Types of Personal Injury Cases

Have you ever endured injuries or damages from car accidents, medical malpractice, slips and falls, or bankruptcy caused by someone else? It can be frustrating to suffer the consequences from someone else’s wrongful actions. During these times, you can receive fair compensation by reporting a personal injury. Here are some common types of personal injury cases.

Car Accidents

Because car accidents often cause vehicle damage and physical injury to all people involved, it can be difficult to prove who is responsible for the incident. However, with the cost from such damage and injuries and the amount of compensation someone can receive if he or she wins a settlement, many people try to prove that the damage was someone else’s fault. In order to win compensation from car accident cases, it is important to collect the following proof of evidence that it was not your fault:

• Safe driving before the accident happened
• Stayed within the speed limit
• Proof that you could not have prevented the accident
• Healthy emotional state before the accident
• Clean driving history

Those are just a few things to record before you submit a personal injury report. The police will then have to investigate the other driver’s report and whether there are discrepancies in the testimonies.

Medical Malpractice

Medical malpractice is another common personal injury report because many doctors’ wrongful actions can greatly damage lives that could have otherwise been improved. This is an issue that victims and their loved ones do not take lightly, as they put their hope in the hands of a person who is supposed to help them recover. Here are some examples of medical malpractice cases:

• Medical misdiagnoses
• Hiding or fabricating information
• Breaking confidentiality
• Prescribing harmful medication
• Changing test results
• Changing patient health history

Medical practitioners are highly respected in their fields, but their reputations can be ruined from one medical malpractice. Here are a few things patients will need to prove medical malpractice:

• Health history (diagnoses, medication(s), allergies, substance abuse, family health history, etc.)
• Reason for the latest doctor appointment
• Patient health and injury status before the latest doctor appointment
• Patient health and injury status after the latest doctor appointment
• Side-effects from medication(s) during and after treatment (if any)
• Doctor’s attentiveness while treating the patient

Those are just a few things to keep on record before making a medical malpractice case. This information will then have to be verified by a personal injury attorney before the case can be taken to trial.

Dog Bites

Dog bites can cause major physical and psychological damage to victims, especially children. Often times, dog owners suffer consequences and have to pay for victims’ medical bills. However, different states have different laws. For victims to receive fair compensation, here is some important information to have on hand when talking to a personal injury attorney:

• How well he or she knows the dog and its owners
• What he or she was doing before the incident
• What kind of injury he or she suffered, as well as the severity of the dog bite
• Whether he or she has dog allergies and whether the owners knew this
• Whether the dog was on a leash or locked in a secure area

In addition to the victim reporting details about the incident, the owners must give their own account of the incident. This way, the lawyer can look for any discrepancies to make sure that both people are being honest.

Slips and falls

Slips and falls are very common, especially at stores and restaurants where employees do not practice all safety procedures. Here are a few examples of cases when employees are at fault:

• Wet floor without a caution sign
• Failure to keep store aisles clear of trash and store/restaurant products
• Denying special assistance for people with disabilities
• Poor employee management

In a case where employees do not follow safety procedures, proof can usually be found in video footage.

Physical Violence

Physical violence is another common personal injury case. This is especially true at night and when people are under the influence of drugs and alcohol. In order to win a physical violence case, you should write down the following information:

• Details about what happened before the incident occurred
• The location and time of the incident
• Whether you had any type of relationship with the perpetrator
• Injuries to prove that someone else attacked you
• Criminal history report
• Description of the perpetrator

Having a detailed description of the incident location and perpetrator’s appearance will help your lawyer figure out if you are being honest and how much compensation you could receive. It would also help if you get the accounts of any witnesses at the scene.

Defective Products

Defective products can cause more serious injuries than you might realize. For instance, a metal toy that does not work properly could rip off fingers of children who play with it. Also, if a product does not undergo enough testing before it is sold in stores, there is not enough solid evidence that the product will work properly. To prevent injury from a potentially defective product, here are some signs to watch for:

• The product does not work properly on the first try.
• The product installment kit is missing a part.
• The product features are mislabeled on the directions.
• The product has gotten mixed reviews about its quality and functionality.

If you notice anything strange about your product, you should write down anything that makes you believe it is defective. If you get injured before having a chance to write down signs of defects, have a witness write down the signs immediately afterwards and call a personal injury lawyer.

Identity Fraud

Identity fraud is a difficult case to solve because it often goes unnoticed. Unless you pay close attention to your back account and remember your expenses, you might not think about somebody else using your credit card information to purchase expensive items. Identity fraud is a major crime and can lead to bankruptcy. For this reason, it is very important to keep all personal information private. Here are a few signs that you might be a victim of identity fraud:

• Emails and bills regarding payments you have not made
• A notice that your credit card was declined, or an overdraft fee
• Driving tickets from times when you were not on the road
• Packages that you never ordered
• Hacked email accounts
• Emails about contracts you have not signed

If you suspect that someone else has hacked into your accounts and spent your money, write a detailed report about all money spent and your financial status after the fraudulent charges. Include bank statements from the amount of time you think the fraudulent charges have been made.

It can be easy to miss the signs that you should claim a personal injury case. Hopefully, this quick guide contains clear information about the common types of personal injury cases to watch for and report. If you are looking for a personal injury lawyer in Boise, Idaho, contact Russell Law Group today. We truly care about your health and safety and getting you fair payment for your case.