If you’ve been involved in an accident in the state of Florida, you may have the right to pursue compensation to cover the costs of your medical bills, make up for lost wages, and help you deal with your pain and suffering.
Understandably, you might have a lot of questions about your rights and the claim you may have. That’s why our Boca Raton personal injury lawyers have taken the time to answer the questions we tend to get most often from injury victims like you.
If you’d like to learn more about your case, legal rights, or potential options for financial recovery, don’t hesitate to give the team at Hollander Law Firm a call to arrange a free consultation.
Table of Contents
What Is a Personal Injury Case?
A personal injury case is a legal dispute that occurs when a person or entity’s negligent or reckless actions cause someone else to suffer physical or emotional harm.
Generally speaking, for an individual to have a strong personal injury claim against another party, they must be able to show that:
- The other party owed them a duty of care
- The other party’s negligence breached that duty of care
- The other party’s breach of duty caused them to suffer injuries, and
- Their injuries are as severe and life-altering as they claim
To determine if you have a valid personal injury case, reach out to the knowledgeable attorneys at Hollander Law Firm. We would be happy to review the details of your accident and provide you with the information you need.
What Are the Most Common Types of Personal Injury Cases?
Every year, thousands of personal injury cases pass through the courts in Boca Raton and across the state of Florida. The majority of these cases involve:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Boat accidents
- Dog bites
- Medical malpractice
- Premises liability
- Product liability
- Workers’ compensation
- Wrongful death
No matter which of these categories your claim fits into, you can count on the skilled personal injury attorneys at Hollander Law Firm to help you pursue damages. Give us a call today to arrange a free consultation at our law office in Boca Raton.
How Can a Personal Injury Lawyer Assist with My Case?
No matter what type of accident caused you to sustain an injury, a skilled lawyer can help you fight for the compensation you deserve.
As an attorney handles your case, that might involve:
- Launching an investigation into the cause of your accident
- Identifying the person or business that caused your injuries
- Helping you understand how the Florida civil justice system works
- Looking for evidence to back up your claims
- Providing you with sound legal advice at every stage of your case
- Giving you honest answers to all of your legal questions
- Consulting with respected experts about the details of your case
- Helping you understand the legal options that are available to you
- Reviewing the details of your accident and assessing your damages
- Handling the administrative side of your personal injury lawsuit
- Communicating with the other party’s insurance company for you
- Devising a customized legal strategy for your personal injury claim
- Negotiating a settlement with the opposing insurer on your behalf
- Presenting evidence and arguing on your behalf at trial, if necessary
Personal injury lawsuits can be lengthy and complex processes. Having a knowledgeable attorney on your side can make it much easier to navigate and boost your chances of recovering the compensation you deserve.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Personal Injury Attorney?
The vast majority of personal injury lawyers in the state of Florida operate on a contingency fee basis. Law firms that use this billing practice will not charge you any money upfront for their services. They only collect a legal fee if they help you recover the compensation they deserve.
In most medical malpractice and auto accident cases, attorneys take their fee as a percentage of the eventual award. The rate is usually 33 percent, but it may be as low as 20 percent or as high as 40 percent.
The best way to know for sure how much your lawyer will charge is to ask them during a free consultation. Taking this simple step can eliminate your risk of receiving any nasty surprises once your case concludes.
What is the Value of My Personal Injury Claim?
The amount of money you are like to receive in the aftermath of your dog attack or car accident depends on a wide variety of factors, including:
- The cost of your initial medical treatment
- The expenses associated with your ongoing healthcare needs
- The fees attached to your occupational therapy and rehabilitation
- The amount of time you had to miss from work due to your injuries
- The impact your injuries will have on your career
- The cost to repair or replace your damaged personal property
- The effect your injuries will have on your overall quality of life
- The mental anguish you endured because of your injuries, and
- The liability limits on the at-fault party’s insurance policy
Generally speaking, the more severe and life-altering your injuries are, the more substantial your compensatory award is likely to be.
Regardless of the severity of your accident-related injuries, you should be able to pursue damages for your:
- Medical expenses
- Ongoing care costs
- Rehabilitation fees
- Lost wages
- Loss of future earnings
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life, and
- Mental anguish
When at-fault parties behave with gross negligence, you can also pursue punitive damages of up to $500,000.
When the negligence of another party causes a member of your family to lose their life, you can file a wrongful death suit against them. In doing so, you can seek compensation for your:
- Burial or cremation expenses
- Loss of consortium, and
- Loss of inheritance
If you would like to have one of our personal injury attorneys review your case and give you an estimate of its worth, please get in touch with us as soon as you can to arrange a free initial consultation.
What is the Deadline to File a Personal Injury Claim in Florida?
According to Florida Statute § 95.11, the standard statute of limitations for personal injury lawsuits in the Sunshine State is two years. This regulation means that you have until the second anniversary of the accident to file a claim against the other party.
Note that prior to March 24, 2023, the statute of limitations in Florida was four years. However, if your accident occurred after that date, you’ll need to take action within two years of the incident.
The state of Florida may extend your filing deadline if:
- You do not discover your injuries until some time after the accident
- You were a minor when you suffered your injuries
- The other party flees the state before you can recover damages
If you fail to take legal action against the liable party before the statutory window closes, you may permanently lose your right to compensation. To avoid this nightmare scenario, please contact our law firm as soon as you can.
Call Hollander Law Firm Today for More Info
Do you have additional questions about Florida’s civil justice process after reading through this Personal Injury FAQ? Then please do not hesitate to pick up the phone and reach out to the knowledgeable attorneys at Hollander Law Firm in Boca Raton. Our legal team has years of experience in the industry and would be happy to give you the info you seek.
