When You are Injured You Need a Personal Injury Lawyer
- By Nick Messe
- Published 09/9/2009
- Legal
- Unrated
Personal injury is an unfortunate fact of life. From the legal perspective personal injury can become a serious area of dispute when one person is responsible for injuries sustained by another.
This is significant because a person who causes personal injury in this way may be found to be liable for the injury by the courts. In many cases this kind of liability translates into the person or company responsible for the injury owing compensation to the injured person.
This is normally why we have liability insurance. When someone is determined to be responsible for injuries sustained by someone else that person's liability insurance policy will pay the compensation up to the insured level.
It is because there is so much at stake in most personal injury cases that makes it important to have experienced legal representation. If you are the victim of an injury and you do not have a good personal injury lawyer representing you, you will be at a serious disadvantage.
Injuries due to traffic accidents are the most common types of personal injuries that become the subject of litigation or compensation. Such injuries range all the way from strained necks or backs to the loss of limbs, paralysis, and death.
For example, if someone hits your vehicle from behind you may suffer a neck or back injury as a result. The driver of the vehicle that hit you may be found to be liable for your injuries because he or she failed to obey the traffic laws.
Work-related injuries are also very common. Office workers may suffer eye strain or repetitive motion injuries. Warehouse workers may suffer back injuries. And workers in extremely noisy environments may suffer hearing loss.
In all such cases the injuries are not a normal part of the job, and it is up to the company to provide you with a safe work place. When they don't they become liable for personal injury damages that resu
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The makers of specific products are also generally considered to be responsible for harm that results from the use of those products. Of course this doesn't apply to unexpected uses - for example when a hammer is used to kill someone or a chain saw is used to cut off someone's limb. But if the chain saw malfunctions as a result of a manufacturing defect and the user of the saw is injured as a result, then that is clearly a different matter.
As this example clearly demonstrates, injury claims against manufacturers may be filed for different reasons - some which are justified and others which are not. Generally speaking if the product is used in a correct and responsible way and injury results because of defective design or workmanship, then the manufacturer may be found to be responsible for injuries that result.
Many of these cases involve the effects of potentially harmful chemicals. Well known examples include cases of certain prescription drugs such as Reglan or of the highly-publicized and controversial case of silicone breast implants.
Other well known cases involve baby equipment which has been found to be dangerous in some situations. Other prominent cases involve manufacturing shortcomings in cars or trucks. A well-known example is the case of the exploding Ford Pinto gas tank that became famous a couple of decades ago.
All personal injury cases are legally complicated, and since there is usually so much to be gained (or lost) by the parties involved, corporations and insurance companies are often not eager to admit responsibility without a legal fight. That is why it is so important to contact an attorney when you suspect you have been injured as the result of someone or some other party's actions or negligence.
The goal of a personal injury lawyer is to assist people who have been injured to get the level of compensation they are owed because of their injuries. Without knowledgeable and vigorous representation by an experienced personal injury lawyer it is unlikely an injured party will receive full compensation.
This is significant because a person who causes personal injury in this way may be found to be liable for the injury by the courts. In many cases this kind of liability translates into the person or company responsible for the injury owing compensation to the injured person.
This is normally why we have liability insurance. When someone is determined to be responsible for injuries sustained by someone else that person's liability insurance policy will pay the compensation up to the insured level.
It is because there is so much at stake in most personal injury cases that makes it important to have experienced legal representation. If you are the victim of an injury and you do not have a good personal injury lawyer representing you, you will be at a serious disadvantage.
Injuries due to traffic accidents are the most common types of personal injuries that become the subject of litigation or compensation. Such injuries range all the way from strained necks or backs to the loss of limbs, paralysis, and death.
For example, if someone hits your vehicle from behind you may suffer a neck or back injury as a result. The driver of the vehicle that hit you may be found to be liable for your injuries because he or she failed to obey the traffic laws.
Work-related injuries are also very common. Office workers may suffer eye strain or repetitive motion injuries. Warehouse workers may suffer back injuries. And workers in extremely noisy environments may suffer hearing loss.
In all such cases the injuries are not a normal part of the job, and it is up to the company to provide you with a safe work place. When they don't they become liable for personal injury damages that resu
The makers of specific products are also generally considered to be responsible for harm that results from the use of those products. Of course this doesn't apply to unexpected uses - for example when a hammer is used to kill someone or a chain saw is used to cut off someone's limb. But if the chain saw malfunctions as a result of a manufacturing defect and the user of the saw is injured as a result, then that is clearly a different matter.
As this example clearly demonstrates, injury claims against manufacturers may be filed for different reasons - some which are justified and others which are not. Generally speaking if the product is used in a correct and responsible way and injury results because of defective design or workmanship, then the manufacturer may be found to be responsible for injuries that result.
Many of these cases involve the effects of potentially harmful chemicals. Well known examples include cases of certain prescription drugs such as Reglan or of the highly-publicized and controversial case of silicone breast implants.
Other well known cases involve baby equipment which has been found to be dangerous in some situations. Other prominent cases involve manufacturing shortcomings in cars or trucks. A well-known example is the case of the exploding Ford Pinto gas tank that became famous a couple of decades ago.
All personal injury cases are legally complicated, and since there is usually so much to be gained (or lost) by the parties involved, corporations and insurance companies are often not eager to admit responsibility without a legal fight. That is why it is so important to contact an attorney when you suspect you have been injured as the result of someone or some other party's actions or negligence.
The goal of a personal injury lawyer is to assist people who have been injured to get the level of compensation they are owed because of their injuries. Without knowledgeable and vigorous representation by an experienced personal injury lawyer it is unlikely an injured party will receive full compensation.
Nick Messe
Nick Messe is president of The Lead Frog LLC. If you are in the Chicago or Morris Illinois areas be sure to contact Fitzpatrick & Harrop, experienced Grundy County Personal Injury Lawyers and LaSalle County Personal Injury Attorneys for the best possible representation when you are injured.
View all articles by Nick Messe