Criminal Injury/Negligence Case Law Facts 2023
While Pennsylvania is a relatively safe state, criminal occurrences have been increasing. Unfortunately, this is because since Covid lockdowns occurred, and many of the populace suffered financial hardships, drug and alcohol abuse has increased, as has mental illnesses, according to the WHO (World Health Organization).
According to Richard Berk, writing for the Department of Criminology of the University of PA, although statistics are relatively the same across the USA, there was a general influx of crime, starting in 2020 and continuing through 2023 in PA. Violent crimes are of particular concern, with rape, robbery, abuse, and even murder on the rise. (1, Date Unknown).
According to research by Mr. Berk, there are factors at play, including restricted travel, restriction on activities, and job loss. Throw into the mix many school closures and a much bigger hybrid workforce, and this is a recipe for disaster for human emotions. The use of force by police was also curtailed.
Isolation and Emotional Turmoil Leads to Crime
Human beings as a whole are “social animals.” The response to isolation and emotional turmoil can lead to drug and alcohol abuse to alleviate the pain. In addition, there is much larger access to drugs, and more individuals are now turning to alcohol.
This is startlingly apparent by visiting the PA Department of Drug and Alcohol website. A new initiative was started with over 9 million dollars in funding for an initiative in 2022 to 2023 to assist individuals now impacted by drugs and alcohol. This, in turn, hopefully, will decrease the desperation and impaired judgment that leads to violent crime.
2023 Statistics on All Types of Violent Crime
The offense trends comparison charts available on the PA UCR (Uniform Crime Reports) show some leveling off of all crimes as of February 2023, but it has just started to come down.
This has left many crime victims in its wake, with significant injuries that need compensation.
Even if an individual committed a crime under the influence of drugs or alcohol, it does not indicate that the person convicted is free from making retributions or becoming the subject of a negligence lawsuit.
Public Places Can Be Liable for Crime
Places of business and other facilities such as college campuses, restaurants, and recreation facilities have a Duty of Care to ensure safety. This means that compensation for crime victim deaths or injuries can also be compensated by the facility where the crime occurred.
A reliable, established crime victim attorney can determine if a personal injury case can be brought against both the perpetrator and the location where the crime occurred.
Establishing Culpability in Crime Victim Cases
Some procedures must be followed to win compensation successfully:
First, report any crime immediately, even if seemingly insignificant; injuries are sometimes not readily apparent, and calling the police immediately should be done to file a full report. Better “safe than sorry” is the rule here.
- Seek medical treatment
This is a secondary form of documentation that any good crime victim attorney will need to represent a victim successfully.
- Retain a qualified crime victim attorney
At least an initial consultation should occur, as mental and emotional distress is also compensable even with only minor physical injuries. A qualified crime victim attorney is the best judge of the ability to receive compensation and from whom.
In all legal proceedings, there are aggravating and mitigating circumstances, and an attorney well-versed in victimology will be able to determine all the circumstances. These circumstances can also be critical in any criminal proceedings.
- Do not dismiss property crimes
Although most crimes that are brought for compensation are bodily injury or death, property crimes leave emotional scars, especially if they are heinous in nature.
- Do not blame yourself
The victim is “never” to blame. Being in the wrong place at the wrong time might be a mistake or simply bad luck, but it does not alleviate guilt on the part of the culprit or the entity who owns or manages a public building or space.
DUI (Driving Under the Influence), Can be Criminal
If significant injury or death occurs. There are several stages of DUI, everything from a misdemeanor to a felony. There are times when criminal proceedings must occur before victim compensation.
An attorney versed in this type of law is absolutely needed in this type of circumstance. Depending upon the severity of the accident injuries, only an excellent criminal attorney with a team at their disposal can make a timely determination of what types of proceedings should occur.
Summary-Criminal Injury Facts 2023
Criminal injury is a highly specialized form of law; negligence experience in this field is needed. Christian J. Hoey, ESQ, of Paoli, PA, serves a wide area of PA in this field.
As a former Federal Prosecutor, Attorney Hoey has acquired a team of experienced professionals to assist in winning cases for crime victims, no matter what the surrounding circumstances may be.
There is a free initial consultation, so of course, Attorney Hoey should be the first stop in the legal proceeding process. Christian J. Hoey also can defend those wrongly accused of a crime and should be contacted in those cases ASAP as well.
For more information on all our law services, visit us at HoeyLegal.com or call us at (610) 647-5151.