Personal injury law covers serious injuries. Under personal injury law cases, many victims can gain compensation from the party found to be legally liable for the occurrence of their injuries.
About Serious Injuries Caused by Accidents
Most serious and catastrophic injuries result from some kind of accident, except those occurring because of disease or other natural causes. Aaron Crane, a well-known car accident attorney from Cantor Crane, states that car accidents are one of the leading causes of catastrophic injuries in the United States. This is true for deaths of both adults and children.
There are over 40,000 automobile accident fatalities each year in America, with the total number of injury victims being much higher. Many people survive their injuries but still sustain damage to their bodies during car accidents, much of those injuries being serious or even life threatening. For most people involved in a car accident during which they suffered injuries, their body will never be the same as it was before the wreck.
Types of Serious Injuries Caused by Accidents
When medical attention is not gained after serious injuries resulting from an accident, the injured person’s health and safety are at serious risk. Injuries that can result from accidents include:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Broken bones
- Lacerations
- Serious contusions
- Spinal cord injuries
- Internal injuries
- Road rash (from vehicle ejection or motorcycle accidents)
- Eye injuries resulting in blindness
- Many other types of injuries
How Accidents Causing Serious Injuries Happen
Accidents can happen anywhere. But there are certain types of accidents and specific conditions which occur more frequently than others. Some of the most common types of accidents beyond automobile crashes include:
- Workplace injuries during a normal workday
- Injury after taking or being given a dangerous drug
- Harm caused by defective products
- A vicious dog attack on a child
- Elevator injuries at work or other places
- A woman falling down slippery or wet steps in a corporate building
- Hotel guests getting hair caught in Jacuzzi or pool drain
Machinery is a big part of our everyday lives. People are paid to take care of machinery and ensure proper maintenance is performed to keep that equipment in proper working order. People also own and operate their own machinery, such as cars, boats, motorcycles, jet skis and private aircraft. When someone gets behind the wheel but does not adhere to laws or otherwise operates their machine in an unsafe manner, they can cause property damage and serious injuries.
Every day, innocent people are injured because of others’ negligence. This is sad and unfortunate. But today, even pedestrians or innocent bystanders can be injured or killed, such as in being struck by a speeding motorist. Serious and even life-threatening injury can occur just about anywhere when negligence results in an accident or unsafe conditions.
The Aftermath of Serious Injuries
Victims of serious injuries are often in extreme pain for a long period of time. They often need lengthy periods for recovery during which time they cannot work or perform their own duties. Expensive medical treatment is most often required. This almost always costs a fortune for those who must pay medical bills without having been prepared for the major expense. Such circumstances can affect not just the victim, but entire families of people who suffer because their loved one was injured or killed.
Pursuing Compensation after Serious Injuries
Fortunately, people who are injured or those who lose loved ones in an accident can pursue damages from the people or companies legally liable for those injuries. There are many instances where legal responsibility for an accident is clear. But other cases may involve more complex determination of who holds legal responsibility.
In the event a person is seriously hurt, medical treatment must be the first course of action. If the injured person is able, he or she should take notes about the events surrounding the accident and even take photos of the accident scene. Using cell phone capabilities of photographing and recording the scene with a steady hand is a very good idea. Whenever possible, witness contact information should be documented, as well. Together, all of these pieces of information and evidence support your legal case.
Even if you expect an insurance company will settle with you or you have already been contacted by an insurance company to settle, it is critical that you retain your own lawyer. Insurance companies are not compassionate. They operate like any other business and have an overriding goal of profitability. This does not benefit you and you will likely be offered less than you deserve, in the insurance company’s effort to maintain their profitability.
When you have a Phoenix personal injury lawyer on your side of the case, that attorney will know how to work with the insurance company to gain the actual value of your claim. Without an attorney to provide this service, the insurance company will do their best to maintain their own best interests. Also, there are unscrupulous insurance companies who know that they can pay victims far, far less when an attorney is not involved.
When you have an attorney for representation of your personal injury case, you can focus on healing and recovering. You should not have to go to battle with an insurance company for what you are rightfully owed.
Thanks to our friend and blog author, Aaron Crane of Cantor Crane, for his insight into personal injury and car accident practice.