What Is a Tortfeasor?

If you or your company in central Florida has been injured or has suffered losses – or if another party accuses you of causing injury or losses – you should be advised and represented by an Orlando personal injury attorney.

“Tort law liability” is the liability a party faces for causing damage or injury either negligently or intentionally. A “tortfeasor” is the party deemed liable for a civil offense that injures another party. Specifically, a tortfeasor is the party that has inflicted an injury or loss on another party.

If a tortfeasor is found liable in a civil court, the tortfeasor (called the “defendant”) must compensate the wronged or injured party (called the “plaintiff”) for losses and damages.

The civil offenses a tortfeasor may have committed include but are not limited to fraud, trespassing, negligence, and emotional harm. Corporations, for instance, may be deemed liable for manufacturing and selling defective or faulty products that harm the users.

What Can an Injured Party Recover?

As you would imagine, the amount that a plaintiff can recover from a tortfeasor depends on the type and extent of the injury or damage the plaintiff suffered. Personal injuries may require a tortfeasor to compensate a defendant for:

• current and projected future medical expenses
• current and projected future lost wages
• personal pain and suffering
• all related losses and damages arising from the personal injury

When the tortfeasor is a business deemed liable for harassment or discrimination, the tortfeasor may be ordered to compensate the defendant for lost wages, emotional pain and suffering, legal fees, and even for treatment and psychological counseling.

What Can an Injured Business Recover?

When a business is “injured” or suffers losses, a tortfeasor may be ordered to compensate the business for lost earnings and lost earnings opportunities. Lawsuits brought by a business against a tortfeasor may be triggered by contract disputes or intellectual property disputes, for example.

When a tortfeasor acted intentionally and/or egregiously in a personal injury case or any other civil case, a court may also order the payment of punitive damages to the defendant.

When Should You Contact a Civil Liability Lawyer?

A civil liability lawyer handles almost any type of case that is based on one party’s non-criminal complaint against another party. Civil cases include personal injury, product liability, premises liability, wrongful death, and medical malpractice cases.

But civil liability lawyers also handle contract disputes, discrimination and harassment cases, wage and hour lawsuits, intellectual property claims, and most business, real estate, and insurance disputes.

You would need a civil liability lawyer, for example, if your business is damaged in a hurricane and your insurance company rejects your damage claim or if another company is using your company’s trademark without authorization. If you are not sure whether or not you have a civil liability claim, ask an Orlando civil liability attorney.

When Should I Contact a Lawyer?

With years of legal experience in central Florida, our team represents clients in virtually every type of civil liability case. We have an impressive record of success on behalf of our clients, and we have established a reputation for legal excellence.

To learn more, or to begin the legal process in your own case, contact our law offices in Orlando by calling 407-426-7222.