What compensation is due to me if I am injured by the fault of someone else?

Personal injury victims are entitled to financial compensation for elements of damages including, but not limited to the following:

• Lost wages in the past, including overtime and benefits
• Lost wages in the future, loss of the ability to earn money in the future
• Medical expenses in the past
• Medical expenses in the future
• Physical disability
• Permanent and significant scarring
• Disfigurement
• Pain and suffering
• Aggravation
• Inconvenience
• Loss of the enjoyment of life
• Embarrassment
• Mental disability
• Emotional trauma
• Property damage
• The expense of having somebody else perform chores such as home maintenance and cleaning and yard maintenance.
• The expense of having somebody else perform tasks at your business, if you are self employed.

How do I know if I may make a personal injury claim?

For our firm to represent you in a personal injury case, you must have been seriously injured through the fault of someone else.  The injuries may be physical and/or mental or emotional.

What if the accident is partly my fault? Can I still have a claim?

In Florida, even if an accident was partially your fault, you still may have a claim based on the concept of comparative negligence. The term "comparative negligence" refers to negligence by an injured person that may have contributed to causing that persons own injuries. Under comparative negligence concepts, the fault of all parties is compared and the amount of the recovery for damages sustained by the injured victim is reduced by the percentage of his or her own fault. In this way, each person is held accountable for the amount of damages that they caused.

In Florida, comparative negligence concepts may apply to cases other than negligence cases. For instance, even where there is "strict liability" on the part of the person or company that caused the injuries, comparative negligence may be a consideration.

Generally speaking, where someone intentionally hurts another, comparative negligence in not an issue.

How do I know if I need a lawyer?

If you have been seriously injured or are unsure as to whether your injuries will permanently affect you, then you should consult and experienced personal injury before you give any statements or sign any papers.

Insurance companies have conducted studies showing that they generally pay injured people less money if the injured people do not have lawyers. This is why insurance companies often encourage injured people not to hire lawyers.

From the insurance companies perspective, it makes good business sense to discourage injured people from hiring competent help.

But from the standpoint of the injured person, it is important to hire a lawyer as soon as possible. Our firm offers a free consultation, with no obligation to higher us. If you have questions about an injury claim, you should contact a law firm as soon as possible after you are injured so as not to do anything (such as giving statements or signing papers) that might limit your ability to make a claim.

If I have a personal injury claim, do I have to go the Court?

While most injury claims are settled out of Court during discussions between lawyers and the insurance companies, some cases do go to trial. The decision of whether to submit your case to a jury, as opposed to accepting a settlement offer, is your decision. The lawyer acts as an advisor, but the final decision is made by the client.

How long do I have to make a claim for personal injuries?

In Florida, as in other states, statutes of limitations limit the time within which a party can take legal action. If the appropriate action is not taken before the statute of limitations elapses, the claims will be barred.

How long will it take to resolve my claim?

The time it takes to resolve a claim depends on many factors. Generally, more complicated cases take longer to settle than simpler ones. Likewise, cases with very serious injuries take longer than those with less serious injuries. Claims can be resolved within a couple of years of the incident.

What if I have been injured in an automobile accident?

Under Florida law, if a person is injured in a collision, or if there is significant property damage, the police must be called to investigate the accident. Even if the police do not come, it is essential that you obtain the name, address, insurance company and policy number of each person involved in the accident. You should also get the name and address of the owners of the vehicles in the accident and the tag numbers of all the vehicles in the accident.

If there are independent witnesses to the accident, you should get their names, addresses and telephone numbers as well.

While you must report a collision to your auto insurance carrier in order to preserve your right to make a claim under your policy, generally speaking there is no obligation to speak with the insurance carrier of the other driver. Often it is not in the best interest of an injured person to speak with the opposing insurance carrier without the advice of the lawyer.

What should I do if I have received injuries by slipping and falling down?

Business owners and home owners have a duty to those they expressly or implicitly invite onto their premises, to take reasonable care to prevent the existence of dangerous condition on their property. This duty includes not only refraining from creating dangerous conditions but also inspecting their property at reasonable intervals to make sure dangerous conditions have not arisen by the acts of others. Further, property owners have an obligation to invitees to warn them of hidden dangerous conditions that the property owners know of or would know of if they exercised reasonable care.

The field of the law is referred to as "Premises Liability." Typical examples of Premises Liability include instances where a grocery store owner fails to inspect his floor for slippery debris at reasonable intervals, where a business owner creates a dangerous condition such as placing an electrical cord across a doorway or where a business owner fails to provide reasonable security, taking into consideration the amount of crime in the neighborhood where the store is located.