Based on reports from the legal sector, an estimated 400,000 personal injury claims are filed each year in America. These cases range in severity from relatively minor injuries with short-lived repercussions to permanent disabilities and loss of life. At the same time, payouts for those cases can range from a few thousand dollars to several million.
Most personal injury cases stem from car accidents. In fact, they’re responsible for more than half of the claims filed annually. Medical malpractice, work-related injuries, slips and falls, and dog bites are also common causes. That being said, not all claims fall into those conventional categories. You might be surprised at some of the seemingly harmless everyday items that can cause serious injuries.
First off, let’s take a closer look at some of the more conventional examples of personal injuries that lead people to seek help from an Alabama personal injury attorney. Those that are the result of car accidents often include whiplash, broken bones, spinal cord injuries, and cranial trauma. Medical malpractice cases can involve misdiagnoses, administering the wrong medications to patients, and performing the wrong surgeries on patients. Birth injuries, such as cerebral palsy and shoulder dystocia, are also examples of malpractice.
In general, though, a personal injury can be virtually any type of harm, either physical or mental, that’s caused by intentional wrongdoing or negligence. Home and business owners can be held accountable for injuries that take place on their properties if they fail to take reasonable measures to keep visitors safe. Employers can be liable for employees’ injuries as well if they disregard workers’ safety or fail to take appropriate measures to prevent work-related accidents.
That brings us to some of the more unconventional personal injury cases that are on record. They’re often caused by items many of us routinely use without giving it a second thought. Injuries caused by these products typically fall into the category of product liability. These cases can be based on manufacturer defects, misrepresentation, inadequate warnings of potential risks, and certain other grounds.
Cell phones have become household items. At the turn of the century, less than 30 percent of Americans reported owning mobile phones. Within a few years, that number jumped to more than 65 percent. Today, it stands at 98 percent.
Over time, there has been an uptick in tumors that can potentially be linked to cell phone use. Most of those cases revolve around tumors in the brain and near the ears with the obvious connection being holding mobile phones to the ear when talking on them. Scientists are also examining increases in tumors of the hands, hips, and chest tissues that can possibly be associated with cell phone exposure.
Numerous claims have been filed against cell phone companies and manufacturers. Most of them are ultimately dismissed because the evidence supporting the link between tumors and cell phone use is conflicting and largely inconclusive at this point. Still, a few claims have been been taken more seriously.
In 2020, a plaintiff in Italy was awarded a pension after developing a brain tumor that was purportedly caused by excessive work-related cell phone use. In 2021, the city of Berkeley, California pursued a case against cell phone retailers regarding the potential dangers of mobile phone use. They won the case, which ultimately mandated that retailers warn customers about the potential dangers of radiation exposure and advise them to keep cell phones away from their bodies.
By some estimates, restaurants across the United States serve as many as 180 million cups of coffee every day. For many people, grabbing a cup of coffee to go is as much a part of their daily routine as brushing their teeth and commuting to work. Of course, for some, that morning infusion of caffeine doesn’t turn out quite the way they expect.
The Liebeck v. McDonald’s Restaurants case of 1994 is a prime example. In this case, the plaintiff sustained third-degree burns after spilling a cup of McDonald’s coffee in her lap. During the trial, it was revealed that McDonald’s served its coffee at around 180 degrees, which can certainly cause serious burns. It was also discovered that the fast food chain had received more than 700 previous complaints about coffee burns but hadn’t taken any action to resolve the issue.
Liebeck ultimately won her case and was awarded $2.86 million though the verdict was later reduced. Since then, numerous people have filed similar claims against restaurants for serving unreasonably hot beverages. Starbucks, as you might imagine, has seen quite a few claims of burns from hot beverages. Just this year, a passenger filed a lawsuit against JetBlue after suffering serious burns from a cup of hot tea.
Children’s toys are also common causes of personal injury claims. Most people take for granted that products marketed to children are safe, but that’s certainly not always the case. In some instances, toys have presented more of a hazard for parents than children.
Some of you may remember the Cabbage Patch Kids craze of the 1980s. In the mad rush to get their hands on these dolls, a number of parents were injured. Some were trampled whereas others were involved in actual altercations over the dolls. That, in turn, led to several personal injury lawsuits.
In 2010, a child was awarded damages because he lost an eye after being hit by a rubber ball. The court ruled that the manufacturer of the ball failed to properly warn consumers about the potential for eye injuries. Similar claims have been filed against the makers of Nerf guns.
Furby, Teddy Ruxpin, and other electronic toys have been the subject of claims of electrical shocks, overheating, and additional hazards. Psychological distress claims were reportedly filed against the makers of Furby in the toy’s early days as well. Some children, and adults alike, found its lifelike movements, vocal capabilities, tendency to spring to life without warning, and other characteristics to be unnerving and even downright traumatic.
Plastic packaging is likewise a culprit in many personal injury cases. It’s designed to protect products during shipping and while they’re sitting on store shelves. It prevents tampering and ensures items are still intact when they reach consumers. Unfortunately, some packaging can be dangerous.
Most of us are well aware of the frustrations of packaging that’s overly difficult to get into. That has given rise to a phenomenon known as “wrap rage.” Approximately 6,000 cases of packaging-related injuries are reported each year in the United States.
Clamshells and blister packs can have extremely sharp edges when they’re cut or torn, which can lead to serious cuts or puncture wounds. In some cases, people injure themselves with scissors or box cutters while they’re trying to open packages. In either situation, there’s also the risk of infections to consider.
Numerous personal injury cases have resulted from packaging-related accidents. In 2004, a class-action lawsuit was reportedly filed against the manufacturers of a specific type of clamshell package. Claims have also been filed against electronics manufacturers and retailers. Many manufacturers have redesigned their packaging to provide protection for their products while also being easier to open and less hazardous for consumers.
In most cases, personal injury claims arise from car accidents, work-related injuries, medical malpractice, and other common causes. In some instances, though, the products we all have in our homes or come into contact with every day can cause undue harm. From furniture and appliances to beauty products and household cleaners, hidden dangers are lurking everywhere. Many of them stem from product developers’ and manufacturers’ negligence or disregard for consumers’ safety.
Some of those seemingly harmless everyday items can cause sudden injuries. Others inflict harm through prolonged exposure. In either case, working with a personal injury attorney can help victims of negligence get the justice they deserve and potentially protect other people from the dangers moving forward.
