The Most Common Causes of Personal Injuries

Personal injuries can disrupt our lives. They can cause physical pain and financial burdens we’re not prepared to handle. These injuries can result from a variety of accidents and situations. Here, we’ll delve into the most common causes of personal injuries and attempt to shed some light on each one.

Our hope is that by understanding the ins and outs of these types of cases, you’ll be better equipped to navigate the legal process. You’ll also be able to figure out when and why to hire a personal injury lawyer.

What are the different types of personal injury cases?

While there are many types of personal injuries a person can suffer, a few are very common and usually cause the most medical and financial burdens.

1. Boating injuries

Boating is a popular leisure activity but can sometimes lead to unfortunate accidents. These include collisions, drownings, malfunctions, and falls. Incidents like these can lead to medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages, and property damage.

2. Dog bites

Dog bites and animal attacks can result in severe physical injuries. In some cases, they can also require extensive medical treatment, including rabies shots.

3. Pedestrian injuries

Pedestrian injuries account for a large number of personal injury cases. They often arise from accidents involving pedestrians and vehicles. These cases could involve scenarios such as crosswalk accidents, hit-and-runs, and sidewalk slips. They can result in injuries like fractures, head trauma, and internal injuries. 

Several factors can lead to pedestrian injuries. They include driver negligence, poor road conditions, and inadequate signage. They often require deeper investigation to determine who’s at fault.

4. Product liability injuries

Product liability injuries might involve defective products that cause harm. It can include faulty consumer goods, expired consumables, and malfunctioning pharmaceuticals, to name a few. 

5. Workplace injuries

Accidents in the workplace can lead to personal injuries, especially in high-risk industries like construction. But any workplace can present hazards. For example, wet floors in a restaurant can lead to a slip-and-fall accident. These can injure anyone, but if the person is elderly, the risks can be even more severe.

6. Slip-and-fall injuries

Slip-and-fall injuries can happen when hazardous conditions lead to accidents. They can result in injuries like fractures, sprains, and head trauma. Factors such as wet floors, uneven surfaces, and inadequate lighting are just a few examples of hazardous conditions that can cause these injuries.

7. Car accident injuries

Car accident injuries probably constitute the most significant portion of all personal injury cases. These incidents can result in significant physical harm.

The injuries a person can sustain from a car accident range from mild whiplash to severe head trauma. Hazards such as distracted driving, speeding, and impaired vehicle operation are the most common contributors to these accidents. 

8. Medical malpractice injuries

Medical malpractice cases can arise when healthcare professionals cause harm to their patients by failing to provide the appropriate care. Experiencing an injury in this way can lead to years of medical expenses in many cases.

What are the types of damages in personal injury cases? 

In some instances, victims of accidents are entitled to various types of damages. These might include:

1. Compensatory damages

Injury attorneys often seek compensatory damages to cover actual financial losses. Each case is different, but they can include medical expenses, property damage, and lost wages.

2. Pain and suffering

Some victims are eligible for pain and suffering damages to help with the physical distress caused by the injury.

3. Loss of consortium

You may be eligible for loss of consortium (or loss of companionship) damages if the injury affected your relationships. These are often sought by family members in wrongful death suits.

4. Punitive damages

Punitive damages are meant to punish the at-fault party. They’re usually only awarded in cases of extreme negligence.

What type of law is personal injury?

Personal injury law (or tort law) is an area of law that focuses on seeking compensation for people who have suffered any kind of trauma due to an accident. These cases are usually brought when the harm was due to another person or business’s negligence, recklessness, or intentional actions.

Attorneys in personal injury law fight to get financial relief and justice for their clients. These cases can encompass a broad range of scenarios, from car accidents to slip-and-falls.

In a personal injury case, the attorneys for the victim try to establish that the responsible party had a duty of care toward the victim and failed to fulfill it. For example, if the staff at a restaurant fails to put up “wet floor” signs in areas their patrons might walk, they fail to fulfill their duty of care. 

A personal injury attorney will play a crucial role in this process. They’ll investigate the circumstances, gather evidence, negotiate with insurance companies, and represent their clients in court when necessary. 

The main objective of personal injury law is to ensure that victims are fairly compensated for their losses when someone else is responsible for them. 

When should I hire a personal injury lawyer?

Knowing the right time to contact an attorney can have a big impact on your case. If you’ve been injured due to someone else’s negligence, the time to act is now.

An excellent personal injury lawyer brings extensive knowledge and expertise to the table. We can handle the negotiations and legal complexities and ensure your rights are upheld. With our support, you can focus on recovery while we advocate for your fair compensation. 

At Adam S. Kutner, Injury Attorneys, we work on a contingency basis, meaning if you don’t win, we don’t get paid. This makes our representation risk-free and accessible to anyone. 

Hiring a lawyer when you’re dealing with injuries is a crucial step toward getting justice and rebuilding your life.