What Are the Most Common Types of Personal Injury Cases?

What do dog bites, defective products, slip and fall accidents, and truck and car accidents have in common? These are all different types of personal injury cases that can result in serious injuries that have long-term impacts. They are often also the fault of another person. 

If you’ve experienced one of these accidents, or another injury that was due to someone’s negligence and was no fault of your own, you may be entitled to compensation to help pay your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. 

Read on to learn more about some of the different types of personal injury cases. 

Dog Bites  

If a dog bites you, you are typically able to seek compensation from the dog owner, especially if the bite was no fault of yours and the owner failed to control or leash the dog. Medical expenses, lost wages if you miss work, and even pain and suffering could be reimbursed by the responsible party if you file a lawsuit. 

The rules differ in every state, though. Most states have strict liability laws, which means that the dog owner is responsible even if the dog has never shown aggression or bit someone before.

Other states have the one-bite rule, which states that the dog owners are only responsible if their dog has previously shown aggression or bit someone. It’s sometimes called the “one free bite” rule. To successfully win a case in a one-bite state, you’ll need to show that the dog has previously shown signs of aggression and bitten someone. 

Car Accidents

These are, by far, the most common type of personal injury cases. Most car accidents are caused by driver behavior: distracted driving, human error, driving under the influence, and failing to maintain the vehicle. If you’re a driver, passenger, cyclist, or pedestrian and you are injured in an accident that’s not your fault, you can file a personal injury suit to recover damages. 

Some states have no-fault laws, which mean that you have to seek compensation from your insurance company, but do allow you to file a lawsuit if your injuries are serious. From medical expenses to damaged property to long-term disability, an experienced car accident attorney can help you get the compensation that you deserve.

Medical Malpractice 

If you believe that your doctor, nurse, hospital, or other medical provider didn’t provide you with adequate care and you suffered an injury (or death, in the case of a loved one), you may have a case for medical malpractice. These cases are unfortunately tough to win. Although you may end up with an undesired result after treatment, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it was the result of malpractice. 

In order to successfully win a medical malpractice case, you (or your attorney in most cases) will need to show that there was a breach of duty, causation (the actions or inaction of the doctor caused the injury or death), duty, and harm. If you cannot show that the caregiver had the duty to treat you, committed actions, or didn’t take actions that resulted in harm, and that their actions or inactions caused the injury, illness, or death, your case will not be successful.

Prescription Drug Injuries

If you have experienced harmful side effects as a result of prescription drugs, or even lost a loved one due to prescription drugs, you may be able to file a product liability lawsuit against the pharmaceutical company that manufactured or distributed the drug. 

From cancer to blood clots to meningitis to blood pressure issues, prescription drugs can have very serious side effects that patients were unaware of before taking the drug. A successful product liability lawsuit may result in you receiving compensation for medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and wrongful death. 

Defective Products 

There are certain safety standards for products sold in the US. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), for example, provides information on safely using products in your home, recalls, and regulations. 

If you are injured by a product that you were using properly, you could file a lawsuit against the product manufacturer. Defective products often fall under strict liability rules, which mean that the company can be held liable even if they were not negligent in their actions or intend for injuries to occur.

Some of the biggest product liability lawsuits in the US include tobacco-manufacturer Philip Morris, GM, Dow Corning, and Owens Corning. These companies were successfully sued after producing products that greatly harmed users.

Slip and Fall Cases 

Slip and fall cases are incredibly common. Falls result in over 8 million ER visits a year and falls as a result of slipping make up 1 million of these visits. Many of these falls are due to negligence: cracked, buckled, or loose flooring, loose rugs, wet floors that are not properly marked, uncleared sidewalks and walkways, or a lack of safety mechanisms on stairs. 

Slip and fall cases are especially dangerous for elderly adults, as they often result in broken or dislocated hips, arms, and legs. If you have experienced a slip and fall injury that was no fault of your own, a lawyer can help you recover damages, such as medical expenses, missed work, and other accommodations you may need due to your accident.

Hire an Experienced Attorney No Matter the Type of Personal Injury Case 

If you have suffered the devastating impacts of any of these types of personal injury cases, you should hire an experienced personal injury lawyer who knows how to navigate the system and get you the compensation you are entitled to. Injuries can have lasting impacts on your life. If others are negligent, they should be held responsible.

Contact us at Sweet Law today. Our personal injury lawyers are ready to provide free case consultations to discuss how we can help you.