Do you need to hire a personal injury attorney or is this situation something that you can handle without a lawyer? The decision you make can significantly affect the outcome of your injury claim.
In Florida, deciding on a personal injury lawyer sarasota can be tough. Here, we outline eight scenarios where consulting a personal injury attorney for legal advice before making any decision is crucial. Explore this site for additional information on your personal injury claim.
1. You Are Being Blamed for Causing Your Injuries
Florida recently changed its comparative fault laws to adopt a modified contributory fault standard. Now, if you are 51% or more at fault for causing your injuries, you cannot receive any compensation for damages. The modified standard applies to accidents and injuries incurred on or after March 24, 2023.
Even if you are less than 51% to blame, you could lose a substantial portion of your compensation if you are judged to be partially at fault. Therefore, contact a lawyer immediately if an insurance company or other party tries to blame you for causing an accident or injury.
2. You or Your Child Sustained Severe Injuries in an Accident
Severe injuries typically increase the value of a personal injury claim. Therefore, insurance companies and corporations may fight these claims more aggressively. These companies have unlimited resources and trained professionals to protect them from liability for your claim.
It is in your best interest to consult a lawyer about your case. An attorney can advise you of your legal options. However, the lawyer can also tell you how much you might expect to receive for your case, which could prevent you from accepting a low settlement offer.
3. Your Injuries Resulted in Permanent Impairments
Permanent impairments and disabilities increase the value of personal injury claims. In addition to past and present damages, an accident victim could receive future economic and non-economic damages, including:
- The cost of future medical care and treatment
- Long-term personal and/or nursing care
- Future lost wages and reduction in earning capacity
- Diminished quality of life
Cases involving permanent injuries can be challenging to value. An attorney can consult with medical specialists, vocational experts, financial professionals, economists, and other expert witnesses. These experts assist the attorney in proving the severity of your impairment and the value of future damages.
4. Your Personal Injury Claim Involves a Government Entity
Governments are protected from most lawsuits by sovereign immunity. However, Florida has waived sovereign immunity for some negligence claims.
Unfortunately, the state does not make it easy to sue a government agency. There are special rules for filing personal injury claims against the government, including very short filing deadlines. Therefore, contact a lawyer immediately if your injury involves a government employee, vehicle, or property.
5. Multiple Parties Could be Responsible for Your Damages
You have the burden of proving the other party caused your injuries and damages. However, it can be challenging to sort out liability when multiple parties are involved. The parties will likely point to each other to avoid liability.
An attorney has the resources and skills to investigate your claim and gather evidence proving fault. Your lawyer untangles the factors that caused your injury to determine who is to blame.
6. The Insurance Company Denied Your Claim
An insurance company may deny your claim for many reasons. Some of those reasons might constitute bad faith insurance practices.
A lawyer recognizes if the insurance company has acted in bad faith. If so, you may be entitled to additional compensation for the damages caused by the insurance company’s actions.
7. The Personal Injury Case Involves an Out-of-State Party
Florida is a vacation destination. Therefore, it is common for people to be involved in traffic accidents with out-of-state drivers. The driver will go home after their vacation ends, leaving you to deal with the damages caused by their negligence.
Other personal injury cases could involve out-of-state parties. Depending on the situation, this issue could complicate your claim. A personal injury lawyer can work with an out-of-state attorney to resolve your claim if necessary.
8. Your Case Involves a Complex Area of Personal Injury Law
Some personal injury cases involve complicated areas of personal injury law. For example, some cases require expert witnesses to assist in the investigation. Experts might need to testify in court to help you prove your case.
If your case involves medical malpractice, wrongful death, premises liability, product liability, maritime law, or workplace accidents, it is wise to seek legal advice as soon as possible.
Explore Your Legal Options During a Free Consultation With A Personal Injury Lawyer
You do not need to worry whether you need to hire a personal injury lawyer. You can find out for free.
Personal injury attorneys offer free case evaluations. By taking advantage of a free appointment with a lawyer, you can get answers to your questions and learn whether hiring a personal injury attorney can benefit your case.
