What are the Most Common Types of Personal Injury Cases?

There are some types of injury cases that occur more often than other situations. Below, we review some of the most common types of personal injury cases- in general- that lead to lawsuits against at-fault parties.

Auto Accident Claims

Vehicle accidents are one of the most common causes of injuries in Colorado. According to the state Department of Transportation, we can see that vehicle collisions were responsible for more than 121,000 total injuries statewide during the latest reporting year on file. 

Auto accidents (like car, motorcycle, and truck accidents) occur in a wide variety of ways in this state. Speeding is often the leading cause of injury and fatal accidents, but other common causes include impaired driving, distracted driving, failing to yield the right of way, following others too closely, and road rage. 

Slip and Fall Claims 

Slip and fall accidents can occur anywhere, on both private and public property. Both private residence owners and those who own and operate publicly accessible property have a duty to ensure that their premises are safe for patrons. This includes properties such as grocery stores, banks, public parks, government buildings, gyms, swimming pools, and more. When a property owner fails their duty, individuals can sustain severe slip and fall injuries. 

Dog Bite Injuries

Dogs can inflict severe injuries, particularly on the elderly and children. Colorado is a strict liability dog bite state, which means the dog’s owner will be held responsible for dog bite injuries if the victim was lawfully on private property or on public property when the incident occurred. These incidents can lead to severe lacerations and puncture wounds, to the extremities and face, major infections, significant blood loss, and even death. 

Defective Products

One look at the government recall tracking website shows us that any products that we use or consume could be defective. These defects can occur due to a faulty design, manufacturing error, or a mistake with the product’s advertising. Injuries can be externally physical (lacerations, burns, broken bones), cause internal trauma (poisoning, burns, foodborne illness), or cause long-term health conditions (respiratory issues, cancers, or other chronic illnesses). 

Workplace Injuries

Workplace injuries can occur in any type of employment environment. Of course, there are some types of occupations that pose more risks than others, including construction, factory work, manufacturing, etc. However, even those who work in seemingly “safe” jobs can sustain injuries (office jobs, retail, healthcare). These injuries can range from slip and fall incidents, falls from heights, machinery malfunction, and more. 

Medical Mistakes

Johns Hopkins researchers have stated that medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the US annually. These errors often result in serious injuries or illnesses to patients, and they are almost always preventable. Some of the most common causes of medical mistakes include prescription medication errors, surgical mistakes, patient falls, hospital-acquired infections, failure to diagnose, misdiagnosis, and more. All medical professionals must uphold a certain standard of care for patients, and this extends beyond doctors and surgeons to include nurses, physician assistants, dentists, optometrists, chiropractors, and more.