If you’ve been hurt in an accident or by someone else’s careless choices, one of the first questions you may have is: “Do I even have a case?” Another is, “What kind of case is this?”

Personal injury law is a big umbrella. Under it are many specific types of personal injury cases, each with its own rules, evidence, and strategies. At Moran Law Group, we represent injured people and families across Scranton and Northeast Pennsylvania in a wide range of these claims.

This guide breaks down the major case types we handle, what each one usually involves, and why it matters to have a Scranton personal injury lawyer who understands the differences.

What Is a Personal Injury Case?

A personal injury case is a civil claim that arises when a person is harmed because someone else acted negligently, recklessly, or intentionally. Instead of sending the wrongdoer to jail, the civil system focuses on compensation—money damages to help you recover medical costs, lost income, and the impact on your life.

Most personal injury claims are built on negligence. In simple terms, that means:

  • Someone had a duty to act reasonably (drive safely, maintain property, follow safety rules, etc.). 
  • They breached that duty. 
  • Their actions caused your injury. 
  • You suffered damages, such as medical bills, pain, or lost wages. 

The specific type of personal injury case you have depends on where and how you were injured, who was involved, and what legal duties applied.

Motor Vehicle Accident Cases

Motor vehicle crashes are among the most common types of personal injury cases we see in Scranton and NEPA. Even a “minor” crash can lead to serious pain, lost time at work, and long-term problems.

Car Accidents

Car accidents can involve:

  • Rear-end collisions 
  • T-bone or intersection crashes 
  • Head-on collisions 
  • Multi-vehicle pileups 
  • Single-vehicle crashes caused by road hazards or another driver’s negligence 

These cases often involve questions about distracted driving, speeding, drunk driving, failure to yield, or violations of Pennsylvania traffic laws. We look closely at police reports, witness statements, vehicle damage, and any available video to build your claim.

Truck and Commercial Vehicle Accidents

Crashes with semi-trucks, box trucks, delivery vehicles, and other commercial vehicles are often more complex. Possible at-fault parties may include:

  • The truck driver 
  • The trucking company 
  • A shipper or loading company 
  • A maintenance contractor 

There may also be important evidence like driver logs, “black box” data, and company safety policies that need to be preserved quickly. Because of the potential for catastrophic injuries, the stakes in truck cases are often very high.

Motorcycle, Pedestrian, and Bicycle Accidents

Motorcyclists, pedestrians, and cyclists are extremely vulnerable in a crash. Without the protection of a vehicle frame, their injuries tend to be severe—brain injuries, fractures, spinal injuries, and more.

These cases frequently involve issues like:

  • Drivers failing to see motorcycles or pedestrians 
  • Left-turn collisions 
  • Unsafe passing 
  • Dooring incidents for cyclists 

Our role is to show how the driver’s choices caused the crash and to fully document the long-term impact on your health and daily life.

Slip and Fall and Other Premises Liability Cases

Another major category in the types of personal injury cases we handle is premises liability—injuries that occur because a property owner or manager failed to keep their property reasonably safe.

Common Premises Liability Situations

Examples include:

  • Slipping on wet or freshly mopped floors without warning signs 
  • Tripping over uneven flooring, broken steps, or loose carpeting 
  • Falls caused by ice and snow that wasn’t properly treated 
  • Poor lighting in stairwells or parking lots 
  • Falling objects or unsafe displays in stores 
  • Unsafe conditions in apartment buildings or rental properties 

In these cases, we look at who owned or controlled the property, what they knew about the hazard, how long it existed, and what they did—or didn’t do—to fix it or warn visitors.

Why Premises Cases Are Different

Premises liability cases often hinge on details: surveillance footage, incident reports, maintenance records, and witness statements. Evidence can disappear quickly—video gets recorded over and hazards are repaired. Having a Scranton personal injury attorney involved early makes it easier to preserve what we need to prove your claim.

Construction Accidents and Work-Related Injuries

Construction sites and industrial workplaces are filled with potential dangers: heavy equipment, power tools, elevated work areas, and busy crews. When companies cut corners on safety, workers and bystanders can be seriously hurt.

Types of Construction and Work Injury Cases

We handle cases involving:

  • Falls from ladders, scaffolds, or roofs 
  • Being struck by falling objects or equipment 
  • Electrocutions and electrical accidents 
  • Forklift and machinery incidents 
  • Unsafe excavation or trench collapses 
  • Violations of safety regulations and industry standards 

If you were hurt on the job, you may already be dealing with workers’ compensation. But workers’ comp is not the only possible avenue for recovery.

Third-Party Claims

In many situations, you may have a third-party personal injury claim in addition to workers’ compensation. These claims can be brought against:

  • Negligent subcontractors 
  • Property owners 
  • Equipment and tool manufacturers 
  • Other companies working on the site 

A third-party claim can potentially provide compensation for pain and suffering and other losses that workers’ comp does not cover. Our firm looks at the full picture to identify every liable party.

Dog Bites and Animal Attacks

Dog bites and animal attacks are another important type of personal injury case we handle. These incidents can cause:

  • Deep puncture wounds and lacerations 
  • Infections and scarring 
  • Nerve damage 
  • Emotional trauma, especially for children 

Pennsylvania law has specific rules about dog owner responsibilities and when they can be held liable. We look at factors like:

  • Whether the dog had a history of aggression 
  • How the incident occurred 
  • Where it happened (public space, private property, apartment complex, etc.) 
  • The severity of the injuries and any long-term effects 

Our goal is to secure compensation for medical treatment, scar revision, counseling if needed, and the broader impact on your life.

Medical Malpractice Cases

Medical malpractice cases arise when doctors, nurses, hospitals, or other healthcare professionals fail to meet accepted standards of care, and a patient is harmed as a result.

Common Forms of Medical Negligence

Examples include:

  • Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis of serious conditions 
  • Surgical errors and anesthesia mistakes 
  • Medication errors, including wrong drugs or dosages 
  • Birth injuries to mothers or babies 
  • Failure to monitor patients properly 
  • Poor infection control and hospital-acquired infections 

These cases are complex. They usually require expert testimony to explain what the standard of care was and how it was violated. We carefully review medical records, consult with qualified experts, and work to uncover what truly happened.

Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect

When families place a loved one in a nursing home or long-term care facility, they trust that person will receive proper care. Sadly, that trust is not always honored.

Signs of Abuse or Neglect

Nursing home cases may involve:

  • Unexplained bruises, fractures, or injuries 
  • Bedsores (pressure ulcers) 
  • Frequent falls 
  • Malnutrition or dehydration 
  • Poor hygiene and unsanitary conditions 
  • Sudden changes in mood or behavior 
  • Emotional or verbal abuse 
  • Financial exploitation 

These cases often combine medical issues with broader questions about staffing levels, training, supervision, and facility management. We work to hold both individual caregivers and institutions accountable when they fail to protect residents.

Catastrophic Injury and Brain/Spinal Cord Cases

Some types of personal injury cases involve life-changing, catastrophic injuries. These cases can arise from car crashes, falls, workplace accidents, medical negligence, or intentional harm.

Examples of Catastrophic Injuries

  • Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and concussions 
  • Spinal cord injuries and paralysis 
  • Severe fractures with hardware and long-term limitations 
  • Amputations and loss of limb 
  • Serious burns and disfigurement 
  • Complex regional pain syndrome and chronic pain conditions 

Catastrophic injury cases require careful planning because they often involve:

  • Lifetime medical and rehabilitation costs 
  • Assistive devices and home modifications 
  • Permanent loss of earning capacity 
  • Ongoing personal care needs 

We work with medical professionals, life care planners, and economists to project future needs and fight for compensation that reflects the true long-term impact.

Wrongful Death Cases

When a loved one dies because of someone else’s negligence or wrongdoing, the surviving family may pursue a wrongful death case. This is one of the most sensitive and serious types of personal injury claims we handle.

Wrongful death cases can arise from many events, including:

  • Fatal car or truck crashes 
  • Construction accidents 
  • Medical malpractice 
  • Dangerous property conditions 
  • Drunk driving or overserving at bars 
  • Violent assaults or criminal acts 

These claims seek to provide compensation for funeral and burial expenses, lost financial support, and the loss of companionship, guidance, and services the loved one provided. They also hold the at-fault party accountable in civil court.

Liquor Liability and Dram Shop Cases

Liquor liability, often called dram shop law, involves situations where bars, restaurants, or other establishments overserve alcohol to a visibly intoxicated person who then causes harm.

Examples include:

  • A drunk driver who was overserved at a bar causing a serious crash 
  • A patron who becomes violent after being served too much alcohol 
  • Underage drinking facilitated by negligent servers or establishments 

These cases can overlap with other types of personal injury cases—especially auto accidents and assault-related claims. We investigate where the person was drinking, what staff observed, and whether alcohol service laws were violated.

Abuse and Crime Victim Civil Claims

Finally, one of the most important types of cases we handle involves abuse and crime victims. When someone is assaulted, abused, or harmed by criminal conduct, the criminal justice system may pursue charges—but that process is focused on punishment, not on compensating the victim.

Civil abuse and crime victim cases can involve:

  • Sexual assault and sexual abuse 
  • Child abuse 
  • Institutional abuse by schools, churches, camps, or other organizations 
  • Negligent security, where a property owner failed to provide reasonable safety measures 
  • Other violent crimes where negligence contributed to the harm 

These cases are often emotionally complex and require a trauma-informed approach. Our role is to pursue compensation from individuals, institutions, and businesses that allowed the abuse or attack to happen, while protecting your privacy and dignity as much as possible.

Why the Type of Case Matters

You might wonder why it matters what type of personal injury case you have. After all, you were hurt and someone else is to blame—shouldn’t that be enough?

In practice, the classification of your case affects:

  • Who you can sue (drivers, employers, property owners, medical providers, institutions, etc.) 
  • What evidence we need to prove negligence 
  • Which laws and legal deadlines apply 
  • What damages are available 
  • Whether there are special procedures (for example, medical malpractice requirements or claims against government entities) 
  • How negotiations and, if necessary, litigation are handled 

A slip and fall in a grocery store is very different from a surgical error at a hospital or a truck crash on the highway. The right legal strategy depends on understanding those differences and knowing how to apply Pennsylvania law to the specific facts of your case.

Not Sure What Kind of Case You Have? That’s Our Job.

You don’t need to walk into our office knowing whether your case is “premises liability,” “medical malpractice,” or “dram shop.” That’s what we’re here for.

When you contact Moran Law Group:

  • We listen to your story in detail. 
  • We ask questions that help us understand where, when, and how you were injured. 
  • We identify all the potential types of personal injury cases your situation might involve. 
  • We explain, in plain language, what your options are and what the next steps look like. 

Often, a single incident may involve more than one legal theory—for example, a drunk driving crash (auto accident) where the driver was overserved at a bar (dram shop), or workplace injuries with both workers’ compensation and third-party claims. Our job is to spot those issues and make sure every responsible party is included.

Talk With a Scranton Personal Injury Lawyer About Your Case

If you were hurt in Scranton or anywhere in NEPA and you’re not sure whether you “have a case,” you don’t have to guess. The safest thing you can do is get personalized advice from an experienced personal injury lawyer in Scranton, PA like the ones at The Moran Law Group. We handle these case types every day. Contact us to see if you have a case.

At Moran Law Group, we offer free, no-obligation consultations. We’ll review what happened, answer your questions, and give you honest guidance about your options. If we take your case, we’ll handle the legal and insurance details so you can focus on healing and moving forward.

Frequently Asked Questions About Types of Personal Injury Cases We Handle

1. What if my situation doesn’t seem to fit one of these case types?

Many people assume they don’t have a claim because their situation doesn’t look like a “classic” car accident or slip and fall. In reality, the law recognizes many different ways someone can be harmed by another’s negligence or wrongdoing. Your case might involve a less common scenario, or a mix of several legal theories at once. For example, an assault outside a bar could involve negligent security, dram shop liability, and premises liability. You don’t need to put a label on it before you call us. During a free consultation, we’ll listen to what happened, ask clarifying questions, and explain which legal categories your case fits into and what that means for your options.

2. Can one incident count as more than one type of personal injury case?

Yes. It’s very common for a single incident to involve multiple types of personal injury cases at the same time. For instance, a drunk driving crash may be both a motor vehicle accident and a liquor liability case if a bar overserved the driver. A fall at work might involve workers’ compensation and a third-party construction accident or premises liability claim. These overlaps are important because they can open up additional paths to compensation and expand the number of parties who may be held responsible. A key part of our job as Scranton personal injury lawyers is to identify all potential claims so that no opportunity for recovery is missed.

3. How do I know if my injury is serious enough to talk to a lawyer?

There is no strict rule about what counts as “serious enough,” but in general, you should talk to a lawyer if your injury required medical treatment beyond basic first aid, caused you to miss work, or continues to affect your daily life. Even injuries that seem minor at first—like whiplash or a concussion—can develop into more serious problems over time. It’s also important to consider future medical needs and long-term limitations, which are easy to overlook when you’re just trying to get through the next few days. A free consultation with our firm can help you understand the potential value of your claim and whether pursuing it makes sense for you and your family.

4. What information do you need to figure out what type of case I have?

When you contact us, we’ll start with the basics: where the incident happened, when it occurred, who was involved, and how the injury occurred. From there, we may ask about the location (roadway, workplace, business, medical facility, nursing home, private home), whether any reports were filed, what the weather and lighting were like, and whether there were witnesses or video cameras nearby. We’ll also ask about your medical treatment, diagnosis, and how your injuries are affecting your work and daily life. Any documents you have—photos, police reports, medical records, letters from insurance companies—are helpful, but not required for an initial call. Once we have this information, we can usually identify the main case types and explain them to you in clear, simple terms.

5. What should I do right now if I think I have a personal injury case?

If you think you may have a claim, there are a few key steps you can take right away. First, get the medical care you need and follow your doctor’s recommendations—your health comes first, and medical records will be important evidence. Second, if possible, gather and preserve any information related to the incident, such as photos, contact information for witnesses, and copies of reports. Third, avoid discussing fault or posting about the incident on social media, as those statements can be taken out of context later. Finally, reach out to a Scranton personal injury attorney as soon as you can. The earlier we’re involved, the easier it is to protect evidence, handle insurance communications for you, and make sure important legal deadlines are not missed.