Florida Personal Injury Lawyer
Serving Orlando, Tampa, Bradenton, Fort Myers, Daytona Beach, Jacksonville, Miami, Fort Lauderdale & West Palm Beach
A personal injury is an “injury not to property but to the body, mind, or emotions.” And, however grave the physical injury may be, the emotional turmoil that follows may be immeasurably more difficult to overcome. Accidents causing personal injuries are an unfortunate part of life in all 50 states. They are commonly caused by car accidents, on-the-job mishaps, unsafe conditions, slip-and-falls, and medical malpractice. Frequently, these accidents, and the resulting injuries, are not the fault of the victim. Under such circumstances accident victims who have suffered personal injuries may have a claim for damages against the parties at fault. Because Florida has distinct laws governing the issue of fault with regard to accidents, and other rules pertaining to when personal injury lawsuits may be filed, it is important that Florida accident victims reach out to a skilled and experienced Florida personal injury lawyer. Our personal injury lawyers have years of experience serving Orlando, Tampa, Bradenton, Fort Myers, Daytona Beach, Jacksonville, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Broward County & Miami-Dade County. Don’t hesitate to contact us today.
- Airplane Accidents
- Boat Accidents
- Car Accidents
- Dog Bites
- Homeowner’s Insurance Claims
- Hurricane Insurance Claims
- Medical Malpractice
- Motorcycle Accidents
- Nursing Home Abuse
- Personal Injury Protection
- Premises Liability
- Product Liability
- Sinkholes
- Slip & Fall
- Truck Accidents
- Uninsured & Underinsured Motorists
- Wrongful Death
- Whistleblower Claims
- Workers’ Compensation
Florida Applies Pure Comparative Negligence Law to Personal Injury Lawsuits
Negligence legal standards are not uniform across the 50 states. Comparative and contributory negligence are the two primary standards, and within each, there are variations. Florida is one of 13 states to apply a comparative negligence standard. This standard seeks to account for the fact that fault is not always black and white, and that sometimes parties are each responsible for a certain percentage of fault. In applying the standard, the amount of compensation that an accident victim is entitled to receive will be reduced by an amount corresponding with his or her percentage of fault in the accident. For example, if, as an accident victim, you are determined to be 20% at-fault for your injuries, a judge or jury may only award you 80% of the resulting compensation. In order to ensure that you receive maximum compensation, it is in your best interests to contact our Florida personal injury lawyers today. We serve personal injury victims in Orlando, Tampa, Bradenton, Fort Myers, Daytona Beach, Jacksonville, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach.
In a personal injury case, the doctrine of negligence comes into play. Negligence is based on the premise that, as human beings living together in society, we owe certain basic duties to one another. Specifically, we have a duty not to harm one another. Harms can result both through action and inaction, and in the case of negligence, most often concerns the latter. In legal terms, negligence is a breach of a duty owed to another that is both the actual and proximate cause of damages to the non-breaching party. When the four elements of negligence expressed in this definition can be “satisfied” (proven in a court of law), a personal injury accident victim will be able to obtain a judgment for damages to recover compensation for injuries suffered as a result of the accident. Contact our Florida personal injury lawyers for more information.
What To Do If You Have Been the Victim of an Accident in Florida
Negligence, especially in the comparative context, is a complex concept. To recover damages for personal injuries arising from an accident, victims must prove that another party failed to honor a duty owed to them, and that this failure was both the actual and proximate cause of the personal injuries. Immediately after the accident occurred, a little extra effort can go a long way in collecting evidence and key eye witness statements to use at a later time. If you were involved in a slip and fall, that might be finding out what caused the fall, telling the manager about the fall, getting medical attention soon afterwards to prove that there was, indeed, a serious injury, and even taking photographs of the fall scene and preserving your attire to bring to court if need be. If you were injured in a car collision, leaving a detailed testimony in the police report can go a long way, even if it is weeks after the crash due to your injured condition. You obviously will not be able to leave a report with the police at the scene of the crash if you are taken away by ambulance, but you can make one later. You can even submit a traffic crash report online at the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Additionally, asking witnesses for their contact information or to leave their description of the event with the police at the scene or at a later time can help build evidence that you were not at fault and that the other driver needs to be held accountable. When another party breaches their duty of care, it is not uncommon for them to go back on their word and even lie about the conditions of an accident, be it a car collision or a greasy floor. Whether the duty in question was responsible driving, safe workplace conditions, or something else, accidents victims will benefit greatly from the assistance of a skilled and dedicated Florida personal injury lawyer today.
Contact Our Experienced Florida Personal Injury Lawyers
The Pendas Law Firm – one of Florida’s most prominent in the area of personal injury – provides precisely the highly effective and experienced lawyers needed to handle all types of personal injury claims. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us today to learn how we can serve you in this time of need. The Pendas Law Firm has offices in Orlando, Tampa, Bradenton, Fort Myers, Daytona Beach, Jacksonville, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and is dedicated to serving the community with its highly effective and experienced team of Florida personal injury lawyers.