When To Call a Personal Injury Lawyer
If you have been injured or lost a loved one in an accident that another party caused, a lawyer can fight for the compensation you deserve. They can help you understand the complex legal process, protect your rights, and negotiate with insurers. They will also identify and evaluate the damages you’ve suffered and pursue the compensation you deserve for your losses.
The following can help you determine when to call a personal injury lawyer.
You Want Help Identifying and Assessing Your Potential Damages
The primary goal of a personal injury lawyer is to gather the evidence needed to prove liability and pursue damages you suffered due to the liable party’s negligence.
Damages can be extensive, and you may not be able to identify all of the losses you incurred that warrant compensation. Furthermore, some losses, also known as non-economic damages, are not based on specific values and cannot be estimated without special calculations that the average person likely doesn’t know.
Common recoverable damages include:
- Medical bills
- Loss of wages
- Diminished future earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Loss of quality of life
Our lawyers can identify every damage you are entitled to claim. This helps ensure you don’t leave any money on the table.
You Have Severe or Permanent Injuries
Serious and catastrophic injuries can come with medical bills and lost wages that total into the tens or hundreds of thousands—sometimes even higher. Permanent injuries often have costs that continue for the rest of your life.
Insurance companies don’t want to pay out for these high claims, so they will likely offer you less than you deserve.
Without an attorney’s assistance, you may think that you just need to take what you can get, even if the offer doesn’t cover your projected medical expenses. This is not true. You can always negotiate for more, and our team can handle that process for you.
The Insurer Offered You a Lowball Settlement and You Need to Negotiate for More
The first offer from an insurance adjuster is often very low, as they are hoping the injured party doesn’t know better and will accept whatever they can get. You should never accept a settlement without legal advice, or you risk losing substantial compensation. A lawyer can evaluate the settlement offer and negotiate for what you deserve.
The Insurer Is Refusing to Handle Your Claim in Good Faith
Insurance companies are businesses and, as such, will protect their bottom line. This means that they may refuse to pay you what you are entitled to, especially if you attempt to work with them on your own. If you are handling your case alone, they may think they can take advantage of you. However, they know that they can’t mess with you if we’re on your side. They know we’re a force to be reckoned with.
The Other Party Is Claiming You Are At Fault
Florida follows a modified comparative negligence law which holds that if you are more than 50% responsible for an accident, you cannot recover compensation. This means it’s very important to get legal help if the other party is claiming you were responsible or you think you may have contributed to the accident.
An attorney can gather the necessary evidence to prove the other party is liable.
You Don’t Want to Handle the Aspects of an Injury Claim or Lawsuit
You always want to hire a lawyer when fault is disputed or the insurance company is refusing to treat you fairly; however, it’s always good practice to hire an attorney if you don’t feel equipped to manage an injury claim. An injury attorney will do the following on your behalf:
- Gather evidence
- Identify all liable parties
- Prove liability
- Determine a value for all your damages, even those you didn’t know were compensable
- Negotiate a fair settlement with the insurer
- File a lawsuit, if necessary
- Prepare and present your case in court, if necessary
These tasks can be very difficult to do, especially if you are recovering from serious injuries or caring for an injured loved one. Our team can manage every aspect while you focus on yourself and your family.
Be Sure You Discuss Your Case With an Injury Attorney Quickly
It is beneficial to consult with a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible after any accident or incident that involves injuries. Doing so can help preserve evidence and allow legal counsel to begin working on your case immediately.
It is also important to get a lawyer on your case as soon as possible because you have a limited time to take action, per Florida Statute § 95.11. You may need to file a lawsuit to recover the compensation you deserve, but you only have two years to do so. If you fail to file your lawsuit within Florida’s statute of limitations deadline, you may find yourself unable to recover any compensation.
Our Team Can Help With All Types of Injuries Caused By Negligence
An injury attorney from our firm can help with all types of injury accidents, including:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Boat accidents
- Bus accidents
- Dog bites
- Slips and falls
- Wrongful death
Can I Afford to Call a Personal Injury Lawyer?
Yes. The initial case consultation is free and you owe us nothing up front for our services. We only get paid if you win your case.
There is no risk when you call an attorney for help with your injury claim.
Call a Personal Injury Lawyer from Meldon Law Today
The legal professionals at Meldon Law are dedicated to representing our clients with compassion and integrity. We will take on your fight as if it were our own and aggressively pursue the compensation you need and deserve during this difficult time.
Contact us today to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your case with our personal injury attorneys: (352) 373-8000.
