Personal injuries are possible even if you take every precaution to remain safe. By nature, personal injuries are caused by someone else’s negligence or wilful actions, and the consequences can be dire.
From having to take time off work to requiring medical treatment and from facing surgery to coping with long-term health challenges, personal injuries are no joke.
Here are five common personal injury types that you should know about. If ever on the receiving end of any of them, you should contact a personal injury lawyer to file a claim to get the required compensation.
Car Accidents
Car accidents are among the most common causes of personal injuries. Whether due to speeding, distracted driving, road rage, or something else, vehicular mayhem on roads and highways leads to injuries.
After a car collision, seeing a doctor makes sense. Depending on how you feel after the accident and the doctor’s visit, it might be time to call a personal injury lawyer. Whether injured as a driver, passenger, or pedestrian, you may need help post-incident.
In fact, it might be necessary to take a leave of absence from work to get medical help. You don’t want to have to pay for everything out of pocket.
Dog Bites
The American Veterinary Medical Association says that canines bite north of 4.5 million people every year. It adds that more than 800,000 people bitten by dogs need medical attention. It’s also worth noting that most victims are children — probably because kids might not recognize telltale signs that dogs don’t want to be bothered or interacted with.
While sometimes a dog’s bark is worse than its bite, there are times when a dog not only barks loudly but also packs quite the bite. If injured after an unfortunate encounter with a dog, you’ll want to seek medical care.
One thing to keep in mind is the importance of respecting dogs and their personal space. If it’s found that you were bitten by a dog after teasing the dog, entering a fenced yard without permission from the owner, or otherwise bothering the animal, a claim might not be possible.
Slip, Trip, or Fall
Yet another common reason for personal injury cases is slip, trip, or fall incidents. They can happen just about anywhere, and the end result after an incident can be severe. If you’re lucky, you might suffer little more than a bruise. But more serious injuries include broken bones, torn ligaments, sprained ligaments, strained muscles, and more.
Product Liability
Yet another common personal injury type relates to product liability. If you buy a product found to be unsafe or defective and are injured by it, you might have grounds to file a personal injury claim. There are exceptions, however. Some products are inherently dangerous because of their purpose or function. An example is a knife. If you cut yourself while using a knife, you can’t file a claim unless the product is defective.
Bicycle Accidents
Did you know that almost 1,000 bicyclists die, and north of 130,000 are injured in collisions on U.S. roads annually? While taking proper precautions can reduce the odds of accidents, it’s clear that people who ride bikes face a greater risk of injury if involved in on-road collisions.
These are some of the most common personal injury types — but there are lots more. Whether you experience any of the five mentioned above or some other personal injury, see your doctor.
The next call you should make is to a personal injury lawyer who will assess your situation. You don’t want to be in a situation where you have to pay for treatment out of pocket. A lawyer will help you file a claim to get the compensation needed.
