Personal injury 2634005 225352992 2008-07-13T06:37:29Z Eubulides 3573537 Add an illustration of a personal injury. [[Image:Very slippy-weather.jpg|thumb|[[James Gillray]], ''Very Slippy-Weather'' (1808)]] A '''personal injury''' occurs when a [[person]] has suffered some form of [[injury]], either physical or psychological, as the result of an [[accident]] or [[medical malpractice]]. The most common type of personal injury claims are road traffic accidents, accidents at work, tripping accidents, assault claims, accidents in the home, defective product accidents and holiday accidents. Indeed, there are a multitude of types of accident and the term ''personal injury'' also incorporates medical and dental accidents (which lead to numerous medical and dental negligence claims every year) and conditions which are often classified as ''industrial disease'' cases. Industrial disease type cases include [[asbestosis]] and [[mesothelioma]], chest diseases (e.g. emphysema, pneumoconiosis, silicosis, chronic bronchitis, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and chronic obstructive airways disease), vibration white finger, occupational deafness, occupational stress, contact dermititus, and repetitive strain injury cases. Where the accident was the fault of someone else, the injured party may be entitled to monetary [[Damages|compensation]] from the person whose negligent conduct caused the injury. At least in the [[United States]] this system is complex and controversial with critics calling for various forms of [[tort reform]]. Attorneys often represent clients on a "contigency basis," in which the attorney does not charge for services until the case is resolved. In [[England]] and [[Wales]], under the limitation rules, where an individual is bringing a claim for compensation, court proceedings must be commenced within 3 years of the date of the accident, failing which the claimant will lose the right to bring their claim. However, if the injured party was under the age of 18 at the time of the accident, then they have up until the day prior to their 21st birthday to commence proceedings. [[Legal Aid]] for personal injury cases was largely abolished in the late 1990s and replaced with "no win, no fee" arrangements. '''Structured Settlements in Personal Injury Cases''' Often, the use of a [[Structured Settlement]] is desired by the injury victim to help protect them financially after an injury settlement.{{Fact|date=December 2007}} Structured Settlements provide injury victims with tax benefits and enable proper financial planning for future needs of the injury victim as a result of the injury.{{Fact|date=December 2007}} ==See also== *[[Pain and suffering]] [[Category:Civil law]] [[Category:Tort law]] [[de:Immaterieller Schaden]] [[it:Danno morale]] [[nl:Affectieschade]] [[pl:Szkoda niemajÄ…tkowa]] [[pt:Dano moral]]