What Are the Different Types of Personal Injury Claim and What You Need to Know About Them

Accidents happen all the time, but they're payable when they occur because of someone else's negligence. Personal injury claims are incidents that occur because someone failed to act in a way that protected another person's well-being. You have the right to visit a personal injury specialist if you experience pain and financial loss because of someone else's neglect. You may be entitled to receive a settlement that will cover your expenses and shield you financially as you recover from the trauma. The following is a non-exhaustive list of some of the most common types of personal injury claims.

Automobile Accidents

Automobile accidents are one of the most common types of personal injury incidents. That's because a high percentage of them are another person's fault. Four common reasons for automobile accidents are distracted driving, intoxicated driving, disregard for the rules and product defects. All four of those incident types can easily become a personal injury claim. A manufacturer may be responsible for a person's injury if it failed to recall a known defect. A driver may be responsible for such an incident if he or she knowingly drove a car while intoxicated or used a phone to text during operation. No win no pay lawyers can review the events leading up to the incident and then let you know if you can qualify for a settlement based on the way everything occurred. You may be eligible for a partial settlement even if you are partly to blame for the occurrence. That solely depends on the state you live in and their laws regarding the percentage of fault.

Medical Malpractice Incidents

Millions of medical malpractice suits go into effect every day, and they occur for a variety of reasons. Medical professionals pledge an oath to each and every one of their clients that they will make decisions that are in their best interest. A personal injury occurs when a professional does something outside the oath, and it results in someone's injury. Childbirth injuries commonly occur during delivery when the doctor uses tools such as forceps, and the baby suffers a brain injury. Another common injury occurs when nurses or other medical professionals prescribe the wrong type of medication in error because of failure to follow or read the patient's charts. Personal injuries can occur in surgery if a surgeon leaves something inside of a patient, and that causes a life-threatening injury or death. A myriad of other instances can occur in a hospital or medical setting that can bring forth a personal injury claim.

Dog Bites

Pet owners are responsible for the actions and behaviors of their pets. Thus, a dog bite can result in a personal injury. Each state has its own laws regarding dog and pet bites. Many states have laws that hold the pet owner responsible the very first time an incident occurs. Other states have more leniency about the matter, and they will hold the pet owner responsible only if there has been a previous violent act portrayed by the pet. A personal injury settlement can help a person pay for medical bills and lost work time.

Nursing Home Abuse

Nursing home abuse is, unfortunately, something that happens a lot throughout the year. More than 5 million cases of nursing home abuse occur each year according to the National Center on Elder Abuse. Examples of some of the things that can qualify for a personal injury case are extreme dehydration, financial abuse, emotional abuse and outright neglect. The neglect can occur when the nursing and other staff members fail to tend to the residents within the facility that are getting care. An experienced personal injury attorney can help a family receive justice for the injuries that happened to them or their loved ones.

Slip and Fall Incidents

Slip and fall occurrences can happen anywhere from public buildings to personal homes. The most common type of slip and fall incident is the infamous "wet floor" accident. An employee forgets to place a "wet floor" sign after mopping the floor, and then someone slips and falls on it and experiences an injury. Incidents can occur if a homeowner fails to clear the ice in cold weather, and someone slips on his or her property. If you're a victim of such an incident, a professional can help figure out who is responsible for the incident and whether it entitles you to a settlement.

Product Liability Cases

Automobile manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies and other establishments are responsible for telling all prospective customers of any defects in the products and risk factor for injury. A personal injury can occur when such a party fails to do so.

Character Defamation

Defamation of character is another occurrence that can bring forth a personal injury suit. It happens when someone tarnishes another party's character with information that is false. Even true information can bring forth a lawsuit if it results in someone else's injury.

Work Injuries

Workplace injuries are subject to being brought forth as personal injury incidents, especially if they occur because of negligence. For example, an employer will be held accountable for failing to fix a piece of machinery that results in someone's injury. Benefits such as workers' compensation may be available to the employee, but that person still has the right to request personal injury compensation instead of the workers' comp.

Now that you have familiarized yourself with the realm of personal injury, you can decide whether you want to investigate your incident further. You can contact a personal injury lawyer and schedule a consultation for as soon as possible. You may be able to get a free consultation. The attorney that you choose may also allow you to have contingency representation, which means that you will not have to pay a fee unless you win the case. There will be no risk to you in such a situation. Thus, you should not hesitate to schedule a meeting immediately.