When Can You Claim Personal Injury Compensation?

No-one sets out to be the victim of an accident but there are times when injuries and illness are unavoidable. Sadly, millions of people experience harm every year and it’s often through no fault of their own. When someone else acts recklessly or negligently, it can mean that other people suffer as a result of their behavior. However, you shouldn’t have to shoulder the responsibility for someone else’s careless conduct. To find out if you could be eligible to obtain compensation following an accident, take a look at these common situations which often give rise to personal injury claims:

1. Traffic Accidents

Around 12 million vehicles are involved in collisions in the U.S. every year, which means that many more people can sustain injuries due to these incidents. If you’re involved in a road traffic accident, it’s important to determine exactly who was at fault. As well as limiting your own liability, identifying the true cause of the accident could enable you to make a claim for personal injury compensation.

Remember – you don’t need to have been driving at the time of the incident to make a claim. If you were injured while travelling as a passenger, riding a bike or even crossing the road, you could still be eligible to take legal action against the person responsible for the accident.

2. Workplace Injuries

Employers are required to provide a safe working environment but, unfortunately, workplace accidents are still relatively common. Although some jobs roles are more dangerous than others, accidents can occur at any type of workplace. You could be injured by heavy machinery on a construction site or sustain a head injury by tripping in the office, for example.

If you’re an employee and you’re injured at work or you contract an illness that can be traced back to your work, you may be eligible to claim workers’ compensation. Although this can go some way towards compensating you for the financial consequences of your injury or illness, there may be other ways to obtain a high amount of compensation.

If your employer has been negligent and you’ve been injured because of their conduct, for example, you might be able to make a personal injury claim against them. If so, you could receive a much larger amount of compensation for the harm you’ve suffered.

3. Product Liability

When companies manufacture a product, they are required to follow strict regulations to ensure their goods are safe to use. If the design or quality of a product renders it dangerous, a manufacturer can be liable for any injuries or illnesses which arise due to its use.

If a car manufacturer sells a vehicle and its brakes don’t work properly, for example, you could take legal action against them if you’re involved in an accident that was caused due to the faulty brakes. Similarly, if you purchase a coffee maker and an ineffective design means you get scalded by hot water, you may be able to obtain compensation from the manufacturer.

4. Dangerous Medications

There are instances in which pharmaceutical companies can also be held liable for harm caused by their products. Although this is technically a type of product liability, dangerous drug claims are usually dealt with by specialist lawyers due to the intricacies of the law.

If a prescription medicine doesn’t work as intended and causes additional illnesses, the manufacturer can be forced to pay compensation to those affected. A recent example of this is Zantac, also known as Ranitidine. Designed to treat stomach ulcers, heartburn, acid reflex and similar conditions, some products were found to contain very high levels of NDMA. As NDMA is a carcinogen, the use of Ranitidine is now being linked to cases of stomach, liver and esophageal cancer, as well as many other types of cancer.

If you’ve taken Zantac and have subsequently been diagnosed with cancer, you may be able to bring a Zantac lawsuit against the manufacturer. With specialist legal advice about opening a Zantac lawsuit, you can find out whether you’re eligible to take action and, if so, how to get your claim underway. Similarly, if you’ve been adversely affected by other dangerous medications, personal injury lawyers could help you to claim the compensation you deserve.

5. Slips, Trips and Falls

Slips, trips and falls can arise anywhere, which is why they’re such a common cause of injuries. Despite being extremely common, you can still make a claim for compensation if you sustain an injury due to a slip, trip or fall that wasn’t your fault.

If a damaged sidewalk causes you to trip, for example, the council or organization responsible for maintaining it could be liable for the injuries you sustained. Alternatively, if you fall because of a missing handrail on the stairs in an office, you could obtain compensation from the building owners or managers.

Claims for slips, trips and falls can be made regardless of whether you’ve been injured in a public space or on private property. Even individuals such as homeowners can face premises liability claims, so don’t hesitate to seek legal advice if you’ve been injured due to this type of incident.

Making a Claim for Compensation

Although these are some of the most common reasons to make a claim for personal injury compensation, there are many other situations which can give rise to compensation claims too. If you’ve been bitten by a dog, been injured on public transport or been the victim of medical malpractice, for example, you could also be eligible to obtain compensation.

Due to the wide range of circumstances and situations that can give rise to personal injury claims, it’s always worth getting legal advice if you’ve been hurt because of an incident that was someone else’s fault. By talking to a personal injury attorney, you can find out if you’re eligible to take legal action and, if so, how much compensation you could receive for the harm you’ve suffered and what to do next.

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