What Is the Serious Injury Threshold in Fort Lauderdale?

The serious injury threshold in Fort Lauderdale is defined by Florida state statute 316.027, which outlines the debilitating conditions that can greatly impair one’s quality of life.

These afflictions, quoted verbatim from the statute, include:

• A physical condition that creates a substantial risk of death
• Serious personal disfigurement
• Loss or impairment of the function of a bodily member or organ

These injuries qualify as “protracted losses,” which is a legal term that refers to serious bodily impairments that take a long time to recover from. Claimants are typically able to pursue more compensation for these types of devastating conditions.

Explaining the Serious Injury Threshold Further

You have the right to move forward with legal action regardless of how severe your accident-related injuries are. However, the amount of compensation you are able to receive for these losses typically increases based on the severity of your condition. For example, a claimant with a broken neck will likely be able to seek more damages than a claimant with mild whiplash.

Some of the injuries that typically qualify as a serious injury include:

• Broken bones
• Significant scarring or other disfigurements, such as an amputated limb
• An injury that impairs your daily activities, especially if the injury requires a long recovery period
• Permanent organ damage
• An injury that requires you to be partially or completely disabled for at least 90 days

No matter how harmless your injuries may be, you should seek immediate medical attention following any kind of accident. Quickly connecting the collision with your current condition will be paramount to pursuing financial recovery. Speaking with a legal professional can expand more on what this means for you.

Calling a Lawyer is the First Step Towards Justice

Promptly seeking legal assistance after your accident can work to your advantage for a variety of different reasons. A lawyer can answer any questions that you may have about the serious injury threshold and how it applies to your case. Additionally, your legal team may be able to provide insight into what damages you are eligible to recover and an appropriate way to pursue them.

Some services your legal team can provide include:

• Filing your case to the correct offices or organizations
• Collecting evidence and conducting any necessary investigation into your accident
• Employing experts to bolster your case, including medical doctors and accident reconstruction specialists
• Taking your case to court if they cannot reach a fair settlement agreement
• Guiding your case through trial, if necessary

The ultimate goal of any lawyer is to secure a victory on your behalf, which may come in the form of a settlement or court award covering your various losses.

Compensation in a Personal Injury Lawsuit

Florida does not have a statutory cap for both economic and noneconomic damages. What this means for you is that there is no limit to the amount of recovery you can seek after an accident.

If you secure a favorable settlement or judgment, you could collect various forms of compensation, potentially including coverage for:

• Medical care required to treat injuries caused by the accident
• Any diagnostic tests needed to determine which injuries you sustained
• Any rehabilitation necessary to restore mobility
• Wages you have lost or will lose because of your injuries
• Mental distress

You may collect other awards depending on the circumstances of your situation.

You Have a Limited Time to File a Civil Action

Under Florida statute 713.23(1), you have two years from the date of your accident to move forward with legal action. The time you have to act begins ticking from the date of your accident. You may not have long to pursue damages under these deadlines. Promptly seeking legal assistance can put your case in motion before the statute of limitations expires.

Call Our Team at Chalik & Chalik Injury Lawyers Today

We want to help you pursue compensation if you or a loved one has suffered an injury from a collision. At Chalik & Chalik, our goal is to support you during this challenging time by offering responsive and compassionate legal assistance to personal injury claimants. The serious injury threshold in Fort Lauderdale exists to protect your interests after an accident.

What sets us apart from many other law firms is that we do not take payment until the successful conclusion of your case. Not only does it encourage our team to provide exceptional service to your claim, but it also minimizes your financial risk. We take our payment from the finances we recover on your behalf.

Call us today at (954) 476-1000 today.