Anyone who suffers an injury covered under what is known as tort lawmay be entitled to receive compensation for damages, which are usually monetary, from the person who is responsible for those injuries. Under tort law, personal injuries are not limited just to physical injuries but may be emotional or economic, or even include the harm done to a person’s social standing, or reputation.
The most common source of tort liability is negligence. If you can prove that your injury came as a result of another person’s intentional neglect, or intent to do you harm — or due to his or her failure to resolve a dangerous situation — you may be a victim of negligence and eligible for monetary compensation.
Personal injury claims are widespread today in the U.S. The five most common personal injury claims are:
- Road traffic accidents, which is understandable, since there are 6 million accidents in the U.S. annually
- Work-related claims: the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 3 million work-related injuries in 2008
- Assault claims: approximately 2 million people are assaulted in the U.S. annually
- Slip and fall claims: the National Safety Council reported that in 2007 alone 20,000 people died and more than 7 million were injured in slips and falls.
- Defective product claims, which include injuries resulting from faulty products such as unsafe medical devices or children’s toys.
Personal injury claims based on another’s negligence are justifiable — and they are also winnable if you hire an experienced Baltimore personal injury lawyer to represent you.
