Do You Need a Personal Injury Lawyer in Florida?

Florida law does not require you to hire a personal injury attorney after an accident. However, working with a lawyer can give you a better chance of obtaining a full financial recovery for your losses. An experienced personal injury lawyer will investigate your claim, evaluate your legal options, and fight for a fair settlement to restore your financial security and well-being.

When Would You Need a Personal Injury Lawyer?

After an accident, you should consider seeking help from a skilled personal injury attorney if:

• You suffered serious injuries that require emergency treatment, surgery, diagnostic tests, hospitalization, medications, or extended medical treatment.
• The insurance company has delayed or denied your personal injury claim.
• An insurance adjuster makes a settlement offer soon after the accident.
• The insurance company’s settlement offer seems low.
• The person or party who caused your injuries denies liability or blames you for the incident.
• Your personal injury case involves complex facts or evidence.
• You’re living with substantial hardships due to medical bills, lost wages, disability, pain, and other burdens due to the accident.

What Can a Florida Personal Injury Lawyer Do for You?

When you hire a Florida personal injury attorney to represent you in your case, you’ll benefit from having a knowledgeable advocate to manage the details of preparing and pursuing your claim so you can focus on healing. An attorney can seek the financial resources you need by:

• Investigating the circumstances of your case and gathering evidence to support your claim
• Identifying all parties who may bear liability for your losses
• Interviewing witnesses for unbiased information about what happened
• Utilizing experts to explain complex facts and the impact of the injuries on your life
• Documenting your injuries and ongoing expenses
• Working with vocational rehab representatives and financial analysts to calculate your anticipated financial losses
• Filing your claims with liable parties or the insurance company
• Handling communications with insurance adjusters or defense lawyers during settlement negotiations
• Vigorously arguing for a settlement that provides you with maximum compensation
• Answering your questions so you feel empowered and prepared at every stage of your case
• Filing a personal injury lawsuit and taking your case to trial (if needed)

What Do Personal Injury Lawyers Charge?

After an accident, many people face significant financial challenges, including paying for medical expenses while dealing with lost earnings. Personal injury lawyers understand these difficulties. To offset these burdens, most personal injury attorneys represent accident victims on a contingency fee basis.

In a contingency fee arrangement, the client pays nothing upfront to retain a personal injury lawyer. The lawyer only gets paid if they recover compensation for their client through a settlement or court judgment. The lawyer’s fee comes from a percentage of the total financial recovery they secure for their client. A contingency fee arrangement ensures that an injured accident victim does not have to pay out of pocket to get the legal help they need to pursue justice.

How Do You File a Personal Injury Claim?

The claims process begins with building a comprehensive case, backed by compelling evidence, to substantiate your case against the responsible party. An attorney can gather the evidence and witness testimony needed to prove liability. One advantage of hiring a lawyer early is that they can begin work on your claim while you are still recovering. They can secure evidence and talk to witnesses before crucial details get lost or forgotten. Your attorney can also bring in accident reconstruction, engineering, or medical experts who can review the evidence to provide convincing testimony in complex cases.

Once the case is built, your personal injury attorney will send the opposing party or the insurance company a demand letter, which lays out the evidence and requests financial compensation through a settlement. The liable party or their insurer may make a counteroffer, kicking off the informal settlement negotiations process.

If settlement negotiations break down, you may consider filing a personal injury lawsuit to preserve your right to pursue financial compensation in court. After filing a complaint with the court, you must serve a copy of the complaint and the court summons upon the opposing party. For some personal injury claims, such as medical malpractice claims, you must follow other procedural requirements established by state law. Your lawyer can advise you on all the necessary procedures after reviewing your case.

What is the Statute of Limitations for Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Florida?

Under Florida’s statute of limitations on negligence claims, you typically have two years after getting hurt in an accident to file a lawsuit against the party at fault for the accident. Although two years may seem like plenty of time to file your claim, you can best protect your rights by speaking with a Florida personal injury attorney from Zervos & Calta, PLLC, as soon as possible to ensure your claims get filed on time. Exceptions exist that could shorten or extend the deadline, but you need a lawyer’s advice to determine whether any apply in your case.

Once the limitations period expires on your personal injury claim, you lose your right to seek compensation in Florida. Acting promptly preserves your rights and protects your legal options.

Contact a Florida Personal Injury Lawyer

Suffering a personal injury can be stressful while you deal with medical appointments, rehabilitation, and keeping your life on track. If you cannot work, paying the bills and planning for the future can add additional strain. The trusted attorneys at Zervos & Calta, PLLC, can help if you’re coping with an injury someone else caused.

With over 50 years of combined legal experience, our team is prepared to fight for your rights and advocate on your behalf. Contact us today for a free consultation with a Florida personal injury lawyer.

Visit Our Florida Personal Injury Law Offices

About the Author

Angela Zervos
Angela has spent more than 20 years of her legal career fighting for personal injury victims – and against big insurance companies. As a true trial lawyer, she takes on a wide variety of personal injury claims, including those involving motor vehicle accidents, slip-and-fall accidents, medical malpractice, traumatic brain injuries, and wrongful death. Prior to starting her own law practice, Angela secured more than $80 million in settlements and jury verdicts for her clients – a 90 percent success rate since 2002. Her efforts on behalf of her clients have resulted in numerous accolades. For example, Angela maintains a “Superb” 10.0 rating from AVVO, an “AV Preeminent” rating from Martindale-Hubbell, and she is ranked among the Top 100 civil trial lawyers by the National Trial Lawyers Association. Zervos & Calta, PLLC serves the entire Tampa Bay area – including Pinellas County, Pasco County, Hernando County, and Hillsborough County – from offices in Tarpon Springs, Spring Hill, Clearwater, and St. Petersburg.