the Standardized Civil Jury Instructions elicits the damages that can be awarded in a negligence or wrongful conduct case.

The first, and most obvious thing for which damages should be awarded is the extent and duration of physical injuries suffered. For example, compensation for a broken leg (and three months of physical therapy) will likely be greater than compensation for a sprained ankle (and one month of physical therapy). 

Other common verdicts cover compensation for any loss of earnings, any damage or loss to property, and any medical expenses incurred in the past or that may occur in the future.

Additional damages include restitution for the effect of the physical injuries on overall physical and emotional well-being, any physical pain and emotional distress suffered in the past or that the injured party may suffer in the future, any disfigurement or deformity suffered and its accompanying humiliation or embarrassment, and loss of consortium (marital services, love, affection, etc.)

Of course, to win the case, attorneys must prove negligence or wrongful conduct, and that the negligence of the person being sued caused the injury. In many cases, expert testimony is needed to do so, but there are three exceptions. The first is that the injury develops within dc jury instructions auto accident lawyer“reasonable time” after the accident. The second exception is that “causation is clearly apparent.” The third is that “the cause of injury relates to matters of common experience knowledge.” Let’s say you’re driving. The light turns green, so you press on the gas. Another driver flies through a red light, t-boning your car, and injuring you. In this case, the other driver running the red light caused the injury, and he or she should be held liable. Thus, expert testimony is unnecessary.

Interestingly, the defendant is responsible for the plaintiff’s injury even if a prior injury disability or other condition made the plaintiff more likely than a normal person to suffer an injury because of negligence/wrongful conduct. Let’s say the plaintiff, who suffers from brittle bone disease, was in an accident and broke his ankle. In that same accident, someone who didn’t suffer from the disease would have bruised his ankle. Even though the plaintiff’s pre-existing disease contributed to the severity of the injury, the defendant is still legally responsible for the broken ankle.

If you or a loved one has been the victim of negligence or wrongful conduct, call the experienced attorneys at Cohen & Cohen today for a free case evaluation!

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Towhanna Boston
Towhanna Boston
2024-07-09
This was an awesome experience with Brittney Cassiere, Miriam Calisher, and my attorney Jill. What made me select Cohen & Cohen for my case, was my experience many years ago with Kim Brooks-Rodney. I definitely recommend anyone to use them. They have your best interest at hand.
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2024-06-18
Adam Leighton did a great job handling my case so did Miriam and i was very satisfied with the outcome of the case! would recommend to anyone looking for a lawyer on a dog bite case.
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Tenki Si
2024-06-18
The attention to detail from every member of the team is impressive. The Cohen&Cohen provides very practical and efficient solutions to tough problems. They are highly responsive and they show true caring and compassion for their clients. Cohen&Cohen is the best Firm in Dmv
Michael Bulong
Michael Bulong
2024-06-17
I am very satisfied with the services provided by Cohen and Cohen. They were able to settle my case within less than a year and settled a fair amount in which I was expecting. They communicated very well throughout the process as well as made sure all boxes were checked off to ensure i received the best care and communication. I will recommend the services to anyone in these situations. Riley and Brittney were certainly very helpful during the process.
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2024-06-15
Great experience with Miriam and the team at Cohen and Cohen! They were welcoming, set realistic expectations, communicated clearly and consistently and answered all my questions. Thank you!
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Brody Sorrell
2024-06-12
So glad I picked them! They crushed it and exceeded my expectation. They kept me in the loop frequently and whenever called or emailed. I would highly recommend them.
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Miyagi Wassabi
2024-06-05
Riley is the best she is very good at communicating with the customer and also she got me what I wanted
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Suzanne McQuaid
2024-05-22
Lucas Baudry was my rep for this accident claim, and even though I had LOADS of questions and was a bit impatient, he was always responsive and quick to reply. We’re wrapping up now, and I really feel like he tried to have the best results in the end, and didn’t drag it out more than need be.
Darlene Blake
Darlene Blake
2024-05-20
I had a great experience with this company. Mr. Baudry worked diligently with my case, he was very professional and straight to the point. He gathered all the information that he needed to get the job done. I recommend this company to all the people that I come across that need help. Thanks a lot. Darlene Dixon-Blake