Jury instructions are the legal guidelines and explanations that a judge gives to the jury at the end of a trial to help them understand the law they must apply when making their decision. These instructions explain the legal standards for determining issues like negligence, damages, and fault, essentially translating complex legal concepts into terms that ordinary citizens on the jury can understand and follow. The judge tells the jury what they need to prove or find in order to rule in favor of either the plaintiff or defendant, and what factors they should consider when calculating damages.
In personal injury cases, jury instructions are crucial because they directly influence how the jury evaluates the evidence and reaches their verdict. For example, the judge might instruct the jury on what constitutes negligent driving, how to determine if someone's injuries were caused by the accident, and what types of damages they can award for things like pain and suffering or lost wages. Both attorneys typically propose their preferred version of these instructions to the judge, and disputes over the exact wording can be very important since even small differences in how the law is explained to the jury can significantly impact whether you win or lose your case and how much compensation you receive.
