subject: Types Of Personal Injury Claims [print this page] Whether you have suffered a personal injury in a motor vehicle accident, slip and fall , or in any other way, you must consult an experienced law firm in order to be fully compensated. Below are some types of personal injuries which may be eligible to seek legal assistance.
Motor Vehicle Accidents
Every year in Ontario, thousands of people are seriously injured in car accidents. A car accident can occur without warning, and within moments, the lives of those involved may be negatively impacted for years to come. Unfortunately, it is very common for individuals involved in motor vehicle accidents to sustain broken bones, tearing of soft tissue or even head or spinal trauma; all of which may lead to permanent injuries, inability to work, and constant pain and suffering. Some injuries commonly associated with auto accidents may include: broken bones, torn ligaments, neck and back injuries, chronic pain, brain injury, amputations, and spinal cord injury.
Slip and Fall Accidents
In general terms, a "slip and fall" accident refers to situations where a person is injured by slipping, or tripping, and falling due to a dangerous condition on the premises. Such falls can happen inside or outside a building, and be caused by such conditions as bad flooring, wet floors, poorly lit steps, or, in the case of outdoor accidents, weather-related or hidden hazards. An icy patch outside a door or a crack, a raised ledge or pothole can be the cause of a slip and fall in a parking lot, for instance. In Ontario, ice is often the cause of many very serious slip and fall accidents.
Property owners have a "duty of care" to see that their property is reasonably safe under the circumstances. This includes ensuring that the building has no structural defects or unusual dangers that could cause an accident, both inside and out. Structural defects or unusual dangers can include: loose floor mats, rugs, or tiles; water on the floor; badly lit stairs or steps; cracks or holes in sidewalks or parking lots. Weather-related hazards may include standing water, snow and icy spots. A plaintiff or claimant also has a duty to exercise reasonable care, so if any action of yours contributed to the accident, you may share in the negligence.
Brain Injuries
Traumatic brain injury, also called TBI, occurs when the brain is injured by a sudden force, or trauma. The brain can be driven into the side of the skull by a sudden blow, or by the force of shaking or "whiplash". In either case, the brain can suffer bruising and swelling, and in some cases the impact will be sufficient to tear blood vessels in the brain, causing intracranial bleeding.
If the trauma results in damage to the skull itself, such as a crack or break, the trauma is considered a penetrating head injury. More difficult to diagnose are closed head injuries, in which the brain is injured but the skull remains undamaged. This can occur from a blow or impact, or from severe back-and-forth shaking, such as whiplash. Babies and small children can suffer such injuries from being shaken, the so-called "shaken baby syndrome".
Spinal Cord Injuries
Each year, many people in Ontario suffer a spinal cord injury, also called SCI. SCI is defined as any damage to the spinal cord that results in loss of function or mobility. Such injuries can be caused by trauma or disease and can result in temporary or permanent loss of sensation, loss of movement (paralysis), or loss of bowel or bladder control. Auto accidents are the primary cause but falls and sport accidents also cause many SCI's each year.
There are two types of injury, complete and incomplete. A complete injury is one in which the victim has no sensation or voluntary motor movement on either side of the body below the level of the injury. If the victim has some feeling or partial movement, it is called an incomplete injury.
If you or someone who you know has suffered any injuries similar to the ones explained above, you should contact a Personal Injury Lawyer in Toronto and learn how you can receive appropriate compensation.
