Handling a Personal Injury Case Pro Se
When 29-year-old Ray Carter arrived at a customer’s home to detail their car, he never imagined he’d leave in an ambulance. As he began cleaning the interior, a hidden fuel leak under the hood ignited, causing the car to explode. Ray suffered third-degree burns to his arms and face, along with nerve damage and permanent scarring.
The homeowner’s insurance company denied responsibility, and personal injury lawyers said the case wasn’t worth enough for them to take on. Ray decided to fight back on his own — using Courtroom5 to file and pursue a personal injury lawsuit in civil court.
The Incident
Ray ran a small mobile auto detailing business. He’d cleaned hundreds of vehicles without issue. On this job, the homeowner didn’t mention that the car had recently been in a wreck — or that it had been leaking fuel.
Moments after Ray turned on his steam extractor, a spark ignited the fumes. The explosion knocked him off his feet and engulfed him in flames. After two surgeries and months of recovery, Ray was left with over $80,000 in medical bills and no income.
The homeowner refused to take responsibility. Their insurance denied his claim, and the lawyers he called said it wasn’t “big enough.” That’s when Ray found Courtroom5.
Filing His Case With Courtroom5
Ray signed up for the Pro Se Litigator Plan and used Courtroom5’s Personal Practice of Law — a 5-step AI-guided system — to build his lawsuit and seek justice.
Step 1: Choosing the Procedure
Courtroom5 helped Ray choose the right procedure: a civil complaint for negligence and premises liability, seeking damages for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Step 2: Reviewing the Rules
Courtroom5 walked him through the state court rules, helping him learn:
- How to format and file a personal injury complaint
- When and how to serve the defendant
- What to include to avoid a motion to dismiss
Step 3: Fact Pattern Analysis
Ray used Courtroom5’s tools to lay out his story:
- He was legally invited onto the property as a service provider.
- The homeowner failed to warn him of a known hazard (the damaged car).
- The explosion caused serious injuries and financial loss.
These facts supported a strong negligence and premises liability claim.
Step 4: Legal Research
Courtroom5 recommended keywords like “premises liability contractor injury,” “homeowner duty to warn,” and “latent danger.” Ray found several cases where courts sided with injured workers in similar situations. Courtroom5 summarized them to help him cite strong legal precedent.
Step 5: Document Generation
Ray used Courtroom5 to generate:
- A professional complaint with detailed factual allegations
- A demand for damages, including medical costs, lost income, and pain and suffering
- Instructions for filing and serving the lawsuit
Pushing Through Legal Tactics
The homeowner filed a motion for summary judgment, claiming they weren’t responsible. With Courtroom5, Ray:
- Summarized the motion
- Identified disputed facts
- Chose the “oppose summary judgment” procedure
- Filed a strong opposition brief showing the homeowner knew of the danger and failed to warn him
The judge denied the motion. The case was set for trial.
A Just Settlement
Shortly before trial, Ray used his Courtroom5 trial notebook to organize:
- Medical records
- Photos of injuries and the explosion site
- Invoices showing lost work
- Deposition transcripts and case law
Faced with the strength of his preparation, the homeowner’s insurer offered a settlement that covered Ray’s medical bills and lost income — enough to help him restart his business.
What Ray Learned
Ray didn’t have a law degree or a six-figure case. But with Courtroom5, he learned to:
- Understand personal injury law
- Organize and prove his facts
- Research cases like his
- Draft effective legal documents
- Hold a homeowner accountable in court
The Personal Practice of Law turned his injury into a path to justice.
You Can Do It Too
If you’ve been hurt and can’t find a lawyer to take your case, don’t give up. Courtroom5 helps you fight back in civil court — and win.
Start your Personal Practice of Law today. When your health and livelihood are at stake, you don’t need permission to demand justice.