Personal injuries may leave you with financial uncertainty, the inability to work, and the inability to enjoy your favorite hobbies or daily tasks. The effects of a personal injury may be felt by the individual and the family.
Recoverable Damages in Florida Personal Injury Cases
Damages that may be included in a personal injury lawsuit vary by the case. You may be able to seek compensation for your losses. In Jacksonville, when you’re faced with a personal injury situation, our team of Jacksonville personal injury lawyers at Chalik & Chalik Law is ready to provide you with the dedicated legal representation you need to pursue your claim effectively.
Pain and Suffering and Loss of Consortium
It is normal to experience mental hardships and a loss of consortium following a personal injury. Calculating compensation for these real, but not concrete, expenses can be difficult. The judge and jury will often determine the amount. They will take many things into account, including:
- Age
- The severity of the injury
- Life condition changes
- The victim’s lifestyle before the accident occurred
We will assist you in calculating an appropriate amount for your pain and suffering. Florida does not have a set limit for pain and suffering, but depending on the type of personal injury case, there could be limitations.
Future Losses
After an accident, you might only be able to think about the concerns that directly affect you at the moment, like medical bills or vehicle repair bills. However, depending on your injury, your accident could cause long-lasting changes in your life.
These details might include:
- Disfigurement
- Lost wages
- Lost earning capacity
- Loss of limb
- Future medical bills, such as for physical therapy and medications
- Transportation costs to and from medical appointments
Should You Hire an Attorney to Help You with Your Claim?
The events following a personal injury may be expensive. We can assist you in getting the compensation that you deserve. Although many personal injury cases are settled outside of court, our team is fully prepared to take your case to trial if the settlement amount does not appropriately cover your needs.
We will pay for the court cases. A personal injury lawyer serving Jacksonville, FL, can help you recover compensation. Chalik & Chalik Injury Lawyers offer personalized legal counsel for clients, including the following actions:
We will Handle Communications with the Insurance Company
We want to stand between you and the insurance adjusters who will call you shortly after the accident to offer you an unfair settlement that won’t cover your total losses. We can take on the task of negotiating for a fair award. You will not have to speak to the insurer after retaining our services.
Our Team will Investigate Your Accident in an Attempt to Gather Strong Evidence
In order to secure damages, we need to know who is responsible for your accident. To do this, we will collect documents like:
- Medical records
- A police report
- Witness statements
- Images of the accident
- Expert witness statements
- Income statements
We can also speak to your medical team to gain an understanding of your injuries, visit the accident site, and search for past accident reports involving the other party. We could even obtain the other party’s driving and phone records.
We will Assign a Value to Your Total Losses
In order to pursue compensation, we need to know how much would repay you for your losses. This requires evaluating your injuries, bills, and suffering. You might even have losses that you didn’t know could make you eligible for an award. We can use our knowledge of other cases like yours to determine how much you could secure via a claim or lawsuit.
We Offer Complimentary Consultations
Every injury is unique, and so are the events that led up to it. The complimentary consultation gives us the opportunity to understand the details of your case better. It also allows us to advise you on the appropriate legal steps.
Taking the unique details of your case into account is an important part of the process. This meeting is also a great time for you to ask any questions and share any concerns you might have about the legal process.
We Can Represent You in Your Time of Need
Personal injuries may be accompanied by numerous doctor appointments, surgical procedures, and important recovery time. You can rest easy knowing you have a personal injury legal team that is on your side.
The legal process consists of mandatory court dates, constant communication with insurance providers, and the retrieval of documents. We will handle all of these tasks for you while you focus on the most important thing: your health and recovering from your injuries.
Types of Florida Personal Injury Cases We Handle
Personal injury cases come in a variety of forms, including:
- Medical malpractice
- Car accidents
- Defective products
- Dog bites
- Slip and falls
- Pedestrian accidents
The Four Elements You Must be Able to Prove in a Personal Injury Claim
It is important to understand Florida’s laws when seeking compensation for a personal injury. Florida requires that the following four elements are present when seeking compensation for a personal injury case:
Duty of Care
We must establish that the responsible party held a legal duty of care. The specific duties of care will depend on the type of injury suffered. An example would be that a driver has a legal duty to stop at a stop sign.
Breach of Duty
We must then establish that the responsible party breached that duty of care. A breach of duty can be negligent or intentional. If a driver fails to stop at a stop sign, they breach their duty of care to others on the road.
Causation
We must provide evidence that the breach of duty led to the accident. Causation is if a driver who did not stop at a stop sign hit another vehicle because of their failure to stop. The breach of duty caused the accident.
Damages
Finally, we must provide evidence that actual damages were suffered as a result of the breach of duty. If the driver in the above examples who was hit had medical bills, the medical bills would be considered damages.
How Florida’s Statute of Limitations Affects Personal Injury Cases
We must stay within Florida’s personal injury statute of limitations imposed by Florida Statutes §95.11. Otherwise, your case could be dismissed from court and you could lose your eligibility for compensation.
Florida requires that a personal injury lawsuit is filed within two years of the accident caused by negligence. Because the majority of personal injury cases are founded on negligent activity, this is a good standard rule to follow.
Rare causes of personal injury may have a shorter statute of limitations, so consulting with a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible may help in meeting the deadline to file a case.
Timeline Extensions do Exist
Although rare, some situations extend the personal injury statute of limitations. These include:
- The victim is deemed legally incapacitated.
- The defendant hid their identity to avoid a lawsuit.
- The defendant fled the area to prevent a lawsuit.
How Florida’s Pure Comparative Negligence Laws Can Affect Your Case
Florida is a pure comparative negligence state, as stated in Florida Statutes §768.81. This means that the defendant is only financially responsible for their portion of the accident. If you were partially to blame for the accident that led to your injuries, you can still seek compensation. But that amount will be reduced by the amount of fault you held.
The Team at Chalik & Chalik Injury Lawyers has Helped Floridian Accident Victims for Decades
We have been fighting for victims since 1955. When you call our team, you will reach a firm that takes an interest in its clients. You will also work directly with the firm’s partners, Jason and Debi Chalik.
Our past clients have the following to say about working with us:
- “Through the whole case from start to finish, they took care of all my needs.” – Eric Brown
- “There was very little to concern myself with, and nothing you couldn’t help me out with.” – Frank McKee
We offer scholarships for survivors of cancer and students who give back to their communities. We also take part in many philanthropic efforts, including helping those in the Jewish community and students.
Call Our Attorneys Today for Assistance
Working with a personal injury lawyer gives you the opportunity to focus on your recovery. Your lawyer from Chalik & Chalik Injury Lawyers may be able to help you recover compensation for your injuries.
Call or text Chalik & Chalik
(904) 549-6065