5 Less Usual Cases Where Filing An Injury Claim Is A Good Idea

Law Blog

A personal injury attorney helps clients pursue claims in a range of circumstances that might be surprising to some folks. There's more to the work of a personal injury lawyer than slip and fall incidents and auto accidents. Here are 5 less usual times where filing an injury claim may be worth your time.

Exposure

Injuries come in many forms, and that includes exposure to organisms, chemicals, and even radiation. These cases range from the seemingly mundane, such as food poisoning, all the way to stuff out of science-fiction, such as chemicals from government-funded laboratories.

Regardless of how boring or unbelievable the cases might be, the reality is that parties who risk exposing others to such agents have a duty to handle them with care. If they fail in doing so, you have every right to hire a personal injury attorney to file a claim or lawsuit.

Criminal Assault

People often think of negligence when it comes to injury cases, such as the classic scenario where someone slips on an icy patch on the sidewalk in front of a store. Malicious conduct, however, is also frequently subject to civil injury laws. That applies even if a criminal prosecution is being pursued and the defendant was fined and jailed. The injuries from an assault require just as much attention and money to deal with as the ones from a car wreck, and you can demand compensation.

Defamation

Despite what playground chants about sticks and stones amount to versus bad names, the law sees things differently. Defamatory comments, especially against individuals who aren't established public figures, are considered civil injuries. Your good name is worth something, and someone who negligently or maliciously harms it may be ordered to pay up.

Infliction of Emotional Distress

This one comes with a huge asterisk next to it. Some states do not recognize claims for infliction of emotional distress unless there was accompanying physical harm. Such cases, however, are focused on the idea that distress is an injury similar to pain and suffering or trauma, and they are compensable.

Conducting Dangerous Professional Activities

Strict liability applies to a number of dangerous professional activities, usually ones that require licenses and/or permits. A company operating a testing range is liable, for example, if something goes flying off the range and strikes a bystander. Note that strict liability means the case is usually simpler because the legal question is only about if did the defendant caused the victim's injuries.

For more information, reach out to a personal injury lawyer in your area.

13 August 2020