The 5 Most Common Types of Personal Injury Cases

Over 4.7 million Americans get injured on the job every year — that’s an average of one injury every seven seconds.

This is just one of many examples of personal injury. But like most legal matters, it’s not always clear where you stand when it comes to the law.

If you’re injured in an accident outside your home, do you automatically have a personal injury claim? Should you pursue a personal injury settlement with the help of an attorney?

Keep reading for five examples of personal injury cases.

1. Workplace Accidents

This category of personal injury cases includes a wide range of situations. It could be as simple as a slip-and-fall incident on an unmarked wet floor or as dramatic as an explosion or heavy equipment malfunction. In the worst cases, a worker gets killed on the job or later dies from their injuries.

While most states prohibit bringing a lawsuit directly against the employer, you can (and should) pursue a claim through the company’s workers’ compensation coverage.

2. Auto Accidents

This is probably the first thing that comes to mind with personal injury examples. In fact, over 3 million people get injured in car accidents each year, with two-thirds of these incidents resulting in permanent injuries.

Most auto accidents result from carelessness behind the wheel. Other causes include hazardous road conditions, severe weather, or driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

3. Premises Liability

This broad term covers an array of personal injuries that result from negligence. Common examples include slip-and-fall accidents, tripping over a broken curb, falling down unstable stairs, or getting bitten by a dog.

Basically, if the property owner failed to take reasonable precautions to prevent injury, you could have a valid personal injury claim.

Not sure whether your case qualifies? Discuss the details with an experienced personal injury attorney to learn about your rights and options.

4. Medical Malpractice

These types of personal injury cases result from mistakes or negligence on the part of doctors, pharmacists, or other medical professionals.

Examples include:

• Surgical errors
• Medication mistakes
• Misdiagnosis
• Birth injuries
• Nursing home abuse
• Wrongful death

It’s important that note that an unfavorable outcome (such as poor results from surgery) is not the same as medical malpractice. To pursue a claim, you need solid proof that the medical professional made a serious mistake or acted outside their scope of practice.

5. Assault & Battery

Until now, all the examples of personal injury we’ve discussed involve accidents and unintentional harm. However, there’s a final category we need to discuss: intentional injury to another person.

If you’ve been physically attacked by someone (mugging, rape, domestic violence, etc.), this qualifies as a personal injury case. Depending on the circumstances, you may also be able to press criminal charges against the attacker.

Personal Injury Cases: Does Your Case Qualify?

So, what do you think? Based on the examples above, do you qualify for a personal injury claim? If so, be sure to talk to a lawyer in your area to learn about your next steps.

Personal injury cases aren’t the only topic on the table today. Keep browsing our site for more terrific tips and advice!