To satisfy a legal definition, personal injury law protects you or a loved one after being harmed or injured because of someone else’s actions or failure to act. For the human experience of being the victim of someone else’s recklessness, you need a Hendry County personal injury lawyer.
The aftermath of being harmed or injured can lead to massive debt from medical bills. The end result could spell financial disaster for you and your family. No matter the type of injury you endured, the law can counter a bad experience with a better outcome.
Types of Personal Injury Incidents in Hendry County
There are many incidents where you or someone you love can be injured and entitled to compensation. Some common ways and circumstances personal injuries occur include:
- Motor vehicle accidents: While most vehicle crashes cause minor property damages, a significant number also lead to physical injuries. Some may even cause permanent disabilities and catastrophic injuries.
- Truck accidents: Whether a semi-truck or 18-wheeler, truck accidents can cause serious injuries or even death.
- Motorcycle collisions: Motorcyclists can also suffer severe injury or death on Hendry County roads. If a negligent driver caused injury to you or a loved one, speak with a personal injury lawyer ASAP.
- Slips and falls: Property owners, including those who own retail stores, are required to maintain a reasonably safe environment on their properties. Floors should be clean and free from any type of debris or liquids that endangers the safety of others. Otherwise, slippery floors could create hazardous conditions and cause anyone to slip and fall.
- Pedestrian accidents: Poorly maintained areas such as construction areas, walkways, sidewalks and parking lots have contributed to pedestrian accidents in Hendry County. Failing to protect people from foreseeable risks should not go unnoticed. Speak with a personal injury lawyer about recovering damages after being hurt by neglected areas.
- Nursing home abuse: You never expect that leaving a loved one under the care of others can lead to abuse. Unfortunately, some nursing homes do not live up to expectations. The growing epidemic of elder abuse has led to family members being neglected, beaten and bruised in facilities that were supposed to provide proper care. Discuss your legal options with a lawyer who cares about your loved one being subjected to the negligence of others.
- Wrongful death: Sadly, negligence and recklessness have led to someone dying. Whether in a vehicle, truck, motorcycle or pedestrian accident, a slip and fall or elder abuse, a wrongful death occurs. Elements in this type of lawsuit could also come from medical malpractice or criminal behavior. You want to have a Hendry County personal injury attorney explain your legal options.
Types of Hendry County Personal Injury Claims
Just as there are different types of personal injury incidents, different claims may apply to each case. Even with two similar truck accidents, specific details and circumstances may influence the outcome of each claim.
Below is a brief discussion of common injuries from different accidents.
Crashes and Collisions
Accidents between different objects can cause a variety of injuries such as:
- Amputations
- Crushed limbs
- Lacerations
Any one of these injuries can lead to pain and discomfort. You or a loved one also faces mounting medical expenses, scarring, surgery, and long-term care and treatment.
Repetitive Injuries
Performing certain tasks over and over at work can cause repetitive injuries. If this happens, you might have a workers’ compensation claim against your employer.
Falling Objects
Getting hurt by a falling object is more than simply being at the wrong place at the wrong time. Property owners who fail to remove dead or rotten vegetation can be held responsible for your injuries.
Inhaling Toxic Fumes and Gases
Human error or equipment failure can cause inhalation of poisonous or toxic fumes and gases. You could suffer mild to severe respiratory distress. Any irritation to your airways, eyes, or skin can cause serious physical damage.
Broken Bones or Fractures
Broken bones are considered objective evidence that you were injured after an accident. You will need immediate medical attention to make sure your bones heal properly. Otherwise, waiting too long for treatment could require invasive medical treatment like surgery.
Muscle Sprains or Strains
You might have a personal injury claim where you suffered a sprain or strain to a tendon or ligament. This type of injury can be worse than a broken bone in some situations.
Avoid Before Filing a Personal Injury Claim in Hendry County
When you or someone you love is injured because of negligence or someone else, pursuing a personal injury claim is your right. However, common mistakes could jeopardize your chances of receiving fair compensation.
A Hendry County personal injury lawyer will discuss your options and warn you about making these mistakes.
Refusing to Receive Medical Treatment
Just because you may not feel any immediate pain does not mean you did not sustain an injury. Some injuries may take a few days to manifest. However, a physician can determine the extent of your injuries before they worsen.
It could be two weeks before the insurance company decides to deny your claim. Therefore, you should seek prompt medical attention to help strengthen your claim.
Signing Documents without Legal Representation
It is the job of an insurance adjuster to be nice to you while preventing their employer from compensating you fairly. This includes trying to convince you that signing documents will help your case. In fact, those documents could reduce your compensation or refute your claim.
Never agree to sign anything until your personal injury lawyer can review the documents to determine what is in your best interest.
A tragic mistake is to believe that you can handle a personal injury claim on your own. While you are trying to recover, the insurance company will do everything in its power to save money.
Most personal injury lawyers offer free consultations to review the strength of your claim. Use this time to connect with a lawyer with vast experience and knowledge of the complexities of personal injury laws.
You are not alone in facing the defense lawyer for the person or entity responsible for your injuries. Legal representation from a qualified personal injury lawyer can increase your chances of winning.
Misrepresentations by Insurance Companies in Hendry County Personal Injury Claims
Most insurance companies will use their vast litigation resources for defensive strategies to raise issues with negligent arguments against their clients. Their goal is to weaken or even dismiss your personal injury claim.
Some strategies they may employ include:
- Offering a low settlement to prevent accepting responsibility for significant liability
- Prolong the litigation process to encourage a lowball settlement
- Contest the severity of your injury and blame a preexisting medical condition
- Misrepresent statements to shift fault from their client to you for your injury
- Attempt to confuse or mislead you about insurance coverage and policies
- Monitor and surveil your social media posts to invalidate your personal injury claim
- Claim that you have a better chance of financial recovery without legal representation
Potential Damages in a Hendry County Personal Injury Lawsuit
When you are injured because of the neglect or recklessness of another person or injury, Florida law entitles you to recover economic and non-economic damages or payment for harm. With economic damages, you can be compensated for expenses directly related to your injury.
Some common expenses under economic damages include:
- Medical bills – ambulance transport, emergency care, X-Rays, hospitalization, physician and surgical treatment, rehabilitation and physical therapy. You may also be compensated for the cost of assistive devices such as crutches, a wheelchair or prosthetic limbs.
- Lost wages – reimbursement for the income you lost while recovering or days missed for an injury-related appointment.
- Loss of future earnings – for permanent injuries that take away your ability to earn what you did before being hurt in the accident.
- Property damage – to repair or replace your vehicle if you were injured in a truck or vehicle accident.
For non-economic damages, you can be compensated for the diminished quality of life resulting from the injury. Some examples of injury impact compensation that can be included in your claim include:
- Pain and suffering – may cover the injury itself or specific painful treatments necessary for recovery.
- Emotional distress – mental suffering in response to the accident.
- Loss of enjoyment – when your injury keeps you from participating in activities and hobbies that previously brought enjoyment to your life.
Seeking Compensation for Hendry County Your Personal Injury
Suffering a personal injury accident can lead to a life-altering reality for you or a loved one. Further injury from a financial downturn only adds to this daunting and complex experience.
Recovering those financial losses while healing physically is helped by representation from a Hendry County personal injury attorney. With legal representation, you have someone on your side who understands your undue financial, physical and emotional hardship and who can also do something about it.
If you or someone you love has been injured due to the negligent and reckless actions of a person or entity, contact an experienced personal injury attorney in Hendry County today.
