Florida Personal Injury Attorneys

Injuries in Florida

Injuries impact a startling number of people every day. In any given year in the US, one person dies due to an injury every three minutes. For every person who dies, 13 are hospitalized and 135 are treated in an emergency room because of an injury. Some of these injuries cannot be linked to any human action, but a surprising amount can. When people fail to act responsibly, others can be badly hurt. The law puts pressure on all of us to consider the safety of those around us. Drivers should pay careful attention to the road and only operate their vehicles when they are fully in command of their senses. Product manufacturers should make sure the items they create work as advertised and do not pose any unanticipated risks for consumers. Those who ignore safety concerns aren’t just being careless—they are recklessly putting other people in danger.

Like everyone in the US, Florida residents are constantly at risk of injury. According to the Florida Department of Health:

• Injuries are the leading cause of death for people ages 1-44
• 12,727 Florida residents were fatally injured in 2013
• 124,224 Florida residents were hospitalized due to an injury in 2013
• 83% of Florida injuries in 2013 were classified an unintentional
• In 2013, Florida residents ages 85 and up had the highest rates of fatal and nonfatal injuries
• The total sum of Florida injuries cost over $7.9 billion in 2013

The statistics become even more alarming when we consider how much pain, suffering, and money could have been saved if everyone had behaved responsibly and actively considered the safety of others.

Injuries and the Law

When a person or group directly or indirectly causes an injury, the responsible party should financially compensate the victims. This basic concept, rooted in fairness and justice, is the foundation for personal injury law. Civil law, including personal injury law, is distinct from criminal law. In criminal law, the government brings charges against a defendant accusing them of committing a particular crime. A criminal case may end with punitive measures for the defendant such as jail time or heavy fines. On the other hand, civil law involves private citizens or groups asking for damages from the party responsible for causing an injury. The defendant in a civil law case would not go to jail, but might be required to pay financial compensation to the victim or victims.

Personal injury cases often rely on the concept of “negligence” to determine whether or not someone could be held responsible for another party’s injuries. For example, many people would assume a doctor who misdiagnoses a patient would not be liable for any resulting injuries. However, the doctor may be guilty of some form of negligence, especially if the medical professional lacked the skills necessary to properly tend to the patient, if they were unfocused during the examination, or if they made a careless error. According to the principle of negligence, someone does not have to intend to harm you in order to be held responsible for your injuries. If you were seriously hurt by someone’s carelessness or recklessness, you can still seek financial compensation from them.

Personal Injury Frequently Asked Questions

If you are considering speaking with a lawyer about a potential personal injury case, you probably have a lot of questions. We have compiled a list of some of the most common concerns for your reference. An experienced attorney can answer more specific questions you may have concerning your particular situation.

How much is my case worth?

That depends on several factors, including the severity of your injuries, the expenses related to those injuries, the amount of pain and suffering caused by your injuries, and whether the defendant was entirely or partially responsible for your injuries. You can get financial compensation for the overall costs of your injury, and that doesn’t just include medical bills. Injuries tend to impact every area of your life, so you may be able to get monetary recompense for lost work wages and lifestyle changes. All in all, there’s no way to know precisely how much you could recover from your personal injury case without speaking with a skilled legal professional about the specifics of your accident and the extent of your injuries.

Why should I seek compensation?

To cover the current and future costs of your injury. Many people assume that pursuing a personal injury case will take too much time and energy to be worth it even if they achieve a legal victory. They don’t want to get tied up in court or get saddled with expensive legal fees. Even individuals with a clear-cut case avoid even speaking with a personal injury lawyer. Tragically, many of these people miss out on substantial financial compensation and wind up in debt, paying for medical bills and losing out on wages from work that could have been covered by the responsible party. The fact is that many personal injury cases are settled in a timely fashion and out of court. An ethical personal injury lawyer with integrity can communicate openly and honestly with you about your particular case, letting you know in advance what you should expect.

Why should I choose Schuler, Halvorson, Weisser, Zoeller & Overbeck P.A.?

Our personal injury attorneys are committed to getting our clients the maximum amount of monetary recompense possible. We prioritize clear, open communication to make the entire legal process as easy as possible for the people we serve. When it comes to representing you, we have all the skills, knowledge, and experience required. We also have a stellar record of success to back us up. For example, we secured $20,000,000 for a young woman who suffered a brain injury in an automotive accident. We also won a $9,000,000 settlement for our client when a poorly-installed tire contributed to an injury-causing crash. Those are just a few items from our extensive list of legal victories. So many of our clients are able to cover most or all of the costs of their injuries because we are ready and willing to fight to protect their best interests.

Contact Us

If you or someone close to you has been injured by someone else’s negligence, you need to seek immediate legal counsel. The law stipulates that you only have a set amount of time to pursue a civil case against the party responsible for your injury. In Florida, the statute of limitations for personal injury cases is four years after the accident. Additionally, it is best to speak to a lawyer sooner rather than later so that they can gather the evidence necessary to build a strong case.

At Schuler, Halvorson, Weisser, Zoeller & Overbeck P.A., our experienced personal injury lawyers firmly believe that you should not have to suffer because of someone else’s recklessness. If you were hurt in an accident that can be traced to another party’s irresponsible negligence, you deserve financial compensation to help you handle the costs of your injury. Call us anytime at (561) 689-8180 to speak with a skilled legal professional about how we can help you get the damages you need to cope with your injury and move forward with your life.