People can get hurt at any time and anywhere. When the resulting injury happens because of another party’s negligence or because of their action or lack of action, you may have a reason to hire a personal injury lawyer to seek legal compensation.
When you get hurt, you’ll likely have plenty of bills and expenses immediately following the accident or event and through the future. Some injuries are severe, but the injured party can recover, and in other cases, the injured party is permanently disabled or killed.
So, if you are injured, how do you know when it’s time to hire a personal injury lawyer? Keep reading to learn more about the various types of personal injury cases and what you can do to ensure you get the best outcome for your legal case.
What is a Personal Injury Case?
A personal injury case refers to any legal action taken by a victim involving an injury to the person or in the case of a wrongful death or immediate family member. Personal injury cases are designed to help victims get compensation for medical expenses, treatments, and future expenses resulting from injuries or permanent disability.
These cases require the expertise of a trained professional with in-depth knowledge of the laws in that particular state. Because laws vary from state to state, legal representation needs to know the laws regarding documentation, timelines, submitting evidence, and more.
If the victim has the appropriate documentation, proof of injury or disability, and the right legal representation, they can successfully get a settlement in a court of law to help them with their past, present, and future expenses. Here are some of the most common personal injury case types what the process entails, and how legal professionals approach these cases.
What Types of Personal Injury Cases are There?
The following represent the most common types of personal injury cases. These personal injury cases can occur to people of all ages and demographics. When any of these circumstances arise, it’s important to know what to do and how to handle each instance to get the best outcome.
Workplace Accidents
Workplace accidents are one of the leading causes of personal injury cases. Depending on the circumstances surrounding the accident and the level of responsibility of the employer or employees at the job site, the injured individual may have a case for damages. There could be many reasons why someone sustains a workplace injury. Some of the most common causes can include the following.
- Falls
- Slips
- Falling debris
- Projectiles
- Collision
- Caught in machinery
Whatever the cause of the personal injury on the job site, there may be legal recourse to get the settlement necessary to take care of any medical costs and loss of wages as a result.
However, it’s important to note that each state has its own guidelines regarding personal injury cases and what and how much the victim can pursue legally.
It’s important to get the legal representation that understands their loss-specific guidelines and limitations. Jobs within the construction industry account for one of the highest percentages of personal injury cases due to the nature of the work and the hazards present on the job.
One major concern is safety protocols and precautions taken when working with machinery or around scaffolding and other items that can pose a threat.
Some other industries prone to workplace accidents include farm, forestry, and hunting and fishing industries.
Due to the nature of their surroundings and the equipment they need to do their job, there is a significant chance that the average worker will be injured on the job in their lifetime. When workplace injuries happen, there is the option to file for Workmen’s Compensation insurance.
However, sometimes Workmen’s Compensation doesn’t entirely cover the nature of the injury or the loss of income. When this happens or at times when Workmen’s Compensation won’t apply to the accident in question, the victim has the opportunity to consider pursuing legal action to get compensation for expenses related to the accident.
Malpractice
Medical malpractice can happen under a wide range of circumstances. Whether it’s improperly prescribing medication, confusing medication, botched surgery, or any other prescribed course of treatment that directly results in harm to the patient, malpractice can occur.
However, one of the most common causes of malpractice is related to surgical procedures.
An example would be if a doctor or other medical staff attending a surgery accidentally leaves a foreign object in the patient’s body. These foreign items can be gauze, surgical instruments, or any other item that doesn’t belong in the patient’s body.
Unfortunately, when this happens, it can take months or even years to identify the cause of the issues. In this time, other problems can develop, and medical bills can continue to pile up.
Additionally, there are cases where the charts for patients are mixed up at the hospital, and the surgical team performs a procedure on the wrong individual. Other cases involve the surgical team performing the surgery on the wrong area or limb of the body.
Another instance where an individual may have a malpractice suit is when a physician prescribed the wrong medication. Any number of issues can result, including allergic reactions, life-threatening side effects, or general illness. This issue can occur when prescriptions are mixed up, and the wrong patient takes the wrong type of medication.
Anyone who notices they are taking the wrong dose of a medication or medication that is not theirs should immediately contact your doctor or medical professional who prescribed the medication. Then they should contact their legal representation to begin a malpractice suit.
Vehicle Accidents
Vehicle accidents are one of the most common causes of personal injury accidents in the country. Millions of people are on the roads every day, and there is always the risk of an accident occurring without warning.
When these accidents occur, they can result in one or more parties involved sustaining severe or even debilitating injuries. When these injuries occur, the medical bills begin to pile up. There are fees involved with transportation in the care given from the time of the accident to the medical treatment facility.
Once the patient arrives at the facility for treatment, they will also begin to rack up more bills for private doctor fees, diagnostics, tests, and their hospital stay.
Everything at the hospital is itemized and billed to the patient or their insurance provider. Many people have hospitalization insurance, but sometimes the hospitalization insurance doesn’t begin to cover the expenses related to a serious or debilitating injury.
If insurance doesn’t cover the total cost, the victim can always pursue legal action to get a settlement to help with various expenses. Some of the costs that victims and their attorneys often seek include the following.
- Damages to property
- Pain and suffering
- Medical costs
- Loss of wages
It’s important to know that each state has its own laws and guidelines regarding personal injury cases related to vehicle accidents. Some states allow for pain and suffering or even loss of wages, while others do not.
Additionally, some states have a cap on the sum of money the victim can collect resulting from a personal injury case. That is why it is extremely important to select legal representation specializing in these types of cases and be familiar with each state’s individual laws and limitations.
Property Liability
Property liability lawsuits stem from accidents and events where an individual is injured on private or public property.
These accidents can happen as a result of negligence on the part of the property owner or when an individual injures themselves because of an obstacle or unforeseen accident. An example would be if a person is at an amusement park and injure themselves on a ride.
Insurance may cover a part of the victim’s hospital bill. However, there may be extensive injuries that require long-term care or expensive treatment, meaning that medical bills and loss of income can far exceed the amount the insurance company provides for this individual’s accident.
Another example of a property liability case would be if people have visitors at their home or on their property and one of their guests falls, slips, or injures themselves on a property feature such as a swimming pool.
The individual who injures some cells may seek legal recourse to get compensation to assist with your medical treatments and loss of income. Most homeowners insurance has built-in liability insurance, but sometimes the liability coverage limits are exceeded by the cost of treatment and medical billing.
Although somewhat rare, there are also instances where individuals have abandoned property or wooded areas, and people venture onto the property and hurt themselves.
A common example would be people riding four-wheelers onto private property and injuring themselves on hidden objects such as tree stumps, ledges, trash piles, or anything that could cause an accident.
When this happens, these individuals may decide to take legal action to assist their bills and other treatment. It’s essential to have liability insurance if your property owner.
However, liability insurance may not be enough to cover the injuries and expenses incurred by the victim.
Injury From Products
Sometimes, when individuals use certain products, they may become injured. Products out on the public market must be tested and approved to be sold publicly.
However, some products are dangerous and provide a significant risk to some users. Examples of product or product liability injury include allergic or life-threatening reactions to an ingredient. Use of hazardous chemicals or materials in a product or mixing materials can cause a dangerous reaction. In some cases, the effects of these products aren’t known for some time until several people report injuries as a result.
Other instances of product liability are when certain items with moving parts injure or kill consumers. This could mean injury from any moving parts or product defects.
Some products may fail more often than not and cost significant personal injury. These injury cases can happen to people of any age and can cause the victim to encourage expensive medical bills and may require continuous treatment for their injuries.
Wrongful Death
Wrongful death refers to a felt fatality resulting from the negligence of another party. Wrongful death cases can stem from incidents such as reckless or impaired driving, failure to follow safety protocols or faulty machinery. These deaths can substantially impact the direct family of the individual.
Not only are their expenses related to final costs, but many families also suffer a loss of income. These individuals may take legal action directly against the at-fault party. This can mean the family can sue a person or a business.
Keep in mind that there are limitations in most states regarding how much compensation is allowed for the case and whether or not the victim is eligible for punitive damages.
Pet Attacks
Pet attacks are more common than most people think. Most pet attacks result from the pet owner neglecting to keep their pet safely restrained within a fence or on a leash.
Sometimes these animals are left to roam free and, unfortunately, by individuals who cross their paths. This is a common occurrence with dog owners or people who own exotic animals. Any individual attacked by a person should reach out to their attorney to get started on a personal injury case to help them with their medical expenses and future care costs.
Boating Accidents
Boating accidents are very common, especially during warm weather months. Inexperienced voters may be reckless and cause accidents in severely injured individuals.
Anyone who has been a boating accident victim may have significant injuries that require long-term care or may cause permanent disability. Even though most boat owners have liability insurance, it might not cover all of the expenses.
Boat accidents are hazardous because several people are usually involved, and it takes time for rescuers to arrive on the water. In that time, there can be additional medical issues that result.
Exposure to Chemicals
Whether it’s on the job due to being exposed to a faulty product or chemicals stored on private property, exposure to chemicals can be life-threatening. Most exposures to chemicals happen on the job, however.
Those who work for chemical manufacturers, oil companies, or labs can be exposed to life-threatening substances that can cause them significant long-term harm. Anyone exposed to chemicals that result in injury should reach out to their attorney to discuss a personal injury case.
Finding the Right Attorney for a Personal Injury Case
If you’ve been a victim of an accident or an injury and want to seek legal action to help with various expenses, you should find a top personal injury attorney in your area.
If you want to find legal representation, the best way to discover the options in your area is to do a Google search and explore the top results listed. You can also get recommendations from professionals, family members, or friends who have had positive experiences with their lawyers.
When you’re making your decision, you want to select a law firm or an attorney who has practiced in the personal injury field for many years. This helps ensure they have in-depth knowledge of the law and procedures necessary to win the case and make the difference in winning your claim.
You may want to check with a few different options before deciding. Don’t also forget to check out the reviews left by customers either on their website or posted to other sites on the Internet. This action will help you better understand what to expect when working with that particular attorney.
Once you decide which attorney to contact, you want to set up a consultation. The consultation can happen either by phone or in-person and can give both the attorney and the victim a chance to ask questions and gather more information about the case. This process can help both parties determine if they are a good fit and whether there is a good case regarding the facts presented.
If the attorney decides to take the case, they will begin collecting documentation and evidence to support your stance on your personal injury. They can also help educate the victim to ensure they don’t make possible mistakes and get the best outcome over time.
It’s the attorney’s job to guide the entire process, help things go smoothly, and avoid hold-ups or missing deadlines for document submissions.
If you or someone you love has recently been the victim of a personal injury in her facing mounting medical costs and other expensive problems, you should reach out to an attorney who has the insight and experience to help get a positive outcome for your case.
The sooner you begin working on your case, the better the chances you’ll get the highest settlement amount for your individual circumstances.
Without pursing a personal injury case, many people become financial overwhelmed and end up in a difficult situation where they can’t afford their treatments or the count of living day to day. Don’t hesitate to take action for a better future.
