Sometimes, the advice of a lawyer is a necessary part of handling a medical situation that arises from an accident or other misadventure. Protecting your interests just makes good sense. Of course, there are more situations that arise other than these five, but they’re a good place to start.
1- Wrongful Death
Let’s say that someone causes the death of one of your family members or close friends. There doesn’t exist enough evidence, for whatever reason, for the district attorney to secure a conviction, but you still want justice of some kind. In this case, you can file suit against whoever caused the death of your family member or friend. The threshold of evidence in a wrongful death case is much less than it would be in a criminal trial.
2- Injuries From a Car Wreck
Even if the damage done doesn’t cause someone’s death, it’s still possible for someone to be injured severely in a car crash. Depending on the state where you live, there could be different laws that govern how car crashes can be adjudicated. For example, there are states where comparative fault is the rule. That means that each person can be assigned a percentage of fault regarding the accident. In that case, the percentage could affect the amount of damages the person is entitled to receive after the accident. Having a lawyer to help you unravel that Gordion Knot is quite helpful.
3- Dog Bite
Dog bite law varies by state. In some instances, “strict liability” applies. That means that the owner of the dog is always liable for damages and/or medical costs in cases where the person bitten is on public property or when the person is on the dog owner’s property legally. In any case, if the person bitten teased, or otherwise provoked the dog, there is no liability. Other states have what’s known as “one-bite” law. Essentially, that’s where dogs generally get “one for free,” and the first bite is considered accidental. However, in these states, people who are bitten can seek redress under other statutes, such as those governing negligence.
4- Construction Accident
Construction sites are inherently dangerous places, and construction companies must be responsible for the safety of all employees and visitors to the site. In a case where someone is injured, the ability to seek redress depends on several factors, such as negligence of the company, negligence of the person injured, intent to injure, and quite a few others.
5- Injury Occurring at a Business
Again, the general rule is that if the injury occurs because of something that could reasonably have been foreseen by the business owner, then the business owner is liable. Examples would include not fixing an uneven sidewalk crack, not properly cleaning up spilled fluids of some kind, or a rickety ladder collapsing on someone’s head. In each case, the remedy for the issue was obvious and easy to implement. Of course, the actual regulations vary from state to state, so talking to a lawyer to explore all of your options is the best course of action.