Common Types of Personal Injury Cases

It is a personal injury when someone is hurt because another person or entity was negligent. Personal injury cases can involve car crashes, defective products, and botched surgeries, to name a few.

While different, they all share negligence as a factor. If you are hurt because someone else was negligent, you should consider filing a personal injury claim to recover your financial losses.

Most people choose to file a personal injury claim with the help of an attorney. An attorney gives you a better chance of a successful outcome and a larger settlement. 

The prevalence and nature of personal injury cases can significantly vary from one metropolitan area to another due to differences in population density, lifestyle, local laws, and infrastructure. A densely populated city with heavy traffic may see a higher number of automobile accidents, while a city with many construction sites might experience more worker-related injuries. Local laws and regulations can also influence the type of cases that occur and how they're handled. Therefore, it's essential to engage a local attorney who's well-versed in the unique aspects of personal injury law in their specific metropolitan area.

For reference these are the some of the most common types of personal injury cases that occur in St. Louis.

Car Accidents

It’s not all that surprising that car accidents top the list of personal injury cases since there are so many cars on the road. Most of these crashes occur because of distracted drivers who are too busy texting to pay attention on the road.

Drunk driving is another cause of collisions, though reckless drivers that speed and ignore traffic laws are also negligent. If you were in a car accident, you should organize all the paperwork associated with it, including medical bills, the police report, and evidence. This will help your personal injury attorney to get the maximum recovery on your behalf.

Slip and Fall Accidents

While slip and fall accidents tend to happen more frequently to elderly members of the population, they can happen to anyone at any time. Property owners that knowingly leave a hazard unattended, such as wet floors, or fail to fix a danger like a loose railing on a staircase, are negligent in their duty of care.

Medical Malpractice

Botched surgeries may be the first image that comes to your mind at the mention of medical malpractice. However, surgeons aren’t the only ones who can be held liable for medical errors. If you pick up your prescription from the pharmacy and the pharmacist has put the wrong medication in the bottle, you can sue for medical malpractice.

Missteps of this magnitude can carry lifelong consequences, potentially resulting in the premature loss of a loved one. Ensuring medical professionals are held responsible for any negligent behavior is vital.

Long-Term Care Facilities

Long-term care facilities, such as nursing homes or assisted living communities, are environments where personal injury cases can be alarmingly common. With an aging population that often requires complex and continuous care, these facilities can sometimes fall short in providing the appropriate level of attention and safety.

Incidents can range from negligent care causing bedsores or improper medication administration to more severe issues such as physical or emotional abuse from staff members.

Several factors contribute to the prevalence of personal injury cases in long-term care facilities. Staffing shortages, insufficient training, and communication gaps can lead to oversights and mistakes. In the worst cases, they can lead to situations of outright neglect or abuse.

Residents may suffer from falls, malnutrition, dehydration, or a failure to adequately respond to serious medical conditions. Such instances of negligence or intentional harm can cause significant physical and psychological harm, making personal injury claims in long-term care facilities a critical concern for residents and their families.

Product Liability

When you buy a product and use it according to its directions, you expect it to work as intended. What you don’t expect is to end up with a serious injury. Product liability claims are perhaps among the most challenging ones to make, which is why an attorney will be an asset to you.

Wrongful Death

If someone dies as a result of a personal injury, surviving family members can file a wrongful death lawsuit. Whether it’s a car crash or medical misdiagnosis, a personal injury attorney can help them recover compensation to help pay for the final medical expenses of their loved one as well as funeral expenses, among other things.

Regardless of the type of personal injury case, you should not hesitate to get representation from a qualified attorney where you live. If you live in the St. Louis area, a St. Louis, Missouri, personal injury lawyer can be helpful.