Motor vehicle crashes are the most common cause of personal injury claims, but not the only contributor. If you have been hurt due to the use of a defective product or because of medical malpractice, you have the right to file a personal injury claim. Working with the right Charlotte personal injury attorney will help you secure adequate compensation, allowing you to start your journey toward recovery.
The Most Common Types of Personal Injury Claims
The most common types of personal injury claims include the following:
- Vehicle accidents: These may involve cars, motorcycles, trucks, commercial vehicles, buses, or specialized kinds of equipment (elevated trains, tractors, etc.). Whenever someone’s negligence or failure to abide by traffic laws causes you harm, you have the right to file a personal injury claim. This applies to drivers, passengers in vehicles, and pedestrians. Each year, nearly 2.3 million people get injured in car crashes in the U.S.
- Workplace accidents: Every employer in North Carolina is legally obliged to guarantee workers safe conditions. Failure to do so can lead to injuries and subsequent claims. A few common types of workplace accidents that an employer could be held accountable for include slips and falls, the use of defective equipment or machinery, the lack of safety gear, insufficient training, overall dangerous working conditions, and increased likelihood of suffering occupational illnesses.
- Medical negligence and malpractice: Mistakes that occur because of negligence, accidents, or poor medical care will usually lead to personal injury claims. The most common types of medical negligence and malpractice include misdiagnosis, surgical errors, choosing the wrong treatment or prescribing the wrong medicine, and birthing negligence (a failure to spot birth defects is one example of this sub-category).
- Defective products: Manufacturers are obliged to adhere to industry standards and safety regulations when making their products. Defective products or items that come with poor usage instructions (or missing warnings) contribute to injuries that will lead to claims.
- Unsafe premises liability: Whenever someone is injured because a property owner acted in a negligent way, unsafe premises liability claims can be filed. An accidental fall is a very prominent example of unsafe premises liability. Other instances that fall under the same category include dog bites or swimming pool accidents.
- Wrongful death: Whenever someone dies because of another party’s negligence, their loved ones have the right to file a wrongful death claim. Wrongful death can occur because of any kind of accident or negligence, including the ones mentioned above.
What’s the Typical Personal Injury Claim Compensation?
The type of personal injury claim and the extent of harm will both determine the compensation amount you’ll be entitled to.
According to reports, half of all plaintiffs in personal injury claims receive $24,000 or less. The median award across all personal injury claim categories is $31,000.
The median amount awarded in car accident cases is $16,000. In comparison, the median amount awarded whenever medical negligence occurs is $679,000. Product liability cases are the ones that lead to the highest compensation – the median payout is $748,000.
The biggest factors that impact the compensation amount are:
- The severity of the injury and its potential to have lifelong consequences
- The effect the injury has on everyday life and one’s ability to earn an income
- The cost of treatment and rehabilitation
- Emotional and psychological damage sustained because of the injury
Filing a Personal Injury Claim in North Carolina
If you get hurt because of someone else’s negligence, you’ll need to do a few important things.
The first one is to get immediate medical attention. The medical records you obtain after treatment are important pieces of evidence.
Next, you’ll need to collect additional evidence. Videos, photos, and witness testimonies will all help you build a solid case.
Getting in touch with a personal injury lawyer is another vital step, even if you feel that the case is simple. Depending on the situation specifics and the entities involved, there could be some complications. You may even be entitled to personal injury claims against several different parties (a real possibility in the event of workplace accidents or medical malpractice).
Contact a Charlotte Personal Injury Attorney Right Away
The sooner you get in touch with reputable Charlotte personal injury lawyers, the better. There are deadlines for filing a claim. Also, you’ll find evidence gathering easier if you initiate the legal procedure immediately after getting hurt.
Call us now at 704-706-2689. We will review your case for free and recommend the course of action that will result in optimal recovery.
