Personal injuries are one of the most common reasons lawsuits get filed. They come about when one party gets hurt and believes that someone else is responsible. Intentional harm done to someone would usually be a criminal matter, however, in the case of a personal injury, it’s deemed to be a civil one. While the defendant may not have intended to hurt someone, if it’s believed that their actions (or lack of actions) injured the plaintiff, the former will have to pay damages.To help put this concept into scope, let’s look at some common causes of personal injuries.
Defective Products
It can be terrifying to consider, but some of the products you use every day may actually be what winds up injuring you. Everyone has heard of product recalls. Unfortunately, before those get issued, a lot of people may get hurt using common household items. Especially scary is that many of these items are often aimed at children.
Drugs and Pharmaceuticals
Another version of a defective product is drugs. Even pharmaceuticals can often cause a personal injury. Sometimes drugs are simply bad news from the get-go. Other times, drug companies don’t adequately instruct their customers on how to take the drug or which other drugs to avoid. Usually, when a drug manufacturer or pharmaceutical company is the defendant, a class-action lawsuit is brought against them.
Car Accidents
This one should come as no surprise. Whether it’s because someone is driving while distracted, runs a red light, or is under the influence, all kinds of problems can happen on the roads in and around Maryland. Due to the frequency and severity of car accidents, every state has laws requiring drivers to have insurance on them when they take the wheel.
Slippery Floors
Believe it or not, of the common types of personal injury, this is one of the most common. Every year, countless people will sue businesses throughout the country for not providing safe premises to their customers. Usually what happens is that a worker mops the floors, but doesn’t do an adequate job of drying them. Sometimes, though, the problem is that snow or rain is tracked in, making for a slippery surface where it would otherwise be dry.
Medical Malpractice
Most of us look at doctors as unimpeachable authority figures. The truth, though, is that they can still make mistakes. If this mistake ends up getting you hurt, you might have a medical malpractice suit on our hands. This can be a tricky matter though. For one thing, the correct medical procedure often involves injuring the patient. If you needed a bone set, for example, you can definitely expect a fair amount of pain and swelling.
Dog Bite
Obviously, dogs can’t really be held accountable for their actions. Their owners can be, though, if their pet bites someone. While leniency is usually shown the first time, if a dog bites someone a second time, a personal injury case can be filed.
Personal injury lawsuits are often settled outside of court. However, this is all the more reason to make sure you have a qualified lawyer looking out for your best interests if you feel someone else has caused your injury.
