Did you know that injuries claim over four million lives worldwide every year? That’s on top of the tens of millions of other people who sustain non-fatal injuries.
Many of those incidents, in turn, are unintentional. However, their being accidental doesn’t mean they’re not preventable.
The good news is that personal injury laws exist to hold people liable for accidents they cause. With these, victims can sue those who’ve harmed them.
To that end, we created this guide on the most common types of personal injury cases. Be sure to keep reading to learn more about them.
Car Accidents
Car accidents injured approximately 4.8 million people in the US in 2020. These incidents also claimed the lives of an estimated 42,060 individuals. So, unsurprisingly, car accidents are among the most common personal injury case types.
Truck Accidents
According to the NHTSA, 4,895 road fatalities in 2020 involved large trucks. That’s on top of the millions of other people that such vehicles likely injured in crashes.
What’s even worse is that big-rig accidents often cause more severe injuries. After all, these massive vehicles weigh 20 to 30 times more than average passenger cars.
With that said, anyone injured in a truck accident can file a personal injury lawsuit.
Pedestrian Accidents
US pedestrian death rates surged in 2020 despite Americans driving less. Compared to the previous year, the pedestrian death toll was 4.8% higher. As a result, the number of pedestrian accident fatalities rose to 6,721.
All that makes pedestrian accidents some of the most common personal injury cases.
Medical Errors and Negligence
Some reports estimate that up to 440,000 patients die in the US each year due to medical errors. If that figure is accurate, it could make such mistakes the third leading cause of death in the US.
In any case, medical errors can be deadly, and even if they weren’t, they could still result in severe trauma. They can also give rise to chronic health problems.
So, it’s no wonder that medical errors are now common grounds for personal injury lawsuits.
Defective Products
Suppose you’ve recently bought a product, used it for the first time, and it caused you harm. In that case, you can file a defective product lawsuit.
An example of a defective product is an appliance or device that explodes or bursts into flames. Others include malfunctioning vehicle parts, harmful cosmetics, and even toxic food products.
Wrongful Death
Wrongful death occurs when someone gets killed due to another’s misconduct or negligence. The survivors of the person who died can then sue the at-fault party.
Road accidents, medical errors, and product defects often cause wrongful death cases. However, other catastrophic accidents, such as structural fires, can also cause these deaths. The same goes for explosions in facilities and factories.
Get Legal Help for these Types of Personal Injury Cases
There you have it, your brief but concise guide on the common types of personal injury cases. So, if you or a loved one suffers from such injuries, it’s best to hire a personal injury attorney ASAP. That way, the legal expert can help you file a lawsuit against the responsible or at-fault party.