Accidents happen every day, in a variety of ways, and lead to a number of related injuries. Auto accidents in Florida accounted for more than 254,000 injuries in 2017. Work accidents, slips and falls, boating accidents and many more incidents lead to personal injuries as well.
If you’ve recently been in an accident in Orlando, you may be considering filing a personal injury claim to recover your losses. Knowing where to start can be difficult, but a personal injury attorney can help, from filing a claim to pursuing damages to defending your claim if it goes to court.
Even if you’re unsure whether you’ll receive compensation, an attorney can help you figure it out by closely examining the details of your accident and how your life has been affected by it.
Our team of personal injury attorneys at Florin|Roebig have decades of experience in handling personal injury claims in Florida, and we can help you get compensated for your claim.
List Of Common Accidents In Florida
Before filing a personal injury claim, it may be helpful to know some of the types of accidents that most commonly lead to injuries. In Florida, your personal injury will qualify for a claim if all expenses related to it are not covered by your own personal injury protection plan and if the accident was caused by someone else’s negligence.
Proving negligence in a personal injury claim means showing that the person was at fault, that they caused the accident due to negligent (careless or reckless) behavior, and that your injuries were caused from the accident.
Here is a list of accidents which commonly occur in Florida and lead to personal injury claims:
- assault and battery
- car crashes
- boating accidents
- dog bites
- libel
- trucking accidents
- swimming pool accidents
- slips and falls
- motorcycle accidents
- work-related incidents
Should I File A Personal Injury Claim?
Perhaps the biggest decision you make following a personal injury is whether to file a claim. Maybe you’re familiar with the stigma surrounding personal injury suits, or you’re afraid your claim isn’t strong enough to win any compensation.
Yet there are several reasons to file which have benefits to you and others.
Here are some of the most common reasons people file personal injury claims in Orlando:
1. To cover losses following an accident
Insurance plans may cover the majority of your immediate medical expenses. Most insurance plans cover up to 60 to 80 percent of medical costs.
If your injuries were extensive, requiring emergency care, an overnight stay in the hospital, time in intensive care, or surgery, this can easily amount to thousands of dollars out of pocket. Filing a personal injury claim can get you paid in order to help cover these costs.
2. To cover future lost wages or medical expenses
Some injuries may cause serious long-term damage to a person’s health, resulting in medical expenses that can last years. This can be both disheartening and financially overwhelming. Some personal injury claims account for what you will pay in medical care over time, using a calculating method.
3. To hold the negligent party responsible for their actions
In some cases, a person’s negligent actions may have been directly harmful to you or others. It is important to demonstrate to these individuals that such behavior is not acceptable by giving them (financial) consequences. The hope is to prevent further similar accidents from occurring.
4. To hold insurance companies accountable
Insurance companies are bound to protect their own financial interests before yours. This means they will always try to get you to settle for a low payout. Some insurance companies may try to fight paying for even your most basic medical costs related to the accident. Filing a personal injury claim can help ensure insurance companies are held responsible for paying out claims to the insured as promised.
What To Do Following An Accident In Orlando
Once you have decided to file, you may be wondering which steps to take next. From hiring an attorney to knowing who to list as a defendant, filing can be a daunting process if you’re unfamiliar with it.
Here is a step-by-step guide of what to do following a personal injury in Orlando:
1. Seek medical care
Following any incident, the most important thing to do is to seek medical care for anyone involved. In an auto accident, it can be crucial to contact 9-1-1 right away. Once first aid has been administered, you can move on to investigating the incident.
2. Contact the police
For most accidents, it’s important to contact the police to investigate the accident. In any auto accident, you are legally bound to call the police. Never agree to leave the police out of the incident; police reports can be important to your personal injury claim.
3. Speak to everyone involved and get details
After emergency personnel have been contacted, it’s important to speak to anyone involved in the accident as well as any witnesses and get details, such as contact information. You may be too upset following an accident to ask for a witness account of it. If you take down their information, you can contact them later with any questions.
4. Contact a personal injury attorney
After leaving an accident and once you are medically sound, you can contact a personal injury attorney for a consultation. While you may have up to four years for most personal injury claims in Florida, some claims are time-sensitive. It is best to contact an attorney right away to discuss the individual details of your case and know where you stand.
5. Decide whether to file a claim
If you have a strong claim and want to file, your personal injury attorney can help you figure out where to file a claim, who to list as a defendant, and what types of damages you can pursue. They can also explain the approximate amount of compensation you may receive from your claim.
How Much Compensation Will I Win?
The amount of compensation you will win from a personal injury claim in Orlando is affected by the type of your injuries, the ways in which they affected your life, and other factors.
Typically, damages are awarded first based on direct effects to your life resulting from an accident. For example, you will likely have doctor bills or other medical expenses due to your injury.
Some of these may not be covered by your own personal injury protection plan. Most medical expenses related to your accident which are not covered by your insurance can be included in a personal injury claim.
Other expenses may qualify for a personal injury claim as well. Your injury may affect your future working ability, costing you lost future wages in the long run. Or, you may suffer in other ways, such as enjoying your life or struggling in a relationship, due to the injury.
While it may be difficult to imagine putting a number on such issues, there are ways to calculate the amount of compensation you deserve based on your pain and suffering. An attorney can help you determine what to claim and explain how much compensation you could possibly be awarded based on the extent of your injuries.
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Types Of Damages Awarded In A Personal Injury Claim
The majority of personal injury claims in Florida are awarded compensatory damages, which means the claimant receives compensation to cover their losses due to the injury.
For the types of loss which have no direct monetary value, such as loss of enjoyment of life, general damages may be awarded. These types of damages vary in amount on a case-by-case basis.
Common general and compensatory damages awarded in personal injury claims in Orlando include:
- medical expenses
- future medical expenses
- lost wages
- dismemberment
- future lost wages
- pain and suffering
- emotional anguish
- loss of enjoyment
- loss of consortium (relationships)
- wrongful death
What To Look For In a Personal Injury Attorney
To have the best chance at securing compensation following an accident, speak to an experienced attorney at Florin|Roebig. Our team has handled personal injury claims throughout Florida since 1986, winning up to millions in damages for Florida residents.
Florin|Roebig attorneys handle a variety of cases, but have a honed focus in personal injury law. We will work through the details of your case to help you pursue the compensation you deserve. To learn more about the process of filing a personal injury claim, or for a consultation, contact Florin|Roebig today.
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