When someone says “Florida,” the first thing that comes to mind is its wide selection of beaches and theme parks. Hence, it gained the moniker of “Sunshine State.” The state brims with crystal waters, and breathtaking sceneries.
In 2018, it set a new record as 126.1 million visitors. The amount of tourists it gets annually makes it prone to accidents. In 2017 alone, a total of 402,385 crashes which resulted in 3,116 fatalities and about 254,310 injuries.
But, not all accidents result in fatalities or severe injuries. When things like this happen, it’s best to be represented by a reliable Florida personal injury attorney.
What is Personal Injury?
Personal injury often pertains to “tort” law. The term is extracted from Latin, which means twist, wrong, or harm. These are often legal actions resulting from civil lawsuits with wrongful conduct as the root of all. There is no government prosecution involved. Instead, it is usually a private complainant asking for compensation due to the harm or injury caused by the defendant’s actions.
The whole point of the law is to help the injured party feel “whole” again and to discourage the offender from committing the same offense.
Hence, a Florida personal injury attorney helps their clients receive reparation fees as results of the following:
- Loss of income due to inability to work as a result of said injury
- Reasonable medical expenses
- Emotional distress
- Legal and attorney fees
They also keep their clients safe from fraud by insurance companies and the legal system.
When Should You Consult a Personal Attorney?
It is also the defender’s right to protect themselves against possible fraudulent actions by some con men. Hence, the constitution also provides guidelines as to when a complainant should hire a personal injury attorney in Florida.
1. The Accident Resulted in Long-term or Disabling Injuries
Experienced lawyers calculate how much compensation injuries would need. These are often based on the complainant’s earning capacity as a result of the accident. Hence, attorneys would coordinate with other field experts such as doctors and accountants to give a reasonable figure.
2. Complainant Suffered Severe Injuries
Insurance companies calculate the deserved reparation of the complainants based on the injuries sustained, total medical bills relating to the accident, and the recovery time. The higher the possible compensation is, the lesser the chance of acquiring settlements.
It happens due to some insurance company’s policy limit. Hence, a personal injury attorney would ensure that his client receives the total compensation deserved by the injured party.
3. Multiple Parties are Involved, or Liabilities are Unclear
Insurance policies often become severely complicated when there are various parties involved. Depending on the number of injuries, not everyone may be able to receive a settlement. Or, in some cases, the compensations decrease because other parties receive grave injuries.
Also, a personal injury attorney is essential when the client may be at fault. He/she would ensure that the complainant is protected against counter and cross-claims by the other parties.
4. The Insurance Resists Payment or Transacts in Bad Faith
Some insurance companies would make unfair settlements or sometimes refuse to pay reparations fees altogether. Or, at times, some firms are involved in dishonesty deals and would lower the compensations for the complainants.
Even when you are injured, keep in mind that not all cases need personal injury attorneys. Everything would still depend on the circumstances and severity, as well as the factors mentioned above.