Personal injury law covers a wide array of different causes of injuries, and there are various types of legal actions that can be brought to obtain damages from liable parties. Some of the different types of personal injury cases include:
- Animal or dog bite cases. A person who is the owner, possessor or harborer of an animal that has a history of biting can be held strictly liable for any injuries that the animal causes to a victim.
- Premises liability. A property owner or possessor can be held liable for injuries sustained by visitors to the property.
- Defective products. A manufacturer, seller or producer could be held liable for any defective products that they make or sell that cause injuries to those consumers who purchase and use the defective product.
- Car accidents. Car accident victims can seek compensation for injuries and property damage from any and all parties who are determined to be liable for the accident.
- Truck accidents. Accidents involving large commercial trucks, such as big rigs or tractor trailers, produce serious injuries. Truck accident victims can be compensated by the parties that are liable for the accident, which could include a negligent truck driver, the driver’s employer, the party responsible for loading the cargo, or any party who performed improper repairs or maintenance on the truck, if these things caused the accident.
- Motorcycle accidents. Motorcyclists are often involved in accidents with other vehicles because other drivers act negligently when they fail to see motorcyclists on the roadway.
- Bicycle accidents. Bicyclists have the right to share the roadways with other vehicles, including cars, trucks and motorcycles. Bicyclists can be struck by these other vehicles or could be injured by improperly maintained roadways.
- Pedestrian accidents. Pedestrians can suffer injuries when they are struck by vehicles when using crosswalks, entering intersections, or while using the sidewalk.
- Hit-and-run accidents. Motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians are all at risk of being involved in a hit and run accident: either a driver hits the victim and then flees, or the driver runs into a car or other vehicle, causing property damage, but leaves behind no contact information.
- Slip and fall cases. Unsafe ground conditions can cause a person to slip and fall and injure themselves, which can be particularly severe if the victim is elderly, or has mobility issues.
- Medical malpractice. Doctors and other medical professionals should never act negligently when administering care to patients. When patients are hurt because of the actions of their medical care providers, the doctors, and medical treatment facility may be liable to the injured patient.
- Birth injuries. Newborns and their mothers are at risk of suffering injuries during the birth process. Doctors and medical staff should take care during deliveries to identify any potential complications or signs of distress and then take steps to prevent serious injuries from occurring.
- Defamation cases. A person’s reputation can be damaged by the either the written word, which is referred to as libel, or by word of mouth, which is referred to as slander.
- Intentional tort cases. A victim could be intentionally injured or harmed by another. These acts are referred to as intentional torts. There are a number of intentional torts, such as:
- Assault;
- Battery;
- Kidnapping; and
- Intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Products liability. When a manufacturer or designer of a product designs the product in such a way that the product causes harm, the product manufacturer or designer can be held liable to consumers via a personal injury case.