When To Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer in Florida
If you were injured in a car accident, at your workplace, or anywhere else, you may be able to seek compensation via an insurance claim or a lawsuit.
In 2020 alone, employers and the government paid $722.15 and $209.93 billion, respectively, in injury-related costs, according to the National Safety Council.
While there’s no legal requirement to hire an attorney, doing so is typically in your interest. According to a 2014 study by the Insurance Research Council, the settlements of legally represented injury victims are 3.5 times bigger on average.
Read on to learn when to hire a personal injury lawyer in Florida and how our experienced legal team at [BUSINESS NAME] can assist you as you pursue compensation.
The Type and Severity of Your Injuries
You likely won’t need a lawyer if your injuries are minor. However, consider seeking legal assistance if you’ve suffered:
- Severe injuries: These include catastrophic injuries, such as multiple broken bones, brain and spinal cord injuries, severe burns, amputations, paralysis, and more.
- Long-term injuries: A long-term injury is typically one that lasts a year or longer.
- A temporary or permanent disability: A disability is any chronic physical or mental impairment that limits your senses, mobility, activities, or quality of life.
Keep in mind that not all injuries are physical. You may also be able to seek compensation for pain and suffering, mental anguish, loss of intimacy with loved ones, and more. That often makes it difficult to pinpoint all your losses without professional help. Our experienced personal injury lawyers can review your case and help you identify all your injuries and other losses.
The Value of the Claim
Evaluating personal injury claims can be complicated.
You need to factor in the expenses and losses already incurred, such as lost wages and the cost of your medical treatment, plus future losses, such as your long-term reduced earning capacity or the continued costs of treatment. It’s also hard to put a dollar value on subjective experiences like pain and suffering.
If you have received a settlement offer and are happy with it, there is usually no need to hire a lawyer. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, just 3% of civil law claims go to trial. The vast majority settle or are otherwise disposed of out of court.
However, if you aren’t content with the settlement offer or aren’t sure how much your claim is worth, our personal injury attorneys at [BUSINESS NAME] can help. We can evaluate your claim and calculate a fair settlement value based on the type and extent of your losses and the facts of the case.
The Insurance Company
Insurance companies are not on your side. They often try to get away with lower settlements or avoid making payouts altogether to protect their bottom line. It’s not uncommon for insurers to:
- Delay processing your claim until the time runs out
- Question the nature or extent of your injuries
- Dispute liability by trying to shift the blame on you
- Reject your claim outright
If you’re dealing with an uncooperative insurance company or would like to avoid these headaches altogether, consider hiring one of our personal injury lawyers. Our team has many years of experience negotiating with insurers on our clients’ behalf. We know how the insurance industry works, what tricks insurers use to reduce settlement awards, and how to counteract them.
The Complexity of the Case
Some personal injury cases are relatively straightforward. Others are more complex and will usually require professional legal help.
This is often the case when you were partially at fault for the accident. Florida is a pure comparative negligence system, which means the maximum compensation you can claim will be reduced by your percentage of fault. So, for instance, if you suffered a total of $100,000 in damages but were 40% at fault, you can only claim up to $60,000.
In other cases, it’s not immediately clear who was at fault or how many parties were responsible for the incident. This is very common with commercial truck accidents. Depending on the facts of the case, any of the following parties can be at fault:
- The truck driver
- The trucking company
- The maintenance company
- The shipping and loading company
- The truck manufacturer
If you don’t identify the negligent party from the start, you risk jeopardizing your case and your chances of recovery. That’s why it’s essential to know when to hire a personal injury lawyer and when you may be able to represent yourself.
Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer FAQ
Here are the answers to some questions we often get in our personal injury practice:
What Does a Personal Injury Lawyer Do?
A personal injury lawyer provides legal advice, services, and representation to people who have been injured or have lost a close family member in an accident. A big part of the practice of personal injury attorneys revolves around helping injury victims seek compensation.
Is Hiring a Personal Injury Attorney Worth It?
Hiring a personal injury lawyer isn’t required but can help protect your interests and maximize the chances of success of your claim. A personal injury attorney can review your case, explain your options, and develop a legal strategy for seeking compensation.
When Should I Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer?
It’s important to know when to hire a personal injury lawyer if you have been injured in an accident and are looking to seek compensation. You should hire a lawyer as soon as possible after the accident to give them time to build your case and prepare your claim.
Talk To a Florida Personal Injury Attorney Today
At [BUSINESS NAME], we have a long track record of fighting for the rights of injury victims and their families. If you have suffered injuries or have lost a loved one in a wrongful death accident, our law firm can help. Our experienced personal injury attorneys can review your case, advise whether you can seek compensation, and advise on next steps.
Call [PHONE NUMBER] or contact us online to schedule a consultation.