Personal injury is any instance where a person’s body and/or mind is injured, as opposed to their property. In most of these situations, a civil action for damages (financial reimbursement) can be brought against the at fault party, whether it’s an individual or an entity.
If you or a member of your family becomes a personal injury victim, you need to know when it’s appropriate to hire an attorney. Similar to medical professionals, lawyers can specialize in a particular type of law. Whenever you are injured by negligence, you should be looking for a personal injury law firm to help represent your case.
What Situations Require an Experienced Accident Lawyer?
Before you decide to hire an attorney, it’s important to understand a few different types of cases and and how they relate to personal injury.
Types of Personal Injury Cases
Negligence Suits
These cases are filed when a person or people become physically harmed due to the carelessness of another individual or entity.
Defamation Suite
Similar to negligence suits, but these cases are focused on damage done to a person’s reputation, usually by libel or slander.
Intentional Harm
These cases are brought against individuals who commit harm through battery, assault, or other malicious and deliberate acts.
Accident lawyers will typically tend to focus more on instances that apply to negligence suits, so those types of examples are going to be examined below.
Common Examples of Negligence Suits
Negligence is when a person or entity fails to demonstrate the ‘ordinary’ amount of care that a person would have in any situation. It has a very broad ranging application in the eyes of the law, as it can be in reference to harm stemming from not taking certain precautions, or to a person’s direct action.
Vehicle Collisions
These are very common in personal injury law, but that doesn’t mean they’re easy to handle. Vehicle collisions can be something as small as a fender bender, ramping all the way up to car crashes involving drunk drivers. As a victim, you’re likely to incur medical expenses, possibly for multiple family members, so hiring a lawyer is a great step towards getting the compensation you deserve from the at fault party.
Workplace Injury
Workplace injuries are any injuries that happen during employment at the usual work location. This is different than ‘workers compensation’, which requires that the injury be related to part of the job task (for example, physical labor). Workplace injuries can be caused by defective equipment, chemical exposure, or egregious acts committed by the employer.
Premises Liability Injury
These injuries occur when the proprietor of a property neglects to properly ensure the safety of any visitors, passer byers, or occupants. There is a ‘duty of care’ associated with any property and how said property is used.
Talk to a Personal Injury Lawyer About Your Accident
Don’t ever feel like you’re helpless when it comes to being injured. Always consult with a reputable personal injury lawyer who can explain what your options are for the case, and represent you in a court of law.