Being involved in an accident can be an extremely traumatic and chaotic affair. Dealing with the aftermath can be stressful due to the fact that you are probably in a highly emotional state. With this boiling pot of emotions, tempers can rise, and with it, so can the stress. On top of all of this, you may be dealing with injuries from the accident. It is no wonder why so many people feel lost when it comes to what to do next.
Fortunately, Florida law is clear when it comes to handling accidents like this. So, if you have had an accident in the Orlando area, you are entitled by law to seek compensation from those who have wronged you and caused any hardship, injury, or damages.
Although the law allows for this, it is by no means easy to navigate the complexities involved, especially as an individual with no training in personal injury law. Trying to do this whilst already dealing with the immediate mental trauma and physical injuries caused by the accident can prove impossible without help. This is when a skilled Orlando personal injury lawyer can step in to help.
Here at The Law Place, we have an extremely skilled team who can boast over 75 years of collective experience in dealing with Florida law. We have fought and won cases for numerous clients in similar situations to the one you are in now. We take the weight from your shoulders and give you room to breathe and recover, both mentally and physically, from your accident.
Contact us at (941) 444-4444 for a free consultation. The phone lines are staffed 24/7 by our team, so you can call us any time of day.
What Types of Personal Injury Can Lead to a Claim in Orlando, Florida?
Every single year, hundreds of personal injury cases are dealt with in Orlando, Florida. We have seen every kind there is. Here are some of the common ones:
- Burns, abrasions, and lacerations.
- Animal attacks.
- Drowning and choking.
- TBI’s- traumatic brain injuries.
- Injuries to the spinal cord.
- Electrocution.
- Back and neck injuries, such as whiplash and crushing.
This is by no means a comprehensive list, so even if you have received an injury not listed here, make sure you get in touch with a skilled Orlando personal injury lawyer. You might be entitled to compensation. A call costs nothing, so you have nothing to lose but potentially a lot to gain.
For a free legal consultation with a personal injury lawyer serving Orlando, call 941-444-4444
What Damages Will a Personal Injury Attorney Help Me to Claim in Orlando?
Luckily, in the majority of accident cases, both parties can walk away without major injuries. For those that are not so lucky, the results can be injuries that change the rest of the victim’s life. In rare occasions, the result can even be the death of a loved one.
When this happens, it’s the job of your personal injury lawyer to seek compensation for the following damages:
- Medical expenses – It shouldn’t be down to you to pay for any medical treatment you need as a result of someone else’s negligence. When your insurance doesn’t cover the entirety of your bills, you could be left in a difficult position.
- Earnings/wages – Often, injuries prevent an individual from working in the same capacity that they did before the accident. This isn’t fair, so seeking compensation for missed wages and all potential future lost wages is important.
- Intangible losses – Not all losses can have a number placed upon them. These are called intangible losses. They include things like loss of enjoyment of life and mental trauma.
Orlando is governed by the same rules and laws as the rest of the State of Florida. These laws state that you may also be entitled to claim for something called punitive damages. These damages are awarded in rare circumstances where you have been treated in the following ways:
- Purposeful misconduct – If another individual has intentionally injured you, the judge may decide to award punitive damages.
- Gross Negligence- In rare cases, where the defendant’s accidents are seen as being so terrible that they displayed a blatant disregard for human life, the court may also award punitive damages.
Orlando Personal Injury Lawyer Near Me 941-444-4444
The Process for Seeking Compensation in the Orlando Area
The first step in all cases is to get in touch with a skilled law firm that you want to represent you. Here at The Law Place, we offer a free consultation service that will allow you to get some free, no-obligation legal advice and our opinion on whether your claim is worth pursuing.
If it is, we will arrange a meeting with you to discuss exactly what happened to you. We will ask some easy questions to start building up a case, and as soon as you agree to representation, we will begin our investigation.
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Assigning Negligence in a Personal Injury Case in Orlando, FL.
The first thing your Orlando personal injury lawyer is going to have to do is figure out if the other individual acted negligently. To be classed as negligent, they need to have acted differently from how a normal person would have acted in the same scenario.
Next, your personal injury lawyer will begin to assign liability. Proving this liability is key to seeking compensation.
The judge will expect good personal injury attorneys to be able to prove that:
- That the other individual or party had a duty of care for the victim, a common example of this is the shared use of the road, which every driver on the road assumes when they get into a car.
- That the other party did something to breach this duty of care and acted negligently, for example, speeding and failing to stop at a red light.
- The injuries of the victim are a result of that negligence.
- The incident led to the victim suffering from economic and non-economic loss.
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Injured in Orlando? What You Should and Should Not Do
Here at The Law Place, we hope that you are reading this article from the safety of your own home and not in the aftermath of an accident. However, the following information is crucial to know in the case of an accident.
There are certain things that you should and should not do in the case of an accident in Orlando, Florida. By listening to the following pieces of advice, you will ensure you have the best chance to seek compensation from those who have injured you.
We will start with what you should not do. These are the things that many people do that end up costing them the chance to claim:
- You should never apologize or say anything that could be seen as an admission of guilt. This is the most common mistake. Please remember that even a simple “I’m sorry” could mean that you lose all chances of a claim, as they will say that you are liable.
- Never let someone from an insurance company record you on the phone or in person. Insurance companies often employ sneaky tactics to trick people into helping them shed liability.
These two are the most crucial pieces of advice, as doing either could result in you losing money, or worse, the entire case.
Next, we are going to talk about things that could help your case. These will help either you or your attorney when it comes to dealing with your case.
- The cardinal rule, the most important thing you should do in any accident case is to prioritize your safety and health. Before thinking about anything else, you should make sure that you are as safe as you can possibly be. When you are confident you have made yourself as safe as possible, you should call for emergency services. This has two benefits. Firstly they will make the scene safe and carry out any emergency medical aid they need too. Secondly, any time emergency services turn up to an accident, they have to complete a report that can be used as evidence later on.
- Next, you should try and collect as much evidence as possible. You should try and take pictures, get witnesses’ information, take badge numbers of any police, and draw a sketch of what happened, if possible.
- If you did not receive emergency medical aid at the scene of the accident, you should make sure that you head to a hospital for a check-up as soon as possible. Firstly, this will ensure that you do not have any hidden underlying injuries that might surface at a later point. Secondly, it will create a first reference point for any medical treatment you receive from there on out.
- Finally, call your Orlando personal injury lawyer as soon as possible after the accident. Often, they might send investigators to the scene, and the sooner they can arrive, the better for your case.
Do I Really Need a Personal Injury Lawyer?
A surprising amount of the population believes they will have a better chance of seeking compensation on their own, without the help of personal injury lawyers. Whilst it is true that you can successfully seek compensation alone, the maths and statistics prove that you are better to seek the help of a skilled lawyer.
Insurance companies will have teams of highly skilled lawyers who have been doing this specific job for years. Their sole purpose is to make sure you do not get the money you are seeking. It is very hard for a single person without any training in personal injury law to win in this situation.
We are here to fight for you, to stand up to the insurance giants who might try and bully you into a result that is not in your best interests. We can do this with confidence due to our 75 years of collective experience in the industry.
What Type of Personal Injury Accident Cases Do We Cover in Orlando?
We see a huge variety of personal injury cases pass through our door every single year here in Orlando, Florida. But here are the most common ones:
Car Accident Cases in Orlando
Orlando, home to a huge number of attractions and theme parks that see tourists from around the world, has an unusually high number of car accidents every single year. It isn’t just Orlando either; Florida is one of the worst states in the country to be a road user.
This means that here at The Law Place, we see a huge number of car accident cases each year. We have dealt with hundreds, if not thousands, of cases where someone is injured by another driver’s negligent actions. This gives us an edge in the courtroom.
Motorcycle Accidents in Orlando
Motorcycle accidents tend to have a higher percentage of serious injuries compared to accidents involving two cars. These injuries often lead to longer recovery times and permanent disabilities that lower the quality of life of the victim. This could stop people from working or doing hobbies they enjoy.
Commercial Truck Accident Cases in Orlando
Commercial vehicles can weigh up to 15x that of a normal car. This means that when things go wrong, the forces and potential for death and injury are much higher.
With the risk being so high when these vehicles get into accidents, Florida introduced a number of regulations to increase the level of safety for commercial drivers. Companies are expected to train their drivers to a high standard and make sure they are following the rules regarding the time that they are allowed to be on the road.
With these added regulations and laws, there are more lines of investigation to follow. Your personal injury lawyer is going to have to dig deep to figure out who is negligent and who is liable. The accident could be due to a lazy mechanic or the driver failing to do his daily checks. Or it could land on the employers who have not trained their drivers to the right standard.
What Is the Compensation Process in Orlando, Florida?
Every single personal injury case is different and will follow a different path. But, there is a common framework that will be followed in the majority of cases. Most of them will look like this:
Evaluation
The first stage is the evaluation stage. This is where you will have your free consultation and initial meetings. During this stage, your personal injury lawyer will be building your initial case. They will inform you whether they think you have a good chance of compensation and explain their fees too.
Investigation
Next, your attorney will begin investigating your accident on your behalf. They could get in touch with the officers from the scene, look at all of the evidence collected, or seek the help of expert witnesses like crash reconstructions. The quicker you get in touch, the better the chances of us collecting the evidence that will secure your compensation claim. The longer you leave it, the harder it is to pick up the tracks.
Calculate a Fair Compensation Value
Using your damages, expenses, and pain and suffering, personal injury attorneys can calculate a compensation figure they believe is fair. They will then send this to the other party. If everything goes well, they will agree to this figure, pay you your money, and that will be that.
If they decline it and do not respond with a figure you are happy with, we will move to the next stage.
Filing a Lawsuit
If the insurance company decides to refuse or undervalues your claim, your Orlando personal injury attorney will now begin the process of filing a lawsuit. They will then advocate for you and use the strong case they have built for you after your injury. If you do not receive a settlement value you are happy with, they will use this case to fight in court.
Deadlines After an Orlando Accident
Under Florida law, you only have 4 years to make a claim. After this time, you will no longer be able to make a claim regarding that incident, no matter how strong the evidence. This is known as the Statute of Limitations.
The only exception to this rule is for wrongful death cases or medical malpractice. In both of these situations, you will only have two years.
Even though this may seem like a long time, we highly recommend seeking the help of a personal injury lawyer at the earliest possible moment. This will allow them to investigate much more quickly, which will stop evidence from being missed.
What Compensation Can I Seek Following the Death of a Loved one?
Individually, you and your shared children, as well as anyone whose name appears in the deceased individual estate, can seek lost support and services.
This means you will be able to claim for the future income of the deceased as well as for the trauma and lost companionship. As a spouse, you are also entitled to seek loss of consortium.
Contact The Law Place Today
Here at The Law Place, we have been dealing with personal injury claims and cases for many years. With over 75 years of experience combined, our team is here to fight aggressively for your rights. We don’t want anyone to be bullied by large insurance companies after an accident that wasn’t their fault.
Our phone lines are always manned, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, so contact us today at (941) 444-4444.
Call or text 941-444-4444 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form