What is a Personal Injury?

In a legal sense, a personal injury refers to physical harm or emotional anguish a person suffers through no fault of his own. Personal injuries may be a result of negligence in the workplace. An injury from a defective service or faulty product may be another type of personal injury.

A personal injury attorney handles claims resulting from such incidents. A traffic accident, either involving a car crash or an individual being struck by a vehicle, can lead to a personal injury claim. If a person is involved in an automobile crash that was not his fault and he has sustained injuries, he may file a claim to be compensated for his medical expenses and suffering.

The plaintiff in a medical malpractice case may not always win his case, due to complex circumstances or lack of substantial proof. Medical malpractice lawsuits are a type of personal injury claim that blames negligent medical care. Many claims are disputed or dismissed due to inadmissible evidence.

Injury may also result from exposure to chemicals in the workplace over a period of time. This may manifest in disease or a other medical problem. If a worker has reason to believe his chronic or serious illness was caused by industrial negligence, he may file a personal injury claim. Mesothelioma is one such industrial disease that often accounts for such claims.

Industrial deafness may be a type of personal injury incurred by those employed in extremely noisy environments. Workers exposed to extreme levels of noise from machinery may suffer from injury that manifests in conditions such as hearing loss or tinnitus. These workers may file compensation claims that assert injury was received in the workplace.

Emotional pain and suffering is another type of personal injury. This type of injury may result in disturbances in sleep, or deep fear and anxiety that interferes with a person's quality of life. In some cases, the inability to function and perform daily activities or even resume work may be other types of personal injury. These symptoms generally are caused by incidents involving negligence of another person or company.

There are numerous other types of personal injuries. Some incidents involve dog bites or attacks, and falls. An injury from a fall that occurs on another person's property may result in a personal injury claim. Train accidents or bus accidents that cause injury to a passenger is another type.