Personal Injury

What Types of Claims Does Personal Injury Law Typically Cover?

Attorneys who specialize in personal injury law can accept any of the following cases:

• Dog bites
• Slip-and-falls (these can happen anywhere on property you don’t own, including at work or inside a business)
• Medical malpractice
• Product liability/mass tort claims (i.e., drug and medical device recalls, defective products, tainted foods, etc.)
• Birth injuries, which are a sub-category of medical malpractice cases
• Workers’ compensation
• Auto, commercial vehicle, and trucking accident injuries
• Wrongful death (these fall under any of the above sub-categories when the family files a lawsuit on the deceased’s behalf)
• Nursing home neglect
• Social Security disability
• Veterans seeking VA benefits

When Do You Really Need an Injury Lawyer?

Many people mistakenly believe that they can simply file an insurance claim to recover enough money to cover their losses. However, homeowner’s, renter’s and workers’ compensation insurance policies often specifically refuse to cover the cost of certain injuries. Dog bites are just one example; slipping and falling in an icy parking lot outside of work is another. You might think if a company recalls something dangerous or defective, they’ll automatically pay anyone with injuries from that product. Unfortunately, that assumption is almost always incorrect.

Without an attorney who specializes in personal injury law, small claims court might be your only recourse. The amount you can win there without representation can vary widely. For example: In some states, the maximum payout is $2,500. However, no small claims court in the U.S. can award you more than $10,000 in damages.

If your medical bills are more than a few thousand dollars, consult an attorney who specializes in personal injury law!