Parties That Could Be Liable in a Personal Accident Case

People and Entities Could Be Negligent in Your Case

According to the National Safety Council, accidental injury was the third-highest cause of death in 2016. Crash injuries may require surgery or medication to help control symptoms or otherwise aid in recovery. The party or parties that caused such injuries may be required to pay for some or all of the damages.

Drivers Can Be Liable for Your Injuries

The driver of the car or truck that caused an accident resulting in injury may be liable for paying any medical bills or lost wages related to that crash. If you were a passenger in a vehicle that caused a crash, you could go after whoever was driving it when the accident occurred. Generally speaking, you don’t have to be in a vehicle to pursue compensation. For instance, if you were hit by a drunk driver while you were on your bike, that would likely be enough to pursue a claim.

Your Employer Could Be Responsible for Your Injuries

If an accident happened at work, your employer may have played a role in any injuries that you received because of the job. For instance, if you weren’t given proper protective equipment, that would likely be negligence on the part of your company. If gross negligence caused the accident, it may be possible to pursue a personal injury case as opposed to a workers’ compensation case. Gross negligence could mean that an employer provided shoddy equipment or that a machine manufacturer sold a product that had defective safety mechanisms. A Philadelphia accident attorney may be able to provide more guidance as to how the law applies in your matter.

An Equipment Manufacturer Can Be Negligent in an Accident Case

Let’s say that you were hurt while playing hockey because your helmet didn’t stay on your head properly. Depending on the other circumstances in the case, it may be possible to take action against the manufacturer of the helmet. The same could be true if you were playing any other sport and another type of padding or protective equipment failed to work as intended. In fact, you could hold the manufacturer of any product that didn’t work as intended and caused you to suffer an injury liable.

The Government Could Be a Defendant

State, local and federal government agencies could be named as defendants in a personal injury case. For instance, if a traffic light was not properly functioning, the government agency tasked with keeping it working properly could be at fault for any accident that results. The same could be true if poor roadways resulted in the crash taking place. Generally speaking, there are different statutes of limitations when it comes to taking legal action against the government. A Philadelphia accident attorney may be able to help you take action in a timely manner.

Parties Are Only Guilty If They Were Negligent

It is important to point out that a party is only liable in a case if it acted in a negligent manner. Negligence means that a person or entity took action that it knew could result in an individual getting hurt. For example, a business that failed to give workers protective equipment likely knew that doing so increased the risk of an injury. If a brake manufacturer failed to recall a defective product, it likely knew or should have known that drivers could get hurt. An exception to this rule applies for workers’ compensation cases. In such matters, compensation could be awarded regardless of who caused the accident to happen. If you have been hurt for any reason because of the negligence of another party, you could be entitled to compensation or other forms of relief. The attorneys at Metzger & Kleiner may be able to help. You can contact us in Philadelphia by calling (215) 567-6616 or in the Lehigh Valley by calling (610) 435-7400. Our Philadelphia office can also be reached by sending a fax to (215) 561-6326.