The Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Personal Injury Attorneys of Brooks, Bradley & Kenney

Serious personal injury, medical malpractice and/or the wrongful death of a loved one are highly personal family tragedies attended by a level of suffering and a sense of loss no one should have to bear. The Philadelphia serious injury attorneys of Brooks, Bradley & Kenney have the compassion and understanding to remain sensitive to human feelings while providing support, guidance and legal representation of the highest order.

Personal injury is any physical or mental injury to a person that results from another person's negligence or wrongful act. Personal injury often refers to bodily injury and can occur in a wide variety of ways. The following are some of the most common accidents resulting in personal injury:

• Auto accidents
• Other Vehicle accidents (Aviation, Bicycle, Boat, Motorcycle, Railroad, Truck)
• Assault and Battery
• Burn Accidents
• Construction/On the job Accidents
• Food contamination ( bacteria such as e-Coli, salmonella, or listeria in processed or prepared foods)
• Industrial accidents
• Dangerous or Defective Products (tires, seatbelts, manufactured products)
• Dog/Animal Bites
• Medical Malpractice (Birth Injuries, Misdiagnosis, Surgical Negligence)
• Nursing home abuse and Neglect
• Slip and Fall Accidents/Premise Liability
• Spinal Cord Injury
• Toxic/chemical exposure
• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Wrongful Death

Personal injury accident victims are entitled to recover monetary damages for all losses and expenses sustained as the result of an accident. Depending upon the particular circumstances of your case, damages may include recovery for any of the following:

• Medical bills
• Lost income, including overtime wages
• Pain & Suffering
• Physical Disability
• Disfigurement
• Emotional Trauma
• Mental Disability
• Property Damage

The value of your personal injury claim depends on the facts and circumstances of your claim. First and foremost, the party that is responsible for creating the hazardous condition or inflicting said injury must be proven to have caused the accident and are therefore liable for damages. Under Pennsylvania law, even if you were negligent yourself and your negligence was a partial cause of the accident, you may still recover damages provided the defendant's negligence was at least 51% of the cause of the accident. In that situation, Pennsylvania juries are allowed to compare the negligence of the defendant to your negligence. Your recovery may be diminished to the extent your negligence caused the accident. Further, the value of your claim depends on the severity of your injury and all damages sustained in order to estimate justifiable compensation.

Compensation for a personal injury can include coverage for medical expenses, current and projected (future medical treatments, surgeries, etc.), lost income such as wages, bonuses, overtime pay and promotional pay, and loss of estimated future income that has been compromised as a result of your accident. Your spouse may also be entitled to the value of your services, both past and future, that have been lost as the result of your accident.

Compensation for personal injury can also include damages for pain and suffering, disability, physical impairment, disfigurement, mental anguish, inconvenience and loss of life contentment. Your spouse may also be considered for loss of consortium, i.e. loss of comfort, society, and physical attentions because of your injuries. There is no formula that a jury or a judge is required to use in order to determine these damages and the compensation is based on an individual case basis.

Physical Damages

Vehicle accidents, medical malpractice, premises liability, nursing home abuse, truck accidents, industrial accidents and defective products can all cause serious personal injury that can affect a victim's life temporarily or permanently. Personal injury can have lasting emotional and physical affects caused by:

• Arm, elbow, hand, shoulder and wrist injuries
• Back and neck injuries
• Loss of limbs, eyesight and hearing
• Paralysis
• Traumatic brain damage
• Burn injuries
• Facial injuries
• Ankle, foot, hip, knee and leg injuries
• Nerve damage
• Spinal cord injury
• Scarring and disfigurement

Arm, elbow, hand, shoulder and wrist injuries:

Arm, elbow, hand, shoulder and wrist injuries can result in carpal tunnel syndrome, sprains, fractures, ligament damage and nerve damage and muscle problems. Causes of these injuries can include repeated occupational duties (typing), vehicle accidents, sporting and/or recreational accidents, industrial and work-related accidents and slip and fall accidents.

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Back and neck injuries:

Back and neck injuries can lead to spinal cord injury and permanent disability. Back and neck injuries can be caused by sports or recreational activities, occupational tasks, direct trauma to the face, neck, head, or back as a result of car, motorcycle, boat, or truck accidents. Back and neck injuries can include sprains, fractures, dislocations of the spine, torn or ruptured discs and compression of nerves in the lower back.

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Loss of limbs, eyesight and hearing:

The loss of limbs, eyesight and hearing are irreparable personal injury damages and can be caused by vehicle accidents (car, bicycle, boat, motorcycle and truck), sporting and/or recreational accidents, physical assaults, work-related accidents, nursing home abuse, animal attacks and medical malpractice.

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Paralysis:

Paralysis is the complete loss of muscle function for one or more muscle groups. Such loss may involve only voluntary nerve group (motor nerves) but may also involve the sensory group (sensations of position, heat, cold and pressure) and possibly portions of the involuntary group (elimination, digestion and breathing). Causes of paralysis can include vehicle accidents (car, bicycle, boat, motorcycle and truck), traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, birth injuries, sporting and recreational accidents, physical assaults, slip and fall accidents, work-related accidents and medical malpractice.

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Traumatic brain damage:

Traumatic brain damage can be caused by a direct force to the brain and/or lack of oxygen and can result in temporary or often fatal injuries.

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Burn injuries:

Burn injuries can be caused by scalding liquid, vehicle accidents, fire accidents, chemical exposure, electricity and flammable liquids and gases. Burn injuries can range from first-degree: minor, second-degree: moderate and third-degree: severe.

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Facial injuries:

Injuries to the face are often extremely emotional and traumatic. Facial injuries can include eye injuries, lacerations, broken teeth and fractured facial bones. Facial injuries can be caused by auto accidents, physical assault, sporting or recreational accidents, industrial or work related accidents, slip and fall accidents and animal attacks. Facial injuries usually require extensive surgical treatments and can cause psychological damage to the victim.

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Ankle, foot, hip, knee and leg injuries:

Ankle, foot, hip, knee and leg injuries can be caused by auto accidents, sporting or recreational accidents, work related accidents, slip and fall accidents and nursing home abuse and neglect. Common injuries are breaks, fractures, dislocations, sprains and joint and muscle problems.

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Nerve damage:

Nerve damage disrupts the signals that are carried to and from the brain, causing muscles to function improperly and/or creating a loss of sensation. Nerve damage can be caused by open injuries, such as lacerations or large wounds, and closed injuries, such as fractures or dislocations.

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Spinal cord injury:

Spinal cord injury (SCI) occurs when the nerves within the spinal canal are damaged. Most SCI's are caused by trauma to the vertebral column, affecting the spinal cord's ability to send and receive messages from the brain to the body's systems that control sensory, motor and autonomic function. Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of SCI, followed by acts of violence, slip and fall accidents and sports injuries.

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Scarring and disfigurement:

Scarring and disfigurement can be caused by vehicle accidents, burn accidents, animal attacks and industrial/work-related accidents.

If you are the victim of a personal injury accident, it is critical that you take the following steps.

• Contact an experienced personal injury attorney who can advise you of your rights and litigation options.
• Take photographs of your injuries and of the scene of the accident. This can act as evidence in a court of law.
• Write down all the details of the accident as best as you can recall them including what caused the accident and the extent of economic and non-economic damages sustained.
• Write down the name, address and phone numbers of everyone who witnessed the accident and/or was present at the scene.
• Preserve the evidence. If you were injured as the result of a defective product, preserve the product as it is and inform your attorney of its possession.

If you or a loved one has suffered a personal injury due to the negligence of another, need business or real estate litigation advice, require the services of an experienced estate planning attorney, or have questions and want legal counsel on any of the information provided within, please contact the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania litigation attorneys of Brooks, Bradley & Kenney today, at (610) 565-4800, or use the contact form provided on this site to schedule your free consultation with an experienced and trusted Philadelphia civil litigation lawyer.

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