If you were a victim of an assault, then you might want to consider filing a lawsuit. If you had to pay medical bills, were unable to go to work for a period, or if you were just afraid for your life, then a lawsuit can help you win compensation and peace of mind. To help you decide if that's the right course for you, here are some of the basics:

What is a personal injury lawsuit?

At its core, a personal injury lawsuit helps you recover damages from some injury that you suffered. Auto accidents and medical malpractice as some of the most common causes for such lawsuits, but defective products and workplace injuries can also be used. If you were assaulted, then you usually have the option of filing a civil suit against the offender.

The amount of money that win will depend on the laws of your state, along with the exact types of damage that you suffered. For example, medical bills are often completely unrestricted, but you might be limited in how much you can ask for when it comes to abstract damages like pain and suffering.

How can an assault lead to a personal injury lawsuit?

If you were a victim of an assault, then you generally have the option of filing a personal injury lawsuit. It's crucial to note that a personal injury lawsuit is not the same as criminal charges. Criminal charges are filed against the individual and will result in some sort of punishment if there is a conviction, but you won't directly benefit from such a ruling (aside from the peace of mind that you can enjoy as a result of the perpetrator being in prison and unable to get to you).

To contrast, civil charges mainly deal with the exchange of money and ownership. If you win a civil lawsuit, you will usually be awarded some amount of compensation, often in an amount that directly correlates to the damage that you have endured.

This can create confusing situations where an individual can win a criminal case and lose a civil case or vice versa. This isn't particularly surprising though, since the government's prosecution team is quite different from the private lawyers that you might hire for yourself. On top of that, either case can sabotage itself by getting too greedy and asking for more than it can really win. For example, a criminal case can lose a conviction if they go after first degree murder instead of some form of manslaughter.

For more information, contact a lawyer like James Lee Katz.