Were you hurt in an accident in Palm Harbor, FL? If someone else caused your injuries, you may be entitled to compensation for your pain and suffering, lost earnings, and more. An experienced Palm Harbor personal injury lawyer can help you fight for all the damages you deserve.
Catania & Catania Injury Lawyers has represented Palm Harbor accident victims for more than 28 years. We’ve recovered hundreds of millions for our injured clients. Contact our law firm today to schedule a free case review to discuss how we can help you.
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How Catania & Catania Injury Lawyers Can Help After an Accident in Palm Harbor, FL
An accident can happen in a moment and change your life forever. You should not have to fight for money for your medical bills and other losses. You deserve a tireless advocate who will take on the insurance company and take your case all the way to court if necessary.
Catania & Catania Injury Lawyers have fought for Palm Harbor accident victims and their families since 1992. Our award-winning personal injury law firm has been recognized with the 2020 Silver Client Champion Award and a “Preeminent” Martindale-Hubbell rating. We’ve recovered more than $500 million. With more than 120 years of combined experience, you can count on our law firm to give you the legal counsel you deserve.
We are a small law firm with big resources. We will not delegate your claim to a case manager; you will receive the personal attention you deserve.
Here is how our Palm Harbor personal injury accident lawyers can help you:
- Provide sound legal advice, support, and guidance
- Fight back against insurance company tactics
- Handle all communications and paperwork
- Work with experts to gather proof and provide expert opinion on causation and your damages
- Negotiate on your behalf and take your case to court if necessary
Do not trust the insurance company to treat you fairly. Call Catania & Catania Injury Lawyers in Palm Harbor, Florida, at (727) 513-6765 today for a free consultation to discuss your case.
How Common Are Accidents in Palm Harbor, FL?
A personal injury claim can result from any accident or violence caused by another person. In 2019, Florida had an age-adjusted injury rate almost 9% higher than the national average. The rate was 12.5% higher than average for unintentional injuries, such as car accidents, falls, and drownings.
According to FLHSMV, there were 16,464 traffic accidents in Pinellas County in 2021 alone. These accidents caused 159 fatalities and 9,428 injuries. Around 4,895 of the accidents were hit-and-run crashes that hurt 948 people and killed 11. Pinellas County saw 16 bicycle fatalities, 62 pedestrian deaths, and 29 motorcycle fatalities that year.
Slips and falls are one of the leading causes of accidental death, injury, and disability in Palm Harbor. Over 3,000 seniors died due to fall-related injuries in Florida in 2019 alone.
Falls do not only affect seniors. Slips and falls are a leading hazard in all workplaces. Falls are responsible for 20% of worker deaths and 27% of all nonfatal workplace injuries according to the CDC. They are the leading cause of workers’ compensation claims.
Dog bites are another common cause of injuries in Palm Harbor, FL. According to the Florida Department of Health, more than 600 Florida residents are hospitalized due to dog bite injuries each year. The average dog bite claim in Florida was almost $44,000. Children between 5 and 9 are at the greatest risk of being bitten by a dog.
Types of Personal Injury Cases We Handle in Palm Harbor
The Palm Harbor personal injury attorneys at Catania & Catania Injury Lawyers are well-versed in all areas of Florida personal injury law. We handle all types of accident injury cases, ranging from workplace accidents and traffic accidents to medical negligence, dangerous products, and intentional tort.
Contact our law firm if you or someone you love has been hurt in any of the following types of accidents:
- Car accident
- Motorcycle accident
- Pedestrian accident
- Lyft accident
- Boating accident
- Bus accident
- Truck accident
- Bicycle accident
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
- Catastrophic injuries
- Nursing home abuse
- Product liability cases
- Dangerous drugs
- Defective medical devices
- Premises liability cases
- Slip and fall accidents
Do not let the insurance company treat you unfairly or blame you for your accident. Contact our law office or call (727) 513-6765 to schedule a free consultation with a Palm Harbor personal injury lawyer ready to fight for you.
We’re here to help, 24/7
What is My Personal Injury Case Worth?
You likely have many questions after your accident, including questions about how much your case is worth. Unfortunately, there is no simple way to estimate the value of a personal injury case in Palm Harbor.
During your consultation, your Palm Harbor injury lawyer will consider many factors:
- Were you partially at fault for the accident? Did you fail to mitigate your damages?
- How much insurance coverage is available?
- Do you have a strong negligence case?
- What type of injuries did you suffer and how serious are they?
- Will you have ongoing medical needs?
- Will you be able to return to your job?
- How will your injuries affect your mental, physical, and emotional health in the future? What about your quality of life, relationships, and ability to perform daily activities?
As a general rule, cases involving serious or disabling injuries are worth more than injuries from which you can make a full recovery. Serious injuries come with higher personal losses and long-term financial costs.
The best way to determine how much your case is worth is by scheduling a free case review with a Palm Harbor personal injury attorney.
What Damages Can I Recover After an Accident in Palm Harbor, FL?
You are entitled to compensatory damages when the defendant is found at fault for your injuries.
Compensatory damages are divided into:
- Economic damages or special damages. This is compensation for your financial losses.
- Non-economic damages or general damages. This is compensation for your intangible, personal losses.
Economic damages can be quantified, even though it may require the help of experts. Non-economic damages will consider the severity and type of injuries you sustained, the circumstances of your accident, how your life will be changed, and more.
The following are common examples of financial compensation you may recover in a Palm Harbor personal injury case:
- Property damage
- Medical care bills
- Future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Future lost earnings due to diminished or lost earning capacity
- Household services
- Other financial damages like home or vehicle modifications and counseling
- Non-economic damages for emotional distress, disfigurement, mental anguish, pain and suffering, loss of consortium, reduced quality of life, loss of enjoyment in life, and more
If your case goes before a jury, you may be awarded punitive damages on top of your compensatory damages. These damages are rarely awarded in cases and are capped at $500,000 or 3x your compensatory damages.
What Happens if I’m Partially at Fault for an Accident in Palm Harbor, Florida?
Are you being blamed for an auto accident or slip and fall? This is a common tactic by insurance companies seeking to reduce their own liability.
Florida uses a pure comparative negligence doctrine. This means you can still recover financial compensation even if you were 99% to blame for your accident. The damages you recover will be reduced according to your share of the assigned fault.
Do not let the insurance company try to shift the blame onto you. Contact a personal injury lawyer in Palm Harbor, FL, as soon as possible if you are being blamed for your accident.
What is Negligence and How Does it Affect My Personal Injury Case?
After you are injured in an accident, recovering compensation from the at-fault party requires proving they were negligent. This means they were careless or failed to exercise reasonable care.
A successful personal injury case proves all four elements of negligence:
- The defendant owed you a duty of care. This may be the basic duty of care a motorist owes to others on the road to exercise caution and obey traffic laws. It may be a heightened duty of care owed by a medical provider or property owner.
- The defendant breached the duty of care they owed you.
- The breach caused your accident.
- You suffered damages due to the breached duty of care.
You must prove negligence by “a preponderance of the evidence.” This means it was more likely than not that the defendant’s actions were unreasonable and caused your accident.
Evidence of negligence can include accident reports, witness statements, photos of the accident scene, video surveillance, maintenance logs, hiring practices, internal company records, and more. We may use expert testimony to strengthen your case.
If the at-fault party violated a safety law that was passed to protect people like you in similar circumstances, you may have an easier way to prove negligence. When you show the defendant was negligent per se, or by the law, they are presumed negligent.
How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Florida?
You have a limited amount of time to pursue your personal injury accident case. The first step is usually working with an insurance company.
Florida is a no-fault insurance state; your case may begin by making a Personal Injury Protection (PIP) claim against your insurance policy. This must be done within 14 days in most cases. For other accident claims, you must submit your claim to the insurer within a reasonable amount of time.
If you are eligible to make a claim against the other party’s insurance company, your claim must be submitted within a reasonable amount of time. You may also pursue a personal injury lawsuit against the other party, either after negotiations with their insurance company fail or without submitting an insurance claim.
In Florida, there is a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury lawsuits. Your case must be filed before this deadline or your case will be dismissed without consideration.
If you have a claim against a government entity, you have even less time to seek compensation. In rare cases, you may have longer to file an injury lawsuit such as medical malpractice that is not discovered immediately.
If you or someone you love has been hurt in a personal injury accident contact our law firm today at (727) 513-6765.
What Does it Cost to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer in Palm Harbor, FL?
Concerned about the cost of legal representation after your accident? The Palm Harbor personal injury lawyers at Catania & Catania Injury Lawyers will represent you on a contingency fee basis. This means no out-of-pocket attorney’s fees for skilled representation on your behalf.
We will handle everything from investigating your case to presenting your case to a jury. You will only pay our fees if we are successful in negotiating a settlement or winning a verdict.
Schedule a Free Consultation with a Palm Harbor Personal Injury Lawyer
After a serious accident, you deserve sound legal advice and vigorous representation. Catania & Catania Injury Lawyers are prepared to fight on your behalf for the maximum compensation you deserve.
Contact our law office online or call us at (727) 513-6765 today for a free case review with a Palm Harbor personal injury lawyer to discuss your case.
