(Newswire.net — June 27, 2017) — The U.S. has a certain affinity with personal injury cases. Throughout the world we are stereotyped as an overly litigious country, suing for everything from coffee that is too hot to floors that are too slippery. But this is one stereotype that holds true. As the saying goes, where there is blame there’s a claim, and there’s no shortage of both of those things here.
The Numbers: Personal Injury in the US
There are more than 700,000 personal injury claims filed in the United States every single year.
This is a staggering amount that ads up to billions of dollars for claimants, covering all kinds of accidents and injuries. The most common of these have been listed below in ascending order, from the least to the most.
Product Liability
The injuries caused by faulty products are in thousands, as opposed to the hundreds of thousands, but they can lead to much bigger claims. The companies that make the products we use everyday are ordered to go through strict testing and to follow all kinds of rules and regulations. When something goes wrong and the consumer is the one who suffers, then claims can be made against the retailer, the manufacturer and anyone else involved with the process.
Medical Malpractice
When something goes wrong on the surgical table then there is a lot of money in it for the patient. The more damage that is done and the more negligent the healthcare professional is, then the more money can be claimed. These claims are often made against hospitals and they can generate tens of millions for the claimants.
Work Related Injuries
Factories and construction sites are playgrounds for the personal injury lawyer. Tens of thousands of claims come from these workplaces every single year, adding up to huge lawsuits that can leave businesses reeling, but will ensure the claimant gets the money they deserve. After all, damage in the workplace could result in life threatening and life changing injuries, many of which mean the claimant can no longer work.
Public Liability
If an injury is sustained in a public area then it falls under this umbrella and is often down to the city to foot the bill. The most common personal injury claims are for slips and falls that are the result of wet floors in retail environments, broken pavement on the street, and poorly labelled areas that can cause damage.
Many injuries like this will lead to an offer of compensation being made by the negligent party. You are advised to never take these offers as it could mean that you are unable to make a claim. As a result, you could be missing out on the money you deserve and end up with nothing but a small, token fee.
Vehicle Accidents
There are millions of car accidents every year in the U.S., with tens of thousands becoming injured as a result. Many of those will go on to file a claim, either against the manufacturers of the vehicle they were in, against the other drivers, or against a landmark or road that caused the accident. These cases are common and often result in minor injuries that lead to small claims, but there are also wrongful death claims, loss of limb claims and other serious claims that can add up to millions of dollars for the person involved.