Over 30 million Americans visit emergency rooms for various unintentional accidents. A good number of them succumb to injuries. Such injuries and fatalities personal injury lawsuits. The most common are workplace, motor vehicle accidents, and medical malpractice.
Here is an overview of the most common personal injury lawsuits:
Motor vehicle accidents
About 3 million people are injured in motor vehicle accidents annually. The accident range from small to significant incidents leading to permanent disability or death. Motor vehicle accident cases account for the majority of personal injury lawsuits. Victims seem restitution from the court by the negligent party or his or her insurer. Most accidents are avoidable. Negligence, faulty roads and automobiles, fatigue, and intoxication can cause an accident. If you are involved in an accident, even if you don’t have a visible injury, you can seek compensation for other damages such as trauma and emotional harm.
Wrongful death
The family of the diseased advances this personal injury case upon his or her demise. The claim here is that the accused willfully and carelessly contributed to the death of the disease. For example, if a person dies in prison or custody for preventable conditions, this is a ground for a wrongful death suit. Some motor vehicle accidents also fall under this category when the diseased dies out of the negligence of the driver.
When a drunk person hits someone on the road, the family of the deceased can seek wrongful death personal injury. If you are a victim of medical negligence and accidents in the workplace, you can also sue for wrongful death. If you are a resident in the US, you can learn how to handle wrongful death by contacting an experienced local wrongful death attorney who has handled similar cases. The attorney will attempt to prove that the negligent actions of the accused caused the death of the victim.
Workplace accident
Injuries at the workplace can range from simple cuts and bruises to chemical intoxication and fatalities. The workplace is full of hazards, including those that are benign, such as exposure to poor ergonomics. You can be exposed to many dangers. For people working in construction and manufacturing industries, exposure to Work-related musculoskeletal disorders is a possibility. For people working is chemical plants, exposure to poisonous gases, and carcinogenic materials is possible. If you have any health complications emanating from the workplace, you can seek worker’s compensation for the injury, exposure, or risk. Injured workers can seek medical compensation or disability compensation, depending on the level of exposure or harm.
Fall and slip accident
If you are using other people’s premises and you fall or slip, you can seek compensation for it. For example, adding slippery floors and not placing enough hazards can cause falls to unsuspecting users. Faulty or defective structures in someone’s land also pose a threat to other users and visitors. If you fall or trip inside a convenient store or a private residence, you can seek legal redress in the form of compensation. If you also injure yourself in a defective sidewalk or the road from a preventable hazard, you can also seek compensation. The lawyer will show that the negligence of the owner caused the complainant to fall. For example, a poorly maintained cycling lane can cause accidents.
Medical malpractice
Not all the time that medical procedures go as planned. Sometimes they end up with disastrous consequences escalating medical bills and destroying the lives of the victims. In such a case, the person can sue the medical practitioner or hospital for medical malpractice. The medical malpractice attorney will attempt to prove that the physician made an error during the medical procedure. These malpractices include wrong diagnostics, not prescriptions, defective surgical procedures such as a birth injury cerebral palsy, and medical advice during consultations. Plastic surgery gone awry is also a medical malpractice candidate. In case the medical practitioner fails to detect significant health problems such as cancers during an examination, the victim can sue for malpractice. Typically, the victim will seek damages and compensation.
Products liability
Whenever you use industrial products, you expect that they are safe and up to standard. If in the normal usage of the product an injury occurs, you can sue the seller. Wrongful information on the product description is also tantamount to liability for product usage. If a product injures anyone, he or she can seek compensation for it. When it comes to products, one can sue the manufacturer, seller, and the government. Usually, the defective goods and products injury attorney will want to prove that the design, manufacturing, or state of the product occasioned harm on the victim. For example, if you eat defective food in a restaurant, the restaurant is liable for the injury caused to the victim.
Defamation
Libel and slander are also categorized as personal injuries because they are intended to injure the reputation and social standing of the victim. The defamation attorney will want to prove either financial loss or actual malice. For most people, proof of financial loss occasioned by the defamatory remarks is enough. For example, the loss of a job due to slanderous remarks is proof of injury because of the actions of the accused.
Assault
In case someone intentionally and knowingly assaults you causing harm, you can sue for personal injury. The proof of any physical attacks is usually enough and mostly comes alongside criminal charges. While the criminal charges will remedy the crime, they will not protect you as a victim. For example, you will have to spend your money to seek medical attention. A personal injury lawsuit will seek compensation for medical and related costs.
Dog bites
Aggressive dogs can bite you, causing high medical costs whenever they bite you. You can seek personal injury compensation against the dog owner. Most states consider the first bite allowable, though, and they will not attach any injury liability for the first bite. However, they will allow compensation for any subsequent bites.
This overview shows the type of cases that could end up as personal injury suits. Some are complex and have a criminal aspect on them. However, with the correct lawyer, you can seek the financial compensation that you deserve. If you have been a victim of an accident, you may need to consult an accident lawyer. The accident could have happened in the workplace or any other place; you may need a workplace or premises liability compensation.
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