You should hire a personal injury attorney in Florida when your case is complex enough to require a lawyer’s professional experience and expertise.
A personal injury attorney can handle all the legwork in your case while you focus on your recovery.
Why Is it Important to Hire a Personal Injury Attorney with Trial Experience?
If you file a personal injury claim in Florida, you’re not automatically guaranteed a quick settlement through an insurance company. Sometimes, settlement negotiations fail, causing the case to move on to the court and a trial. As a result, it’s important to hire a personal injury attorney with trial experience.
How Do Insurance Carriers View Personal Injury Attorneys with Ample Trial Experience?
Insurance companies are notorious for taking advantage of injured people who want to be compensated for their damages. This is why it’s vital to avoid going it alone in this situation and have a personal injury attorney on your side. Your lawyer knows the tactics commonly used by insurance companies when it comes to paying. Insurers know this and prefer dealing with attorneys who have strong trial experience. They are also more likely to make a reasonable settlement offer when an attorney is involved in a personal injury case.
How Personal Injury Attorneys Help You Avoid Missing Critical Deadlines
Personal injury attorneys know the statute of limitations relevant to your case, so they can ensure that your lawsuit is filed in a timely manner. They also know when evidence and various paperwork should be delivered to the defense or the court, which prevents you from missing critical deadlines.
Your Attorney Knows How to Deal with Defense Tactics
Your personal injury attorney knows how to counter all the worst defense tactics. If the defendant’s lawyer or insurance company tries to claim that you were responsible for your injuries or tries offering a lowball settlement offer, your attorney will see right through it and fight those claims.
Personal Injury Attorneys Know What Evidence You Need
Personal injury attorneys know exactly what evidence is necessary to prove your case. They won’t stop until they have gathered all the pertinent evidence. This could include photos and video, eyewitness accounts of the accident or incident, your medical records and more.
How They Account for Your Injuries
A personal injury attorney takes into account the long-term effects of your injuries when handling your case. If you need to go to trial, your attorney will keep this fact in mind and use it when fighting to get you the best settlement possible. If your injuries are severe, long-term or permanent, it means that you will have just cause to request a higher settlement amount to cover the costs of those expected expenses.
Understanding the Importance of Accurately Calculating Damages
Regardless of the severity of your injuries or whether they are permanent, a personal injury attorney with ample trial experience will know how to accurately calculate your damages. As a result, they know how to get you a satisfactory settlement to compensate you for your out-of-pocket losses and noneconomic damages, which are more challenging to prove.
How They Provide Support and Guidance
Personal injury attorneys are able to provide their clients with support and guidance. They know how your injuries have affected you and will make sure that you get everything you deserve in your case. They won’t stop fighting to protect your rights and will hold the defendant liable.
When Your Personal Injury Case Goes to Trial
Having a personal injury attorney on your side means that you are in good hands in the event that your case needs to go to trial. A lawyer with trial experience knows what needs to be done before and during your court appearance and can expertly handle presenting arguments to work in your favor. They will bring in expert witnesses if necessary and recreate the accident if the facts of how it occurred are unclear.
Sometimes, You’re Entitled to More Compensation Than You Think
Some personal injury lawsuits are more complex than others. Depending on the factors of your case, you might actually be entitled to more compensation than you think. Your personal injury attorney knows when this is the case and will ensure that you get a settlement that’s even higher than what you expected to compensate you for your damages. If the defendant behaved egregiously in the situation that caused your injuries, the jury may even choose to award you punitive damages, giving you even more in your settlement.
Your Personal Injury Attorney Can Get You the Maximum Compensation
A major reason to hire a Florida personal injury attorney is that they have the knowledge and experience to get you the maximum compensation in your case. Often, if you seek a settlement from an insurance company, an adjuster will try to offer you far less than what’s able to compensate you for your damages. This is far more likely to happen when you represent yourself or negotiate with the insurance company on your own. Attorneys know how to deal with insurance companies and will ensure that you get the maximum amount in your settlement.
They Handle All the Major Work in Your Case
When you’re dealing with a personal injury lawsuit and trying to recuperate from your injuries, the last thing you want is to have to handle your case yourself. This is another reason why having a personal injury attorney is essential; they can handle all the major work in your case so that you don’t have to do it yourself. Your attorney will deal with all the paperwork and evidence in your case and communicate with the insurance company and defense lawyer. This leaves you free to relax and focus on your recovery.
They Can Explain the Law to You in a Simple Way
Having a personal injury attorney represent you in your case means that you can better understand the law. Your attorney can explain every aspect to you in a way that’s simple for you to understand. Some details might be complex, but you can ask as many questions as necessary and your attorney will interpret the law for you.
You Only Pay if You Win
Personal injury attorneys work on a contingency fee basis. That means you only pay a percentage of your settlement if you win your case. If you don’t win, you don’t have to pay.
Avoiding Common Pitfalls
It’s normal for all cases to potentially have certain pitfalls. Your personal injury attorney can help you to avoid them. Their experience and knowledge make this possible. As a layperson, if you represent yourself, you might not know how to overcome those pitfalls.
Focus On Getting Better
Your attorney handles all the legal aspects of your personal injury case. This gives you the chance to focus on getting better as you heal from your injuries. Letting them handle all the red tape means you can heal faster and have peace of mind.
Your Attorney is Familiar with the Court System
Personal injury lawyers are familiar with the court system, which gives you an edge in your case if you’ve hired one. They know how to maneuver the court system to your best advantage.
They Give You a Realistic Perspective
Your personal injury attorney gives you a realistic perspective on your case. They will explain whether you can expect a higher or lower settlement and the strategy that might work best.
They Can Ensure Full Compensation for Your Medical Expenses
Part of your economic damages in a personal injury lawsuit involves your medical expenses. When you hire a personal injury attorney, they can ensure that you are fully compensated for all out-of-pocket expenses relating to the medical care and ongoing treatment you need for your injuries.
Defense Attorneys Take You More Seriously
Having a personal injury attorney representing you in your case means that the defendant’s attorney will take you more seriously. Instead of running legal circles around you because of your lack of knowledge of the law, the defense attorney will view you differently and acknowledge your case as having merit. By contrast, plaintiffs who represent themselves often get taken advantage of unless they have ample legal knowledge.
Your Attorney Can Help You Avoid Financial Losses
A Florida personal injury attorney can help you avoid financial losses you might have otherwise suffered in your case. This is because they know how much money your case is worth and will fight to ensure that you get more than your fair share when it comes to your settlement.
Attorneys Have Experience Working with Insurance Companies
Personal injury attorneys have experience working with insurance companies, which puts you at an advantage if you have one on your side. They know all the tactics traditionally used by insurers to make lowball settlement offers. However, insurance companies won’t try such things with a lawyer.
They Can Represent You Well in Court
If your case goes to trial, having a personal injury attorney is crucial because they’re able to represent you well in court. Their knowledge and experience give you an edge compared with plaintiffs who choose to represent themselves.
How They Can Protect You
An attorney can protect you in your personal injury case thanks to their knowledge of the law. They will fight to get you the compensation you deserve to cover your out-of-pocket and expected costs related to your medical treatment, lost wages and other damages. If your case entails dealing with an insurance company, your attorney will ensure that they and the defendant are held liable.
Need free legal help in Florida?
We specialize in personal injury claims.
Understanding Personal Injury Law
Personal injury law is also known as tort law. It protects people who have been injured and suffered property damage as a result of someone else’s negligence.
Why You Might Need a Florida Personal Injury Attorney
There are many reasons why you might need a Florida personal injury attorney. Some of them are that you’ve been involved in a car accident, you’ve been in a motorcycle accident, you were in an accident involving a commercial truck, you were in a boating accident, you lost a loved one to wrongful death, you suffered a pedestrian accident, you had a slip-and-fall in public, you experienced an RV accident, you were in a water sports accident, you experienced an aircraft accident, a dog bit or attacked you, you were injured while on vacation, a faulty product left you injured, negligence caused you injuries, you sustained long-term or permanent injuries or an insurance company has refused to pay you.
Car Accidents in Florida
Car accidents are among the most common personal injury situations in Florida. When a driver causes an accident and you’re rendered injured, your attorney can ensure that person and their insurance company are held accountable.
Florida Motorcycle Accidents
Many motorcycle accidents occur because drivers fail to see them or follow road rules. Not yielding to a motorcycle or following too closely behind can have devastating results that leave riders severely injured. A personal injury attorney can represent you in this situation and fight to get you a good settlement.
Florida Commercial Trucking Accidents
Truck accidents can severely injure victims or even kill them. Your personal injury attorney can determine whether the truck driver, trucking company, another party or multiple parties should be held liable. Sometimes, these accidents are complex, but attorneys can recreate the scene and investigate how it occurred.
Boating Accidents in Florida
Boating is a common activity in Florida, but sometimes, an accident may occur. If you’re involved in one, you can be left with injuries. Your attorney will get the facts of your case to hold the at-fault party accountable.
Florida Wrongful Death
Sadly, some accidents or incidents caused by negligence or intentional actions can result in wrongful death. In that situation, the victim’s surviving family members can retain an attorney and the victim’s personal representative can file a lawsuit on their behalf. If the victim would have survived to file a personal injury lawsuit, there are grounds for a wrongful death case.
Florida Pedestrian Accidents
Many of Florida’s outdoor public walkways are shared by bicyclists. Because of that and especially drivers of motor vehicles failing to see them or yield the right of way, pedestrians are vulnerable to accidents and injuries. An attorney can hold the liable party accountable.
Florida Slip-and-Fall Accidents
Slip-and-fall accidents in public places in Florida can result in serious injuries. Property owners have an obligation to keep their premises safe for visitors to prevent this from happening. A personal injury lawyer can hold them liable when someone falls and suffered injuries.
Florida RV Accidents
Although RVs offer fun and excitement, it’s possible for accidents to occur while riding them. If your accident left you injured and was caused by someone else, your personal injury attorney will fight to make sure you get the compensation you deserve.
Florida Water Sports Accidents
Regardless of whether it happens at a water park or the beach, water sports accidents can leave you reeling from injuries. If you experienced a water sports accident due to someone’s negligence, your attorney can hold that person accountable.
Florida Aircraft Accidents
Aircraft accidents can leave you severely injured. In that situation, your personal injury attorney can protect your rights and ensure that the at-fault party is held liable for your damages.
Florida Dog Attacks
Being attacked or bitten by a dog falls under the premises liability part of personal injury law. Your attorney can hold the dog’s owner liable for your injuries even if their pet had never previously bitten or attacked someone.
Florida Vacation Injuries
Sometimes, people visiting Florida on vacation suffer an accident that leaves them injured. Even if you’re from another state, a personal injury attorney can help you prepare a lawsuit and hold the at-fault party accountable if their negligence or intentional actions caused your injuries.
Florida Faulty Product Injuries
If you suffered injuries after using a faulty product, your personal injury attorney can represent you in your case and hold the proper party or parties liable. Sometimes, they can find others who suffered injuries from using the same product and prepare a class-action lawsuit to get you compensation.
Injuries Caused By Negligence
No matter what the situation, if you sustain injuries caused by another person’s negligence, you have a right to file a personal injury lawsuit against them. Your attorney can help you and get you a fair settlement to cover your damages.
Your Injuries Are Long-Term or Permanent
Long-term or permanent injuries can take a devastating toll on anyone. You may not be able to work anymore, but even if you can, you must take a job that significantly limits your tasks. Your attorney can fight to get you the right level of compensation for your damages.
When Insurance Companies Refuse to Pay
If an insurance company is responsible for compensating you after you’ve suffered injuries due to the negligence of one of its policyholders, it might refuse to pay. In that situation, a personal injury attorney is a safeguard to ensure that the insurer pays what you’re due. Insurance companies also don’t try shady tactics when dealing with an attorney.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Percentage Do Personal Injury Lawyers Take in Florida?
In most cases, personal injury lawyers take 33 1/3% to 40% for their contingency fee from your total settlement if your case is successful.
How Does Personal Injury Work in Florida?
Personal injury occurs when someone suffers an injury as a result of another person’s negligence or intentional actions. An injured party has the right to recover compensation for their medical expenses, lost wages and other damages in that situation.
What Percentage Does a Lawyer Get in a Settlement Case?
Personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis. This equates to 33 1/3% to 40% of your total settlement unless you recover more than $1 million, in which case the contingency fee percentage is lower.
How Much Does a Lawyer Get from a Car Accident Settlement?
How much an attorney gets from a car accident settlement depends on the amount of money in that settlement. If compensation is less than $1 million, they get 33 1/3% to 40%. However, they only get 30% from a settlement ranging between $1 million and $2 million or 20% from a settlement over $2 million.
How Do Lawyers Negotiate Settlements?
In many cases, lawyers deal with insurance companies to negotiate a settlement. They look at their client’s total out-of-pocket losses or economic damages and factor in noneconomic damages to get an amount that’s fair. They may initially send a demand letter requesting a specific amount that’s higher and then work their way down to a reasonable settlement with the insurer.
Need free legal help in Florida?
We specialize in personal injury claims.