An unexpected accident or injury is all it takes to throw your life off course. Even a seemingly minor injury can make it next to impossible to do everyday tasks, like work or prepare food for yourself.
Sadly, many people believe that they have to handle these challenges on their own. This is far from the truth though, as accident victims have a legal avenue for securing compensation that can help support their recovery and rehabilitation. To successfully navigate that path, you may need a personal injury lawyer on your side.
After a Serious Car Accident
Motor vehicle accidents are an everyday occurrence in most places. Unfortunately, the impact on your life may be anything but ordinary. Here are just a few examples of common car crash injuries:
- Concussions
- Whiplash
- Traumatic Brain Injuries
- Herniated Discs
- Broken Ribs
- Collapsed Lungs
- Internal Organ Damage
- Broken Bones
- Sprains
- Contusions
Correctly wearing your seatbelt is a great way to reduce the risk of severe injury in a collision. Reducing your risk of injury does not mean eliminating it entirely, though. Just like airbags and the structure of your vehicle also limit the risk of serious harm in a crash, injuries are still a very present issue for car accident victims.
If you ride a motorcycle, wearing a helmet is one of the best ways you can limit your risk of experiencing a head injury in a crash. Pennsylvania state law only requires people aged 20 and younger to wear a helmet, though. Making the decision to wear one anyway could save your life and prevent unnecessary suffering.
So where does a personal injury lawyer come into play? If you were not at fault for your accident, you may need help with things like medical bills and lost wages, not to mention any ongoing physical or emotional pain and suffering. A personal injury lawsuit is often the best way to make sure you get the compensation you deserve, at which point a lawyer can:
- Deal with the insurance company on your behalf.
- Help prove that the other driver was at fault.
- Negotiate the best possible settlement for your situation.
After a Slip-And-Fall Accident
Falls are often the butt of the joke in movies and TV shows. In real life, virtually no one is laughing after a serious fall.
Injuries associated with slip-and-fall accidents are often severe and require both prompt medical attention as well as ongoing care. One of the reasons injuries can be so bad is that you do not have time to brace yourself for impact during an unexpected fall. This leaves you vulnerable to things like head injuries, broken bones, and other serious injuries. Adults over the age of 65 are at an especially high risk for fall-related head injuries.
Slip-and-fall accidents are frequently the result of things like poor maintenance or outright negligence. Fall accidents that take place on another person’s property may be due to:
- Wet or Slippery Floors
- Poor Lighting
- Uneven Flooring
- Torn Carpets
Just like car accidents, fall injuries can be debilitating. After a serious fall, you may struggle to continue living your life as normal. A premises liability claim can serve as a path forward in your life, but proving that a property owner was at fault for your fall is not always easy.
A personal injury lawyer can help demonstrate the property owner’s liability by showing that they:
- Should have been aware of the dangerous condition that caused your fall, as any reasonable person in that position would have known about it and fixed it.
- Were aware of the problem but did not take any action to fix it, or to adequately warn visitors of the danger.
- Actually caused the dangerous condition.
Proving that a property owner was at fault for your injuries is only just the beginning, though. If you intend to pursue compensation for your injuries, an attorney can be by your side for every step of the process to help you avoid mistakes that may impact your settlement.
Work Injuries When There’s a Third Party
Work injuries are usually covered by Pennsylvania’s workers’ compensation system. There are a few situations in which you might be able to pursue both workers’ comp benefits as well as other compensation, including accidents and injuries that occur at work but involve:
- Defective Products
- Third-Party Contractors
- Property Owners
- Outside Parties
Workers’ compensation benefits help cover things like your lost income and medical bills related to your work injury. This might not be enough depending on the extent of your injuries, as these benefits do not include compensation for pain and suffering or emotional damages. This is where exploring additional options for compensation can be key.
Seeking workers’ comp benefits does not preclude you from seeking compensation through a product, premises, or personal injury lawsuit. The role of a personal injury lawyer in this type of situation would be to first help you distinguish between which injuries are compensable by workers’ compensation, and which require something like a personal injury lawsuit.
A Personal Injury Lawyer’s Role for Other Incidents
Unfortunately, it often seems as if there is no end to the ways in which people are injured through no fault of their own. For example, a personal injury lawyer can also be a key player if you or a loved one was bitten by a dog or suffered nursing home abuse.
Deciding Whether You Need a Personal Injury Lawyer
Even minor injuries can lead to big problems. You deserve every opportunity to recover, rehabilitate, and hopefully move forward with your life in the future. This means reaching out for help when you need it, even if you feel like you should be strong enough to shoulder this burden on your own.
At Shrager, Sachs, & Blanco, we understand just how confusing the period of time following an accident is. If you need a personal injury lawyer to help guide you through this process, we offer free consultations. You can use this opportunity to discuss your situation as well as the ins and outs of a personal injury claim with a knowledgeable and compassionate attorney.
