Being injured in an accident can be very scary. A slip and fall or hit-and-run can affect you in many different ways, including physically, financially, and emotionally.
If you were involved in an accident caused by someone else that resulted in an injury, you may be entitled to receive a settlement to cover damages that happened as a result of the injury.
Filing a personal injury claim against the person responsible for your injury is the best approach to getting your life back together. Filing a claim on your own is not an easy process, especially if you’ve never been involved in the legal system.
There are many hurdles you will have to jump through to get a settlement which includes paperwork, negotiation with defense attorneys and insurance companies, and more.
The personal injury team at Florin|Roebig has helped residents in the Oldsmar area for over three decades. Our legal team offers compassion and guidance throughout the personal injury claim process to ensure you have the help you need to file successfully.
Car Accidents And Other Incidents That Lead To Personal Injury
Personal injuries can happen nearly anywhere. You may be walking in a restaurant, driving a motorcycle, walking in a park, or simply trying a new product when you experience an injury. Our lawyers can provide legal guidance to Oldsmar residents who have been involved in several different types of injuries.
Personal injuries which can occur in Oldsmar and result in a claim include:
- car and motorcycle accidents — another driver runs a red light or stop sign and rear-ends your car, head-on-collisions, unsafe lane changes, road rage
- slips and falls — a person or business property has unsafe conditions resulting in an injury
- pet-related injuries — dog bites or any other animal attack where an owner is responsible for the pet
- pool-related injuries — not having proper signs posted, such as “no diving”, or having an unsafe pool area resulting in injury
- medical malpractice — a doctor, nurse, or other medical professional negligently acts or didn’t act to ensure a surgery, minor procedure, or routine medical visit went safely
- defective products — getting injured from a new product that was not safe enough to enter the market or that was defective
Other injuries may qualify you to file a legal claim and a personal injury lawyer can help you determine the cost of your injury. Minor injuries such as a burn from a defective product to major injuries resulting in a long-term disability can earn you compensatio. Having the right legal representation will help you recover from your losses.
Here is a list of four accident types that are unique to Oldsmar that cause personal injuries:
- Visibility Issues due to Fog: In coastal areas or places with bodies of water nearby, early morning fog can be denser and more persistent. This can reduce visibility on roads and increase the chances of vehicle collisions. Oldsmar due to its proximity to water has fog issues, especially during morning travel for work.
- Intersection Accidents: Oldsmar has some particularly complex intersections or those that see heavy traffic, that lead to a higher rate of accidents at these junctions, especially when drivers aren’t familiar with the layout or if there’s an absence of proper signaling.
- Wildlife Collisions: Oldsmar is home to a variety of wildlife like deer, alligators, and panthers. Collisions with such animals can result in personal injuries.
- Pedestrian Accidents: Given that Oldsmar has dense residential areas, shopping centers, and other amenities, there’s potential for pedestrian-vehicle interactions. Accidents occur at crosswalks, parking lots, or other areas where pedestrians and vehicles might intersect.
What To Know About Personal Injury Claims
In the state of Florida, comparative negligence is what courts look at to determine if a party has acted negligently. This legal concept gives courts the right to award you damages even if the other party is not fully responsible.
For example, if you are traveling on a busy road such as 580, following all traffic laws, and were hit by a car weaving in and out of traffic, that driver is likely to be 100 percent responsible for the accident and the injuries you sustained. As a result of this, that driver and/or their insurance company will be 100 percent responsible for the damages.
If you were involved in a similar accident with slightly different facts and the court determined you are 25 percent responsible for the accident and the other driver is 75 percent responsible, you are still entitled to damages, just 25 percent less.
To prove damages for your personal injury claim, you must show:
- the incident led to your injuries
- you suffered injuries that have affected you financially, physically, and emotionally
- the party at fault acted negligently or failed to act to prevent the injury
It is important to file a personal injury claim soon after your injury. Being able to provide as much information to a lawyer will help strengthen your claim.
There is a statute of limitations in Florida when it comes to filing a personal injury claim. This means that the law only allows you to file a claim within a specific period of time.
Your personal injury claim must be filed within four years of the accident, or within four years of noticing your injury. For medical malpractice cases, the statute of limitations in Florida is only two years.
Reasons People File Personal Injury Claims
Reasons people file personal injury claims in Oldsmar depend on the nature of the incident and individual preference. Someone may want to file a claim to help them for financial reasons or to ensure people act more carefully to prevent others from getting injured.
Filing a claim is taking the first step to getting your life back together. An experienced personal injury lawyer can help you through the process and ensure your voice is heard.
Common reasons to file a personal injury claim in Oldsmar include:
- medical costs — ambulance expenses, emergency room visits, short- or long-term doctor visits including physical therapy
- lost wages — to get compensation for a job you can no longer do because of your injury
- loss of quality of life — being unable to perform essential duties in your home, loss of ability to do your hobby such as a sport or exercise, loss of ability to drive
- hold the negligent party and insurance company responsible — holding the person or party responsible for their actions and ensuring the insurance company is paying for all of your losses, not just a portion
These are just examples of why someone would want to file a personal injury claim. You may have suffered other damages that haven’t even happened yet. It is important to discuss all the details with your lawyer to ensure your claim includes all the facts.
Types Of Damages Awarded For Personal Injury Claims In Oldsmar
Oldsmar is located in Pinellas County, where there can be a wide range of injuries. In Florida, personal injury victims can be awarded compensatory damages for their injuries. These damages aim to compensate the victim for their losses resulting from their injury.
Common compensatory damages awarded in personal injury claims in Oldsmar include:
- medical expenses
- current and future lost wages
- wrongful death
- pain and suffering
- disabilities leading to loss of quality of life
- loss of consortium including no longer being able to care for a loved one
- future expenses related to your injury
In addition to these common examples, you may be able to file for other damages depending on the nature of your injury. To fully understand the type of damages you may be entitled to, speak to a personal injury lawyer who can walk you through the process and potential compensation.
Knowing What Your Claim Is Worth
Each personal injury claim is unique. Even if it has similar characteristics as other claims, the scenario is slightly different and that can affect what your claim is worth.
Factors that can affect your settlement in a personal injury claim include:
- type of injury — paralyzation including neck or spinal injury, dismemberment, concussion, internal organ issues
- severity of the injury — if the injury led to a wrongful death, a surgical repair is needed, ongoing follow-up doctor visits, short- and long-term disability
- costs resulting from the injury — medical expenses, loss of job
- how the injury affects your life — ability to have a relationship with spouse or kids
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Benefits Of Hiring A Personal Injury Lawyer
Filing a personal injury claim by yourself can be a very difficult task. Other lawyers may try to defend the responsible party and twist your story to get the case dismissed. Some insurance companies may try to pay as little as possible for your injuries and make the process so cumbersome that you want to give up.
Instead of trying to take on the lawyers and insurance companies on your own, hire a talented personal injury lawyer at Florin|Roebig who will do all the hard work while you can focus on recovering mentally and physically.
Advantages of hiring a personal injury lawyer include:
- a compassionate legal expert that will listen to you and keep you in the know throughout the whole process
- a strong personal injury claim that aims to get you every penny your injury has cost you
- negotiating with the responsible party’s legal counsel and uncooperative insurance companies
- going to trial to defend your claim to the fullest
The responsible party and insurance companies may not want to accept responsibility for your injury. A skilled lawyer can put pressure on these parties to ensure they are held accountable.
List Of Personal Injury Lawyers Serving Oldsmar
The legal gurus at Florin|Roebig have seen nearly every kind of personal injury claim. In the 30 years of practice in the Oldsmar area, our team is confident they can represent you with the highest degree of professionalism.
Some of our personal injury lawyers serving Oldsmar include:
- Wil H. Florin, B.C.S.
- Tommy D. Roebig, B.C.S.
- Parker Y. Florin, LL.M.
- John J. Hart
- Nollys R. Solarte, O.C.
- Lawrence J. Najem
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Reach Out For Help With Your Personal Injury Claim
The personal injury experts at Florin|Roebig want to hear how you were injured and help you file a personal injury claim in Oldsmar. We can answer all of your questions and provide clarification on every part of the legal claim process.
Our lawyers have been to trial, received settlements quickly, and everything in between. Whether you were involved in a pet-related incident or medical malpractice, we will stand up for you.
There are many personal injury lawyers who say they have the experience and skill to get you a huge settlement. Florin|Roebig backs up their talents with our track record of getting over $1 billion total in settlements for clients. Call us today to set up a consultation.
