About Laws That Protect
Plain-English guides for life's hardest legal moments, from accidents and injuries to divorce.
Nobody plans for a car crash, a fall in a store or an injury at work. When it happens, most people have the same questions: What do I do right now? Who pays? What should I say to the insurance company? Do I need a lawyer, and how do I find a good one?
Laws That Protect answers those questions in plain English. Our guides walk you through the steps to take, the rules and deadlines that apply in your state, and real court cases that show how those rules work in practice.
Who we are
Our guides are written by The Laws That Protect Team. We are not lawyers, and this is not a law firm. We read the statutes, court opinions and official government guidance so you don't have to, and we explain what they mean for someone who has just been hurt.
How we research
- Primary sources first. We work from the text of state laws, published court opinions, and official agencies such as state transportation and insurance departments.
- Every source is linked. Each guide ends with a list of the sources we used so you can check our work.
- Real cases only. When we describe a court case, it comes from public court records or published opinions. We don't invent examples and present them as real.
- We keep guides current. Each guide shows when it was last updated. If you spot something out of date, please tell us.
What this site is not
Our guides explain how things generally work. They are not legal advice for your situation, and reading them does not create an attorney–client relationship. Every case is different. If you've been hurt, talk to a lawyer licensed in your state. Our Find a Lawyer page explains how.
How the site is paid for
This site is free to read and is supported by ads from Google. Advertisers don't choose or review what we write. Ads are always labeled.