It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in, you’re bound to see changes throughout the years. Technology, laws, and behaviors can all significantly change how you do your job and access the services in other industries. In personal injury law, the changes have been more subtle. However, that doesn’t mean there haven’t been any. Whether you’re a lawyer or a client, you might have noticed the following emerging trends:  

Distracted Driving Cases Increasing

Speak to a law firm like Gorayeb, and you’ll likely hear mention of an increase in distracted driving-related personal injury claims. Victims of accidents are finding themselves at the mercy of other road users who don’t have their full attention on the road. When that happens, accidents can often be more likely.

Reports show that distraction-affected crashes increased by 11% from 2020 to 2021. Fatal distraction-affected crashes also increased by 5.4%. With more technology in vehicles, such as mobile devices, drivers are more distracted than ever before. However, drivers can also be distracted by eating, passengers, and navigation devices.

Drone Injuries Increasing

Drones are helpful unmanned aerial vehicles that people use to enjoy great views of areas they might not be able to see first-hand. They are also commonly used for mapping and surveying. However, the more drones in our skies, the more accidents can occur.

Common drone injuries include cuts and bruises, blunt force trauma, burns, and eye injuries. According to studies, arm and hand injuries are the most common, ranging from minor cuts to open fractures and digit amputation. Often, these accidents occur through human error, loss of control, poor piloting skills, and technical failure.

Social Media Used As Evidence

Lawyers and insurance companies can tap into a wealth of resources to strengthen their claims and weaken that of their opponents. In recent years, social media is proving to be one of the most important.

Insurers and lawyers can use photos, videos, and posts from individuals involved in personal injury claims to add weight to claims or dismiss them altogether. Social media’s public digital footprint is what makes many personal injury lawyers tell their clients to remain offline as their case proceeds through the legal system. Even something as simple as a photo of a family picnic showing you smiling might be enough for a defense attorney to say that you aren’t experiencing loss of life enjoyment due to your accident.

Personal Injury Law Firms Are Thriving

Personal injury law is a multi-billion-dollar industry. Over 50,000 firms and individual lawyers were operating in the United States in 2023. This is an increase of 0.1% from the previous year. No single reason exists for the increase in personal injury lawyers operating in the United States. However, their value for individuals might be contributing. Many people rely on personal injury lawyers for their experience, contingency fees, and ability to secure justice and settlement figures for accidents, malpractice, and injuries.

Many industries have evolved in recent years, and personal injury is no exception. If you intend on making a personal injury claim due to someone’s negligence or ill intentions, you might be surprised by how much the process differs from what you thought it would be.