Q: My son was attacked by his neighbor with a hammer. This incident left my son with a broken arm that he needs surgery for
Not sure what we need to do. City police giving us run around.
A: The quick answer is that your son can sue the neighbor for his injuries, however there are a number of complicating issues that cannot be determined from your question. (1) If there's evidence/claims that your son contributed to the altercation, or was the initial aggressor or equally at fault in causing the altercation, this could affect the value of the case and/or the prospects of success. (2) There would also be the question of what is the likelihood of being able to collect any judgment you might get. This would depend on the neighbor's financial situation and whether he has any insurance that might cover any judgment.
A: Your state may have a crime victims compensation act. Also you can contact the DA's victim assistance coordinator--your state may have a victims compensation fund. If your son needs surgery and you have no insurance he may be eligible for medical assitance/Medicaid. Talk to the social work department at the hospital that would perform the surgery.
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
