Every day, thousands of people are injured in a wide range of accidents including car crashes, slip and falls, and defective products. Many of these injuries happen because someone failed to take reasonable care to prevent harm. Negligence can lead to serious physical, emotional, and financial consequences for the victims, affecting their ability to work, take care of themselves, and enjoy everyday activities. Understanding how negligence causes injuries can help people recognize their rights and take steps to protect themselves.
If you or a loved one was injured because of someone else’s actions, you may be able to recover a financial settlement with the help of a personal injury attorney. Look for an experienced, local injury lawyer and schedule a free consultation to discuss your potential case.
What is Negligence?
In personal injury law, negligence is the failure of an individual or organization to exercise the same level of care that a reasonable person would under similar circumstances, leading to another person’s injuries and damages.
When a person behaves negligently, they have breached their “duty of care” to another. For example, when a driver runs a red light and crashes into another vehicle, they have breached their duty to follow traffic safety laws. The driver could then be held liable for their negligent action through a personal injury claim.
How Does Negligence Lead to Injuries?
There are several types of accidents and injuries caused by negligence:
Speeding or Driving Too Fast for Road Conditions
Drivers are legally required to follow traffic safety laws, including speed limits. They are also supposed to use their judgment to reduce speed while driving in hazardous conditions such as heavy rain or ice. Drivers who speed or drive too fast for road conditions and cause an accident, may be held liable for the accident through traffic tickets and a car accident claim.
Distracted Driving
Distracted driving, especially texting while driving, causes over 1.6 million car crashes each year in the U.S.; around 390,000 people are injured annually in crashes involving drivers who are texting.
Washington State’s distracted driving law prohibits handheld texting while driving. Drivers who cause an accident while texting or engaging in another form of distracted driving may be held liable with tickets and a car accident claim.
Driving Under the Influence of Drugs or Alcohol
Every day, about 34 people in the United States die in drunk-driving crashes. Any driver that gets behind the wheel intoxicated is breaking the law and their duty of care to others on the road. If they cause an accident they can be charged in criminal court and become a defendant in a personal injury lawsuit.
Leaving Dangerous Conditions on Your Property
Property owners have a duty to keep their property safe from hazards that could cause accidents. Leaving ice in winter, not fixing or at least clearly marking potholes, or failing to put out a wet floor sign after a spill or mopping are all dangerous conditions on property that could cause accidents attributed to negligence.
Serving Alcohol to Minors
Under RCW 66.44.270 in Washington State, if a host provides alcohol to a minor and that minor causes an accident, the host can be held liable for damages.
Not Putting a Leash on an Aggressive Dog
Dog owners have a responsibility to keep their dogs from attacking other dogs and people. When a dog owner fails to put a leash on their dog in an area where leashes are required or allows their dog with a history of attacking others off leash in a dog park or other public area, they are behaving negligently and opening themselves to a personal injury lawsuit.
Seek the Help of a Personal Injury Lawyer
If you or a loved one was injured because of the negligence of another, contact a personal injury lawyer to discuss your legal rights. Let an experienced accident attorney fight for the full compensation that you deserve. It is not uncommon to receive a settlement from the insurance company that is five to ten times larger with the help of a lawyer. Call the personal injury lawyers at Tario & Associates, P.S. in Bellingham, WA today for a FREE consultation! Since 1979, our personal injury law firm, Tario & Associates, P.S., has been dedicated to fighting for the rights of people injured throughout Washington State, with local offices in Bellingham and Mount Vernon to serve residents of Whatcom, Skagit, Island, and Snohomish counties. You will pay nothing up front and no attorney fees at all unless we recover damages for you!
