You need three solid building blocks to win a personal injury lawsuit. Lawyers call them elements. First, the other party had a duty to keep you safe. Next, that duty was broken. Finally, the breach caused your injuries and losses. As the plaintiff, you must prove all three. Miss one, and the case stops.
Not sure if your accident, medical bills, or time off work add up to a solid claim? Talk to an Arkansas major personal injury lawyer at Gates Law Firm PLLC. We can take the facts, measure them against the law, and tell you straight. We can also walk you through how long a personal injury lawsuit can take, so you know the road ahead instead of guessing.
While you focus on healing, we can gather records, speak with witnesses, and build the story a jury can follow. Call Gates Law Firm PLLC at (501) 779-8091 for a free consultation today. Your recovery comes first.
Was Someone Else at Fault? The Element of Liability
Liability simply means fault. It answers the question: Who made the mistake that caused the crash or the product failure? Liability arises when a party acts carelessly or neglects a safety precaution required by law.
Here are everyday examples you might recognize on Arkansas roads and in local stores:
- An 18-wheeler veering into the wrong lane of traffic and hitting a car head-on (like in the picture above)
- A texting driver looks down for two seconds, misses the brake lights ahead, and slams the back of your pickup.
- A power tool leaves the factory with a loose guard that grabs your glove and mangles your hand.
Arkansas also follows a modified comparative fault rule. If you carry half or more of the blame, you cannot collect money. Stay at 49% fault or less, and you can still recover, but your award drops by your share of responsibility. In court, the injured person carries the burden of proof. Proof comes from police reports, witness statements, videos, maintenance logs, black-box downloads, and plain common sense.
Arkansas Major Personal Injury Attorney
Joseph Gates
Joseph Gates founded Gates Law Firm PLLC with a simple but powerful principle: those who cause harm should be held accountable. As a dedicated trial lawyer, Joseph has built a practice centered on helping injured Arkansans recover just compensation and restore their peace of mind. His approach is client-focused, justice-driven, and rooted in empathy for individuals navigating some of life’s most difficult moments.
From catastrophic trucking accidents to cases involving defective products and life-altering brain injuries, Joseph brings experience and commitment to every case. He and his team understand the physical, emotional, and financial toll personal injuries take, and they fight relentlessly to make things right for their clients.
What Are Your Injuries and Losses? The Element of Damages
Damages is the legal term that simply means “what harm was caused.” It covers every way the incident hurt you, including physically, emotionally, and financially.
Arkansas personal injury law lets you claim a wide range, including:
- Permanent harm, such as a diagnosed traumatic brain injury, lost eyesight, or spinal damage.
- Past and future medical bills, rehab, prescription costs, and in-home care.
- Physical pain, sleepless nights, mental anguish, and the loss of hobbies you once loved.
- Paychecks you missed during recovery, plus any hit to future earning power.
- Scars, disfigurement, and the daily struggles a jury can see happen with every step you take.
Arkansas law does not cap most personal injury damages, so juries can fully compensate you for life-changing harm. Medical records, wage statements, and testimony from doctors and vocational professionals let us paint a detailed picture of those losses for the adjuster or jury.
Did the Incident Directly Cause Your Injury? The Element of Proximate Cause
Proximate cause is the legal term that means “a cause which, in a natural and continuous sequence, produces damage and without which the damage would not have occurred.” Proximate cause links the first two elements. Think of it as the dotted line between fault and harm. If the wreck never happens, the broken leg never happens either. Insurance companies often try to cut that line:
- “Your back pain comes from an old football injury, not our insured’s fender-bender.”
- “You slipped on ice a week later, so that is the real reason you needed surgery.”
Every personal injury case is unique, but all personal injury cases generally have the same three essential elements to prove in order to win the case. A seasoned Arkansas major personal injury attorney can pull medical records, interview surgeons, and show the jury a clear timeline that shows the crash triggered this surgery or that lost shift at work. Juries respond to clear, chronological stories backed by records.
What Are the Different Types of Personal Injury Cases?
Personal injury law covers many situations. Car accidents top the list in Arkansas. If another driver’s careless move left you with medical bills, lost wages, or pain, you may have a claim. Truck accident claims raise the stakes. Because semis can weigh 80000 pounds, injuries often involve surgery, long rehab, and fights with multiple insurers.
Product liability cases look different. The focus lands on a defective tool, toy, or prescription that landed in your hands through no fault of your own. If a design flaw or missing warning injured you, Arkansas law lets you seek payment from the manufacturer or seller. Traumatic brain injury is another category. Concussions, contusions, or diffuse damage may hide on early scans yet still cause headaches, mood swings, and lost wages that last for years. Wrongful death lies at the far end of the scale. When safety shortcuts take a life, close relatives can claim funeral costs, lost income, and the priceless value of guidance and companionship.
An Arkansas major personal injury attorney can gather crash data, subpoena trucking logs, line up product engineers, or bring neurologists to court, then negotiate with insurance carriers. You focus on healing, while legal counsel builds a clear story for the jury.
These are some of the types of personal injury cases in Arkansas. Knowing them helps you decide if your own story belongs in a claim. Swift action protects evidence and keeps pressure on those responsible for your injury. If any scenario above rings true, now is the time to act.
| Injury or Loss | Legal Classification (Arkansas) | Examples / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Permanent harm such as traumatic brain injury, lost eyesight, or spinal damage | Permanent physical impairment or disability | Long-term or lifelong medical conditions; may involve future care, assistive devices, or home modifications |
| Past and future medical bills, rehab, prescription costs, and in-home care | Medical expenses (past and future) | Hospital stays, surgery, physical therapy, prescription drugs, medical equipment, in-home nursing |
| Physical pain, sleepless nights, mental anguish, and loss of hobbies | Pain and suffering or loss of enjoyment of life | Chronic pain, PTSD, depression, inability to participate in sports or activities previously enjoyed |
| Missed paychecks during recovery and reduced future earning power | Lost wages and loss of earning capacity | Salaries, bonuses, freelance income, diminished ability to work in the same field |
| Scars, disfigurement, and daily visible struggles | Disfigurement and physical suffering | Visible scars, limp, facial injuries, prosthetic use |
How Gates Law Firm PLLC Builds Your Case
You’ve got medical bills piling up, missed paychecks, and pain that won’t quit. You need to know if you can hold someone accountable, and you need answers fast. Gates Law Firm PLLC is ready to jump in and get to work for you.
Our Arkansas major personal injury lawyers can dig into every detail. We can track down records, interview witnesses, and line up the proof that links your injuries to the crash, fall, or faulty product that hurt you. We cover car wrecks, dangerous products, and more. You focus on healing. We handle the heavy lifting.
At Gates Law Firm PLLC, we can build every case to win in court, not just to settle. From the moment you hire us, we can gather the evidence, testimony, and strategic insight needed to challenge the insurance company and demand the full value of your claim.
Ready to get started? Call us today at (501) 779-8091 for a free consultation with a personal injury lawyer who can fight hard for you.
