Personal injury law is a section of US law that deals with injuries caused by another person’s negligent actions. These injuries can affect a person’s body, mental state, or property. Personal injury laws cover a wide variety of cases, from medical malpractice to slip and falls.
If you have been injured in an accident, you should consider hiring a lawyer. Visiting a personal injury law firm can give you a better understanding of how the law applies to your case and what kind of compensation you are entitled to. Personal injury cases can get complicated, and having the right counsel can make or break your case.
Types of personal injury cases
The following is a list of common personal injury cases. Please note that personal injury laws vary by state.
Motor vehicle accidents
Motor vehicle accidents involve any type of vehicle, including motorcycles, trucks, cars, and public transportation. The number of deaths from traffic accidents has been consistently increasing over the past decade. In 2022, the number of fatalities stood at 46,000.
A range of factors can affect the compensation a victim can claim. For example, contributory negligence prevents victims from seeking compensation if they had a role to play in the accident.
Slip and fall accidents
A slip and fall accident can also be considered a premises liability claim. It is when a person falls on public or private property and injures themselves. If you’re injured due to unsafe conditions on someone else’s premises, you can be sued for negligence under personal injury law.
In order to be eligible for a claim, you will need to prove negligence. In other words, the person involved had a responsibility to provide a certain level of safety, but they refused to do so, and their actions directly resulted in the victim being injured.
Dog bites
Dog bites are surprisingly common, with over a billion cases reported every year. A dog’s saliva contains bacteria that could lead to life-threatening infections.
Strict laws on dog owner liability exist across all states.
Dog owners are required to have insurance that will cover any medical expenses that result from injuries caused by their pets. Victims can also sue for emotional damages under personal injury law, and they should consider hiring an experienced lawyer to file their claim.
Medical malpractice
Medical malpractice is generally defined as the damage that is caused by the action or inaction of a medical practitioner, like a doctor, EMT, or anesthesiologist, resulting in the injury or death of a patient.
Under personal injury law, victims are eligible for two types of compensation: economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages are any financial costs the victim had to incur due to the accident, including medical costs, loss of wages, and financial loss.
Non-economic damages refer to compensation paid to victims due to emotional damages they may have suffered, like PTSD, depression, anxiety, or other disorders.
Other injuries
Other injuries that are covered by personal injury law include:
- Workplace accidents
- Defective products
- Nursing home abuse
The aim of personal injury law is to hold people accountable for their actions, especially if they cause damage to other’s life or property.
Conclusion
A large number of injuries fall under personal injury law. Victims are entitled to compensation for any injuries caused by a third party.
How much compensation the victim can recover depends on the specifics of the case. Having a lawyer file a personal injury claim can be beneficial to the victim, as the law can be complex and victims may not be aware of the procedures that need to be followed.
