Ten Most Common Types of Personal Injuries

A personal injury claim is a kind of tort—a civil claim for damages. Personal injury claims arise when someone gets hurt because another party failed in their duty of care. That might have been a duty to drive carefully, a duty to keep a dog locked up, a duty to keep a business safe enough to walk in—anything that resulted in someone sustaining injuries and damages.

Victims that have suffered a personal injury typically need compensation for:

• Medical bills
• Lost wages
• Pain and suffering
• Property damage

Most personal injury claims do not go to trial; if they do, the trial ends before a verdict. Attorneys try to negotiate settlements first, especially if one party has insurance coverage. At Pelaez Law Firm, Crash Angels, we have the experience and understand this process, and we can help you through it.

According to the most recent published study, the most commonly filed personal injury claims in American courts arise from:

• Motor vehicle accidents
• Medical malpractice
• Premises liability
• Dog bites
• Intentional torts
• Slander or libel (defamation)
• Product liability
• Professional malpractice
• Conversion (a claim for theft)
• Other torts

(Source: Civil Justice Survey of State Courts, 2005. See also the Annual Statistical Report for the Texas Judiciary, FY 2021.)

Our firm largely focuses on issues that arise within these categories, however if you have another type of personal injury, we would be happy to hear from you:

Motor Vehicle Accidents

Traffic is one of the most dangerous places to be in America, and personal injury claims reflect that. After the pandemic, motor vehicle injury cases in Texas courts increased by 15% to an “all-time high.” These cases alone accounted for 80% of injury filings in Texas in 2021.

The “Crash Angels” at Pelaez Law Firm, Crash Angels are experienced with motor vehicle cases, particularly those involving:

• 18 Wheelers
• Trucks
• Rideshares (such as Uber or Lyft)
• Motorcycles
• Pedestrians and bicycles

Medical Malpractice

Although no one goes to the hospital expecting to get worse, the danger is present. Medical Malpractice was the second-highest single source of new personal injury claims in Texas district courts in 2021, and claims rose 10% over the previous five years.

Compassion and understanding guide us in representing our clients and their families. Our firm focuses on medical malpractice cases involving the most vulnerable: nursing home patients and newborn infants injured at birth. These patients often cannot speak for themselves, and we speak and fight for them. They may require extensive care for the rest of their natural lives. As such, it is crucial for them to have attorneys who are familiar with optimal recovery strategies under Texas medical malpractice laws.

Premises Liability

When someone is injured because of dangerous conditions on another party’s property, the property owner may be liable. The most frequent type of premises liability claim results from a slip and fall.

According to the CDC, unintentional falls were the top cause of nonfatal injuries in the US in 2020, as well as the second leading cause of unintentional injury deaths (source). Although falls are a particular risk for older people, you can get badly hurt from slipping and falling at any age, leading to high medical bills, lost opportunities, and chronic and long term health issues. Sprains, ligament tears, fractures, even traumatic brain injuries—this is not an accident that property owners should take lightly.

If you have been injured by falling, by any hazard on someone else’s property or at any business location, call our office, and we can determine whether and how you can recover damages.

Dog Bites

A dangerous dog poses a danger to everyone, including their owners, innocent passersby, and even other dogs. If a dog has attacked you, your loved one, or your animal, contact us today.

Texas state and municipal laws pertaining to dogs and dog attacks may require the owner to pay full compensation for an attack, but the next legal steps can vary between jurisdictions and situations. This is an emotionally charged area of law, and we can help shield you from its pressures while seeking justice for attack victims.

Product Liability

Manufacturers have a duty to provide products that do not harm consumers. If a product is not inherently unsafe, and if the consumer uses it as intended, then they have a right to expect that it will not make them sick or injure them in some unforeseen way. When a manufacturer—and sometimes a seller—puts dangerous products on the market, they can be held liable under Texas law. Some of the most staggering manufacturing failures have involved defective drugs such as “fen-phen” (fenfluramine/phentermine) and Vioxx (rofecoxib), both of which caused cardiac disease and death.

Contact our office if you have been injured by a defective product, especially a medication. We are familiar with the often protracted, complex litigation involved with product liability claims, and we will work to get you help as quickly as possible.

Whatever your legal problems may be, we are waiting to hear from you. To schedule an appointment at our San Antonio offices, call Pelaez Law Firm, Crash Angels at 210-801-9314 today.