The words ‘personal injury’ might remind you of small cuts and tears and sound negligible, but in some cases, it can affect your whole life. A small bike accident can cause irreparable damage, a workplace injury can end up taking your life, and a misplaced defamation case can damage your name and goodwill for good.
There are various types of personal injury, but a few require lawyers, especially if you plan to claim compensation. Below, we have listed ten such instances where you must hire an attorney to help you smoothly handle a case of personal injury.
Slip and Fall Accidents
Slip and fall accidents can end up being fatal, so you must not take them lightly. They are one of the most common types of accidents around the world. If you or a loved one slips and falls on someone else’s premises due to their negligence, such as an icy sidewalk, wet floor, or missing signs indicating to be careful – you can hire an attorney to assess the liability and make a claim.
Slip and fall accidents can easily be prevented with a little cautiousness. People have paid millions of dollars in compensation for slip and fall accidents before. So, if you’re allowing people on your property, make sure you are cautious enough and take care of issues that might escalate to a slip-and-fall accident.
Severe life-altering injuries
You can claim compensation with the help of a personal injury lawyer if you or your loved one has been a victim of severe life-altering injuries. This can include brain or spine injuries that disable you or burns that alter your features. Shooting can also alter your life through trauma or can harm you irreparably.
A shooting victim lawsuit injury lawyer at SteinLaw says, “If you or someone you love has been the victim of a shooting on someone else’s property, you may have a claim against the property owner if they were negligent in protecting guests and customers and had reason to foresee the potential for a shooting.”
The process is similar to a personal injury claim.
Death due to negligence
If your loved one has died due to the negligence of someone, you can hire a lawyer and claim compensation. You can claim compensation for both economic and noneconomic losses. The latter includes loss of support and companionship of your deceased family member.
The process of claiming compensation for wrongful death is similar to that of a personal injury. Everyone can’t claim it. Only immediate family, such as spouse and children, or a blood relative or adoptive dependent sibling of the deceased can make the claim.
Car and bike accidents
Car and bike accidents are more common than you think, and the number is rising every day. Falling prey to a car and bike accident has become very easy. If you or a dear one has gotten into a car or bike accident due to another driver’s negligence, and you would like to claim compensation, a personal injury lawyer can easily help you settle the case. The process can be lengthy and complex, but having a lawyer makes it much smoother.
Different levels of injury have different compensation amounts. Get your injuries checked thoroughly and discuss with your lawyer to decide on the actual amount.
Physical assault
Many times, personal injury claims are made over accidents. But what if the injury was intentional? If physical assault conducted on you or your loved ones results in injury, you can claim compensation for it.
Apart from the civil claim, you can also press criminal charges against the assailant. Legal requirements for the claim vary by state. Some states require the assailant to make contact with the victim, while some don’t. Discuss with your lawyer to find the best way to press charges.
Medical malpractice
Medical malpractice is another common type of personal injury that can sometimes become fatal. It usually involves negligence by a medical professional treating you or your family member. The victim usually sustains pain, has permanent damage to their body, or in worst cases, faces death.
This type of claim is very sensitive and must be vetted by a professional lawyer before you go ahead with the charges. The requirement also varies by state, so make sure that your claim is lawful.
Workplace injuries
People in hazardous workplaces are facing injuries regularly. If you or a dear one has sustained injury due to the negligence of the authorities of your workplace, you can claim compensation. In worst cases, these injuries can lead to sprains, broken bones, or even loss of limb, and can potentially disable a worker.
The compensation might vary depending on the level and severity of the injury, and the authority might have to pay compensation for the rest of your life. So, get the incident and injury thoroughly checked by a personal injury lawyer to make the claim and receive the proper compensation.
Dog bites
Dog bites might not sound too serious, but they can become fatal, leave scars, and become a traumatizing event for the victim. If you or a loved one has sustained a dog bite, immediately hire a personal injury lawyer and claim compensation against the dog owner or property owner’s homeowners insurance. They might be liable for your treatment cost, and the total amount might vary depending on the situation.
Defective products
You can claim compensation if you have sustained injury from a defective product. A faulty vehicle can be more accident-prone. Defective cosmetics or toiletries can damage your skin. Defective food products can make you sick. In the worst cases, these accidents might turn fatal. A personal injury lawyer can assess the liability and make the right claim on your behalf.
Defamation
All other types of personal injuries usually leave a physical mark or sign. However, defamation is completely psychological and causes you the same level of damage. Hire a personal injury lawyer to assess the situation and make the correct claim. For the incident to prove as defamation, it must be stated publicly and cause you distress. The claim against the other party also has to be true, and you can’t make claims without proper proof.
You can also claim compensation on behalf of your business if someone has tried to defame it and you have sustained some form of loss because of it.
Personal injuries are of various forms, but they all have one thing in common: they cause severe damage and create fear in your mind. Claiming compensation for these incidents ensures that your treatment costs are covered, and you get a sense of justice and peace against the negligence inflicted on you or your loved ones. As the process is complex, hiring a personal injury lawyer will ensure that you don’t make an incorrect claim and win the case to receive the compensation.