You take your safety seriously. You are vigilant and alert when you go out. You never take unnecessary risks, and you avoid situations that may compromise your well-being. When on the road, you are especially careful and cautious. This is not always enough. Unfortunately, you will come across drivers who are inattentive, distracted, negligent, and reckless. If you have been injured in an accident caused by such a person, then you may claim compensation from them.
Tort law regulates the means by which one person claims financial compensation from another if the latter has caused them material harm. In a Florida personal injury case, you must prove that you have been injured, that the reckless or negligence of another party caused that injury, and that you are owed a certain amount of money as a result. The best way to succeed in a Florida personal injury case is to hire a personal injury attorney. Lawyers who specialize in handling such cases are the only ones qualified to represent you.
Doing Your Part
Getting into an automobile accident can be terribly shocking. You may not realize what happened in the moments afterward. However, if you have not been knocked unconscious or otherwise seriously injured, you must pull yourself together as soon as you can and take action. You have a part to play in protecting your rights and pursuing your interests after an accident, and it begins at the scene of the crash.
You should first make sure that no one is seriously hurt, and then you should immediately call 911. You should also exchange insurance and contact information with the other driver. Do not get into a debate about who was at fault for the accident. And when the police show up to question you, it is best to stick to the facts. You do not have to admit fault or say anything that makes you responsible for what happened. If the officer asks you questions or suggests things that are uncomfortable, you can terminate the interview and tell them that you would rather consult with your attorney before answering any further questions.
You should also take photographs and/or cell phone videos of the damage done to all involved vehicles. It is also important to question bystanders who witnessed the accident. Make sure you get the contact information of the people you spoke to. You should then go to the hospital for an examination.
Even if you feel no pain and see no visible signs of harm, it is important to undergo a thorough examination by a medical professional. The accident may have caused internal injuries, but you will not know this unless you are examined. It is also important to get medical documentation in case you need to pursue litigation in the future. If you did sustain cuts and bruises, you should take photographs of them before they are treated and bandaged.
Dealing with Severe Injury
Damage to your car and a few minor scrapes and bruises are the best you can hope for in a minor car accident. However, if you were involved in a serious car accident, it may have led to severe injuries. If the accident was so bad that you were knocked unconscious, you may not remember anything before, during, and after the crash. A succession of invasive surgical procedures may have been necessary to save your life. You may need to spend even more time in the hospital in order to become healthy again.
You may also need to spend time in rehabilitation therapy, and you will certainly require medication to keep the pain under control. All these things cost money. There will be hospital bills to pay, and you will need to find some way to make up for lost wages.
If your injuries lead to permanent disabilities, you may have to give up your job and your entire line of work. Indeed, a severe injury can throw your entire life into upheaval. You may need to make physical changes in your house, you may need to hire a full-time in-home caretaker, and you may need to purchase instruments and devices that help you get around.
A severe injury can greatly complicate your Florida personal injury case. In this kind of personal injury claim, you may need to demand millions of dollars in compensation in order to deal with the financial strain of your injury and to get justice for all that you have been forced to endure.
Personal Injury Cases and COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has devastated the state of Florida. The virus has stopped many things, but accidents are not among them. People are still driving and therefore car accidents and the injuries that result from them continue to occur.
Even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is still possible for you to retain the services of a lawyer and build a case against the person responsible for the accident. You can begin this process while you are still in the hospital recovering.
As someone who is recovering from an injury, it is especially important to abide by social distancing guidelines. You are in a weakened state and your immune system is probably compromised due to the many infections it has had to fight off as a result of your injuries. You should maintain physical distance from strangers, including your attorney.
Personal injury law firms have adjusted to the realities of the COVID-19 world. They have leveraged technology to keep their attorneys, staff, and clients safe.
Building a case against the party that caused the accident and your suffering begins with your recollection of the events that led to the crash. However, this first interview need not happen in person. Your personal injury attorney can take down your statement through live chat, Skype, or Zoom. Seeing your attorney is an essential part of trusting them. Lawyers understand this basic human need, which is why initial meetings can be carried out in an online forum that allows you to see the attorney who will work on your Florida personal injury case.
As the case develops, the attorney can keep in touch with you through email, phone calls, and further live chat or Zoom sessions. The law firm you work with will maintain flexibility in how you communicate with your attorney.
How Your Lawyer Will Pursue Your Case
The pandemic will not stop your legal team from gathering the evidence it needs to build your case. Your lawyer will work with in-house private investigators to gather the facts concerning your case. This can be done remotely. In fact, the investigators can still visit this scene of the accident, can request any surveillance video coverage of it, and can contact the people who witnessed the accident. There may be witnesses who recorded the series of events that led to the accident on their cell phones and may be willing to send the video to the investigators. People may also be willing to make statements through video links, which can be submitted as evidence
in your lawsuit.
Your attorney may also reach out to technical and medical experts. A great deal of forensic evidence can be reviewed and assessed remotely. The photos of the debris left at the scene and the damage done to both cars can still give auto accident reconstruction experts enough material to develop a computer simulation of how the accident unfolded.
Your lawyer may also speak to medical experts who can advise them by phone or Zoom on your prognosis and send your lawyer statements assessing your condition.
Your personal injury case need not go to court. If you are trying to get the insurance company of the person responsible for your injuries to pay you, they may want to negotiate a settlement. Your lawyer will be able to negotiate with the other side through a virtual forum. Law firms throughout the country have begun doing this in response to COVID-19. It is best to leave all communication and negotiation to your attorney. They are best placed to provide you the kind of representation that will lead to an outcome that is in your favor.
In short, COVID-19 has not stopped the wheels of justice from turning. You can still build a case against a reckless driver or any other irresponsible person who has caused you serious harm. Law firms throughout Florida and the country have quickly adapted to the restrictions and limitations imposed by the virus, and they are still pursuing the interests of their clients.
