Being injured because of someone else’s actions can have a big impact on your life. Sustaining injuries can change the way you are able to do things temporarily or have a longer-lasting effect on your daily routine. This, in turn, can also impact how you are able to provide for yourself and your family.
If you or a family member were injured in a personal injury accident, you deserve to receive compensation from the liable party for the damages you have endured. A lawyer from our team can provide legal support and guidance through this challenging time so you can focus on healing from your injuries.
How Can I Recover Damages in a Personal Injury Case?
Knowing what your case is worth can be a complex question to answer. Each personal injury case is different and has unique circumstances that affect the value of your case. Compensation is decided by your damages, which refers to any losses associated with your accident. Damages are typically broken into two categories: Compensatory and punitive damages.
Compensatory damages are intended to make the injured person whole again, while punitive damages are to punish the liable party who caused the harm. Compensatory damages are divided into two categories, economic and non-economic, and are available in all personal injury cases. However, punitive damages are typically awarded less frequently.
Economic Compensatory Damages
Economic damages refer to the out-of-pocket expenses related to injuries. Examples include:
- Loss or change in income – If you have been unable to work because of the injuries you have sustained from the accident, or if your injuries change the way you are able to make money, you could be eligible to recover compensation. If you suffered a catastrophic injury, we will gather evidence to prove your ability to make money has changed due to your injuries.
- Medical expenses – This can include medical expenses you have already received, as well as future medical expenses. It is vital to know what your treatment plan requires and what your medical team anticipates you will need. Your injuries may require seeing multiple service providers and types of care. We will use your medical records and physician testimony to prove any future medical expenses needed on your behalf.
- Household services – This could include expenses to hire someone to complete household tasks while you are recuperating. However, you cannot recover costs for a housekeeper if that was already a part of your budget prior to your injuries.
- Property damages – If your property was damaged as a result of the accident, you could recover costs to repair or replace damaged property based on fair market value.
Non-Economic Compensatory Damages
Non-economic damages normally are intended to compensate the victim for how their injuries have impacted their daily life. Some examples include:
- Pain and suffering – If you suffered serious discomfort during the accident and through the aftermath, or any ongoing pain associated with the accident, you could be entitled to receive compensation. This can include physical, mental, and emotional pain you are experiencing.
- Physical disability or disfigurement – Injuries that have changed how you are able to live your life and care for yourself and others can qualify for compensation.
- Loss of enjoyment of life – Suffering a traumatic brain injury or spinal injury can significantly change the way you are able to enjoy life. If the aftermath of your injuries has changed your lifestyle, making it harder to enjoy life as you did prior to the accident, you may be eligible to receive compensation.
A personal injury attorney in Bartow, FL can help assess your losses to determine how much compensation you may be eligible to recover.
Filing a Personal Injury Claim vs a Lawsuit
When you hire a personal injury lawyer from our firm, we treat you like family and work hard for you to receive the compensation you deserve. While we investigate your case we gather information to build a strong case proving the liable party caused your injuries. Our goal is to successfully negotiate a settlement, however, we are prepared to represent you in court if we cannot reach an agreement.
Personal Injury Claim
You file a personal injury claim with your own insurance company, as well as a claim with the insurance company of the party that caused your injuries. Communicating with insurance companies can be complicated as they have their own interests in mind, and want to offer you the lowest settlement amount possible. When you hire a personal injury lawyer from our team, we have your best interests in mind and advocate for what you need.
If we cannot negotiate an appropriate settlement for you privately, we can file a personal injury lawsuit.
Personal Injury Lawsuit
To ensure your paperwork is completed and filed on time, we may file a lawsuit to comply with the statute of limitations but will continue to negotiate during the lawsuit process. We want to ensure we do everything possible for you to receive the compensation you deserve and do not want to miss the statute of limitations timeline.
It is important you talk with an attorney as quickly after the accident as possible to ensure you meet the deadline. According to HB 837/SB 236, you have two years to file a personal injury lawsuit from the date of the accident. If you do not meet the deadline, you lose your opportunity to receive compensation.
Contact Our Personal Injury Lawyer in Bartow, FL Today
If you or a loved one have been injured in a motor vehicle accident, slip and fall, or any other incident that resulted in injury or harm, “Ask Dave” for a free consultation. We will give you an honest evaluation of your case and provide guidance on how you should move forward legally. We understand how difficult this time if for you, which is why we offer our consultations over the phone or can even travel to you.
When you hire a member of our team, you become family. We are dedicated to providing you with personalized services no matter what your personal injury case is. Give us a call today to schedule your free consultation.