Injuries and accidents are scary, and can often lead to weeks, months, or even years of hardships for the affected party.  If you’re unsure of whether you’ve recently suffered a personal injury, this article can help.

In it, Erie Injury outlines seven main types of personal injuries.  Keep reading to learn more about what a personal injury is and the types of cases that our lawyers can help you with.

What is a Personal Injury?

A personal injury is any kind of harm to a person’s body, emotional state, or reputation.  Most commonly, personal injuries are based on negligence, the failure to act with a reasonable degree of prudence that another person in a similar situation may have exercised.

The plaintiff (the injured party) must prove that the defendant owed a duty to the plaintiff and that the defendant’s failure to follow that duty, often through a negligent act, caused the plaintiff to suffer a damage such as a personal injury.

Compensable damages for a personal injury claim may include:

• Lost earning capacity
• Lost wages
• Medical bills
• Pain and suffering
• Physical injury
• Property damage

When harm is proved, the plaintiff is awarded a settlement directly proportional to the damage caused. The type of case may also impact how much compensation is allowed, so it’s important to understand the essentials of each personal injury case.

7 Types of Personal Injury Cases

Personal injury cases can be brought from damages caused in various situations. If you’ve been injured, no matter the cause, contact a lawyer at Erie Injury today.

Keep in mind, the other party’s insurance company or defense team will immediately begin working to alleviate any fault from their client. Therefore, you must get quality representation on your side to protect yourself from further harm, financial or otherwise. The team at Erie Injury has experience handling personal injury cases pertaining to:

1. Car, Truck, and Motorcycle Accidents

Immediately following a car, truck, or motorcycle accident, insurance adjusters will try to contact you to collect a recorded statement. It’s critical that you don’t answer their calls right away and instead get in touch with a trusted vehicle accident lawyer. They’ll work directly with the insurance companies to ensure you get fair compensation.

Particularly if you’ve been injured, there could be more coverage available than just vehicle repairs and medical bills. Your lawyer will help you determine the maximum amount you’re owed and will work diligently on your behalf to ensure adequate compensation.

2. ATV and Four-Wheeler Accidents

Though they can certainly make for a fun outdoor activity, ATV and four-wheeler accidents can have seriously damaging consequences. After an accident, it’s essential to preserve any evidence which could help prove negligence. Even a solo accident could be proof of a damaged or defective product, so you’ll want to contact a lawyer right away so they can help build a case in your favor.

3. Workers’ Compensation

If you’re injured at work in Pennsylvania, you’re entitled to have your medical bills and lost wages paid by your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance. However, you’ll want to hire a lawyer to ensure you get the full benefit. At Erie Injury, we understand that missing work due to an injury can leave you financially vulnerable. Therefore, we never charge a fee unless we recover your losses.

4. Wrongful Death

Losing a loved one is never easy. What’s more, grieving an untimely death can leave you feeling angry, frustrated, and confused. If someone you know and love was killed due to the negligence or recklessness of another person or company, then you’ve suffered a wrongful death.

While you’re working on getting the deceased’s affairs in order, the insurance companies will likely try to take advantage of your emotions by getting you to settle early and for a lesser amount than you’re entitled to. Under Pennsylvania law, you may be owed compensation for:

• Funeral expenses
• Medical bills
• Estate administrative expenses
• Lost earnings and wages
• Lost future earnings capacity
• Pain and suffering
• Consortium—compensation for the loss of association or companionship
• Punitive damages

Be sure to contact a lawyer immediately following the death of your loved one to ensure your losses are repaid in full.

5. Dog Bites

It’s hard not to love a cute and friendly dog, but a poorly-trained or negligently-supervised dog can lash out at adults and children, issuing a bite that can lead to serious injury. Many people don’t realize dog bites can be covered by the handler’s homeowner’s or renter’s insurance and end up forfeiting their right to coverage for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. To ensure your damages are paid out in full, you’ll need to contact a lawyer as soon as possible.

*Pro-Tip: Dog bites commonly occur when a friend or relative’s dog bites you or someone else in your family. Of course, most people don’t want to sue their loved ones, but it might be necessary to ensure you aren’t facing an undue burden as a result of someone else’s negligence. The lawyers at Erie Injury have experience with amicable negotiations and settlements pertaining to dog bites, so be sure to contact our office immediately if you need help settling a case quickly and with minimal additional heartache for those involved.

6. Slip-and-Fall Accidents

Slip-and-falls are one of the most commonly reported accidents and can often result in hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills and lost wages. You could be entitled to compensation if you slipped on a wet floor, lost balance on a broken handrail, or fell in an icy parking lot.

Preserving evidence of the accident is essential for proving your case, so be sure to contact a lawyer immediately following a slip-and-fall. They’ll offer assistance in gathering witness testimony, inspecting the property, searching for security cameras, and handling communication with the insurance company. 

7. Product Liability

Dangerous and defective products injure thousands of Pennsylvanians every year. If you’ve been injured by a consumer good, contact a lawyer at Erie Injury immediately. Manufacturers, distributors, and retailers are required to offer safe products, and proving intentional recklessness, negligence, or harm is complex. Having a trusted lawyer by your side will make the whole process easier, so you can focus on recovering while they focus on compensating for your damages.

Choosing the Right Lawyer for Your Needs

Above all else, it’s essential to have a lawyer you can trust to ensure you’re being taken care of. At Erie Injury, we proudly represent clients from all walks of life to help recover damages from nearly every type of personal injury. If you’ve been injured, no matter the cause, contact our offices today for a free consultation. Additionally, please visit our blog to learn more about the kinds of cases we typically represent.