The jury may decide your injury case if it ends in court. Below are the issues juries consider when deliberating on injury cases.
1. Evidence
Juries pay attention to plaintiff and defendant evidence during the trial. Below are some evidence forms the jury is likely to consider.
Documentary Evidence
Documentary evidence comprises documents that prove or disapprove of an injury case. Examples include medical bills, drug test reports, repair receipts, and wage claims.
Expert Testimony
Expert testimony comes from experts or those with above-average knowledge of specific things or subjects. For example, an automotive engineer can help you explain why a cat behaved a certain way during an accident.
Eyewitness Testimony
Eyewitness testimony explains what someone saw or heard during the accident. Thus, the testimonies come from those with firsthand experience of the accident. An example is a pedestrian who saw a car driving in the wrong lane and witnessed the ensuing collision.
2. Injury Law and Court Instructions
A jury will also use the judge's instructions to determine the case. Trial judges usually give instructions at the end of the trial, but they can also do so during or after the trial. Some judges even give written copies of the instructions to the jury. The instructions cover the jurors' court actions, procedures, and relevant personal injury law.
For example, judges often instruct juries to determine cases strictly based on the court proceedings. The jury should ignore whatever they may hear or read about the case outside the courtroom.
The judge will also explain specific injury law that applies to the accident. For example, if an accident occurred at a pedestrian crossing, the judges may explain the traffic laws at the intersection, such as who had the right of way. That way, the jury can use the law to decide whether the victim deserves compensation from the defendant.
3. Emotions
Lastly, jurors should not use emotions to decide cases, but emotion is human nature, and you cannot rule it out completely during the trial. Plaintiff and defense lawyers know this fact and often try to use it to their advantage.
For example, people are generally sympathetic to minor victims. Thus, a plaintiff in a case that involves an injured child might use the minor's injuries to show how heinous the defendant's actions are. Similarly, portraying the victim as a nice family person with good standing in the community can also attract jury sympathy.
As you can see, personal injury trials can easily challenge inexperienced persons. Consult a personal injury lawyer with trial experience for your injury claim. That way, you increase your chances of getting compensation even if your case proceeds to trial.
To learn more, reach out to a company like Gray Ritter Graham.