Where Did Personal Injury Originate?
Personal Injury law has its roots in the fourteenth century, when people were just beginning to get monetary awards for damages done, but it didn’t come to full fruition until railroad construction took off in the 19th century. As workers spent long hours in dangerous situations, they began to develop chronic pain and other back problems. Now, many jobs were physically damaging, such as coal miners, factory workers, etc., but railroad workers were one of the first groups to receive personal injury compensation.
This compensation was not great, but it got the ball rolling, setting the stage for more and more groups of workers to get the compensation they deserve. Some law firms today have roots fighting for railroad workers back in the 19th century. The railroad workers also laid the foundation for personal injury law to be developed based on previous injuries and health conditions. For instance, before they would start working, they had to list any medical ailments they had prior to work so the employer would be help liable for injuries it did not produce.
