Personal injury attorneys handle cases that fall under the range of law known as tort law. "Tort" is actually an Old English word meaning "injury".

While many have mixed feelings about personal injury law, nearly everyone that has been victimized at the hands of another or suffered serious injuries from no fault of their own, will agree that hiring an injury lawyer was the single best thing did to recover from the damages they suffered.

Though some injury lawyers specialize in one particular field of personal injury law, such as elderly abuse or medical malpractice, a lawyer licensed to practice personal injury law can handle any type of the following:

• Motor vehicle accidents, including truck and car accidents, accidents involving motorcycles, buses, trains or any other vehicles that have an engine.
• Wrongful death cases. A wrongful death is where someone dies as a result of the actions of another. The surviving family, and sometimes other loved ones, can be compensated for their loss.
• Head and spine injuries. This area of injuries also covers things like traumatic brain damage and paralysis.
• Burn injuries. These types of injuries can include burns from fire or heated objects, as well as chemical burns and burns due to electrocution.
• Premises liability injuries. Most commonly this refers to what are known as slip and fall injuries that generally take place inside stores and restaurants.
• On the job accidents, including any type of injuries that are a result of one performing his or her duty on the job. Even in situations where the employee was partially at fault for the accident, compensation may still be available.
• Product liability. This covers injuries that happen as a result of defective products.
• Medical malpractice. Injuries are covered by this type of personal injury law when the negligence of careless acts of a healthcare professional cause harm to a patient.
• Elderly abuse or nursing home neglect. This is the area of law that covers physical and emotional abuse that is suffered by the elderly while they are under the care of a nursing home or at-home healthcare provider.

Though this is not a complete list of all injuries, or all areas of law, covered by personal injury laws, these are some of the most popular areas of practice in injury litigation.

To find out whether injuries you've suffered are covered by personal injury law, contact a professional injury attorney in your area.