When people hear “personal injury” their minds may automatically go to a motor vehicle accident. However, personal injury covers all types of negligent and intentional acts against another person. With so many negligent and intentional acts, one may wonder: What exactly can I hire a personal injury lawyer for? There are several different types of personal injury, and the majority of them can be placed in one of these six categories.
1. Assisted Living Injuries/Abuse
Assisted living injuries occur in nursing homes and other types of assisted living facilities. Those who are most likely to become injured in these facilities are elderly individuals with limited mobility. Injuries, medication errors, and even wrongful death are all considered elder abuse— whether they occur in an assisted living facility or not. If you have a loved one that was injured in a nursing home, you should contact a personal injury lawyer.
2. Medical Malpractice
Almost 100,000 people die every year from medical errors. When doctors make a preventable medical error, it’s referred to as medical malpractice. Examples of preventable medical errors include:
- Anaesthesia errors
- Birth injuries, including cerebral palsy
- Diagnostic mistakes
- Pharmacy errors
- Surgical errors
If you or a loved one (including your child) have experienced a medical error, you should contact a personal injury lawyer.
3. Motor Vehicle Accidents
Unfortunately, motor vehicle accidents are very common. Most people tend to think of car accidents, but there are many other types of accidents involving motor vehicles. No matter what type of motor vehicle accident you were involved in, you should contact a personal injury lawyer if you weren’t at fault.
- Truck Accidents: Truck accidents are those that involve 18-wheelers, also known as tractor-trailers or big rigs. Although truck accidents are just that— accidents and not intentional— truck drivers are subject to long work hours, which can, unfortunately, result in an accident with a smaller vehicle.
- Motorcycle Accidents: What’s just as devastating as a big truck colliding with a car is a car colliding with a motorcycle. Motorcycle riders are far less protected from the impact of another car, and they are much more likely to become injured in a collision.
4. Product Recalls
Every now and then, companies have to recall one of their products because it has caused serious harm to one or more of their consumers. Unfortunately, product recalls are nothing new, and many more products may continue to be recalled in the future. Some examples of popular product recalls include:
- Zantac, an antacid medication that caused stomach cancer in some users
- Roundup, a weedkiller that caused Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma
- CPAP machines, released formaldehyde and other carcinogens
- 3M earplugs, didn’t protect hearing like it was supposed to
Those who suffered serious injuries from a product that was nationally recalled should consult with a personal injury lawyer.
5. Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse, including molestation and rape, is a type of physical abuse. This type of abuse can lead to both physical and psychological damage, resulting in depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other long-lasting issues. This is especially true if sexual abuse occurs during childhood. If your child was a victim of any type of sexual abuse, you should definitely contact a sexual abuse injury lawyer.
6. Workers’ Compensation Claims
In the United States, all employers are required to have workers’ compensation insurance in the event that one or more of their workers gets injured on the job. Some of the most dangerous jobs include logging workers, construction workers, and roofers— but injuries can occur in any type of workplace. The most common workplace injuries include:
- Slips, trips, and falls
- Overextensions and sprains
- Hit/struck by falling objects/moving objects
- Inhaling harmful substances
Workers’ compensation benefits should be able to cover medical treatment, ongoing treatment, lost wages, and more. Oftentimes, employers cheat their employees and don’t cover everything that they’re supposed to. In this case, one should contact a personal injury lawyer.
Other Reasons To Call A Personal Injury Lawyer
There’s an endless amount of incidents that require the assistance of a personal injury lawyer. Basically, if you or a family member have been the victim of a serious injury (or has died), and it’s the fault of another party and could have been prevented, you should contact a personal injury lawyer. Other examples include:
- Animal bites
- Burn injuries
- Premises liability
- Uber accidents
Even if you’re not sure if your situation requires a personal injury lawyer, you can still consult one and they can help you from there.
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