Personal injury claims can cover a wide variety of lawsuits, including auto accidents, medical malpractice, dog bites, and everything in between! If the injury was a result of someone’s negligence, then it could be worth talking to a personal injury lawyer in Knoxville to see if you have a valid case worth pursuing. With such a broad spectrum of injuries falling under the umbrella of personal injury law, we thought it would be interesting to look at the most common types of personal injury!

Auto Accident Injuries

According to the United States Department of Justice, auto accidents account for approximately 52% of all personal injury lawsuits making them the most common type of personal injury by far. There are many different causes of these accidents, including driving under the influence, reckless driving, or cell phone use. As long as one party was at fault, even partially, it is worth booking a consultation with a personal injury lawyer in Knoxville to determine if you can claim damages for your injury. Auto accident injuries cover such a large percentage of personal injury claims that they can even be further divided into subcategories, including:

  • Car Accidents
  • Motorcycle Accidents
  • Truck Accidents
  • Pedestrian Accidents
  • Rideshare Accidents (Involving the likes of Lyft or Uber”)

Medical Malpractice

Many people don’t realize medical malpractice is a subcategory of personal injury law. These cases account for around 15% of all lawsuits handled by a personal injury lawyer in Knoxville. Medical malpractice occurs when a doctor, nurse, or other medical practitioner fails to provide the appropriate care to a patient, resulting in injuries that significantly impact the patient’s life. This can include surgical errors, missed diagnoses, birth injuries, pharmacy errors, and more.

Slips, Trips & Falls

Despite being third on the list, the type of personal injury most people are familiar with is slip and fall accidents! This type of injury is prevalent among the elderly population. The Centers for Disease Control states that around 3 million adults over the age of 65 are treated in hospitals because of fall-related injuries! Things like wet floors, broken railings, or loose flooring cause many slips, trips, and falls.

Assault

This next category on the list may come as a surprise, as many people don’t consider consulting a personal injury lawyer in Knoxville following an assault. Assault injuries are a little different from other types of personal injury because they are not usually caused by negligence. Instead, these injuries occur because one individual purposely decides to hurt another. This brings in a criminal aspect to the case that is separate from the civil lawsuit that a personal injury lawyer in Knoxville will assist you with.

Product Liability Lawsuits

Another personal injury that might surprise you is product liability. This is when a defective or unsafe product causes an injury to a consumer. Businesses must undertake rigorous testing during their manufacturing process to ensure their products are safe for use. However, sometimes this is not done correctly, or something is simply missed. If a consumer is injured, they can work with a personal injury lawyer in Knoxville to file a product liability lawsuit.

Dog Bites

Millions of people are bitten by dogs every single year, and many of these bites result in significant injury and even hospitalization. The dog owner is held liable for these injuries in many states, although the law varies. In Tennessee, dog owners are legally required always to keep their dogs under reasonable control. This means the owner is responsible should their dog bite someone when ‘running at large.’ In short, if they are off-leash and uncontrolled in a public area or private property belonging to someone else, then they will be held accountable for injuries caused by their dog. If a dog has bitten you, discuss pursuing a case with a personal injury lawyer in Knoxville.

In addition to the strict liability rules, Tennessee law also has a ‘One Bite’ rule in place which relates to dogs biting for the first time while on the owner’s private property. If the dog has never bitten someone before and the owner had no reason to believe that they would do so, it is considered an unforeseeable act, and the dog is allowed a ‘free’ bite before the owner is held accountable. It is up to the injured party to prove that the owner should have known the dog was likely to bite.

Workplace Accidents

As the name suggests, workplace accidents are accidents that occur in the workplace. Employees may be injured because of insufficient safety precautions, poor training, or equipment malfunctions. They can then sue the employer for medical expenses and other damages. Although this is a type of personal injury, it falls under Worker’s Compensation, so it is important to find a lawyer with experience in these types of cases.

If you have been involved in one of the situations mentioned here or have sustained an injury in some other way not covered, it is worth contacting a personal injury lawyer in Knoxville to discuss whether or not you have grounds to pursue a lawsuit.

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Butler, Vines and Babb is a leading law firm in Knoxville, TN, with extensive litigation experience in Medical Malpractice Law, Birth Injury Law, Trucking Accident Law, Personal Injury Law, and Business Law. Contact us today at www.bvblaw.com or call 865-637-3531.

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