Did you know that personal injuries are the third leading cause of death in the U.S. after heart disease and cancer? Millions of Americans face the devastating consequences of personal injuries every year. From car accidents to medical malpractices, these unfortunate incidents can cause physical pain and emotional distress to the victim while mounting medical bills at the same time.
When these incidents are caused by negligence or intentional harm, victims can resort to personal injury claims to cover the medical losses and lost wages. While the specific settlement amount depends on various factors, some personal injury types are more likely to result in higher payouts because of the severity of the injury and the complexities of the legal case.
Here are the personal injury categories that often result in substantial settlements.
Motor Vehicle Accident
If the latest statistics are to be believed, the number of fatal car accidents in the U.S. increased by more than 16% between 2018 and 2022. Motor vehicle accidents, including car crashes, motorcycle accidents, and pedestrian accidents, form the bulk of the personal injury claims in most countries worldwide. These unfortunate incidents can result in critical injuries like traumatic brain injuries or TBI, spinal cord injuries, and multiple fractures.
Injuries like these are often catastrophic and require extensive medical treatment and rehabilitation. The severity of injuries and legal factors like lost wages, liability disputes, and long-term care can lead to substantial settlements. According to TorHoerman Law, seeking legal action is best if someone else’s fault has damaged you or your property.
Hiring legal help in car accident cases is advisable to ensure fair compensation for the pain, suffering, and financial loss. A personal injury lawyer will also help you navigate the local law and regulations to ensure you get the compensation you deserve.
To illustrate, St. Louis has the worst traffic in Missouri and the highest number of pedestrian deaths due to traffic. Chances are quite high that if you are driving through the city, you might get into an accident or crash. At such a time, hiring St. Louis personal injury lawyers will help you file the claim within the statute of limitations and win the case for you.
Medical Malpractice
Medical malpractice needs no introduction. It occurs when a trained healthcare professional responsible for your health is negligent or breaches the standard of care, causing harm to the patient. Some of the most common examples include surgical errors, medication errors, or misdiagnoses.
Proving medical malpractice in a court of law is complex and often requires expert testimony to establish that the defendant’s action deviated from the standard and industry-accepted medical practices. Settlements in such cases can be substantial because of the lifelong repercussions of medical error, like permanent disability or the need for lifelong medical treatment.
Intentional Torts
Intentional torts are self-explanatory. They are civil wrongs committed against an individual to cause harm, like assault, battery, and defamation. All of these cause either physical, reputational, or psychological harm to the victim. They can cause significant emotional distress or harm a person’s reputation, impacting their personal and professional lives.
Settlements in intentional tort cases typically include compensation for losses like lost wages and mounting medical expenses. However, these claims sometimes include punitive damages to punish the defendant for wrongdoing and deter similar actions. The combination of actual loss compensation and punitive damages puts intentional torts in the category of personal injury claims with the highest settlement amounts.
Product Liability
It refers to damage caused by defective products and the legal responsibility of manufacturers, distributors, and sellers. These products can be anything from vehicles and machinery to medical devices and consumer goods. Some examples of defects include faulty airbags causing fatal injuries in crashes, malfunctioning medical devices, or consumer goods with faulty designs or dangerous ingredients.
Product liability claims often involve legal theories such as failure to exercise reasonable care or negligence, strict liability, or breach of warranty. When a defective product causes a widespread risk, settlement amounts can be substantial. Some of the significant product liability cases include Philip Morris, General Motors Co., Dow Corning, etc.
To summarize, various personal injury claims can lead to substantial settlements because of the severity of the harm and the complexity of the legal factors involved. It’s critical to understand your rights and options if you or a loved one has suffered a personal injury because of someone else’s fault.
It’s advised to seek legal counsel to navigate legal complexities, gather evidence, handle legal complexities, and fight for the rightful compensation you deserve. There are organizations like the National Center for Victims of Crime or the American Association of Justice that offer valuable resources and support for personal injury victims.
