Accidents occur each day. Whether you take the proper precautions to try to avoid being hurt or you’re just going about your own business, you can still be harmed by someone else’s negligence in performing their tasks or not taking the proper precautions to do so. When these incidents occur, they are known legally as personal injuries.

So how common are personal injuries in the U.S.? According to a report by the CDC,  the number of physician visits in 2018 was around 24.8 million; and the number of emergency visits for unintentional injuries was around 97.9 million.

So why are there such high numbers of reported medical visits? Personal injuries are considered to either be simple car accidents, dog bites, or even medical malpractice, just to name a few. In this blog article, we will explain what situations are defined as personal injury cases and why is it important to have a specialized attorney fighting for you.

 

1. Auto Accidents

Auto accidents are the leading cause of personal injury cases in the United States. In 2021, the Georgia Department of Transportation reported around 387,000 crashes in the state. Most of these incidents are usually caused by a driver’s negligence, whether they’re not respecting the rules of the road or aren’t driving as carefully as they should be.

If you were to get injured by a reckless driver, you can file a claim to get compensated for your damages. The benefits you may receive are:

• Pain and suffering from injuries that stem from the accident such as bruises, cuts, fractures, etc.
• Getting financially covered for medical and hospital costs.
• Vehicle repair expenses or in the event of total wreckage of your car, you’re entitled to get a replacement.
• Car rental expenses in case you need to rent a car while your vehicle is getting repaired.
• Lost wages if your injuries keep you out of work.

Since Georgia is an “at-fault” state, in order to win your claim, you’ll have to prove that the other driver had at least more than 50% of the blame for causing the accident. An experienced auto accident attorney will fight your claim in court and protect you from greedy insurance companies, and as a result, you’ll get the compensation you deserve.

 

2. Premises Liability

Premises liability cases are caused when property owners aren’t fulfilling their legal duty to keep their premises safe and free of hazards. Not complying with these safety protocols, is most likely leading people that are on their property to get injured by dangerous or defective conditions that could’ve been avoided. These accidents can occur on private properties such as a person’s house, or in commercial areas such as malls, restaurants, retail stores, etc.

The most common premises liability incidents are:

• Slip and falls.
• Dog bites.
• Falling down staircases due to missing handrails.
• Falling objects.
• Building fires.
• Collapsing building structures such as balconies or decks.
• Even fights and assaults on their property.

After suffering a premises liability injury, you will need to prove that you were harmed due to the fact that the property owner was negligent in keeping people safe. Having a premises liability attorney fighting by your side can help you receive compensation by identifying the extent of your damages and reaching a settlement with the proprietor’s insurance company.

 

3. Medical Malpractice

Whenever a doctor or another medical professional’s negligence causes their patients to get injured, these incidents are classified as medical malpractice. These physical damages that occur can be cuts, broken bones, back injuries, burns, head trauma, loss of vision or hearing, or even loss of limbs.

However, we must clarify that if a patient doesn’t get the results they are expecting with their treatment, that doesn’t exactly mean that there was medical malpractice done by your doctor. With a medical malpractice attorney, you are able to get compensated under the following conditions:

• Your illness wasn’t properly diagnosed by a doctor.
• You received improper treatment for your illness.
• There was an error made during your surgery.
• Your illness or injuries stem from a defective medical device.
• You experienced childbirth injuries.

 

4. Wrongful Death

These claims, which also fall under the realm of personal injury cases, are when a person dies due to another party’s negligence. The victim’s family members are the ones that search for compensation. These deaths can also be a result of an intentional act such as a crime, auto accidents caused by the carelessness of the other driver, medical malpractice, or defective products.

In these hard times when you want to find justice for your family member, a wrongful death attorney will provide you legal support to win your case by proving:

• Your loved one’s death was caused by another person’s negligence or there was an intention behind their motives to harm them.
• Both you and your family members are facing financial troubles due to the death of your family member.

If you end up winning your claim, you may also receive compensation such as the “full value of the life” of your deceased family member alongside being indemnified for medical expenses, funeral, and burial costs.

 

Why should I have a personal injury attorney by my side?

Nobody wants their lives to be flipped upside down by injuries that were caused by another person’s negligence or recklessness. However, these incidents can occur, and if they were to happen to you, you should seek legal justice right away for your troubles.

If you were to get injured and believe that you have a personal injury claim, at The Nick Schnyder Law Firm, we are ready to fight for you. Contact us to schedule an initial free consultation of your case.