Personal injury law is a broad area in which an individual gets hurt due to negligent or intentional acts from another person. You may be intrigued to know steps to take when you're injured or caused emotional trauma by the negligence of someone else. However, it is more important for you to be familiar with personal injury cases themselves for you to be able to decide if it's worth taking legal action on an issue. Luckily, this article will identify common types of personal injury cases so that you can understand your legal options to seek justice for the damage suffered.
Motor Vehicle Accidents
The most common forms of cases involving personal injury relate to traffic accidents. Motor vehicle mishaps include car, motorcycle, and truck accidents and it's often caused by:
Distracted driving
Speeding
Drunk driving
Poor road conditions.
Victims of road accidents face serious injuries including but not limited to fractured bones, spinal cord injuries, and brain injuries. Personal injury attorney, such as Tom Blackburn helps victims recover the hospital bills, compensation of wages lost due to this incidence, pain, and suffering.
Slip and Fall Injuries
Slip and fall accidents are those where the unsafe conditions of property such as a wet floor, uneven surface, or poor lighting, lead to an injury. These cases fall under premises liability law, where property owners are responsible for maintaining safe environments. The victims suffering may range from minor bruises to serious head or back injuries. A qualified personal injury lawyer will help establish the case of negligence and quantify damages arising from such an incident.
Medical Malpractice
Medical malpractice arises when a health professional breaches their standard of care, causing patient injury. Examples include misdiagnosis, surgical error, medical prescription error, birth injuries, and more. These are usually complex incidents containing a lot of proof that needs to be established through expert testimony in order to prove negligence. Victims can seek compensation not only for medical expenses but also for lost income and the emotional distress caused by such malpractice.
Workplace Accidents
Workplace accidents might take place in any industry. Common accidents often reported concern incidences within the construction and manufacturing industry or exposure during transport of hazardous materials. While workers' compensation covers most workplace injuries, some cases may involve third-party negligence, allowing victims to pursue additional compensation through a personal injury claim.
Product Liability Cases
Product liability cases refer to situations where consumers have been injured due to a defective or dangerous product. Certain examples of such cases would include faulty machinery, food contamination, or pharmaceutical drugs that are not safe. Victims can also claim injuries caused by product defects in court against the manufacturer, distributor, or retailer of that product. Product liability laws hold corporations responsible for making safety a paramount concern in their designs and production processes.
Dog Bites and Animal Attacks
Dog bites and other animal attacks result in physical injury and, sometimes, emotional trauma. Many states hold pet owners strictly liable for their animal's actions, especially if there was an unprovoked attack. The victim may seek damages related to medical treatment, psychological counseling, and other issues related to the attack.
Assault and Intentional Torts
Unlike other personal injury cases, most of which arise from negligence, assault, and intentional torts involve deliberate acts to inflict injury. Victims of intentional infliction of injury may seek their day in court not only for medical expenses, lost wages, and emotional distress but also for punitive damages against their aggressor. Many of these cases rely on proof of intent for the harm dealt, which can be very complicated; a well-seasoned personal injury attorney will ensure justice is served.