What is Considered Personal Injury?

What injuries fall under personal injury? If you’re hurt, you may wonder whether your case qualifies as a personal injury case for the purposes of getting compensation under Nevada law. Personal injuries are a specific type of injury that creates legal liability on the part of the responsible person. If you’re hurt by a qualifying personal injury, you may bring a claim for financial compensation. Contact a personal injury lawyer to discuss your case today. Here’s what you need to know about what injuries fall under personal injury:

What injuries fall under personal injury?

To fall under personal injury, the injury must have two qualifying factors: First, the damage must be a bodily injury as opposed to an injury to property. A personal injury is an injury to the person instead of an injury to an object. Second, the injury must have occurred in a way that gives rise to legal liability of the responsible party. Someone else must be responsible for the injury under the law. If it’s an injury to a person and the circumstances of the injury create a legal liability for the party who causes the damage, it’s a personal injury.

Personal injuries are torts

A personal injury accident is a type of tort. A tort occurs when one person commits a wrong against someone else. The wrong must be the type that gives rise to legal liability. Torts are civil wrongs. Even if an act is also a crime, a tort refers to the civil liability that the wrongdoer faces for their actions. To win a tort case, you either negotiate directly with an insurance company, like in a car accident case, or you bring a claim for compensation through a civil court.

There are lots of kinds of torts. Not all of them are personal injuries. Personal injuries are the type of torts where someone gets personally hurt.

Personal injuries include both physical and mental injuries

A personal injury is an injury to a person. But a personal injury doesn’t have to be a physical injury. An injury counts as a personal injury if the harm is mental. A mental injury may be part of a physical injury, or the mental injury may be the personal injury itself. Whether an injury is physical or mental, any type of harm to a person can fall under personal injury law.

Examples of personal injury accidents

There are many different types of personal injury cases. Here are some types of injuries that fall under personal injury:

Vehicle accidents – All kinds of vehicle accidents are personal injury accidents. Car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle crashes and ATV crashes all count as personal injury vehicle accidents

Pedestrian accidents – Vehicle accidents may involve people. A pedestrian accident may be the fault of the pedestrian or the vehicle driver. Whether the injured victim is the pedestrian or in a vehicle, the victim may have a personal injury claim.

Cyclist accidents – Bicyclists have the right to use the road. Too often, negligence can lead to bicyclist accidents. A cycling accident can be a personal injury when it occurs because someone else is careless, reckless or intentionally harmful.

Medical malpractice – Medical malpractice results in a bodily injury. If you’re hurt because of medical negligence or intentional misconduct, you’re the victim of a personal injury.

Slip and fall – A slip and fall that occurs on someone else’s property may be a personal injury. Property owners have a responsibility to keep their property safe. When they design or maintain their property in a negligent way that gives rise to a slip and fall accident, the victim has suffered a personal injury.

Dog bites – Dog bites can cause serious injuries. Property owners have a legal obligation to keep their pets under control. When a dog bite causes injuries, it’s a personal injury.

Assault and battery – Some personal injuries occur on purpose. If someone hits or wounds someone else in an offensive way on purpose, they’ve committed an assault and battery that’s also a personal injury. Even though an assault and battery may also be a crime, the victim can bring a civil claim for compensation through personal injury law.

Defamation – Libel and Slander – When a person says or publishes a false statement of fact, it can be a personal injury. Libel and slander are two ways that false statements can injure a person’s reputation or mental well-being. The personal injury is the harm that occurs to the victim’s business or reputation.

Stalking and harassment – Stalking and harassment is serious behavior. Stalking and harassment can cause fear, stress and uncertainty. The mental injury that occurs from stalking and harassment can create legal liability for personal injury. A stalking victim may also have recourse through the criminal courts, and they may also seek civil protection orders for their safety.

Inadequate security – A business has an obligation to have adequate security on hand. If a facility becomes dangerous because it’s overcrowded or if the company is unable to deal with unruly customers, a personal injury may be the result.

Negligent hiring – Businesses must exercise caution when they hire employees. If they fail to appropriately screen employees or if they fail to properly train or supervise employees, a personal injury can be the result. Negligent hiring can be the grounds for a personal injury case.

Products liability – A personal injury can occur because of a dangerous product. Companies that sell products must create products that are safe. Bad design or a production error can cause a personal injury.

Premises liability – Injuries that occur because of dangerous conditions on a property may be personal injuries. Premises liability is the idea that property owners must keep their property in good repair and warn others about potential dangers.

Do I have a case for personal injury?

Our attorneys for personal injury cases can help you determine if your injury is a personal injury. With years of personal injury law experience under our belts and thousands of satisfied clients, we’re ready to help. Let’s evaluate your case and help you understand how Nevada personal injury law applies to your unique circumstances. Call us today to connect immediately with a friendly member of our team.