According to estimates from the U.S. Department of Justice, there are more than 400,000 personal injury claims filed in the country each year. The wide reach of personal injury law means that if you feel that another party is at fault for your injury, you may be able to join that huge number.

But depending on the type of claim you have and your ability to prove the negligence that led to your injury, it may or may not be worth your time to pursue it.

Knowing whether or not to pursue your claim can be tricky, but if you fall into one of these categories, you may stand a good chance of having and collecting on a legitimate claim.

Read on to see the types of cases that make up the bulk of that 400,000.

Medical Malpractice

Medical malpractice claims happen when medical negligence on the part of a doctor, nurse, or medical facility has caused damage or death to a patient. These cases can be incredibly difficult to win, as negligence is hard to prove.

Only about 20% of these claims that make it to court end with a plaintiff win. However, the payout on those wins averages more than $500,000.

Talk to personal injury attorneys if you think you have a case. Their advice will help you know when to hire one and pursue the claim.

Car Accidents

Medical malpractice and motor vehicle accidents combine to make up more than 65% of all personal injury claims. Though car accidents outpace malpractice significantly, accounting for more than 50% of cases on their own.

If you are suffering after a car accident that wasn’t your fault, taking legal action may be appropriate.

Product Liability Injuries

The next largest type of personal injury claim is product liability. If a company designs or manufactures a product that may have harmful defects, it is required to warn users of that issue. 

If they fail to do one or both of those things and that failure causes illness or injury, you can and should take legal action against that company.

Slip and Fall Accidents

As in many of these types of claims, slip and fall cases come down to proving negligence. While fall-related accidents are exceedingly common in the U.S., it can be difficult to prove that negligence in court.

Wrongful Death

Many of the types of personal injury claims listed above can turn into wrongful death claims if the negligence and carelessness involved resulted in death. Family members can collect damages from any negligent party. 

Commonly, these cases come from car accidents, workplace accidents, or medical malpractice.

Defamation

In the United States, claims of defamation or slander are under the umbrella of personal injury law as they can be injurious to someone’s character. As far as the law is concerned, that is no different (in class) than injury to one’s body.

Personal Injury Claims 

Whether you’ve found yourself in one of the situations listed above or you believe you’ve been unlawfully harmed in another way, talk to an attorney that specializes in personal injury claims. They can help you determine what counts as a personal injury case.

Only then can you be sure whether or not you have a claim to make. With 90-95% of these types of cases being settled out of court, chances are that if you can make a case, you’ll see some compensation.

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