Generally, people causing harm to others should be held accountable for their negligent acts. If someone else’s negligence has caused you injury, you may be entitled to file a personal injury case against the at-fault party.
As defined, personal injury cases refer to legal disputes wherein an individual sustains from an accident or injury caused by another person. They’re usually handled by dedicated personal injury lawyers who will work hard to help you seek compensation for the injuries and other economic and non-economic losses.
However, it’s essential to know that legal professionals represent different types of personal injury cases. Thus, if you’ve been injured by someone else’s actions in Burlington, you should understand the type of injury case they can take care of to get the best possible outcome.
Read on to learn the four cases a personal injury lawyer handles in Burlington.
1. Car Accident Cases
Car accidents are one of the common and popular reasons why people employ the services of a personal injury lawyer in Burlington. Depending on the accident’s impact, it can result in catastrophic injuries and, in extreme cases, death. Hence, if you suffered injuries in a vehicular collision, you may have the option to file a car accident claim against the other driver who was at fault for what happened or your insurance provider.
But to claim compensation for a car accident, you need the help of a personal injury lawyer to build your case and present the necessary evidence. These can include medical records, photos of the accident scene, photos of the injuries and property damage, witness statements, and other supporting evidence.
If you’re after the at-fault driver, your lawyer has to prove that the latter owed you a duty of care by driving the car safely. But the at-fault driver breached the duty of care by committing negligent acts like speeding, distracted driving, etc., resulting in your injury.
2. Slip And Fall Accident Cases
When a person slips or falls and sustains an injury on someone else’s property, they fall under the category of premise liability cases. When it happens on a property owned and maintained by another person, the latter may be liable for the injuries.
But to prove their liability, you’ll need the assistance of a legal professional to prove that their negligence resulted in an accident and injury. To have a strong accident claim, your lawyer should show the following:
- The owner created the dangerous condition. For example, the property owner leaves a hazardous material on the property.
- The owner was aware of the condition but negligently failed to address it.
- The dangerous condition existed for a certain period, so the owner had ample time to discover and correct it before the slip and fall accident.
Like other personal injury cases, dealing with a medical negligence case can be tricky. But with a personal injury lawyer in Burlington, you can navigate this problem more efficiently.
3. Product Liability Cases
Product liability cases occur when a manufacturer or seller is held liable for a defective product that caused an injury to the consumers. For a product liability case to arise, you need to demonstrate that the product in question was defective, which made it unreasonably dangerous.
Typically, various defects may give rise to the manufacturer or seller’s liability. These include:
- Design Defects: These defects exist from the beginning, meaning the product’s design is unsafe.
- Manufacturing Defects: These defects arise during the assembly or manufacturing of the product.
- Marketing Defects: These are the defects caused by any flaw in the marketing process, such as providing insufficient instructions, safety warnings, and improper labeling.
- Failure To Inspect Or Test: Product defects happen when the manufacturer fails to inspect or conduct rigorous testing of the product.
Different types of defects should be considered when establishing a product liability case. But it’s important to know that aside from the product manufacturer, some parties involved in the distribution chain may still be held responsible for the injury caused by a defective product. These include the manufacturer of the component parts, the wholesaler, and the retail store that sells the product to the consumers.
That said, you should hire an injury lawyer to help determine the liability of the party or parties involved in the case and attain a more desirable outcome.
4. Wrongful Death Cases
Wrongful death cases are also one of the disputes handled by a personal injury lawyer. They occur when a person has died due to a car accident, medical negligence, and other related circumstances. To build a valid wrongful death case, the plaintiff, with the help of a legal professional, needs to prove the following requisites:
- The fact of the death of a person
- The death was caused by another person’s negligence or intent to cause harm
- The survival of the family who suffers economic and non-economic losses because of the death
With these requisites in place, you may be able to file a case to hold the at-fault party responsible and get compensated for the losses you’ve sustained as a result of the wrongful death. On the other hand, it’s also crucial to know that certain family members can only file a wrongful death case. These include:
- Spouse
- Children and if they’re minors, they’ll be represented by a court-appointed guardian to protect their interests
- Parents
- Siblings
- Grandparents and other authorized relatives
Usually, these family members have the legal right to initiate a wrongful death claim or lawsuit since they’re the most affected by the loss of their loved one. They need emotional and financial support to survive the loss and return to their normal lives as quickly as possible.
Conclusion
Personal injury cases can be challenging and frustrating to navigate. Hence, if you think another person’s actions have harmed you, keep the information mentioned above in mind to learn more about the different types of cases handled by a personal injury lawyer. Don’t hesitate to talk to a legal professional about your rights if you’ve been injured.
