Accidents happen, and when they do they can result in serious, potentially disabling, and even life threatening injuries. They can impact your ability to work and provide for your family, as well as your ability to participate in hobbies and activities you once enjoyed. Unfortunately, these so-called accidents are often not an accident at all, but instead are the result of another’s reckless or negligent conduct. If you have been injured, it is important to speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer regarding the circumstances surrounding your injury. You may be entitled to compensation for the injuries and damages you suffered through a personal injury lawsuit.
Personal Injury Lawsuits
According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 30 million people each year are seen in hospital emergency rooms as the result of accidental injuries. If you have been injured in an accident, your best course for getting compensation for your injuries may be through a personal injury lawsuit. Personal injury lawsuits seek compensation for people who have been injured in accidents that result from the reckless or negligent actions of others. Section 3333 of the California Civil Code allows injured parties to seek damages such as medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and compensation for any disabilities or disfigurements arising out of your injuries. Types of personal injury cases for which compensation is available include the following:
Premises Liability
According to Pepperdine University’s School of Business and Management, premises liability refers to the legal responsibility a business or property owner has toward visitors to that property. Under California law, owners and operators of a property have a legal duty of care to ensure the property is safe and free from dangers that would expose visitors to an unreasonable risk of harm. Premises liability cases typically include slip, trip, and fall accidents, and injuries caused by being struck or hit by an object.
Defective Products
Product liability refers to an area of law in which manufacturers, designers, distributors, and sellers of products may be held liable for injuries and damages caused by defective products. These people have a duty of care not only to ensure a product is manufactured correct and free of defects, but also to warn consumers of any dangers the particular product may pose to people who use it. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) keeps an extensive list of defective and recalled consumer products, as well as a list of lawsuits filed by consumers who have been injured by defective products.
Medical Malpractice
Medical malpractice cases such as those involving doctor and surgical errors, medical misdiagnosis, and healthcare-related infections have reached epidemic proportions in this country. According to the Journal of Patient Safety, approximately 400,000 people die each year as the result of medical mistakes, which have now become a leading cause of death in the United States. Doctors offices, hospitals, free-standing surgical centers, clinics, and the medical providers who staff these places can and should be held accountable for the serious and, unfortunately, often fatal injuries their errors and mistakes cause to patients.
Birth Injuries
According to estimates from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), approximately 28,000 babies born in the U.S. suffer some form of birth injury before, during or immediately after delivery. Birth injuries are often caused by the use of forceps during delivery, the administration anesthesia, and the practice of allowing labors to continue for extended lengths of time. Common injuries include brain damage and bleeding in the skull, nerve damage, and broken bones. If your child has suffered an injury during birth, you may be entitled to compensation for damages which will help you to provide for your child’s continuing healthcare needs in the future.
Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect
Research conducted by the CDC indicates that there are approximately 1.4 million people currently living in nursing homes. As the baby boomer generation continues to enter their golden years, the demand for nursing home care has increased. Unfortunately, as more people depend upon nursing homes and long term care facilities to provide for loved ones, there has also been a dramatic rise in cases f nursing home abuse and neglect. The CDC estimates that one out of every ten people over the age of 65 are victims of abuse and neglect, with many cases going unreported. Nursing home abuse can result in serious physical and physiological damage, and has been shown to hasten death in otherwise healthy older adults.
Sports Injuries
A recent article in USA Today reports that over 1.35 million children each year suffer an injury while playing school and recreation sports, and these sports injuries can cause permanent and even life threatening damages. Traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and bone fractures are all common types of injuries that can have devastating effects on both the children and their families, injuries that often could have been prevented by implementing the proper safety policies and procedures. If your child has been injured, you may be entitled to compensation for the injuries they suffered.
Dog Bites
Dog bites and attacks cause serious injuries to people of all ages. Infections, puncture wounds, and permanent scarring are all common problems associated with bites and attacks, and injuries can leave lasting physical as well as psychological damage. The American Academy of Family Physicians estimates that approximately four million people are injured in these types of attacks each year, and over half of the cases involve dogs they are familiar with. You can hold dog owners responsible for the damages and expenses you suffer as the result of a dog bite by filing a personal injury lawsuit.
Travel and Transportation Related Accidents
Millions of people suffer severe and potentially fatal injuries as the result of transportation related accidents. Car, motorcycle and bicycle accidents occur with alarming frequency in the San Francisco area, and thousands of pedestrians are hurt each year in accidents while walking or attempting to cross busy streets. Transportation accidents also occur on public forms of transportation, such as busses and trolleys, as well as airplane related accidents due to turbulence and weather conditions. If you have been injured in a transportation related accident, you will likely be contacted by an insurance company to settle your claim. Insurance companies know it is in their best interest to get you to settle as quickly as possible, often for an amount lower than what your claim is actually worth.
If you have been involved in one of these types of accidents, contact an experienced personal injury lawyer before making any statements and prior to signing a settlement agreement. Personal injury lawyers often offer free consultations to people injured in these accidents, and can help you determine what is the best course of action in your particular case.