5 Common Accidents That May Require Legal Action

Personal injury law, also known as “torts” law, provides that an injured person can be entitled to a fair compensation when another person’s negligent behavior causes harm. This means that if you’re injured as a result of someone else’s carelessness, it may give rise to a legal liability, providing you with the right to run after the at-fault party and get compensated for the damages.

There are plenty of situations that may require legal action and these can include the following common accidents:

Motor Vehicle Accidents

These are the most popular types of accidents that may require some legal interventions. Motor vehicle accidents usually take place when a vehicle collides with another vehicle, pedestrian, road debris, and other road obstruction like trees or poles. These can be in the form of:

• Car accident
• Truck accident
• Bicycle accident
• Motorcycle accident
• Pedestrian accident

The common causes of these road accidents include distracted driving, drunk driving, over-speeding, reckless driving, running red lights, fatigue, and many more. Moreover, depending on the impact of the collision, you may sustain injuries such as traumatic brain injuries, spine injuries, fractures and broken bones, burns, internal injuries, and the like.

Thus, if you’ve been seriously injured in a motor vehicle accident without your fault, it’s best to call an attorney to help you receive monetary compensation for your losses. An experienced legal professional can safeguard your rights throughout the legal process.

Slip And Fall Accidents

These accidents occur when a person slips or trips and gets injured on someone else’s property. These types of accidents often happen in areas such as parking lots, supermarkets, shopping malls, restaurants, and other commercial buildings. Also, slip and fall accidents are likely to take place when there are poorly-maintained stairs, torn carpets, changes in the flooring, wet floors, and other dangerous conditions.

Generally, these types of accidents can be a source of legal obligation since property owners or those who are managing the premises have the legal duty to maintain the premises’ safety and ensure it’s free of hazards to avoid injuries.

But, it’s important to note that not all injuries such as broken bones, hip fractures, sprained ankles, and cuts and abrasions will automatically result in legal liability. This is where the assistance of a reliable attorney becomes beneficial. They can help prove that the property owner has a legal duty to keep the premises safe and therefore any injuries sustained as a result of such duty breach should be fairly compensated.

Workplace Accidents

Another type of accident that may require legal action are those taking place in the workplace. Thus, when you’re injured while at work, you may have the right to run after the at-fault party and demand compensation for your injuries. The most common causes of workplace accidents can include fatigue, lifting, poor lighting, trips and falls, hazardous materials, and a lot more.

However, unlike other types, accidents arising from work come with a different legal process. For instance, if you sustained injuries while working, you’re not allowed to file a personal injury lawsuit against your employer. Instead, you’re required to bring a claim under the Workers’ Compensation Act, which mandates employers to give several benefits to their injured employees. These benefits can include medical treatment, wages for temporary total disability, and a lump-sum payment for permanent partial disability which are intended to compensate the injured worker.

So, if you’re injured while at work such as working in a construction site, it’s best to hire a trustworthy attorney to help you know your rights and guide you through the process to obtain the compensation for your injuries.

Accidents Caused By Dog Bites

Another type of accident that may require legal action are those caused by dog bites. In most cases, the dog owners are financially responsible for the injuries caused by their dog. While the laws on owner liability differ from one state to another, most states follow the rules about strict liability and the one bite rule.

If your state applies the strict liability rule, the owner of the dog who has bitten you will be liable for damages although the animal has never shown aggression or a tendency to bite in the past. On the other hand, if your location follows the one-bite rule, then the dog owner will only become responsible for personal injury damages if they know their dog has previous history of aggressiveness and dog bites.

But, regardless of the rule that’s applicable to your case, you should work with a legal professional to help you recover compensation for your injuries.

Accidents Caused By Defective/Dangerous Products

Annually, many people around the world get injured or killed by defective/dangerous products such as toys, household equipment, and industrial products. Also, injuries sustained due to these products can be as serious as those suffered in a car accident. Therefore, if you’re injured as a result of using defective/dangerous products, then you may have a legal action against the manufacturer, distributor, or wholesaler.

Moreover, it’s important to keep in mind that accidents caused by defective/products give rise to different types of legal liability which include a design defect, a manufacturing defect, and the failure to instruct or warn the consumer about the use of the product. When it comes to initiating a product liability case, you should be aware of the time it requires to perform an investigation and properly evaluate the products in issue.

As such, you may need to hire an attorney who can help fight for your rights as a consumer against huge companies. With someone by your side, you have higher chances of getting compensated for your injuries.

The Bottom Line

Indeed, accidents can happen anytime even if you take extra caution. They can happen when other people are careless about their actions. However, accidents of this nature are associated with injury or harm. For that reason, they may give rise to a legal liability against the person or entity alleged to be negligent.

Hopefully, you find this article useful in educating yourself about the common accidents that may entitle you with the right to recover compensation for the injuries and other losses you suffered.