I Was Injured in an Accident. Do I Have a Case?

Accident-related injuries can range from minor inconveniences to life-changing impairments. For the innocent victims involved, an unexpected accident can result in piles of expensive medical bills, lost time and earnings from work, and damage to your property. In the worst-case scenarios, you could lose a loved one tragically. No matter what is involved in your unique situation, a personal injury attorney can fight for your rights and work to ensure you are compensated for your losses and damages.

Do I Have A Personal Injury Claim?

If you were injured by the careless, negligent, unlawful, or intentional act of someone else, you might have grounds for a personal injury claim. Furthermore, any individual who contributed to your injury can be held liable in a personal injury lawsuit. This could be a driver of a vehicle that hit you, the owner of a dog that attacked and bit you, the person who owned the property where you slipped and fell, a person who violently assaulted you, or a designer of a defective product that injured you. Liability must be proven in personal injury cases. These claims are based on the “duty of care,” which is the legal concept that a person, business, organization, or other entity has a responsibility to act toward other people as any other reasonable person would under the same circumstances.

Examples of Personal Injury Cases

Car accidents

are a common cause of personal injury. Distractions and other behaviors that take a driver’s eyes and mind off the road and hands off the wheel can be considered negligent and contribute to that driver’s liability for an accident.

Dog bites

are another common personal injury incident. It is a dog owner’s responsibility to keep his or her dog under control. If it’s not, and it attacks or bites you, the dog owner was negligent and is liable for any injuries the dog caused.

Medical mistakes and errors

happen in places we associate with healing. However, doctors, hospitals, nurses, pharmacists, medical specialists, nurse practitioners, anesthesiologists, nursing home medical professionals, and more medical providers can cause personal injuries. A surgeon may make a mistake during surgery. Or, a doctor may misdiagnose or fail to diagnose a medical condition. Indeed, many preventable errors can lead to severe injuries or even loss of life.

What Are Catastrophic Injuries?

Catastrophic injuries are ones that will affect you for the rest of your life. These are substantial injuries that may include:

Nerve damage

Paralysis

The loss of a limb

A traumatic brain injury

A spinal cord injury

Permanent loss of hearing or eyesight

Birth injuries

Victims of catastrophic injuries are typically unable to return to work and earn wages to support themselves and their families. They may also be unable to care for themselves. These catastrophic injuries often result in substantial and ongoing medical bills. Plus, there is a lifelong cost to pay healthcare providers to care for a victim’s permanent medical needs. Fortunately, you don’t have to navigate a personal injury or a catastrophic injury alone. By hiring an attorney and filing a personal injury claim against the negligent party, victims may be able to recover compensation for their harm and losses.