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Your Bellefonte Personal Injury Attorney
The short answer. In Delaware most injury claims must be filed within two years (10 Del. C. § 8119 (Personal injuries)). The trial court for New Castle County sits in Wilmington, at 500 North King Street, Wilmington, DE 19801. To talk it through, send the form on this page and we will work to connect you with an attorney in our network.
Getting hurt rarely comes at a convenient time. You may be in pain, missing work and answering calls from an insurance company while trying to learn what you are owed. If your injury in Bellefonte was someone else’s doing, start with the basics below and go at your own pace.
Nothing on this page is legal advice, and NeedAnAttorney.net is not a law firm. It is a service that connects injured people with attorneys. The rules described here are quoted or summarized from Delaware’s own statutes so that you can check them yourself.
Before You Hire: Questions For A Bellefonte Attorney
Ask these in any first conversation:
- The date. Ask for the specific last day to file in your case. The general rule is two years (10 Del. C. § 8119).
- Any ceiling. Ask whether any rule restricts the amount you could recover in Delaware.
- Your share of fault. Ask how a finding that you were partly responsible would change the numbers (10 Del. C. § 8132).
- The people. Ask who will be in touch with you and how quickly they return calls.
- The money terms. Ask how fees are calculated and which costs come out of a recovery.
Personal Injury Types of Cases
Work Place Accidents
These types of personal injury lawsuits involve more that just a employee and employer. If you feel like your place of employment was negligent in some way, you might have a claim for compensation. These types of accidents can include.
- Slip and Fall
- Unsafe working conditions
- Unmaintained equipment
- Auto Accidents
- Death
- Electrical Hazards
- Occupational illnesses like COPD, contagious diseases, and asbestosis
- personal injuries at work
Premises Liability
Many premises liability claims are from a property owner’s duty to maintain a property in the way that does not endanger others. There are may ways a property owner can violate this duty.
- Broken Stairs
- Unlit alleyways
- Slippery Floors
- Surfaces that are uneven
- Places to receive burns
- Places to receive chemical exposure
- Dog bites
- and other dangerous conditions
Motor Vehicle Accidents
As long as the person that was operating the vehicle that injured you was negligent in some way, you can could have a claim for compensation. This can include.
- Car Accidents
- Truck Accidents
- Bicycle Accidents
- 18 wheeler Accidents
- Motorcycle crashes
- Drunk Driving
- Distracted Driving
- Aggressive Driving
- and other types of motor vehicle accidents
Wrongful Death
When negligence leads to fatal injuries, a wrongful death suit can help the surviving family members hold the negligent company, persons, and or person accountable for what was done. A wrongful death case can involve different types of compensation from other personal injury claims. After a fatal accident, family members can ask an attorney to review what compensation the surviving loved ones may have a right to. These types of accidents can include.
- Auto Accident
- Maritime Accident
- Drowning
- Electrocution
- Falls
- Helicopter Accident
- Fire
- Firearm
- and other types of wrongful deaths
Injured in Bellefonte? Get matched with an attorney now.
Your Own Share Of The Blame
Delaware lets you recover while your share of the fault is not greater than the other side’s. The source is 10 Del. C. § 8132.
You can recover if your share of the fault is 50 percent or less, and your award is reduced by your share; above 50 percent the claim is barred (10 Del. C. § 8132). Insurers often press this point first, so keep notes about how the injury happened.
Limits On What You Can Recover
What an injured person can recover in Delaware is shown by the records and the medical proof. What you can recover turns on the bills, the missed work and the lasting effects.
Ask an attorney which rules, if any, reach your case.
Filing Deadlines For Injury Claims
A lawsuit for most injuries in Delaware must be started within two years (10 Del. C. § 8119).
If someone died, a separate set of rules can apply (10 Del. C. § 3721-3724). Ask in your first conversation which date applies to your claim.
Insurance Limits To Know
Under 21 Del. C. § 2118(a)(1), Delaware vehicle owners must carry at least $25,000 for injury to one person, $50,000 for injury to two or more people in one accident and $10,000 for property damage.
When the other driver carries only the minimum and your injuries are serious, any other policy that applies becomes important. Before you accept a payment, ask your attorney to check for every policy that might apply, yours included.
Courts and Hospitals Near Bellefonte
The Census Bureau places Bellefonte in New Castle County. For New Castle County, the Delaware court directory shows the superior court in Wilmington, at 500 North King Street, Wilmington, DE 19801. The state list of trauma centers names ChristianaCare’s Christiana Hospital in Newark, in New Castle County as well, as a Level I trauma center. Another facility on that list, ChristianaCare Wilmington Hospital in Wilmington, is also in New Castle County; it is listed as a Level III trauma center. In New Castle County, that list shows Saint Francis Healthcare in Wilmington as a Level III trauma center.
Measured in a straight line from Bellefonte, the nearest Delaware acute care and critical access hospitals in the federal Hospital General Information file are St. Francis Hospital in Wilmington, 3.8 miles, an acute care hospital, then Christiana Hospital in Newark, 10.6 miles, an acute care hospital, then Bayhealth Medical Center, Kent Campus in Dover, 42.5 miles, an acute care hospital. St. Francis Hospital is at 7th and Clayton Sts, Wilmington, DE 19805.
Road distance from Bellefonte is longer than a straight line. Wherever you were treated, ask for the full records and an itemized bill, and keep a list of every visit.
Further down the same list are Bayhealth Hospital, Sussex Campus in Milford (61.1 miles) and Beebe Medical Center in Lewes (71.4 miles). The file lists 1 Delaware acute care or critical access hospital within 10 miles of Bellefonte, 2 within 25 miles and 3 within 50 miles, all in a straight line. VA and military hospitals are not included in these figures.
Closest to Bellefonte among the places this site covers are Ardencroft, 2.7 miles north; Wilmington, 2.8 miles southwest; and Ardentown, 3.0 miles north. From Bellefonte, Dover lies 42 miles south and Wilmington 3 miles southwest.
Reaching Out For Help In Bellefonte
Start with the form at the top. It asks a few questions about the injury. NeedAnAttorney.net reviews your details and works to match you with an attorney in our network who may handle cases in Delaware. Using it is free, and it does not create an attorney client relationship.
Meanwhile, jot down the facts while they are fresh: date, time, place, who was there, what care you have had and what work you have missed. Save every bill and every message from an insurer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which other places near Bellefonte does this site cover?
By Census coordinates the nearest are Ardencroft, 2.7 miles north; Wilmington, 2.8 miles southwest; and Ardentown, 3.0 miles north, all in a straight line from Bellefonte.
How much can I recover for pain and suffering in Delaware?
Pain and suffering is proved by the facts of your case, so ask which rules, if any, apply to your claim. The bills, the missed work and the lasting effects drive the amount. The facts of your claim drive the amount.
How low can the other driver’s liability limits be?
The least an auto liability policy can provide is $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for injuries, plus $10,000 for property damage (21 Del. C. § 2118(a)(1)). A serious injury can cost more than the other driver’s policy pays. Keep the other driver’s insurance details from the day of the crash.
What is the nearest hospital to Bellefonte?
On the federal list the nearest Delaware acute care or critical access hospital is St. Francis Hospital in Wilmington (3.8 miles, straight line), then Christiana Hospital in Newark (10.6 miles) and Bayhealth Medical Center, Kent Campus in Dover (42.5 miles). VA and military hospitals are not included. In an emergency call 911; not every hospital has an emergency room.
Do I need to speak with the adjuster right away?
It is fair to say you are getting advice first. You can ask for questions in writing. An attorney can speak to the insurer for you.
Will I be charged for sending my information?
Nothing. The form costs you nothing. Most injury attorneys explain their fee before you decide. You decide whether to hire anyone.
What should I ask an attorney who handles cases near Bellefonte?
Ask each attorney you consider whether they handle cases where you live, how you would meet and how the fee works. Compare more than one before you decide.
When does the time to file an injury claim run out in Delaware?
Within two years for most injury claims (10 Del. C. § 8119). Ask which date applies to your claim. A wrongful death claim follows its own rules (10 Del. C. § 3721-3724).
Help Elsewhere in Delaware
The same matching service covers more of Delaware. Pick the community closest to where it happened.
