Learning more about the most common types of injury claims can help you understand your rights and options after an injury. Some of the most common claims include animal and dog bites, medical and product harm, and even intentional injury by another party. If you have experienced an injury that was caused by another person or entity, the best way to protect your rights is to discuss the incident with a personal injury attorney. Fully understanding your rights is the best way to ensure you get the best care and are fully able to recover any losses you sustain from an incident.
Harm Caused by a Defective Product
Manufacturers have to create products that are safe for the general public to use. If you have used a product properly, but still been injured by it, you can file suit against the manufacturer to recoup your losses. From automobile recalls to home appliance problems, defective medical devices have the potential to cause injury. The popular home carbonation system, Soda Stream, is under fire for failing to protect consumers against flying debris; some machines actually explode when used as directed. Other defective products include electronics that burn the user, kids’ toys containing lead or with small breakable parts and pet toys that poison or endanger the dogs that chew them.
Medical Malpractice or Device Injury
Medical malpractice by your doctor can take many forms, from failing to properly diagnosis an illness or condition to operating on the wrong body part. Medical device issues are related to malpractice. Products made to be used in the body or pharmaceuticals are supposed to be helpful, but some can inadvertently cause harm. Thousands of lawsuits have been filed in recent years against the manufactures of transvaginal mesh, a device designed to support a prolapsed bladder. Many of the women who sought relief with this device also received internal injuries and an increased risk of cancer when the mesh bonded with other organs and shredded cancerous tissue. The product was removed from the marketplace, but some physicians still use existing stock, so lawsuits are ongoing.
Dog Attacks and Injuries
According to the most recent statistics from the CDC, about 800,000 people head to the emergency room or doctor’s office for medical treatment after a dog bite. There are actually over 4.7 million dog bites each year, making canine attacks and bites a prime reason for personal injury lawsuits. If your dog injures someone or even harms another dog, you could be held liable for those injuries. If a dog has bitten you, you can seek compensation for your pain, suffering, and expenses by filing a personal injury suit.
Automobile Accidents
If you’ve been injured in an auto accident and need to seek compensation for your injuries, you’re not alone. There are over 5 million motor vehicle crashes each year in the US, according to figures from the Association for Safe Road Travel. If you are the victim of a negligent or inattentive driver and have been injured in a crash, you can file a lawsuit to recover your losses. Car and motor vehicle accidents are some of the most commonly filed lawsuits, due to the high number of incidents and resulting injuries each year.
Slip and Fall Cases
If you head into the grocery store, a retail facility or other business and fall because the store is not maintained properly or has a spill or other safety issue, you can file a lawsuit against that business. Slip and falls are common throughout the year, but particularly in the wintertime due to wet, dangerous conditions and the failure to follow proper safety conditions.
Dangerous Conditions
If you are injured because a business or private homeowner did not properly maintain their property or did not recognize the need for crowd limits or controls, you could file a lawsuit. From structures that collapse under the weight of the people allowed inside to businesses that fail to offer clear pathways to emergency exits, property owners can be held responsible for the dangerous conditions encountered on their property.
Intentional Harm
If someone assaults you physically, they face more than just arrest; you can file a suit to recover your costs and damages. If you are injured by someone who intends to do you bodily harm, then you can sue that person and recover damages, regardless of whether they have been arrested or not.
In many cases, a victim of one of these typical personal injury cases doesn’t know what to do next. Learning more about the most common injuries can help you determine if you need to seek out help and assist you in planning your next steps after an injury disrupts your life.
You can contact the legal team at Allan Berger & Associates for a free case review to determine if you have an actionable personal injury against. You can reach our office by calling (504) 618-1596 or sending us a message via our contact form.
