You may have been out at the mall when you slipped on a wet surface without warning or you may have been hit by a car that ran a red light. Whatever your injury, it never happens at a good time and you are never ready.
After an injury happens and you seek medical attention, try to remember as many details as possible and take notes because the best way to recover from an accident is to file a personal injury claim against the responsible party.
The law office of Florin|Roebig has been providing legal representation for Florida residents for over 30 years. Our personal injury attorneys serving Brandon have filed claims for a diverse range of injuries and have helped thousands of clients recover from financial and related emotional stress. If you were injured because of another party, filing a personal injury claim is the first step to getting your life back together.
Car Accidents And Other Incidents That Lead To Personal Injury
A wide variety of accidents can lead to a personal injury claim in Brandon. Whether it is a minor or life-threatening injury, you may qualify for compensation if your injury was caused by another party.
Personal injuries in Brandon that can result in a claim include but are not limited to:
- car accidents — being hit by another car that was not following traffic laws, driving distractedly, or under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- motorcycle accidents — a motor vehicle hits you while you are on your motorcycle because of improper lane change, speeding, or distracted driving
- assault and battery — someone intentionally harms or has the intention to harm you. Being physically injured is not required to file a legal claim
- pedestrian accident — being hit by a car including a rideshare vehicle while crossing a street, or walking on a sidewalk or in a parking lot
- dog bites — you are bitten by a dog or another pet because the owner did not put in place safety features, such as a fence
- swimming pool accidents — Many Brandon residents have pools and are legally required to have proper barriers and posted warnings to prevent injury
- medical malpractice — being injured further from surgery or other careless medical treatment, including wrongful death
The top four accidents resulting in personal injuries in Brandon:
- Road Traffic Accidents: Involving cars, motorcycles, bicycles, and pedestrians. Hypothetically, an example could be a pedestrian hit by a car at a crosswalk. In September 2017, a Brandon resident was involved in a rear-end collision at a traffic light, suffering whiplash and other injuries as a result.
- Workplace Accidents: These can occur in any sector but are more frequent in industries such as construction. A possible example might be a worker getting injured due to a machinery malfunction. In 2019, a construction worker was on scaffolding on the third floor, installing a window. Due to inadequate safety measures, the worker lost balance and fell from the scaffolding. This fall resulted in multiple fractures and a severe spinal cord injury, leading to long-term disability.
- Slip/Trip and Fall Accidents: These typically occur in public places and can be caused by hazards such as wet floors or uneven surfaces. For instance, a person might trip over a protruding tree root on a poorly maintained sidewalk. In April 2018, a resident at a Publix grocery store in Brandon slipped on a wet floor that wasn’t properly marked, resulting in a broken wrist and hip injury.
- Premises Liability Accidents: These involve accidents that occur on someone else’s property, such as swimming pool accidents, dog bites, or inadequate security leading to an assault. An example might be a child injured in a neighbor’s unfenced swimming pool. In February 2016, a shopper at the Brandon mall, tripped on scaffolding on a construction site, resulting in serious back injuries.
What You Need To Know About Personal Injury Claims
Personal injury claims are complex in nature because of the serious allegations being made against the party at fault. In Hillsborough County, where personal injury claims in Brandon are filed, courts review the case by using the legal concept of comparative negligence. This concept means that the court will determine what percentage each party is at fault, ranging from no fault to 100 percent fault.
To file a successful personal injury claim, the injured party should be less than 50 percent responsible for their injury. For example, if you are a pedestrian riding your bike on a busy road and get hit by a car, a court may determine you are 25 percent at fault and the driver is 75 percent at fault. Therefore, you can still receive damages, just 25 percent less.
After you receive medical treatment for your injury, it is important to consider filing a personal injury claim soon after. This is because you will be able to remember the facts of the accident and can provide them to a personal injury attorney in Brandon. Plus, there is a statute of limitations that only allows you to file a personal injury claim within a certain period of time.
In Florida, you must file a personal injury claim within:
- four years of the accident, or within four years of noticing your injury
- two years after a medical malpractice injury or wrongful death occurred
After a personal injury claim is filed, there are certain parts in the claim that need to show specific damages you received as a result of the negligent party.
Four important factors that must be proven in court for a personal injury claim include:
- the negligent party was legally obligated to provide a safe environment and/or act within reason to prevent an injury
- the negligence caused your injuries
- you suffer physically, financially, and/or emotionally from your injury
- the incident took place within the statute of limitations
Reasons People File Personal Injury Claims
Filing a personal injury claim can be one of the most important decisions someone makes in their life. Depending on the circumstances of the accident and injury, receiving compensation can help fulfill the gaps in your life caused by your injury.
Common reasons people may file a personal injury claim in Brandon include:
- medical costs
- lost wages
- pain and suffering
- loss in quality of life
- hold the responsible party accountable
- prevent another injury from happening
You may have other reasons for wanting to file a personal injury claim. The legal team at Florin|Roebig will stand by your side throughout the entire process and defend your claim to the fullest.
Types Of Damages Awarded For Personal Injury Claims In Brandon
Brandon, Florida’s population is steadily increasing and now has over 100,000 residents. With more residents, injuries are prone to happen at a higher rate. The state of Florida awards two main types of damages, compensatory and punitive.
Punitive damages seek to punish the wrongdoer for their negligence and are rarely awarded in Florida. Compensatory damages are the most common type of damages awarded because they seek to help victims pay for expenses incurred because of the injury.
Common compensatory damages awarded in personal injury claims in Brandon include:
- healthcare expenses
- expenses caused by canceling pre-paid plans
- loss of quality of life
- lost wages
- disability
- pain and suffering
- loss of consortium
- emotional duress
Other compensatory damages may qualify depending on the extent of your injury and recovery.
Knowing What Your Claim Is Worth
Every injury is different and has a different set of facts, such as what percentage of fault each party is responsible for and how your life is affected by the injury.
Key factors that affect how much compensation you may receive include:
- type of accident — auto accident, slip and fall, defective product
- type of injury — head injury, spinal injury, broken bones, internal organ complications
- extent of the injury — what disabilities you received, wrongful death
- financial losses — medical expenses, lost wages, future expenses related to injury
These are just some of the factors that may affect compensation. Looking at all of the factors with a personal injury lawyer in Brandon can help determine potential compensation.
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Do I Need To Hire A Personal Injury Lawyer?
You are not required to hire legal counsel to file a personal injury claim, but you may not be successful going against the wrongdoer and insurance companies by yourself. If you decide to file a personal injury claim on your own, you will have to accurately fill out the correct paperwork and deal directly with insurance companies and attorneys on the other side who may not be cooperative.
The best way to optimize your settlement and ease your stressful situation is to hire an experienced personal injury attorney in Brandon.
Advantages of hiring a personal injury lawyer include:
- a compassionate attorney that will answer all questions and provide legal counsel throughout the entire process
- a personal injury claim filed against the responsible party
- negotiating with the other party’s attorney and insurance companies
- going to trial to ensure you get a fair settlement
Hiring an attorney will allow you to focus on recovering from your injury and not worry about if you will ever recover financially. A Florin|Roebig personal injury attorney will give you the confidence that you are well-represented in the legal process.
List Of Personal Injury Lawyers Serving Brandon
Florin|Roebig has a history of providing superior legal counsel to personal injury victims. Our team of legal experts has been filing personal injury claims for over three decades. The settlements we win for our clients have helped them recover from their losses because of an injury.
Some of our personal injury lawyers serving Brandon include:
- Wil H. Florin, B.C.S.
- Tommy D. Roebig
- Shawn M. Cummings B.C.S.
- Nollys R. Solarte
- Parker Y. Florin, LL.M.
- Lawrence J. Najem
- Luca G. Esposito
We Are Nationally Awarded Lawyers
Reach Out For Help With Your Personal Injury Claim
At Florin|Roebig, our personal injury lawyers want to hear from you and file a personal injury claim on your behalf. Since opening our firm over 30 years ago, we have won our clients over $1 billion in settlements because of our expert knowledge of personal injury law.
Our firm has been recognized multiple times by U.S. News & World Report and other publications for being one of the best law firms in the United States. If you want to recover from your losses from a personal injury caused by someone else, call us today for a free consultation.
Resources for victims of personal injury in Brandon:
Hospital
- Brandon Regional Hospital: This is a full-service, state-of-the-art facility in Brandon, Florida. It provides comprehensive care ranging from emergency services to specialized surgeries. https://www.hcafloridahealthcare.com/locations/brandon-hospital/for-visitors
Urgent Care
2. Fast Track Urgent Care Center: This center provides prompt medical care for non-life- threatening illnesses and injuries in Brandon. https://www.fasttrackurgentcare.com/locations-and-hours/brandon/
Rehabilitation
- CORAS Physical Therapy Brandon: Offers outpatient physical therapy including orthopedics, sports medicine, and work-related injury rehab. https://www.coraphysicaltherapy.com/
Transportation
- Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART): Provides public transportation services within Hillsborough County, Florida. Services include bus transit, vanpool service, etc. They may have provisions for individuals with disabilities or who otherwise cannot use traditional bus services. https://www.gohart.org/pages/customer-service.aspx
