To understand whether you have a personal injury case, it’s important to understand what personal injury actually is. In the legal context, a personal injury is harm caused by someone else’s careless, reckless, or intentionally harmful actions, for which the law entitles you to recover compensation from the wrongdoer. Personal injuries arise frequently in the context of:
- Motor vehicle accidents: Motor vehicle accidents happen every day. In recent years, Pennsylvania has seen an increase in the number of reported crashes and motor vehicle fatalities. Motor vehicle accident attorneys may frequently represent clients injured in collisions involving cars, trucks, semi-trucks, commercial vehicles, motorcycles, and pedestrians.
- Slip and fall accidents: Slip and fall accidents can happen at a place of business or a personal residence. Though they are referred to as slip and fall, the term generally covers any circumstance in which a person gets injured in a preventable fall. These accidents often happen because of slippery surfaces, loose items, uneven flooring or sidewalk, or other icy or wet conditions.
- Medical malpractice: Medical malpractice happens when a doctor or other healthcare professional makes a mistake that leads to the injury of a patient. Medical malpractice does not include undesirable outcomes or a shorter life expectancy than expected. Examples of medical malpractice include dosage errors, missed or delayed diagnosis, surgical mistakes, and failure to read the patient’s medical history.
- Nursing home abuse: The National Council on Aging estimates that one in ten adults 60 and older have experienced some sort of abuse. Abuse consists of more than just physical harm. Elder abuse also includes emotional abuse, financial exploitation, and neglect.
- Dangerous property conditions: Property owners have varying degrees of duty to keep visitors to their properties safe from harm, and face liability when they fail in those duties. Incidents on someone else’s property leading to legal liability can include dog bites, falls, acts of violence, swimming pool accidents, and building fires.
- Wrongful death: Every death feels wrong, but when the death of a loved one is the result of someone else’s wrongful actions, you may have a legal claim. A wrongful death suit can help the survivor’s family recover costs related to the funeral and burial as well as lost income and medical bills.
- Abuse: Victims of physical and sexual abuse have the right to pursue criminal charges as well as civil damages. The outcome of one does not affect the other. A personal injury case can help an abuse survivor recover costs related to medical bills as well as pain and suffering.