Most Common Types of Personal Injury Cases
More personal injury cases are filed in Florida yearly than in any other state. The Sunshine State’s case rate is roughly 1,237% higher than the national average. This keeps the average Palm Bay personal injury lawyer busy with calls coming in from new clients all the time.
However, not all of these lawsuits are created equal. Floridians file a wide range of different types of personal injury cases through their state’s approximately 10,000 personal injury attorneys. Each one forces these lawyers to take a fresh approach to providing legal representation to clients.
Here are some common cases that keep these lawyers on their toes.
Auto Accidents
According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, over 400,000 car accidents occur in the southeasternmost U.S. state annually. They injure over 250,000 people and kill more than 3,300 others.
These statistics are all on the higher end of the spectrum. Florida ranks behind only California and Texas in terms of the total number of car crashes it experiences every year.
This makes car collisions much more common than the other types of personal injury cases filed in the state. The majority of those who decide to take legal action through lawyers in Florida do so after their involvement in motor vehicle accidents.
If you were injured during a recent car crash caused by another driver, don’t hesitate to contact one of these attorneys for assistance. They might enable you to recover damages to cover many out-of-pocket expenses, including medical costs, lost wages, and more.
Truck Accidents
Florida experiences more than just its fair share of car accidents each year. It also records a relatively high number of truck accidents, with well over 30,000 commercial truck crashes. This once again puts it behind only California and Texas.
If you ever sustain serious injuries during a truck accident in Florida, this is another instance in which you will want to contact an accident attorney for help. They will investigate your crash, determine liability in your legal case, and work to assist you in collecting the monetary compensation you need to cover any medical expenses you have accumulated.
Truck collisions often leave those who were driving in passenger cars during them dealing with catastrophic injuries, such as fractured limbs, burns, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and more. They also typically lead to them struggling to keep up with mounting medical bills and rehabilitation costs.
Earning a settlement or judgment in these types of personal injury cases could allow you to fully recover without digging into debt.
Motorcycle Accidents
Unfortunately, motorcycle accidents have been on the rise in Florida in recent years. Over 9,000 motorcycle crashes occur annually, up from around 8,000 just five years ago.
The state tries to keep this number low by requiring those with motorcycles to complete the Basic RiderCourse program created by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. However, riding a motorcycle carries an inherent risk, which has caused the motorcycle accident rate in Florida to spike over time.
Whether you enjoy taking your motorcycle out for a spin every so often or spend every day riding around on your bike, there is always a slight chance you could be involved in a car, truck, or other vehicle collision. It will likely leave you with road rash and other serious injuries that could result in a stack of medical bills and other expenses.
Filing a lawsuit against the driver responsible for your motorcycle accident could be the key to making a complete physical and financial recovery.
Boat Accidents
Florida has long been called the “Boating Capital of the World” — and for good reason. The state has over 922,000 registered boats, over 100,000 more than Michigan in second place.
Florida is one of the few peninsula states in the United States, making it the ideal place to live for those who love boating. Sadly, this has also made it the state with the highest number of boating accidents in the country.
The National Safe Boating Council reports that over 600 boat collisions occur in Florida every year, causing hundreds of injuries and over 50 deaths. Florida also records about 1,000 jet-ski accidents annually, putting it in the No. 1 spot on the list of states with the highest numbers of jet-ski crashes.
Bicycle Accidents
As you’ve no doubt noticed by now, many types of personal injury cases involve cars, trucks, motorcycles, and other vehicles. Any time you climb behind the wheel, it could lead to you taking legal action down the line if someone else causes your involvement in a crash.
Still, it’s worth noting that you may be involved in a lawsuit even if you don’t have a license to drive any vehicle. Bicycle accidents have also become increasingly common in Florida, with over 8,000 occurring annually throughout the state.
A bicycle accident has the potential to cause a long list of severe injuries. Examples include:
- Facial trauma
- Broken bones
- Concussions
- Spinal cord injuries
- Internal bleeding
If you’re ever hit by a car while riding your bike, seeking immediate medical care and speaking with an experienced personal injury attorney are paramount. Taking these steps could entitle you to a payday that will allow you to treat your injuries while limiting your financial losses.
Pedestrian Accidents
Even doing something as simple as walking down the street is more dangerous in Florida than in other states. Studies show that more than 10,000 pedestrian accidents happen in the state every year, causing about 8,000 injuries and almost 800 deaths and making it one of the deadliest states overall for pedestrians.
Palm Bay, in particular, sees more pedestrian-related crashes than many other cities in the state, thanks to all the increasingly congested intersections in Brevard County. Some common sites of pedestrian-related collisions in Palm Bay are:
- St. John’s Heritage Parkway and Malabar Road
- Babcock Street and Palm Bay Road
- Wickham Road and Lake Andrew Drive
Ideally, anyone traveling through these areas should watch out for vehicles and pay attention to all their surroundings when crossing streets to minimize collisions involving pedestrians. Consider calling an accident lawyer to provide legal representation if a car, truck, or other vehicle strikes you while walking around Palm Bay or a neighboring city in Brevard County.
Slip-and-Fall Accidents
More than 75,000 Floridians are hospitalized annually after sustaining injuries during slip-and-fall accidents. Another 4,100 are killed during them.
Slip-and-fall accidents can happen just about anywhere. People frequently slip and fall on wet floors in supermarkets, home improvement stores, and other retail establishments.
These incidents are known to cause everything from minor bumps and bruises to traumatic brain injuries and spinal fractures. Some even result in temporary or complete paralysis.
Of all the various types of personal injury cases, slip-and-fall cases present the highest degree of difficulty when proving negligence. It isn’t always easy for an attorney to highlight why a private property owner should be held liable for slip-and-fall injuries, but hiring the right lawyer will put you in a much better position to do so.
Premises Liability Cases
Slip-and-fall accidents are one of the many types of premises liability cases that Floridians can file against private property owners. These cases involve any incidents that occur on private property, and you can file one if you feel as though a private property owner demonstrated negligence and caused your slip-and-fall accident to occur.
You reserve the right to file this type of personal injury case after an incident on someone else’s property that leaves you injured. For example, those who sustain dog bites in Florida while on private property (about 600 people are hospitalized in dog bite cases in FL each year) may file lawsuits against dog owners for not doing enough to prevent them.
Here are a few other examples of premises liability cases:
- Swimming pool accidents
- Elevator accidents
- Defective property accidents
Generally speaking, you may file a lawsuit against any private property owner who failed to make your safety a big enough priority and exposed you to unsafe conditions. Although these cases are often more complex than usual, a dedicated attorney will help you make sense of one while extending legal advice to you throughout the litigation process in pursuit of fair compensation.
Workplace Accidents
Over 64,000 Floridians are injured during non-fatal workplace accidents each year, according to the Florida Division of Workers’ Compensation. Sadly, another 300 workers are killed while on the job in the state.
These numbers are so high largely because of all the construction site accidents that happen in Florida. About 3,500 of them occur annually, with some of these mishaps injuring more than one construction worker at a time.
Construction companies are legally responsible for taking the proper precautions to keep their workers safe. Third-party companies, like construction equipment manufacturers and suppliers, also have a legal duty of care to help those in the construction industry prioritize safety.
If any of these parties ever breach their duties and don’t do enough to stop workplace injuries from occurring, think about speaking with a personal injury attorney about your situation. They will lend a hand with construction site accident cases. They will also assist you in the aftermath of other workplace injuries caused by maritime accidents and other incidents within Florida workplaces.
Product Liability Cases
Harvard Business School claims that about 30,000 new products hit the market each year in the U.S., and millions of existing products are already on the market for those in Florida to buy.
When you purchase a product, you expect it to work correctly and not cause you to sustain injuries as long as you follow the manufacturer’s detailed instructions. However, some dangerous products might have defective designs that cause them to malfunction, leading to injuries regardless of how careful you are.
You might have a strong product liability case if you can prove that a manufacturer knew about a defective product’s flawed design and didn’t do anything about it. This will exhibit negligence on their part and increase your chances of collecting financial compensation to cover any economic damages (medical bills, lost wages, etc.) and/or non-economic damages (pain and suffering, emotional distress, etc.) you sustained due to a faulty product.
Medical Malpractice Cases
The Florida Department of Health reports that over 1,700 medical malpractice claims are filed in Florida yearly. Floridians may file these kinds of personal injury claims if:
- Doctors misdiagnose them or don’t diagnose them within a reasonable time.
- Healthcare workers prescribe them the wrong medications or provide them with the wrong dosages.
- Surgeons commit surgical errors that cause them to suffer health complications.
- Doctors discharge them from medical facilities too soon following surgeries and other procedures.
- Medical professionals tell them they don’t need treatment for a condition that requires it.
Florida has one of the oldest populations in the U.S., with the highest percentage of people over 65. This often results in a greater need for medical attention in the state and more potential medical malpractice cases.
Are you confused about whether you might be entitled to file a medical malpractice case against a doctor, nurse, or other healthcare practitioner who didn’t provide top-notch medical treatment? A reputable attorney will look into these types of personal injury claims for clients and determine which legal steps they should consider taking next.
Rely On Our Law Firm To Provide Assistance With Various Types of Personal Injury Cases
Since there are so many types of personal injury cases, not every attorney is cut out to work on them all. Alpizar Law Firm is different, as our law firm is well equipped to tackle any such case you bring our way.
From car accident cases to medical malpractice lawsuits, we have extensive experience in all the practice areas listed here. We also have a stellar reputation among those in Palm Bay for delivering superior services during the legal process.
Do you need to hire an attorney to file a personal injury lawsuit or a wrongful death claim? Contact us at 321-676-2511 for a free consultation.