Accidents in Florida lead to thousands of personal injuries every year. In 2017, Floridians experienced 25,000 more accidents than they did in 2015. In 2018, Floridians suffered the second-highest number of injury-causing dog bites in the U.S., behind only California.
Personal injuries can result from many types of incidents. From mishaps while shopping or in and around swimming pools, people experience personal injuries that can affect their quality of life, health, and future.
After a personal injury, medical bills and lost work time can add up to a high financial cost. Add in unpaid bills, including rent or mortgage, and the cost of the injury can become substantial.
In Naples, people file new personal injury claims each month to receive compensation for the costs of their injuries. Personal injury claims are a practice specialty for Florin|Roebig’s experienced team of lawyers, who can assist residents in Naples looking to file a claim.
Do I Need A Personal Injury Attorney?
Working with a personal injury lawyer offers the best opportunity for a successful personal injury claim. If your case goes to court, you need qualified, experienced legal representation. A personal injury attorney can also help you understand the process of filing a claim from start to finish.
A personal injury attorney will understand who the defendants are in your case and identify damages that you can be eligible to receive. Whether your case is settled out of court or goes to trial, your personal injury attorney can help you fight for the compensation you’re entitled to receive after suffering a personal injury.
Another benefit of a personal injury attorney is that they will work on your behalf to prove the negligence of the opposing party in your case. In Florida, plaintiffs must prove negligence to receive compensation in a personal injury case.
How To File A Personal Injury Claim
After suffering the trauma of an injury, accident, or another mishap, it’s understandable you’ll be focused on getting better. Deciding what to do next can be challenging. You can reduce some of your stress by turning to experienced professionals to help guide you on the way to recovery.
If you’re injured, you can have a personal injury claim if someone else can be legally responsible for the injuries you have suffered. Personal injury lawyers serving Naples have extensive experience handling these cases. They can help you get compensation and relief for the physical, mental, and financial harm you’ve suffered.
Car accidents lead to the greatest number of personal injury cases, but if you suffer any injury, including on the job or through medical treatment, you may be qualified to file a personal injury case.
Some injuries that can qualify for personal injury claims include:
- burns
- concussions
- bone fractures/broken bones
- birth injuries
- adverse reactions to medical treatment
- wrongful death
- slip-and-fall injuries
- disabling injuries of any type
Follow this guide if you’ve had an accident or suffered an injury and are wondering what to do next:
1. Gather Details From The Incident
If you’re going to meet with a lawyer, you should collect information that can document what happened to you, when and where it happened, and who was involved.
Documentation that shows the facts of your personal injury case includes:
- eyewitness accounts
- insurance information
- cell phone videos or pictures
- police reports
- medical bills
2. Speak With A Personal Injury Attorney
Once you have the information and documentation you need, speak with a personal injury lawyer near Naples. They will be able to help you to file a personal injury claim. They can also explain Florida law and tell you the types of compensation you may be entitled to receive.
It’s important not to delay contacting a lawyer about an injury, as you could risk losing the amount and type of compensation if you don’t speak to an attorney in a timely manner.
Like other states, Florida law specifies statutes of limitations for personal injury lawsuits. This means you have a specific time frame to prepare and file your personal injury claim. Once you contact an attorney, they will be able to explain the law to you and advise you on your best course of action.
3. Contact Insurance To File A Claim
It’s only natural to want to contact your insurance company immediately after an accident or injury. However, you shouldn’t make any promises or agreements, even with your own insurance company, until you’ve spoken with a personal injury attorney.
Insurance companies may provide you with coverage, but their bottom line is their shareholders and company profits, not you. They also have complex procedures and rules. A personal injury attorney will represent you and your interests, not the insurance company.
When you speak with a personal injury lawyer, they’ll advise you on the next best steps for communicating with your insurance company after an accident or injury. They will help to direct communications with your insurance company, any other insurance company that may be involved, and with claims adjusters.
Personal injury lawyers understand the process that insurance companies follow, from initial claims to settlement and potential court proceedings. Follow their guidance when communicating with your insurance company. You are also under no obligation to speak to any representative of an insurance company that isn’t yours.
4. File Your Personal Injury Claim
Florida law sets standards for how personal injury damages and financial awards are determined. The state considers comparative fault to determine some aspects of compensation. It also uses contributory fault as part of personal injury claims.
These legal terms represent the factors that contributed to harm that you may have suffered due to an accident. They refer to the level of legal responsibility people or business entities may have in your personal injury case.
Personal injury lawyers have experience in determining a financial cost for the damages you may have suffered. They understand what it will take to file a strong claim on your behalf. They also know that attorneys representing defendants may try to say that others should be held legally responsible for their injuries, not their clients.
The job of opposing attorneys is to try to shift blame for accidents and injuries away from their clients. They may even try to blame you for your own injuries. These legal tactics are part of personal injury cases. Your Florida personal injury lawyer will be able to file your claim and start the process so you can receive the compensation you are entitled to receive.
Common Personal Injury Claims In Naples
In 2017, Florida drivers and passengers suffered over 254,000 injuries in auto accidents. Drivers in Collier County, where Naples is located, had an average of over 5,000 accidents a year between 2015 and 2017.
In 2017, drivers and passengers in the county suffered over 2,800 injuries in motor vehicle accidents and over 3,000 accidents led to property damage. Twenty-three Collier County residents lost their lives in fatal auto accidents in 2017.
Other personal injury claims common in Naples include:
- workplace injuries and accidents
- slip-and-fall accidents
- medical malpractice
- injuries resulting from the negligent provision of services or faulty products
Below is a list of the four most common types of personal injuries in Naples and a brief example of real accidents that occurred:
- Car Accidents: Car accidents are common in Naples, as they are in most cities, and can result in a range of injuries, from minor to severe. In one incident, a car collided with another vehicle at an intersection, causing injuries to the passengers. The victims filed personal injury claims to seek compensation for their medical expenses and other damages.
- Slip and Fall Accidents: Slip and fall accidents can occur in various locations, such as shopping centers, restaurants, and public spaces. In Naples, a person slipped on a wet floor inside a Publix grocery store and suffered a broken wrist. The injured individual pursued a personal injury claim against the store for negligence in maintaining a safe environment.
- Bicycle Accidents: Naples is a popular area for bicycling, and as such, bicycle accidents can occur when cyclists collide with vehicles or encounter unsafe road conditions. A cyclist was struck by a car while crossing an intersection in Naples, sustaining injuries that required medical attention. The injured cyclist filed a personal injury claim against the driver for failing to yield.
- Boating Accidents: Boating is a popular recreational activity in Naples due to its coastal location, which can lead to boating accidents. In one case, a boat collided with another vessel in Naples Bay, causing injuries to passengers on both boats. The victims sought compensation for their injuries through personal injury claims, alleging negligence on the part of the other boat’s operator.
How Much Compensation Can I Win From A Personal Injury Claim?
The amount of award you can receive from your Naples personal injury case depends on how the event harmed you financially, physically, and mentally. Attorneys will help determine the cost of time off work, medical bills, and damaged property, among many other aspects that can affect the amount of a personal injury claim.
Responsibility for the incident can also influence how much money you could win in a personal injury case. Damages resulting from an injury can be psychological and emotional as well as physical.
You may receive a monetary award that will compensate you for lifelong changes resulting from your injury. If your accident and injury have affected your ability to work or disabled you, compensation can reflect lost income and limited mobility or other functioning.
Personal injury claims in Naples could provide compensation to pay for necessary costs, including:
- lost wages
- medical and psychological care
- pain and suffering
- damaged or destroyed property
- rehabilitation costs
If you’ve been injured in an accident, the compensation you receive is supposed to “make you whole” from a financial standpoint. Other types of compensation can be awarded as a result of negligence on the part of people or businesses involved in the accident and injury.
Although it is rare, you may also be able to receive punitive damages, which are intended to punish individuals or businesses who have caused injuries to others. Punitive damages are usually awarded in the hope they could prevent future similar accidents or incidents from occurring.
Our Featured Case Results
List Of Personal Injury Attorneys Serving Naples
You will find qualified attorneys who can file personal injury claims in Naples at Florin|Roebig.
Our personal injury attorneys who serve Naples and other areas throughout Florida include:
- Wil H. Florin, B.C.S.
- Tommy D. Roebig. B.C.S.
- Chase P. Florin, B.C.S.
- Neil P. O’Brien, M.B.A.
- Parker Y. Florin, LL.M.
- Taylor D. Roebig
- John J. Hart
- Michael A. Ossi, O.C.
- Nollys R. Solarte, O.C.
We Are Nationally Awarded Lawyers
Reach Out To A Personal Injury Attorney Today
At Florin|Roebig, you will find compassionate, experienced, and dedicated attorneys who will guide you every step of the way in your personal injury case. Reach out to Florin|Roebig and learn how to start the process of filing a personal injury claim in Naples today.
