Tampa Personal Injury Lawyer

Hiring an injury attorney increases the odds of winning your case. It also sets you up to walk away with way more compensation than if you go it alone. How much more? According to one study, you might get as much as 3.5 times more money by having an expert represent you.

Insurance companies – and other defendants that might possibly be involved in your case -will probably have an advantage over you from the start. They deal with cases like yours every day. They know the claims procedure and know that you’re probably stressed out, overwhelmed, and unsure about what to do right now. This is probably new to you. They’ll try to use that against you.

Hiring a personal injury attorney strips away any advantage the other side might have. It gives you access to the law firm’s resources and levels the playing field. Hiring the right attorney for you can even tip the scales in your favor. It forces the other side to play by the rules and shows them that you’re serious about getting the damages you deserve.

You’ll need time to heal from your physical and mental wounds. You can’t do that when you are stressed out because of a lawsuit. Putting your case in experienced hands means giving yourself the opportunity to focus on getting better.

Your lawyer will handle every aspect of your pursuit of compensation – from filing the necessary paperwork, responding to other parties, negotiating on your behalf, and litigating your case in front of a jury (if necessary). They’ll help you make the important decisions and ultimately help to take a lot of the stress out of the situation for you.

There’s a good chance that insurance companies will try to deny or minimize your claim by saying that you are to blame. If these “blame the victim” tactics are successful, it’ll damage your ability to get the financial award you need. Under Florida state law, damages are reduced by degree of liability. Damages are totally barred when you’re assigned all of the blame. So, it’s important to defend yourself against these types of claims.

You might not know what it will take to fend off these claims. Your attorney will know how to do that best. They’ll be able to identify the best evidence and most effective ways to protect you (and your financial award).

You might have a legitimate case if you’ve suffered injuries because someone else was careless. You could also have a case if:

• You were injured while you were lawfully on someone else’s property (maybe you slipped and fell or were struck by falling debris)
• You were injured while using an unreasonably dangerous or defective product (like a toy, tool, or medication)
• You were physically assaulted or attacked
• You or a family member has been abused or neglected in a nursing home
• You’ve suffered because a medical professional made a mistake.

Your case – and how strong it is – depends on your ability to prove that someone else owed you a duty of care, didn’t uphold it, and caused you to get hurt.

If you believe you have a case – or want expert input on your situation – reach out to our law firm for assistance. An experienced Tampa personal injury attorney will be happy to listen to your story and assess your situation.

In Florida, you can seek both economic and non-economic damages in a personal injury claim.

Economic damages are awarded to make up for the costs (both present and future) that are related to your accident. This can include medical bills, rehabilitation, lost wages, disability, and funeral costs.

Non-economic damages are awarded to compensate for consequences that don’t have a set value. Often referred to as “pain and suffering damages,” this can include compensation for mental anguish, loss of quality of life, disfigurement, and other hard-to-value trauma.

In limited instances, punitive damages might be available. Intended to punish the defendant, they’re only awarded when you can prove that they were grossly negligent or acted intentionally.

You can still recover compensation. But, under Florida’s pure comparative negligence law, your damages will be reduced. The law says that your award will be reduced in direct proportion to your share of the blame. If you’re 30% responsible, your settlement or verdict will be reduced by 30%. At the same time, you’ll be liable to that degree – 30% – to other parties.

Every single case is different. The value of your case will depend on the answers to questions like these:

• How serious are your injuries?
• What are your current out-of-pocket costs?
• What expenses and financial losses will you probably have in the future?
• Did you contribute to your accident? If so, what’s your proportionate share of the blame?
• How have the accident and resulting injury affected your quality of life?
• Will you be able to go back to work?
• Will your ability to earn an income be affected?

Typically, the more severe the injury and trauma, the higher the value of a related personal injury dispute.

Four years. That’s the statute of limitations for most personal injury lawsuits in the state of Florida. 

You might have more or less time to act, depending on the circumstances. For instance, cases involving the government, wrongful death, and medical malpractice are subject to accelerated timelines. That can be anywhere from a few months to two years. On the other hand, you may have additional time if the statute of limitations is tolled because the victim is a minor or the defendant can’t be located.

Know this – you lose the right to file a claim and demand compensation if you miss the deadline that applies to your specific case.

There are no upfront costs to hire a lawyer to represent you. Usually, it costs anywhere from 33% to 40% of your award. This is because they work on contingency, meaning that their fee totally depends on whether they can win your case.

It’s a win-win: you get an experienced accident attorney as an advocate and don’t have to worry about the cost. And, your lawyer’s fee is entirely dependent on how well they do their job, so they’ll work hard to help you win.