Who’s Liable? Understanding the Different Types of Personal Injury Cases

Personal injury cases happen every day — someone is going about their normal business and they get hurt due to circumstances beyond their control. However, those circumstances are often under someone else’s control. When this happens, the person harmed can file a personal injury lawsuit.

This serves as a deterrent for individuals and business owners from behaving in a negligent fashion. It also ensures that people who are harmed by the actions of others can be compensated for the medical treatment and emotional distress they’ve endured.

Personal injury cases can cover a wide variety of situations. Someone may file if they were injured when their apartment complex refused to repair a loose railing in a stairwell. If a person gets angry and lobs a rock at someone, the victim can file a personal injury case against their attacker.

Types of Personal Injury Cases

Generally, there are three types of personal injury cases:

Negligence

Business owners have a responsibility to make their property a safe place for people who work and visit there. Doctors have a responsibility to provide safe, responsible treatment for their patients. Manufacturers of products must ensure that the items they create and sell don’t pose any unexpected risks to the people who purchase them.

If a business owner, a doctor, or a product manufacturer doesn’t exercise reasonable care for the safety of their visitors or customers, they can be accused of negligence. Victims who file a personal injury suit can recover damages to pay for any medical bills that resulted from their injuries.

Intentional Torts

If a person intentionally injures someone else, the victim can file a personal injury lawsuit against their attacker. Intentional torts cover a wide range of behaviors. Assault and battery are considered intentional torts, as is false imprisonment. Fraud, defamation, and invasion of privacy are also covered. While it can be tough to prove in court, someone who intentionally inflicts emotional distress upon a victim could be subject to a personal injury suit. Trespassing also falls under the intentional tort category.

While some of these kinds of cases involve physical injury, others involve emotional harm. The latter is seen as a valid injury if it was intentionally inflicted by the defendant.

Products Liability Torts

When people think of different types of personal injury cases, they often think of lawsuits against companies that have created products that endanger consumers. These are called products liability torts. They result when a product is dangerous to a consumer when it’s used for its intended purpose.

A food manufacturer that produces a can of tuna fish that has metal filings in it would fall under this category of personal injury case. This can result in a public relations nightmare for the company involved, as well as a substantial hit to their bank account.

Attorneys Help Put the Pieces Back Together

These are only three broad categories among all the different types of personal injury cases. There’s a lot to consider within each case. Even a seemingly clear-cut negligence suit requires certain factors in order to determine which party is at fault.

An experienced attorney understands when a personal injury case is necessary. They also understand how to present evidence in order to get the best possible outcome for the victim. Court proceedings can be intimidating, especially if the defendant is a prominent person or large company.

Securing competent legal help provides many victims with the confidence to move forward with their cases. It’s also a huge weight off the shoulders of those who are already recovering from an illness, injury, or loss of a loved one.

If you’re involved in a personal injury case, Cleveland personal injury attorney Matthew C. Bangerter, ESQ. can help. Click here for an initial consultation or call (440) 241-4237 to start planning your defense.