Most Common Types Of Personal Injury Cases We Handle

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 100 million people seek emergency medical treatment for personal injuries every year. Each of these injuries involve unique circumstances, and some may have legal implications.

If you or someone you know was injured or killed in an accident that was caused by someone else, you and your family may be entitled to financial compensation for your injuries and other losses. Unfortunately, obtaining the compensation you deserve after an accident is not usually easy or straightforward. An experienced New York personal injury attorney can evaluate your situation, explain your rights and legal options, and represent you in a legal claim to recover the compensation your family deserves.

Common Types of Personal Injury Claims

A personal injury claim is a legal request for compensation made by a person who was harmed because of someone else’s negligent or reckless conduct. A personal injury claim seeks financial compensation, including payment for past and future medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other legal damages, for the harms the individual suffered that are attributable to the accident.

Most liability claims for personal injuries end with negotiations with an insurance company. When the insurance company makes a fair offer of compensation, the claim can be resolved relatively quickly. This rarely happens however because insurance companies are rarely fair to people. When the insurance company denies the claim or offers an amount of money that is less than the injured person deserves, filing a lawsuit may be necessary (and I file suit in almost every case).

Motor Vehicle Accidents

Motor vehicle accidents are the most common type of personal injury claim I handle. These legal claims involve injuries caused by a motor vehicle, including car accidents, accidents involving semi-trucks and tractor trailers and other commercial vehicles, and motorcycle accidents. Different types of motor vehicle accidents involve different, sometimes specialized theories of liability. For example, a motor vehicle accident involving two privately owned cars may be relatively straightforward, whereas a crash involving a semi-truck may involve complex theories of legal liability and multiple defendants with millions of dollars on the line.

Premises Liability Accidents

Under New York law, property owners have a legal duty to keep customers, guests, pedestrians and visitors safe. When they fail in that duty and someone is injured as a result, the property owner, landlord, or property manager can be held responsible for the harm they caused.

Common premises liability claims for personal injuries include:

• Slip and fall accidents caused by wet, snowy, or icy conditions or poor lighting
• Trip and fall accidents when someone falls and is injured because of an uneven surface, exposed wires, or objects left where people walk
• Negligent security, when the property owner fails to take adequate precautions to prevent crime
• Falling objects, such as improperly secured merchandise, objects falling at a construction site, or tools falling from a balcony
• Negligent maintenance, when someone is injured because the property owner, landlord, or property manager failed to maintain the property in a safe condition
• Swimming pool injuries caused by hazardous conditions the property owner or manager failed to address

Bike and Pedestrian Accidents

Bicyclists and pedestrians have relatively little protection (certainly less than the operator of a motor vehicle) and are more likely to suffer severe, catastrophic injuries when they are struck by a car or another motor vehicle.

Construction Accidents

Construction sites are filled with hazards, and even the most careful worker can suffer a serious injury. Common causes of construction site injuries include:

• Slips, trips, and falls
• Falls from a ladder, scaffolding, or a stairwell
• Collapse of a trench, excavation wall, or scaffolding
• Lack of appropriate safety equipment, such as safety glasses, hearing protection, safety harnesses and lines, or other Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
• Improper operation of heavy machinery
• Burns, explosions, and chemical spills

How a Buffalo, New York Personal Injury Attorney Can Help

When an accident causes serious or catastrophic injuries, navigating a personal injury claim while seeking medical care and treatment for your injuries can be a daunting task. Let Looney Injury Law handle your legal claim while you focus on regaining your health and well-being.

Looney Injury Law will investigate the accident to learn about the circumstances that caused your injuries. We will gather evidence to prove who was at fault and the full nature and extent of the harm you suffered. And we will negotiate with the insurance companies for a full and fair settlement of your claim. Again, I litigate almost every case, so the settlement will most likely occur closer to trial.

John Looney has twenty-six years and counting of experience handling personal injury claims in and around Buffalo and throughout the State of New York. He will evaluate your circumstances to determine the full value of your claim and fight for a fair settlement. If resolution is not forthcoming, his law firm has the experience, resources, and expertise to take the case to court to fight for the compensation you deserve.

Contact Looney Injury Law Today

Looney Injury Law represents injured people and their families in and around Western New York and throughout the State of New York. Call us at (716) 300-7777 or contact our law firm today to schedule a free, confidential, no-obligation consultation to discuss your situation and how we may be able to assist you.