Types of Personal Injury Cases In Fort Lauderdale
An accident can happen to anyone at any time, but accidents of certain types tend to affect certain demographics and populations more than others. For example, the elderly are more susceptible to personal injuries from slip and fall accidents than other age groups. However, those in the 15 to 64 age group are more likely to suffer a vehicle accident or accidental poisoning. Similarly, workplace injuries, suffocation, and other personal injury cases affect different people in different ways.
Social & Economic Costs of Accidents in Fort Lauderdale
The social and economic costs of these accidents are a major issue of concern. Hundreds of billions of dollars are lost every year in medical care costs, insurance outlays, property damage, and lost income from preventable accidents.
If You Were The Victim of an Accident in Fort Lauderdale
If you were the victim of an accident, the good news is that the law protects the rights of victims injured as a result of someone else’s negligence. Please contact the Law Offices of Wolf & Pravato at (954) 633-8270 to learn more about the types of personal injury cases in Fort Lauderdale that we may be able to assist you with pursuing.
Types of Personal Injury in Fort Lauderdale
There are many types of personal injuries that a victim may suffer after an accident, ranging from minor bruises and cuts to long-term emotional trauma, amputations, paralysis. There is even the possibility of death.
Common injuries seen in personal injury cases include:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
- Spinal cord injuries (SCI)
- Head, neck, and back injuries
- Nerve, muscle, and soft tissue damage
- Internal organ damage
- Broken or fractured bones
- Lacerations and cuts
- Puncture wounds
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Eye, mouth, and face injuries
- Amputations
- Paralysis
- Wrongful death
These injuries can occur in many ways, depending on how and where a harmful and traumatic injury-causing event occurs, as well as the degree of severity of the event.
For a free case review, contact the Law Offices of Wolf & Pravato at (954) 633-8270.
Causes of Personal Injuries
The accident categories outlined below are the leading causes of personal injury cases in the United States.
- Accidental poisoning: this can be caused by doctor or pharmacist errors, dosage miscalculations, and unclear bottle or container labeling.
- Vehicle accidents: driver distraction, drowsiness, recklessness, or inexperience can cause a vehicle accident, as can damaged roads, worn parts, and intoxication.
- Slips and falls: slip and fall accidents disproportionately affect the elderly and result in an estimated $75 billion in medical care costs every year. They can also occur at workplaces, construction sites, public spaces, and commercial zones.
- Suffocation and drowning: these accidents are common in infants and small children under the age of four. They can also occur at recreational sites.
- Machine accidents: Getting caught in or between machines, materials, vehicles, and the moving parts of powered equipment kills thousands of people every year.
- Animal attacks: the number of animal attacks that occur every year—especially dog bite cases—are in the millions. Dog bite fatalities disproportionately affect children under the age of four.
- Nursing home injuries and medical malpractice: hospital patients and nursing home residents can easily sustain injuries due to infection, misdiagnoses, or errors in inpatient or resident care.
These are just some of the types of personal injury cases in Fort Lauderdale that we may be able to assist you with pursuing compensation. Call our personal injury lawyer now.
Contact the Law Offices of Wolf & Pravato Today
For each of the different types of personal injury cases in Fort Lauderdale listed above, the Law Offices of Wolf & Pravato can help you identify the at-fault party responsible for your injuries and evaluate your losses.
Depending on the case at hand, an at-fault party may be a negligent driver, an inexperienced medical care professional, a negligent employer, a careless machine or road maintenance service team, or someone else who owed you a duty of care but harmed you by not fulfilling their duty. Please contact us today at (954) 633-8270 for assistance with your personal injury claim.
FAQs
1. What Are Types of Personal Injuries?
We have mentioned many physical injuries above, such as TBI, soft tissue injuries, and broken bones. However, there are many different types of personal injuries, case types, and legal doctrines for pursuing such cases.
2. Legal Grounds for Pursuing a Personal Injury Claim
Personal injury claims can be made on three grounds:
- Negligence: Most cases fall under negligence. This term means that someone did not follow due care or behaviors that would keep others safe.
- Strict liability: This category would include animal attacks, manufacturing defects, and other types of product liability. There is no intent or real behavioral negligence involved.
- Intentional wrongdoing: These injuries are the result of intentional acts. It could be an assault or a slanderous act that destroys your professional reputation.
3. What Are the Most Common Types of Personal Injury Cases?
Common types of personal injury cases include:
- Car accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Truck accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Workplace injuries
- Assault
- Slip and fall and other premises liability cases
- Medical malpractice
- Product liability
- Wrongful death
4. What Are the Types of Damages Arising from Personal Injury in Fort Lauderdale?
In Florida, victims can recover both economic and non-economic damages when they have suffered a personal injury. In rare cases, they may qualify for punitive damages.
Economic Damages
These damages have a fixed dollar value and are awarded to cover expenses that stemmed from the injury. Examples of the economic damages include:
- Emergency services
- Hospital stays
- Diagnostic screenings
- Co-pays for doctor’s appointments
- Prescription medications
- Medical devices
- Lost income and benefits
- Loss of future earning capacity
- Property damage costs
If your loved one passed away from their injuries from the accident, you can recover the costs of their funeral and burial.
Non-Economic Damages
These damages are carefully considered, as they are subjective and don’t come with a definitive price tag. Examples of non-economic damages are:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Loss of quality of life
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Amputation
- Loss of consortium
Your lawyer can assess your economic damages, speak to your medical team, and interview you to get an idea of how much you can claim for your non-economic damages.
Punitive Damages
The courts do not always consider awarding plaintiffs punitive damages. These damages are designed to punish the other party and are available in cases in which the defendant demonstrated behavior that was intentional in harming the victim or grossly negligent.
5. Where Do Most Personal Injuries Occur in Fort Lauderdale?
Fort Lauderdale is like many large urban areas, and most of our personal injuries occur due to traffic. According to Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLSMV), Broward County saw over 34,000 crashes in 2020—268 were fatal, while almost 19,000 were total injury.
Several thousand motorcycle, pedestrian, and bicycle crashes also occurred that same year.
