Personal injury claims and lawsuits typically arise when one person is injured as a result of the carelessness and negligence of somebody else. Some of these types of cases might settle directly with an insurer, while others might go to mediation, arbitration, or trial. If you’ve been injured in an accident and wish to file a personal injury lawsuit against the person who caused your accident, always remember that in many states, you only have two years from the date of your accident to file your lawsuit. It’s highly likely that a filing after that two year deadline will be dismissed.
Common Types of Personal Injury Accidents
Auto accidents are the most common type of personal injury cases that a personal injury law firm will see. Causes of such accidents might include speeding, distracted driving, drunk driving, following too closely, and failure to yield the right-of-way. If you’re an auto accident victim, always make sure that your crash is reported to the police. Then, get to an emergency room right away. ou won’t have much of a case without a police investigation and report. Don’t get talked out of those.
Slip and Falls and Trip-and-Falls
These accidents are usually caused by wet or uneven walking surfaces at homes, stores, government buildings, or parking lots. The U.S. for Disease Control Centers and Prevention reports that one out of every five falls results in serious injuries like a fracture or a traumatic brain injury.
Dangerously Defective Products
A product might be defective by design from the drawing board, by the manufacturing process, or by a failure to warn of its dangers. Many product liability lawsuits involve medications and medical devices. That’s why they contain such detailed warnings about them.
Medical Malpractice
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, medical malpractice might be the third leading cause of death in the United States behind heart disease and cancer. It may be responsible for 10% of all U.S. deaths with about 160,000 deaths per year. Medical malpractice might be underreported as a result of the types of forms used in reporting deaths.
Dog Bites
Many states aren’t a “one free bite” state. It’s a strict liability dog bite state. That means a dog’s owner is automatically liable for any bite injuries that a dog inflicts on a person, so long as the victim wasn’t a trespasser or provoking the dog. Under strict liability, it doesn’t matter if a dog never bit anybody in the past. In a moment of viciousness, a large dog can cause incredible damage to a person, especially to a child.
Construction Accidents
Construction is some of the most dangerous work in the United States. Accidents might be limited to workers’ compensation benefits, but if caused by the negligence of a third party, personal injury laws might also apply. For example, if a carpenter from one company on a job is injured by an electrician on the same job, the law of negligence and personal injury could apply. An injured construction worker could even draw workers’ compensation benefits at the same time that he or she is pursuing a personal injury case.
Whatever the type of personal injury claim or lawsuit, don’t try to represent yourself. You’ll be giving the insurance company, on the other hand, a distinct advantage, and you’re likely to make mistakes that you don’t even realize that you made that will operate to devalue your case.even more. Reputable personal injury law firms can be consulted at no cost at all to you. You’ll develop an understanding of all of the legal options that are available to you. Obtain the maximum settlement or award that you deserve. Don’t make the mistake of trying to represent yourself for even a minute.