5 Accidents That May Cause Recourse To Compensation

1. Car Accidents

The consequences of car accidents can range from minor to major damages. Not only can they cause pain and frustration, but they can also be fatal.  

There are many reasons why car accidents occur. They can be the result of human negligence, like speeding, or drunk and distracted driving. There are moments when these accidents stem out from traffic violations, such as tailgating or improper turns. Additionally, there are also instances when car accidents result from natural or uncontrolled occurrences, like heavy rains and animals crossing the street without warning.  

If a negligent driver causes the accident, you have the right to get compensated for the damaged properties and sustained injuries. This compensation can come from a claim settlement after formal litigation. Another is from an outside-of-court type of settlement.  

In claiming compensation, many victims hire the assistance of personal injury lawyers. This ensures that lost wages, pain and suffering, damages to personal property, medical bills, and ongoing treatment can be fully covered.  

In cases like these, documentation must be duly provided. It would be best to brace yourself with patience and diligence, as this is usually a lengthy process. 

2. Workplace Accidents

Ideally, all workplaces should be safe. However, little did people know, there are various workplace accidents that can occur. The most common causes of workplace accidents are lifting, trips and falls, poor lightning, and on-the-job violence. However, indirect causes like stress and fatigue can also be causes of workplace accidents.  

Workers’ compensation is mandatory in all parts of the United States except for Texas. It’s also one of the legal options you have in case of experiencing a work-related injury. It’s an exclusive remedy, and you’ll forfeit filing charges against your employer once you’ve taken advantage of its benefits.  

This type of compensation covers contributory negligence by employers. However, it must be noted there are exceptions such as self-inflicted injuries, intoxication, and violating an express company safety policy.  

Moreover, worker’s compensation only covers company employees. This means that independent contractors or part-time workers can’t benefit from it.   

It only covers weekly compensation for permanent impairment benefits, medical bills, and vocational rehabilitation. It doesn’t include compensation for pain and suffering.  

3. Medical Malpractice

Medical malpractice is a special type of personal injury claim filed against doctors, medical staff, and hospitals. This happens when a patient died or got injured because of their doctor’s carelessness or negligence.  

So, when can one say that a certain action constitutes medical malpractice? It should be noted that medical malpractice can’t be presumed from a negative treatment outcome. Rather, its occurrence is attributed to medical treatments that fall short of what is considered appropriate and adequate in the profession.  

Some of the most common examples of medical malpractices are anesthesia error and misdiagnosis of deep vein thrombosis (DVT).   

Getting compensation for medical malpractices can be extremely challenging. The jury, like everyone, perceives medicine as a challenging profession. It treats cases like these as risks involved in the medical methodologies the doctors utilized. Thus, it’s important to hire qualified legal professionals to ensure you get adequate compensation.

4. Animal And Dog Bites

You can also get compensated if you get bitten by a dog or other animals. This applies similarly if they damage your properties.  

Certain states follow the strict liability rule for dog bites, while others follow the ‘one-bite’ liability rule. There’s no need to establish the dog owner’s fault for strict liability rule to be held accountable. This is contrary to the one-bite liability rule that focuses on the owner’s failure to take precautions when they’re fully aware that their pet can bite other people.  

Compensation for dog and animal bites can be tricky. Before filing for claims, it is worth determining the severity of damages you sustained from the injury. 

Depending on how grave it is, you can decide whether filing a compensation claim is a wise move or not. Sometimes, going all the way to the court isn’t worthy if there’s a minimal loss. However, if there’s a big amount at stake, it might be beneficial to file formal charges for recovery.

5. Other Negligence-Based Torts

In general, injuries and damages resulting from accidents are called negligence-based torts. This type covers car accidents and workplace accidents, particularly falls and trips.   

However, few situations do not fall under the mentioned categories, so defining negligence-based torts is important. To do this, one must evaluate if these four elements—duty, breach of duty, causation, and damages—are present. 

Legally speaking, everyone’s expected to exercise the degree of care a prudent person would do to prevent foreseeable harm to others. If the required diligence standard has been established and a person failed to follow it, this means that said duty of care has been breached. When the breach causes harm to another person and results in income loss, pain and suffering, and property damages, then you have a case.  

To illustrate, think of this scenario. You’re out in a restaurant one rainy night. People constantly enter and exit the area to grab their food or head over to their tables. Amidst this busy scene, a restaurant employee was mopping around, trying to keep the floors dry. For unknown reasons, you slipped, and you ended up having a broken patella. Who’s at fault? 

To determine whether you have recourse to compensation in this scenario, analyze it using the four elements mentioned. What degree of care and diligence is required given the circumstances? Was the restaurant able to exercise that degree of diligence? If it wasn’t able to, was the breach the direct cause of damages? 

In cases like this, in case of difficulty in analyzing who’s at fault, it’s advantageous to hire professional legal assistance. They have the expertise necessary to ensure you’ll get the compensation you deserve.

Know Your Rights

Though accidents involve unforeseen and unavoidable situations, their occurrence comes with legal consequences. Car and workplace accidents are the most common situations that allow you to recourse to compensation. Medical malpractice, dog and animal attacks, and other negligence-based torts are also situations that may allow you to get paid for damages. Remember that life is precious—with or without compensation, it’s best to take all the necessary precautions you can get to avoid getting involved in accidents.