What Are the Most Common Types of Personal Injury Actions?

Personal injury claims bring justice and compensation to victims of others’ negligence. If you’re involved in a car accident that totals your vehicle and leaves you with thousands of dollars in medical bills and several weeks of missed work, does it make you feel better to know that the liable driver was cited three times and paid $500 in tickets? Do those actions make you whole? No.

To be made whole through the justice system after an accident, you have to pursue a claim through the civil courts. For more specific advice on personal injury claims and whether or not you may have a valid case, contact Mann & Potter at 205-879-9661.

Auto Accidents

Car accidents are among the most common types of personal injury claims. Auto accidents are a constant problem on American roads, whether they’re caused by distracted drivers, malfunctioning vehicle components, poor road conditions, or a number of other reasons. When victims are injured in a car accident, they often hire a lawyer to make sure they get the compensation they need to cover medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.

This category also includes motorcycle accidents, commercial vehicle accidents, and pedestrian accidents. The amount and types of compensation available vary a between each type. For example, a commercial accident involving a tractor-trailer and a passenger vehicle is likely to yield a far larger settlement than an accident involving two passenger vehicles.

Slip and Fall Claims

Slip and fall claims, as well as other accidents that happen on people’s property, account for a lot of personal injury claims. Slip and fall accidents can happen because of poorly maintained walkways, unsteady stairwells, uneven stairs, ice and rain, spills, and more. These injuries often lead to substantial settlements, simply due to the fact that a serious fall can cause traumatic brain injury and require a substantial amount of medical care. Other types of premises liability claims include items falling on people from shelves, dog bites and animal attacks, swimming pool accidents, and trampoline accidents.

Product Liability Claims

Products should be functional and safe by the time they hit the market, but this isn’t always the case. Sometimes companies don’t find malfunctions before they release a product; in other situations, they find errors but believe that the cost of fixing the error is less than they may have to pay to settle lawsuits, so they don’t fix it.

When a product that is poorly designed, manufactured, or marketed, those who are hurt by that product can often seek compensation in the form of a personal injury claim. This sometimes overlaps with other types of claims. For example, a car accident that is caused by malfunctioning brakes may also be a product liability case. Depending on the circumstances of the case, you may file claims against the company that designed the item, the company that manufactured its components, the company that put the components together, or the company that sold the item.

Medical Malpractice

Medical malpractice is perhaps one of the most complex and high-stakes areas of personal injury law. Settlements for medical malpractice cases are often in the five to six digits range, with some resulting in million-dollar settlements. Medical malpractice cases often occur when a care provider misses a diagnosis, diagnoses an illness incorrectly, harms a patient during surgery, or causes harm to a mother or baby during the labor and delivery process.

Medical injuries can leave patients with pain, limited mobility, and health issues for the rest of their lives. As a result, settlements are often extremely high. Lawsuits may be brought against the physician overseeing the patient’s care, hospital administrators who created a poor or unsafe environment for patients, or facility owners.

Find Out How Mann & Potter Can Help

If you or someone you love has been harmed by someone else’s negligence, you may be able to seek just compensation with a personal injury claim. However, it is often difficult to obtain the full and fair compensation you deserve by going it alone. Schedule a consultation with us now to discuss your case in greater detail. You can reach us at 205-879-9661 or contact us online.