Getting injured in an auto accident, slip and fall accident, or any other incident is difficult enough. But pursuing a personal injury claim by yourself and taking on the insurance carriers and their attorneys can be almost impossible without the right legal assistance. It’s always a good idea to hire an experienced Tampa Bay personal injury attorney if you or a loved one were recently injured and need compensation to pay for medical bills and other expenses. But what if you’re not sure how a personal injury attorney can help your upcoming case?
This article covers six major ways personal injury attorneys can help with your lawsuit.
Get Sound Legal Counsel With a Tampa Bay Personal Injury Attorney
Personal injury attorneys can offer sound legal counsel from the beginning of your claim to the end of any potential lawsuit. Legal counsel is very important because:
- It’s difficult to know the specifics of Florida personal injury law, such as whether the at-fault party is liable for damages in the first place if you aren’t trained in this area. For example, Florida insurance laws state that 80% of your initial medical bills, up to $10,000.00 in treatment, are paid by your own PIP insurance. Despite this, the other party is still at-fault for the accident and you are entitled to pursue a claim for personal injury damages against them.
- Knowing what to do and what to expect following an accident can often be confusing. Having an attorney there to help guide you through the process can make things much easier for you.
Your legal team can give you good advice that isn’t affected by emotional concerns. They are there for you through the entire process and can answer any questions or concerns that may arise. The insurance companies have a team of lawyers assisting them, and you should have the same.
Read more in our blog: The Personal Injury Law Changes in Florida 2023
Negotiation with Insurance Companies and Others
Before filing a lawsuit, your personal injury attorneys can present your claim for damages to the accused party’s insurance carrier(s) and try to recover compensation through a pre-suit settlement process. In many cases, simply having skilled negotiators on your side leads to a fast resolution without having to step inside a courtroom or even file a lawsuit.
On top of that, a personal injury attorney can negotiate with others involved in your legal case, like the defendant’s legal team or the defendant. These negotiation duties are very serious, but a lawyer can carry them out capably, and without adding to your burdens.
Help Filing Paperwork
However, not all personal injury cases are resolved easily. Should you decide to file a lawsuit against an at-fault party, personal injury attorneys can assist by filing paperwork on your behalf. Most personal injury victims have never filed a lawsuit and don’t know where to begin. If you have a competent lawyer working for you, you never have to worry about the process. They will take care of everything for you.
Most personal injury lawsuits in Florida have statutes of limitations of two years from the date of the incident. You have to file your lawsuit paperwork before that expiration date. With a Tampa Bay personal injury attorney on your side, you won’t have to worry about filing the paperwork or missing important deadlines that could significantly impact your case.
Evidence Gathering
For any personal injury lawsuit or arbitration case to be successful, you must prove negligence on behalf of the at-fault party. That involves gathering lots of evidence, including but not limited to:
- Camera footage, like store camera footage or traffic camera footage
- Eyewitness accounts, including your account of the injury or incident
- Forensic evidence, such as crash recorder data and accident reconstructionist measurements.
- And more.
Gathering evidence, however, can be time-consuming, difficult, and expensive, especially if your injuries are debilitating in some way. If you hire a Tampa Bay personal injury attorney, they can do all this work for you, and they will pay for the costs upfront. They know exactly what evidence to gather, how to organize it, and how/when to present it in court.
Evidence Presentation
Additionally, personal injury attorneys will use their training and expertise to make any claim or potential lawsuit much more persuasive and effective, thereby increasing the likelihood of a better result for you. When the time comes for your side to show evidence proving negligence on behalf of another party, presentation matters a great deal.
The right lawyer can:
- Speak persuasively and compellingly to the judge or jury
- Prepare you to make sure you present your side of things persuasively and effectively
- Present evidence at the right time to counteract the defenses presented by the at-fault party and their insurance lawyers
- And more
This could make a significant difference in the outcome of your personal injury case and the total compensation you may receive to cover your expenses and pain and suffering.
Maximized Compensation for Injuries
The goal of filing a personal injury lawsuit is to receive damages for your injuries and any related medical bills. With a legal professional working for you, depending on the severity of your injuries, you could receive compensation in the hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars for:
- Past and future medical expenses related to your injuries
- Loss of ability if your injuries are permanent in nature
- Loss of income if you have to take time off work while you recover
- Loss of future earning capacity
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Past and future pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
However, you may not receive the full damages you deserve without a personal injury attorney working toward that outcome. Many courts use “pure comparative negligence” rules when awarding damages. That means you could be found partially at fault for your injuries, lowering your received compensation.
It’s a far better idea to contact knowledgeable personal injury attorneys right away. A legal team can fight for you and ensure that your damages are paid out appropriately and that the responsible parties cover the financial hardship you had to endure.
Contact a Tampa Bay Personal Injury Attorney at Hunter Law Today
Overall, the right legal team can maximize your chances of significant compensation, ease the burden of pursuing a claim or filing a lawsuit, and help you receive what you deserve in the aftermath of an accident. That’s why you should contact Hunter Law right away if you or a loved one were recently injured.
As experienced personal injury attorneys for Tampa Bay residents just like you, we are knowledgeable about the details of Florida personal injury law. We can assist with any personal injury case you bring to us, ranging from auto accident cases to medical malpractice cases, wrongful death, and more. Contact us today for more information and a free consultation.