Life is unpredictable, and accidents can happen without warning or notice. Even if you’re a safe and prudent person, you could find yourself on the wrong end of one of those accidents. If that happens, you’ll need someone to help you seek justice and compensation. Let’s take a look at some of the most common types of personal injury cases in Oregon.
Types of Personal Injury Cases
There are lots of different types of personal injury cases, ranging from car accidents to dog bites. Here are some of the most common varieties:
Vehicular Accidents
Without a doubt, vehicular accidents are some of the most common kinds of personal injury cases in Oregon and elsewhere across the U.S. today. Regrettably, numerous irresponsible drivers populate the roads, with a significant portion confessing to driving while intoxicated or influenced by illicit substances. Others simply disobey the rules, often causing crashes and accidents involving innocent parties, with car and Portland motorcycle accident attorneys having to get involved.
Common Causes
Some of the most common causes of a car accident can include the aforementioned drink and/or drug combo. When people try to drive a car after having a drink or taking drugs, they’re much more likely to get into an accident due to impaired reactions and reflexes. Other causes can include distractions, like talking on the phone while driving, or even bad weather.
Typical Injuries
The injured party in an auto accident can suffer all manner of possible injuries, ranging from relatively minor bumps, cuts, and bruises to full-on bone breaks, fractures, and traumatic brain injuries that may impact them for the rest of their lives. In such cases, seeking legal counsel from experienced attorneys can be crucial for navigating the complexities of insurance claims and seeking appropriate compensation.
Slip And Fall Accidents
Frozen surfaces, unattended spills, and damp, slick stairs are among the typical culprits behind slip and fall incidents in Oregon and elsewhere. While slips and falls might appear minor when compared to incidents like car accidents or dog attacks, they can result in equally severe injuries, such as fractures, head trauma, and other harm.
Premises Liability Laws in Oregon
If someone slips and falls in a location like a store, restaurant, or office, the owner or manager of that premises may be held responsible. Oregon premises liability laws state that owners of properties have a responsibility to keep their locations safe for people to use and navigate. If their negligence causes an accident, like a slip, the victim could file a personal injury claim against them.
Animal Bites
Animal bites, particularly from dogs, are a common type of personal injury case handled by Oregon attorneys on a daily basis. Typically, the owners are held liable and might be subject to personal injury lawsuits if their animals bite another person.
Liability of Pet Owners
Pet owners are generally deemed responsible for the behavior and actions of their animals. If someone doesn’t control their dog, for example, and it bites a person in a public place or even on their property, they can face legal action as a result. Owners have to control their animals and take reasonable measures to prevent bites and injuries.
Common Injuries
Bites may cause bleeding and deep wounds, as well as potentially leading to infections in some cases. In the worst situations, they may even be fatal.
Medical Malpractice
Regrettably, accidents can still occur even under the care of medical professionals, resulting in severe injuries. Medical malpractice, in fact, causes over 250,000 deaths annually in the United States alone, along with numerous additional injuries, prompting tens of thousands of malpractice claims each year.
Common Types of Medical Malpractice
Common types of medical malpractice may include surgeons making mistakes while operating on a patient, potentially causing further injury, or doctors prescribing or administering incorrect or inappropriate medication to a patient, which could lead to a wide array of possible health consequences.
Workplace Accidents
It’s also not uncommon for accidents to occur in the workplace. The worst and most publicized cases tend to happen in settings like warehouses and factories, where the presence of heavy machinery and the focus on manual labor leads to an increased risk of accidents. But injuries may also happen in more mundane environments, like offices.
Common Types of Workplace Injuries
Examples of workplace injuries can include slips and falls in areas with wet floors, falls from heights (such as when working on ladders or high up in a warehouse), repetitive strain injuries when workers are forced to repeat the same motions over and over, and even fractures, broken bones, and TBI injuries due to falls, impacts, and collisions with machinery.
Handling a Personal Injury Case
If you’ve been the victim of an accident and find yourself suffering from a personal injury, it’s crucial to act fast and follow the necessary steps to seek compensation and justice. Naturally, one of the most important steps is to contact personal injury attorneys, but you’ll also need to seek medical care, document your case, and more.
Immediate steps after an injury
Initially, following any mishap or physical harm, the primary concern should be one’s well-being. It’s crucial to promptly seek medical attention and aid, which might entail waiting for assistance to arrive (especially if immobilized in a car accident) or personally heading to a hospital if capable of doing so safely, depending on the extent of injuries.
Documenting the case
To help you have the best chance of obtaining compensation after an injury, personal injury lawyers will need as much evidence as possible. As such, it’s strongly recommended to document every element of your case. That means taking photos of your injuries, writing down what happened, collecting witness statements, etc.
Hiring a Personal Injury Attorney
Naturally, you’ll also need professional representation to file a lawsuit and have the best chance of a positive outcome. It’s best to work with personal injury lawyers with experience and expertise in the different types of personal injury cases.
Filing a claim
Last but not least, you’ll have to file the claim with the aid and guidance of your legal team. This involves taking official legal action against the person or parties you hold responsible for your injury.
Every day, accidents and injuries change lives for the worse. Often, their effects go far beyond the surface, lingering for years and affecting many aspects of your life, from your physical and mental well-being to your financial situation and personal relationships. But you don’t have to suffer alone. Lawyers can help you receive fair compensation for your injury and undo some of the damage that has been done.
