Personal Injury Case Overview

A personal injury claim happens in Odessa when one person is injured because of another person’s misconduct. Usually, the misconduct is caused by negligence, which means essentially that another person was careless and injured you. In other cases, a personal injury claim is from recklessness, which is a more severe type of negligence, such as drunk driving. Many small personal injury claims might only involve a few hundred or thousands of dollars. However, a settlement could be much more if you suffer a catastrophic injury because of someone’s negligence. Common types of accidents that often lead to a personal injury claim in Odessa include the following.

Motor Vehicle Accidents

Motor vehicle accidents are common in Odessa and all around Texas, and there are usually serious and fatal car accidents in the state every day. These accidents can be broken into three areas:

• Auto: Car accidents are the most common type of injury claim in Odessa and Texas.
• Motorcycle: Bikers often suffer catastrophic injuries when they are hit by other vehicles.
• Trucking: Many tractor-trailers are driving around Odessa because of the heavy oil industry here. Unfortunately, far too many truck accidents cause serious and fatal injuries, too.
• Pedestrian: Pedestrians are often hit on the busy roads of Odessa, so it is important to keep an eye out. You may suffer tens or hundreds of thousands in damages if you are injured.
• Rideshare: Uber and Lyft accidents are more common in the Odessa area. If a rideshare driver hits you, your attorney should determine if they were on or off duty. When the Uber or Lyft driver is on duty, the company’s commercial insurance may be in effect, which could result in a larger settlement.

Product Liability

Product liability claims can lead to many kinds of personal injury lawsuits. A product liability claim can occur if someone suffers an injury from a product that is unreasonably dangerous or mislabeled. Note that the injured party does not need to be the person who bought it. To receive compensation in a product liability lawsuit, your attorney must prove the product had at least one of these defects:

• A defective design
• A manufacturing defect
• Insufficient warnings about the product’s dangers

You may be able to win a case against the product manufacturer without even proving that the company was at fault. But if you sue other parties in the distribution chain, you may have to prove fault.

Workplace Accidents

Oil and gas are big business in Odessa, Midland, and other cities in Texas. Unfortunately, these sites can cause serious injuries and even death when there are accidents. For example, gas pipeline explosions sometimes occur in remote areas of the Permian Basin. If that happens to you or a loved one, you could be entitled to workers’ compensation or compensation in a lawsuit, depending on the case. Some of the oil and gas workplace accidents in Odessa and the Permian Basin involve these companies:

• Exxon Mobil
• Apache
• Chevron
• Kinder Morgan
• Occidental Petroleum

Medical Malpractice

Medical malpractice happens when a physician or healthcare organization injures you through improper medical care. Some common medical malpractice cases in Odessa are surgical errors, misdiagnoses, improper prescriptions, and failure to diagnose. Winning a medical malpractice lawsuit usually requires the testimony of many expert medical professionals, and Cesar Ornelas Injury Law can help.

Wrongful Death

Any kind of Odessa personal injury claim can become a wrongful death action if the injured party dies in the accident or later. If you lost a loved one in an Odessa accident caused by someone’s negligence, you may be entitled to the following damages:

• Lost earnings
• Lost inheritance
• Medical bills of the deceased
• Pain and suffering of the deceased
• Mental anguish
• Burial and funeral costs
• Loss of care, support, and consortium

Slip And Fall

The owner of a public establishment in Odessa must ensure the facility is safe for guests and customers, and even trespassers in some cases. Also, homeowners must be sure their property is safe for anyone who goes there. If someone slips and falls at a business or home, a personal injury claim could occur.

Animal Bites

Many Odessans own dogs. Unfortunately, personal injury claims involving dog attacks are common. Texas is considered a ‘one bite’ state, meaning that the owner can be held strictly liable if the dog has bitten before. But if the dog has never bitten before, you may have to prove the dog was dangerous before you can receive compensation.

Other Kinds Of Odessa Personal Injury Cases

The above types of accidents are the most common in Odessa, but there are other types of claims in this area that could lead to a personal injury claim, including:

• Head injuries
• Burn injuries
• Electrocutions
• Drownings
• Food poisoning
• Battery and assault
• Aviation accidents
• Asbestos exposure and other mass torts

Regardless of the type of accident, if another party caused the incident, you could be entitled to compensation in Odessa. Available economic damages may include medical bills and lost earnings, which are relatively easy to prove. Non-economic damages include pain and suffering; your attorney will be needed to obtain the best compensation in this category.

Contact Our Odessa, TX Personal Injury Attorney Today

If you’re hurt in a catastrophic accident, you might have difficulty getting out of bed and dressing yourself, let alone work and take care of your kids. You could be entitled to compensation if your catastrophic injuries stem from an accident caused by someone’s negligence. So, contact our Odessa, TX personal injury attorneys today at Cesar Ornelas Injury Law for more information.