Personal Injury Cases

A personal injury means you have suffered an injury for which another person or business may be legally responsible for.

What to do after a personal injury:

1.       Seek medical attention and follow the doctor’s suggestions for recovery

2.       Keep a record of any time you have missed from work

3.       If you’re planning on filing a claim, contact the Lawyer Referral Service for help finding an experienced attorney

Common types of Personal injury:

(1) Car accidents: If you were injured in a car accident you may receive compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and related expenses from your insurance company, or the insurance company of the other driver, depending on who was at fault. The best way to determine who was at fault is to give the claims adjuster a clear explanation of what happened.

Some of the things the claims adjuster may review include: the accident police report, whether you sought medical attention, DUI/DWI charges that may be related to the accident, witness testimonies, photographs of the accident, and records that show the wages you lost due to the accident.

Because of this, it is important to document your injuries and take notes of anything you remember about the accident as soon as possible. You may also return to the accident scene to take pictures of anything that may be evidence, and keep records of all your injuries and their effect on your daily life.

(2) Slip and fall: A slip and fall can happen anywhere, and can lead to an injury claim against a person/entity who may have contributed to the accident. There are generally four “fall” injuries that occur: (1) trip and fall – when there is a foreign object in the pathway, (2) stump and fall – when there is an impediment in the walking surface, (3) step and fall – when there is a hole in the walking path, and (4) slip and fall – when the person slips, usually because of a slick surface.

In order to win a slip and fall case, the injured individual must prove the injury resulted from a dangerous or hazardous condition on the property, AND that the owner of the property knew of the condition and failed to correct it OR the owner did not know of the condition even though there was sufficient time for the dangerous condition to be discovered and fixed.

Additional information on slip and fall cases may be found here.

(3) Dog bites: Dog bites and other animal attacks can result in serious injury. If you have been attacked by an animal make sure you document your injuries through photographs, notes, and medical records.  Liability for animal attacks often depends on whether or not the owner of the animal knew about its propensity for violence. In many cases, the owner’s home insurance will cover liability from dog bites. However, this is not true in all cases, and a personal injury lawyer can be helpful to investigate your options further. 

Remember, if you’re looking for an experienced personal injury lawyer, please call the Lawyer Referral Service at (805) 569-5511.