Sarasota Personal Injury Lawyer

Suffering a personal injury may leave you with questions such as:

• Who is responsible for the injury?
• How will I pay for the increasing medical bills?
• Will I be able to return to work?
• Who will handle my household chores while I am recovering?

Choosing the right Sarasota personal injury lawyer who is familiar with Florida’s personal injury laws can help you clear up some of those questions. Your personal injury lawyer serving Sarasota, FL may be able to help you recover damages for your injuries.

Call Chalik & Chalik Injury Lawyers today.

How Can a Lawyer Assist You with Your Personal Injury Case?

Working with a legal team familiar with Florida’s laws can get you the justice and compensation you deserve. Our legal team is ready to look over the details of your case.

Complimentary Consultation

The complimentary consultation is a great time to get answers to your questions. It also allows us to get to know you and the specific details of your case. Every personal injury case is different, making the details very important. This consultation is necessary for determining the next best legal steps to take.

Collecting Important Documents

Because much of the personal injury lawsuit process demonstrates negligence, it is important that we collect all documents that help your case. We may assist you in collecting the following types of documents:

• Medical records
• Police report
• Insurance adjuster report
• Witness statements
• Expert witness reports
• Income statements

Representing You When You Need It Most

Personal injuries are often life-changing for both the individual and their family. We understand that your health is your priority during this time. We navigate the legal process while you focus on healing. We can help you fight for the compensation that you deserve.

We also assist our clients in the settlement process. A personal injury case may include a settlement offer. A settlement offer can speed up the legal process and prevent both parties from going to court. If the settlement offer does not make sense for your case, we are fully prepared to take it to court and fight for you.

How do You Prove the Other Party’s Negligence in Your Case?

Understanding what Florida requires of us can help you navigate the legal process to get the compensation that you deserve. In order to file a personal injury case, we must demonstrate that the four following elements are present:

Duty of Care

The responsible party must have had a legal duty of care to you. This can be a duty of reasonable care, professional liability, or premises liability, depending on the type of relationship you have with the responsible party.

Breach of Duty

We must also demonstrate that the responsible party breached their duty of care. Most breaches of duty fall under either negligence or intentional harm. The specific actions that are considered a breach of duty might depend on the type of personal injury case.

Causation

It is also important that we provide evidence that the defendant either directly or indirectly caused the accident and the injuries you sustained. In some cases, causation is clear. But in others, a direct correlation needs to be demonstrated.

Damages

We must also prove that there are damages present. These are the costs that are associated with the injuries suffered. It might include things like medical bills, rehabilitative costs, and property damages. In some cases, it might also include things like pain and suffering and a loss of consortium.

Types of Damages You Can Recover in Your Personal Injury Case

Once we have established that the four important elements of a personal injury case are present, we can work to get you the compensation that you deserve for your damages.

The following costs may be included in a personal injury case:

• Current medical bills
• Future medical costs
• Transportation costs
• Diminished earning capacity
• Lost wages
• Childcare fees
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of consortium

The specific costs included in a personal injury case depend on the details of the accident and the severity of the injuries. Every personal injury case is different, meaning the compensatory amount differs for each one.

Discussing your case with a personal injury lawyer familiar with Sarasota and Florida doctrine and insurance processes can give you a clear understanding of what types of costs can be recovered in your case.

How do Pure Comparative Negligence Laws Work?

Florida’s pure comparative negligence law (Florida Statutes §768.81) can also affect the compensation amount that you receive. Although Florida does permit filing a personal injury lawsuit for an accident you are partially to blame for, your compensatory amount may be reduced. Your compensation amount may be reduced by the percentage you are deemed to be at fault.

Florida’s Statute of Limitations on Personal Injury Cases

Florida Statutes §95.11 imposes time limits for filing a personal injury case. It is important that we stay within these time restrictions to prevent your case from being dismissed. In most personal injury cases, the suit must be filed within two years from the accident date.

There are, however, some situations that can extend this time limit. So, it is important to discuss your case with a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible.

Potentially Liable Parties We Could Help You Pursue for Damages

As there are many kinds of personal injury cases, there are many potential avenues for compensation. If you were in an accident, we will investigate to find out who was involved and who could owe you.

A Negligent Driver

If you were injured on the road while driving, as a passenger in a vehicle, walking, biking, or sitting in a parked car, we can help. You could have been hit by a driver that did not keep your safety in mind. Such a person could have been distracted or drunk, or simply ignoring traffic signals or speeding.

The driver (or their insurance company) in any of these situations could be liable for your accident.

The Other Party’s Employer

A driver who rear-ended you due to their lack of attention could have been working as a delivery driver at the time of the accident. In this situation, we could file a claim with the employer’s insurance company.

In situations where rideshare vehicles or other contract workers are involved, the insurance process can be confusing. Let your lawyer get to the bottom of it.

A Negligent Property Owner

If you were bit by a dog that broke out of a cheap fence or if you fell because of a cracked walkway, you could file a claim against the involved property owner’s insurance policy.

A Municipality

If you were driving and harmed because of an unfixed sinkhole or fell on a public sidewalk that the city should have fixed, we could take action against the relevant authority. Going up against the County or City could be scary, but we have done this before.

Types of Cases We Handle Involving Personal Injury

If you were harmed by another person’s negligence in Sarasota, our team can help you. We serve accident victims from the following circumstances:

• Motor vehicle accidents (car, truck, bicycle, motorcycle, rideshare)
• Dog bites
• Slip and falls
• Premises liability accidents

We also take on cases involving:

• Brain injury
• Drug and product defects
• Medical malpractice

If you suffered another kind of accident, we can still help you.

See What Our Past Clients Have to Say About Chalik & Chalik Injury Lawyers

Some of our clients have shared their positive experiences working with us.

• “The entire process was incredibly simple. From the first time I called into their office, I felt comfortable with the process and the staff handling my case, working with the partners, etc.” – A personal injury client
• “Debi and the team at Chalik and Chalik got the job done… They are a wonderful law firm.” – Eric Brown

Hiring us means hiring our team’s partners, Jason and Debi Chalik. Let them take on your case in pursuit of a fair settlement for you.

Contingency-Fee Representation Gives You the Freedom to Retain Us

We want to take the stress out of the personal injury process. Not only do we take on all the tasks your case creates, but we also take our fee out of the settlement or judgment we secure for you.

You do not have to pay us upfront or by the hour. We work for you and your wallet. If we do not win your case, we do not get paid. This encourages us to give our all to your situation.

Contact Our Attorneys Today for Help with Your Personal Injury Claim

Personal injuries can leave you with expensive medical bills, the inability to work, and a changed lifestyle. The responsible party should be held accountable and cover these costs.

A personal injury lawyer in Sarasota, FL from Chalik & Chalik Injury Lawyers is ready to help. Call us today.