What Are the Most Common Types of Personal Injuries?

Being injured in an accident that happened through no fault of your own may leave you overwhelmed and angry. Your life may seem as though it is no longer yours and what you used to do before the accident might no longer be possible. To regain some normalcy, you need to focus on recovering your health and let a Maki Legal personal injury lawyer help you with the legal side of your case.

If there is any consolation in numbers, you should know that millions of people every year are injured in all sorts of different accidents, here is a short list of the most common ones.

Accidents Involving Motor Vehicles

As you drive along the road that takes you to work or to your daily activities, it is probably quite common for you to notice that accidents seem to happen every day. Multiply that by the number of roads and cars across the nation and you can imagine the large number of people who are injured in accidents involving moving vehicles. These could be cars, trucks, ride-sharing vehicles, motorcycles, bicycles, and even pedestrians.

For a successful personal injury claim after being injured in an accident involving a vehicle, you must have a police report and medical records that tie your injuries to the accident. Working with an experienced lawyer will mean that they will gather all available evidence and fight for the compensation you might be entitled to receive.

Slip and Fall Accidents

The second group of accidents that lead to injuries are slip and fall or trip and fall incidents. Just as in car accident cases, these injuries take place due to the negligent actions or inactions of another party, leaving the injured party with a right to seek compensation.

These accidents tend to happen in retail establishments when there is unmarked water on the floor, along sidewalks that are badly paved, in parking lots, and in any location where someone who is there as a guest or visitor ends up sustaining an injury.

Medical Malpractice

The last thing anyone expects when feeling poorly and seeking medical attention of any sort is to end up with an injury due to the negligence of the healthcare provider they visited. The way people may be injured through medical malpractice may be because they were misdiagnosed or received a delayed diagnosis, they were injured at birth, because of medication errors or due to a healthcare professional failing to treat them when treatment was called for, because of errors during the administration of anesthesia or surgery, and for many other reasons. The consequences may change the victim’s life forever or even cause their untimely passing.

Injuries in the Workplace

Although some occupations seem to be quite safe, others carry inherent risks. And even the safest industries carry their hazards. Many people get injured at work and the most common workplace injuries are due to contact with moving objects, vehicle accidents, injuries due to repetitive motions, exposure to toxic chemicals, burns, slip and falls, broken bones, injuries to the brain, back, and any other body part, and more.

Employers are expected to carry workers’ compensation insurance to deal with their employees who get injured or become ill while at work. In these cases, it is important to determine if the injury was caused by someone unrelated to the place of employment, if they were intentionally caused by a third party, or if the employer failed to secure workers’ compensation insurance.

In any case, if you have been injured at work, it is important to secure legal representation from a workers’ compensation lawyer to help you secure the compensation you deserve to cover your damages and other losses.

Product Liability

If you or someone you love is injured due to a defective product, whether because it was poorly designed, it did not include clear instructions as to how it needed to be used, or the way it was manufactured presented risks to users, you may have a product liability case in your hands. Some examples of products that are potentially harmful include dangerous drugs, medical devices, toxic materials and chemicals, defective automotive parts, dangerous children’s products, food, and more.

If you or a loved one have been impacted by using a defective product, you should take legal action to seek the compensation you need to cover your damages. The consequences may be long-term and may permanently alter the quality of your life.

Wrongful Death

Whenever someone loses their life due to the misconduct or negligence of someone else, the case is considered to be a wrongful death. The passing might be due to a vehicle accident, a dog bite, abuse in a nursing home, or neglect in a childcare facility. As the surviving relative of someone who has lost their life under these circumstances, you may be entitled to seek compensation from the party liable for the death.

Your damages may include burial and funeral expenses, medical treatments that the victim received when they were injured, and funds to compensate for the income the surviving relatives may be missing since the breadwinner of the family has died. Consult with a wrongful death attorney to understand your legal rights under the circumstances and to get the legal guidance you need.

Animal Bites

Even the most peaceful pets may surprise their owners by biting someone, particularly if the animal has never behaved aggressively before. However, this does not exclude the owner from liability due to their pet biting a passerby. If you or a loved one have sustained injuries due to an animal bite, it is crucial to seek medical help as soon as possible and to follow the treatment prescribed by your healthcare provider.

Some states have established what is known as a “one free bite” rule which states that dog owners are not to be held accountable until their pet’s hostility has been discovered. Let a dog bite attorney help you with a dog bite case so that you can understand your rights and how to proceed.