When Is a Company Liable for Your Injuries?
Most personal injury cases involve one person filing a legal claim against another person, such as another driver or a property owner. However, many times, you may be able to file a lawsuit against a company you believe is responsible for your injuries.
It’s helpful to understand when a company may be liable for your injuries. This guide will outline a few of the most common examples in which you may be able to file a personal injury claim against a business.
When You May File a Personal Injury Case Against a Company
Generally, a company may be liable for your injuries when the following are involved:
Defective Products
Many times, a defective product is the cause of an accident. For instance, the brakes system on your vehicle may be defective and stop working without warning, causing you to lose control and crash. Also, many children suffer injuries each year due to a defective children’s product, such as a crib or stroller.
Some examples of defective products are:
- Child and infant products
- Motor vehicle parts
- Electronics
- Bicycles
- Recreation equipment
- Household products
- Home furniture
- Pharmaceuticals
- Tools
- Medical equipment
Unsafe Conditions
Here are some of the most common types of conditions which cause a slip and fall or other premises accident injuries:
- Inadequate lighting or no lighting at all
- Negligent security or not enough security
- Slick interior floors
- Outdoor surfaces which have not been treated for winter conditions
- Poor maintenance of surfaces
- Elevator or escalator that is not secured
- Lack of pool safety measures
Employee-Caused Injuries
A company may be held responsible when an employee’s negligence causes an injury. The law refers to this principle as “respondeat superior.” As a rule, the company is only liable if their employee was carrying out their job duties when the accident took place. For instance, if a truck driver causes an accident while delivering a load for their employer, the trucking company may be liable for the injuries suffered by other motorists.
The company may also be held responsible for negligent hirings, such as hiring someone who is unqualified, unlicensed, or who has a history of careless behavior that could be a sign they may cause injuries.
Get Help From an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney Now
Regardless of the cause of your accident, trying to get a company to compensate you for your injuries is never an easy task, even through legal means. The insurance companies for the corporations will fight against any liability claim whenever possible. Also, these companies have their own legal departments whose primary focus is on protecting the company against lawsuits. These legal groups may threaten to take the case to trial and try to drain you financially to get you to drop the case or take a low-ball settlement amount.
With a personal injury attorney in your corner, you have someone advocating for you. What’s more, you don’t have to worry as much about draining your finances because most firms work on a contingency basis. In other words, you only pay fees when you secure a settlement amount or jury award. There are no initial out-of-pocket expenses.
If you’ve been injured and a company may be financially at-fault, seek legal counsel from a reputable Tustin premises liability lawyer.