A serious bodily injury is an injury that causes extreme physical damage to a person. These injuries can occur as a result of a serious accident, and the consequences can be devastating for the victims involved. After an accident, many victims find themselves suffering from a serious bodily injury for the rest of their lives.
Seeking professional legal representation is incredibly important in order to receive the best advice and guidance for your case. If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident that has led to a serious bodily injury, get in touch with The Law Place today. Our legal team has a combined experience of 75 years in Florida law and has all the knowledge necessary to ensure that you get the highest amount of compensation possible for your case. Our personal injury lawyers are experienced in dealing with personal injury claims and strive to get the justice that our clients deserve.
Our phone lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so you can phone us whenever you want at no obligation. Call us for a free consultation and see how much you may be owed for your serious bodily injury.
Serious Bodily Injury Under Florida Law
When proceeding with a personal injury case, it is important to know what constitutes a serious bodily injury. As per Florida Statute 316.027, serious bodily injuries are defined as a physical condition that could lead to a considerable risk of death, serious bodily disfigurement, or a prolonged loss or impairment of a body part or organ.
Serious bodily injury cases are usually known as second or third-degree felonies. However, this is dependent on each case. A personal injury lawyer from our law firm will clarify any doubts you may have about the complex legalities of Florida law and quickly determine if you are eligible to file a serious bodily injury claim. Call our law office today for a free consultation and legal advice specific to your case.
Common Causes of Serious Bodily Injuries in Palmetto
There are many causes of serious bodily injuries in Palmetto and throughout Florida, and many of the victims are not at fault for the accidents they are involved in. Some of the most common causes of these injuries include:
- Motor vehicle accidents – Car accidents are the biggest cause of serious bodily injuries in Florida. However, truck accidents are also common in the sunshine state.
- Slip and fall accidents – these accidents often occur in the workplace. Dangerous conditions, including wet floors and torn carpeting, can all result in a slip and fall accident which may cause serious bodily harm.
- Animal attacks – These attacks can lead to devastating consequences for victims. Owners of animals can be held liable for any damages incurred during the attack.
- Battery – This is defined as intentional bodily harm to another person, which can involve touching or striking the victims against their will.
- Medical malpractice – This occurs when a medical professional fails to act to a certain standard of care. Medical malpractice can include misdiagnosing an illness that can result in unnecessary surgery, failing to sterilize medical equipment correctly, which can lead to infection, or refusing necessary pain medication.
No matter the cause of the injury, you could be entitled to compensation. After a free consultation with a personal injury attorney at our law firm, we will gather all necessary evidence from the accident to ensure you receive the best compensation possible. Our lawyers understand how the Florida legal system works and therefore know the best legal approach for each individual case.
Call The Law Place for a free consultation with one of our personal injury attorneys today.
Common Serious Bodily Injuries
Serious bodily injuries are usually absolutely devastating for victims. Car accidents, medical malpractice, and other causes of these injuries can result in life-changing consequences for those involved, and these injuries normally warrant compensation. After an accident, victims may need assistance with bathing, eating, and other day-to-day tasks in the future.
Some examples of common serious bodily injuries include:
- Severely broken bones.
- Spinal injuries.
- Loss of limb.
- Paralysis.
- Traumatic head and brain injuries.
- Neck injuries.
- Serious disfigurement.
- Scarring.
It is important to note that other injuries not included in this list may be considered serious bodily injuries. If you are experiencing pain and suffering from an accident, get in touch with The Law Place and let us determine if your injury can be considered a serious bodily injury under Florida law.
Depending on the injury, some symptoms may take weeks or even months to appear. Therefore, it is highly recommendable to see a medical professional as soon as symptoms present themselves so that a personal injury attorney can gather all available evidence to strengthen your case and validate your serious bodily injuries. Schedule a free consultation with our law firm today so that we can take the first step in collecting all available evidence and ensure you get the best compensation possible.
We’re Florida’s top litigation team with over 75 years of combined experience
How Long Do You Have to Make a Claim?
Under Florida Statute 95.11, a victim of a serious bodily injury has four years from the date of the accident to make a claim. However, it is highly recommended that victims file a claim as soon as possible after the incident. This will allow personal injury lawyers ample time to collect evidence that will strengthen your case. It is important to remember that the other party involved in the accident is also likely to be seeking legal representation in order to protect themselves and deny your claim. Therefore, it is crucial to act quickly. Personal injury cases are more likely to be successful if filed soon after the serious bodily injury occurred.
Our legal team at The Law Place will act swiftly and efficiently to make sure that you have the best chances of getting the compensation you deserve. Call our office today for a free consultation and to start the legal process. The sooner you act, the sooner we can start working on your case.
From the initial call to updates on your case status, we are here to get you answers.
Who May Be Liable for a Serious Bodily Injury?
In order to file a successful serious bodily injury claim, it is important to establish who the at-fault party in the accident was. It is difficult to claim compensation for an injury without placing liability on someone. In order to do this, a personal injury attorney in Palmetto will review your case to find one or more of the following:
- Duty of care – To hold someone liable for a serious bodily injury, it is important to prove that they owed you a duty of care. For instance, a motor vehicle driver owes other drivers on the road a duty of care by driving safely and responsibly.
- A breach in their duty of care – Car, truck, and motorcycle accidents can occur when drivers do not respect their duty of care. Breaking the speed limit, ignoring stop signs, and driving under the influence are all examples of drivers breaching their duty of care which could lead to an accident.
- Causation – In order for injury victims to receive compensation, a personal injury attorney must prove that the party at fault’s breach in their duty of care caused the victim to sustain their serious bodily injury.
- Damage – Your personal injury lawyer must prove that you suffered from damages as a direct result of the negligence of the other party involved in the accident. For example, your lawyer may be able to prove that you have lost wages as a consequence of the accident.
Establishing who is liable for an accident can be a daunting and complex task for anyone, which is why finding experienced legal representation is essential. Each and every personal injury lawyer at The Law Place has more than enough experience in determining who is responsible for an accident. Contact our law office and speak to one of our experienced attorneys today to find out the best way for you to file a serious bodily injury claim.
Damages a Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help You Claim For
If you have fallen victim to a serious bodily injury that wasn’t your fault, we recommend taking legal action against the other party involved due to their negligence. In addition to physical pain and suffering, serious bodily injuries can result in large debts that can take years to completely pay off. Our personal injury lawyers understand that expenses resulting from a serious injury can be financially crippling for those involved. We fight tirelessly to achieve the best compensation possible so that you can stop worrying about these debts and focus on your recovery.
Damages that can be claimed for after a serious bodily injury include:
- Medical expenses – It is highly likely that due to your serious bodily injury, you have needed medical assistance. Surgery, medicine, and therapy are all examples of medical care that can lead to large hospital bills to worry about. In a lot of personal injury cases, medical costs can be covered with the help of an experienced lawyer at our law office.
- Property damages – Property damages can be claimed in personal injury cases. For example, car accidents can not only cause a catastrophic injury to the victim but also damages to their car or other belongings within the vehicle when the accident occurred.
- Lost wages – Victims may not be able to work as a result of their serious bodily injuries, which can lead to a loss of income. A personal injury attorney can determine how much compensation you may be entitled to by calculating past, present, and future lost wages.
- Pain and suffering – This includes both physical and mental trauma that the victim of the accident may have suffered from. Damages such as these sometimes prove more difficult to calculate, which is why seeking experienced personal injury lawyers for your case is essential. At The Law Place, we have over 75 years of experience in personal injury cases and know exactly how to claim for the suffering you have experienced.
- Wrongful death – In some severe cases, accidents can be the cause of wrongful death. This may force the decedent’s loved ones to spend large amounts of money on funeral costs and other expenses after their death. As per Florida Statute 768.21, the State of Florida gives families the right to claim for the costs of funerals as well as lost wages of the deceased.
At The Law Place, we understand that receiving financial compensation for life-changing serious bodily injuries cannot undo the trauma and suffering caused by the accident. However, we highly recommend seeking compensation in order to cover the high costs that can come from a serious injury in order to ease some financial burdens.
Some victims of these accidents wait too long to file a serious bodily injury claim and therefore receive only a small percentage of the compensation they may have been entitled to or none at all. If we believe you have the right to receive compensation under Florida law, our personal injury lawyers won’t stop fighting until you get it. Contact our law firm for a free case evaluation and see how much you may be owed.
Filing a Serious Bodily Injury Claim in Palmetto
In Palmetto, serious bodily injury claims are categorized as third-party claims. This means that the claim is filed against the insurance company of the party at fault. In order to ensure that our clients receive the highest amount of compensation possible, we ask that you provide as much evidence of the accident as possible. Evidence that could strengthen your case include:
- Photos of the injuries sustained.
- Photos of the scene of the accident, including vehicles involved if applicable.
- Records of hospital bills and medical treatments received.
- Proof of lost wages.
- Receipts of all expenses paid due to the injury.
Once the claim has been made, a personal injury lawyer will guide you through the next step of the legal process and usually follow this procedure:
- As soon as one of our personal injury lawyers receives an update about your case, you will be informed instantly.
- Serious bodily injury victims are usually expected to discuss the accident, and the injuries sustained multiple times and in-depth. Needless to say, it is essential that you are open and honest while giving information about the incident so that legal professionals have all the information necessary. Our personal injury attorneys recognize how stressful this can be, so we will be there every step of the way during the process.
- You should only sign a release form if you are happy to do so and with the recommendation of one of our top personal injury lawyers. We highly recommend seeking professional legal advice before signing any forms or documents to ensure that you get the best deal possible.
Our legal team at The Law Place has over 75 years of experience in representing clients with serious bodily injuries. We know that greedy insurance companies only prioritize their own profits and will do everything in their power to pay out as little as possible or nothing at all to injury victims. Don’t hesitate to call The Law Place for a free consultation and take the first step in filing your personal injury claim.
Contact The Law Place Today
If you or a loved one has suffered from a serious bodily injury, call our law firm today. Serious bodily injuries can be devastating for victims and their families, which is why we work tirelessly to ensure victims get the compensation and justice they deserve.
Our personal injury lawyers have all the experience necessary to walk you through the complex Florida legal system and take on your case. We recognize how expensive personal injury cases can be, which is why we work on a contingency basis. This means that our clients don’t pay for our services if their case is unsuccessful. We also offer a free case evaluation service so that you can be sure our law firm is the right one for you before committing to anything.
Our phone lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so someone will always be ready to take your call. Contact The Law Place today to arrange a free consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer and see how much compensation you may be entitled to.