Personal Injury Lawyer Spring Hill

Truck Accidents

Large roadway trucks are typically referred to as tractor-trailers, semis or big rigs and are familiar sights on Florida highways and roadways. Due to their massive sizes and weights, these trucks are hazardous to smaller passenger roadway vehicles, most often causing severe injury or death to other drivers when involved in a roadway accident. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) National Center for Statistics and Analysis, there were 3,291 people killed and 104,000 people injured in crashes involving large trucks in 2012, and there were 333,000 in total accidents involving large trucks. Moreover, large trucks were more likely to be involved in a fatal multiple-vehicle crash as opposed to a deadly single-vehicle crash than were passenger vehicles. The personal injury lawyers at Zervos & Calta, PLLC have the experience necessary to handle these kinds of catastrophic injuries with compassion and dedication.

Slip and Fall Accidents

According to the National Floor Safety Institute and the National Safety Council’s Injury Facts 2016, slip and fall accidents account for over 1 million hospital emergency room visits, with fractures occurring in 5% of all people who fall. As per the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), floors and flooring materials contribute directly to more than 2 million fall injuries each year. The Zervos & Calta accident attorneys have extensive experience in handling a wide variety of slip and fall accidents and premises liability cases ranging from large retail chain stores to individual property owners. Call for a free consultation with one of our lawyers.

Pedestrian Accidents

Pedestrian accidents in Florida happen every single day. Due to city streets being designed with priority for expedited road travel versus pedestrian traffic, as well as perpetually sunny skies and increased traffic from tourism and snowbirds, Florida streets remain a threat to pedestrian safety. In fact, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), Florida ranked number two in the United States for fatal pedestrian accidents in the first six months of 2017.

According to the GHSA figures, just under 300 individuals in Florida were hit by motor vehicles during that time frame. While not all pedestrian accidents result in fatalities, they typically result in serious injuries such as fractures, brain injuries, and spinal injuries. We have years of experience working on behalf of injured victims of pedestrian accidents, making sure they are deservedly compensated.

Traumatic Brain Injuries

The Mayo Clinic reports that traumatic brain injuries generally occur after a severe blow to the head or body. Other trauma, such as a penetrating object like a bullet, or a piece of shattered skull, can also cause a brain injury. Serious traumatic brain injuries can cause severe damage to the brain including bruising, bleeding, torn vessels and tissues, to name a few. These injuries can result in lifelong disabilities or death. The leading causes of these types of injuries, as per The Brain Trauma Foundation, are falls, motor vehicle collisions, and being hit by or against other objects.

If you think you may have suffered a traumatic brain injury, seek medical attention immediately! Then call the personal injury attorneys Zervos & Calta, who will aggressively fight for you and make sure you receive fair compensation for your injuries.

Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal cord injuries suffered as a result of an accident are devastating and affect every aspect of your life, as well as your family’s life. According to the Mayo Clinic, a spinal cord injury is when damage has been sustained to the spinal cord itself or any of the nerves connected to it. This damage can cause paraplegia (affects all or part of the trunk, legs, and pelvic organs) or quadriplegia (affects your arms, hands, chest, legs and pelvic organs) and affect your body’s ability to control your limbs.

If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal cord injury due to someone else’s negligence, you deserve aggressive and compassionate legal representation. Call the law offices of Zervos & Calta, PLLC, who will use their decades of experience to fight for you.

Medical Malpractice

Doctors, nurses, nurse’s aides, and other medical staff and medical facilities are held to a certain standard of care when treating patients. When doctors and other staff fail to meet that standard of care and cause injuries or death to a patient, they have breached their duties and committed malpractice. Types of medical malpractice include:

• Misdiagnosis or failure to diagnose
• Anesthesia errors
• Surgical errors
• Medication errors
• Birth injuries
• Nursing home neglect or abuse
• Defective products

When a loved one dies due to the negligence of a medical professional, the surviving family members can file a wrongful death claim to receive financial compensation. We have years of experience with medical errors so call today for a free consultation to discuss your potential medical malpractice claim.

Bicycle Accidents

Florida dominates the rankings of most dangerous cities for bicyclists, as stated by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. Bicyclists are in much more danger and more likely to be killed in the state of Florida than any other state. The per capita cyclist death rate was almost 60% higher than the next closest state. Florida had 6.2 deaths per 100,000 people, compared to 3.9 deaths for Louisiana from 2007 2016, according to the NHTSA report based on data from the National Center for Statistics and Analysis.

What many people don’t realize is that bicyclists have the same rights to the roadways, and must obey the same traffic laws, as the drivers of other vehicles. When an accident happens involving a bicyclist, just like in crashes involving pedestrians, the injuries tend to be more severe. If you have been injured in a bicycle accident, call us for a free consultation about your case.

Dog Bites

Florida has a statute that makes a dog owner automatically liable for “any damage” to a person or domestic animal. The owner of the dog is responsible for any damage or injury which is caused by his/her dog, whether the dog bit you or jumped on you, or pushed or pulled you to the ground. With only limited exceptions to this statute, this means that a dog owner must pay for your injuries.

Other Personal Injuries

We represent those who have been injured in a boating accident, construction accident, as a result of a drunk driving accident, and birth injuries.

Do I have a personal injury claim?

There are three essential components to a personal injury claim. They are liability, damages, and causation.

1. Liability – As the claimant, you have the burden of proving that the other party was responsible for negligently or recklessly causing the accident. For example, if the other party ran the stop sign and crashed into your vehicle, the other party would be considered to have negligently caused the accident.

2. Damages for injuries– Damages consist of injuries resulting in medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, future medical care and loss of future earning potential. Damages are proven through medical records, bills, employment records, tax returns, photographs, diagrams, and testimony.

3. Causation – You must prove that the damages you suffered were caused by the negligent or reckless behavior of the other party. In the example above, if you alleged injuries to your neck and back following the car accident, you must be able to prove that your neck and back injuries and any damages that flowed from those injuries (lost wages, bills, etc.) were caused by the accident for which the other party was at fault.

If you were involved in an accident for which another party is entirely or at least partially at fault for and you sustained damages as a result, you might have a personal injury claim. Call the personal injury law firm of Zervos & Calta, PLLC for your free consultation to discuss whether you have a personal injury claim.

Steps our law firm will take on your behalf

The attorneys at Zervos & Calta, PLLC will meet with you in person in Spring Hill during your initial consultation and evaluate your potential claim. Once involved, we will investigate all aspects of your claim, including how the accident happened, who was responsible for causing the accident, and all potential sources of insurance coverage. We secure statements from all potential witnesses, get photographs of the scene of the crash, all property damage, and all injuries, gather all of your medical bills and records, make sure your medical bills are correctly submitted for payment, and handle all communication with the insurance companies through the settlement of your claim.

If we determine a lawsuit must be filed, we will submit the suit, consult with and retain all necessary experts, including but not limited to accident reconstruction experts, biomechanical engineers, and economists, and try your case in front of a jury.

How long do I have to file a claim

The amount of time you have to file a claim is called the Statute of Limitations. If you do not settle your claim or file a lawsuit within the Statute of Limitations, you are forever barred from any recovery for your injuries. That is why it is so important to consult with an attorney promptly after an accident. The Statute of Limitations varies depending upon the type of claim you have.

Negligence claim – If you have been injured as a result of a motor vehicle accident, bicycle accident, motorcycle accident, slip or trip and fall accident, premise liability accident, trucking accident, pedestrian accident or dog bite, the Statute of Limitations in Florida is four years from the date of the accident.

Medical Malpractice claim – If you have suffered injuries as a result of medical malpractice, the Statute of Limitations is two years from the date the misconduct was committed. If you were initially unaware that malpractice was committed, the Statute of Limitations is two years from the time you discovered the negligence, but no later than four years from the date the misconduct was committed. (There is a limited exception if fraud in concealment can be proven).

Wrongful death claim – If someone has died as a result of someone else’s negligent or reckless behavior, the Statute of Limitations is two years from the date of death.

What does it cost to get started

It costs NOTHING to get started! Our initial consultation is FREE and the attorneys at Zervos & Calta, PLLC work on what is known as a contingency fee basis. You pay nothing up front. Once a case settles, the attorneys’ fees are calculated on a percentage of the final settlement or verdict we earn on your behalf, and the cost is deducted from the settlement or verdict amount. We believe that everyone deserves the right to competent and robust representation regardless of their financial circumstances.

Additionally, you receive the benefit of over 45 years combined legal expertise in the field of Personal Injury Law and do not have to worry about dealing directly with the insurance companies. We take care of the entire process for you while you concentrate on healing from your injuries.

Talk with one of our attorneys

If you believe that you have a personal injury claim, schedule a free consultation in Spring Hill with one of our attorneys who will listen to you, answer any questions, and explain your legal options. When you hire Zervos & Calta, PLLC, we begin working immediately on your behalf to ensure you are fairly and adequately compensated for your injuries.

Contact us by filling out the form on the right or call 727-937-3171 to schedule a free phone consultation.