Any sort of injury can have a significant impact on a victim’s life, and the lives of their family members and loved ones. When someone else is responsible for the accident that caused the injuries, the resulting situation can be even more complicated with legal issues, insurance claims, police reports, and more. All of this while the victim is trying to stay focused on their recovery, and the insurance company or defense team is working aggressively to pay as little as possible — regardless of the true damages, the victims have suffered. When loved ones suffer the tragic wrongful death of a loved one, they are left with medical bills, a major loss of financial contributions, and, most importantly, serious emotional damage. All of this and more must be addressed in their claim, and the attorneys at our law firm have a deep understanding of this process following a range of accidents.
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Working with a personal injury attorney is one of the most important steps that a victim can take after suffering from injuries that someone else caused, whether due to negligence, recklessness, or even malice. As a victim of someone else’s failure to uphold their duty of care to keep you safe from avoidable harm, you are entitled to compensation for a wide range of damages under Florida’s state laws. Some of these damages are obvious and simple to calculate, while others are subjective or difficult to quantify. Regardless of the ease of calculation, though, you do not deserve to shoulder the financial burden if you are injured by someone else’s negligent or reckless behavior in Panama City, Florida.
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Our law firm offers a free consultation so victims can discuss our award-winning team of Panama City personal injury lawyers about their situation. It can be challenging to make sense of your legal options while in perfect health, and trying to represent yourself after a severe injury can feel impossible. During our consultation, we will be able to discuss the specifics of your situation such as the circumstances that led to your accident, evidence of the other party’s liability, the extent of your injuries, and give you a better sense of how we can help you get the compensation you deserve. Whether you are filing an insurance claim or believe you may need to file a lawsuit, we can give you the support you need throughout your case as we work towards a fair settlement.
Read more below to get a better sense of how our law firm can help you move forward with your life after a Florida personal injury, and contact us as soon as possible to schedule a free consultation. You do not need to go through this process alone, and once you are partnered with our attorneys, you can stay focused on your personal needs as our team of personal injury attorneys fights for a fair settlement or award. We have been serving Panama City, Florida, for over 30 years, and throughout the years, have tirelessly represented injured parties to get them fair compensation.
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The Factors of a Personal Injury Claim
The first thing to understand when it comes to your situation is whether or not it constitutes a Florida personal injury. The following factors must be present in a situation in order for a victim to file a tort claim. Once you understand the following requirements, you will be able to compare them to your own situation in order to determine whether or not you believe you have a case. However, we encourage you to reach out to our Panama City, FL law firm as soon as possible to speak directly with a personal injury lawyer about your unique situation. No two accidents are alike, and the opportunity to speak with a Panama City personal injury attorney can help you make the most sense of your own options as you move forward.
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1. The At-Fault Party Owed You a Duty of Care
A “duty of care” sounds like a highly-specific and explicit responsibility, but the reality is that we all have duties of care each day that we uphold in our travels throughout Panama City and beyond. A duty of care, simply put, is the obligation to act in a safe and prudent way in order to keep those around us safe from avoidable harm. When we drive a vehicle, our duty of care is to obey all state and local traffic laws and drive safely; alternately, a medical professional owes their patients a duty of care to provide them with reasonable care that does not cause unnecessary injuries. There are many duties of care, both explicit and implicit that we all agree to as part of the “social contract” for a safe society. This duty of care is the first thing our personal injury attorneys will examine for your personal injury case.
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2. The At-Fault Party Failed Their Duty of Care
When someone decides to operate a motor vehicle while intoxicated, a property owner’s negligence causes a fall, or when a medical professional fails to provide care that any “reasonable professional” would provide, they are failing their respective duties of care for those who rely on them to act responsibly. However, this failure may or may not lead to a personal injury. If someone drives drunk but does not cause an accident, they are guilty of breaking the law but have not caused others to suffer damages as a result. Please note that a criminal charge does not preclude a civil case; each is handled in a separate Florida court, and each has a different outcome. A Panama City personal injury lawyer works in the Florida civil courts and will commonly attempt to reach an out-of-court settlement agreement before filing a lawsuit.
3. This Failure Caused an Accident
When a drunk driver causes a car accident, the third necessary factor is present for a possible personal injury claim. The same can be said about a doctor who fails to properly diagnose an illness, and their patient’s condition is made worse as a result. Once a failed duty of care directly impacts another individual, there is an increased likelihood that the injured party can seek compensation for the incident. Car accidents and medical malpractice are just two of the many possible situations that assign liability to an at-fault party, and our personal injury lawyers have years of experience representing a wide range of personal injuries in Panama City, FL.
4. The Accident Caused Measurable Damages
In accidents with no measurable damages, such as a fender bender between two vehicles that caused no property damage and left nobody injured, there is nothing to consider through a claims investigation. Upon speaking with a personal injury lawyer, you may discover that there is no more action for you to take. However, this is rarely the case in accidents, and there are often damages that a victim deserves compensation for that our lawyers can help you recover. These include things like medical bills and lost wages but go beyond these apparent impacts and extend to things such as pain and suffering and other emotional impacts of the car accident (or another incident). Much of an insurance claims investigation is, ostensibly, meant to identify these damages, although claims adjusters are actually tasked with the responsibility of reaching a settlement for as little as possible in order to save the insurance company as much money as possible. When you are represented by the attorneys at our firm after being injured, you can count on us working to identify every damage you have suffered.
Making Sense Of Your Own Personal Injury
While the aforementioned factors provide a bit more context to determining your own options following a Panama City accident, it can still be both difficult and overwhelming to know what to do next, especially while you are trying to deal with the reality of your injuries. A personal injury lawyer will help you understand what you can expect moving forward, give you an insider’s understanding of Florida personal injury law, and can keep you focused on the long-term reality of your case. Contact our firm as soon as possible to connect with a personal injury attorney who can help you understand your situation, including what you may be entitled to in a settlement, how to file a claim, the type of evidence that will support your claim, and more.
Our firm has covered countless car accidents, slip and fall cases, premises liability accidents, uber accidents, and more. If you have been injured as a result of someone else’s actions (or inactions), contact us to speak with our attorneys.
We know what needs to be done to facilitate a fair settlement