Orlando Personal Injury Lawyers - Paul Knopf Bigger

Typically, a driver who hits a pedestrian will be liable for injuries and other losses related to the collision. However, other parties could bear responsibility for the crash in certain circumstances. For example, if a driver hits a pedestrian while the driver is on the clock for their employer, the driver’s employer may also be liable for the pedestrian’s injuries.

When a pedestrian accident occurs due to a mechanical issue, such as a brake failure or a stuck throttle, the designer, manufacturer, or retailer of the defective part or the vehicle itself could be liable for crash-related injuries and other losses.

If you’ve been hurt in an accident and someone else is to blame, you know where to turn for help. Contact Paul Knopf Bigger to discuss your legal options with a knowledgeable Orlando personal injury attorney. Your initial consultation is free and with no obligation.

How to Tell if You Have a Personal Injury Claim

You could have a personal injury claim if you were hurt in an accident or incident stemming from someone else’s actions or misconduct, and you have suffered financial or personal loss because of it. Following an accident or incident where you were injured, talk to an attorney from Paul Knopf Bigger about your injuries. We can look further into your situation and advise whether you could have a viable claim.

Common Personal Injury Cases in Orlando

At Paul Knopf Bigger, our attorneys are prepared to help you with cases involving:

Typical Injuries in Personal Injury Accidents

The attorneys at Paul Knopf Bigger have a proven record of success in helping clients recover from debilitating or life-altering injuries. These include the following:

What Must Be Proven in a Personal Injury Claim?

As you pursue your case, you will likely need to prove that you suffered physical harm because of another party’s negligence: their failure to act the way a reasonable person would under the same or similar circumstances. Proving negligence requires you to show that someone owed you a legal duty, breached that duty, and that breach caused you to suffer injuries for which you sustained financially compensable losses.

Establishing these elements means telling a compelling story about what happened through the use of such evidence as:

Damages You Could Recover in an Orlando Personal Injury Case

The point of your personal injury lawsuit is to compensate you for what you’ve suffered from an accident that wasn’t your fault. Depending on the circumstances, this could include money for:

• Medical treatment and rehabilitation, including hospital care, surgeries, prescriptions/pain management, and physical or occupational therapy
• Long-term care or support service for disabilities that result from your injuries, including home health care, housekeeping, personal assistance, or disability accommodations
• Reduced or lost income if you cannot work in your regular job during your recovery
• Loss of future earning potential if you become permanently disabled from your job or other employment
• Physical pain and anguish
• Emotional trauma and distress
• Lost enjoyment and quality of life caused by physical disabilities or visible scarring and disfigurement
• Property damage

Could You Recover Compensation if You’re Partly to Blame for the Accident?

In Florida, you may have the right to pursue a personal injury claim even if you share some responsibility for the underlying accident. The state follows a modified comparative negligence rule for a personal injury case. Under Florida law, you can recover compensation from anyone also at fault for an accident, provided you are not found to be more than 50 percent to blame yourself.

However, under the rule, any share of responsibility you bear for an accident can proportionately reduce your financial recovery. For example, if you’re determined to be 30 percent at fault, the compensation you could recover will decrease by 30 percent.

If the opposing side tries to shift some of the blame for the accident to you, contact an Orlando personal injury lawyer from Paul Knopf Bigger. As vigorous advocates, we can push back on their arguments and help you maximize your compensation.

How Long Does a Common Personal Injury Case Last?

It is impossible to predict how long an injury lawsuit might last. Some settle in a few months, while others take several years to reach trial. The duration of your suit will depend on many different factors, such as:

When you work with Paul Knopf Bigger, your attorney will provide regular updates about the progress of your case.

How Long Do You Have to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Orlando?

Under Florida’s statute of limitations, you typically have two years after getting hurt due to somebody else’s negligence to file a personal injury lawsuit against them. Although two years may seem like a lot of time, your personal injury attorney will need time to investigate the incident, build your case, and negotiate thoroughly for compensation. For this reason, it’s crucial that you talk to an attorney as soon as possible after an accident.

With Paul Knopf Bigger by your side, you can be assured your lawsuit will be filed before the limitations period expires on your claim. Otherwise, you may lose the opportunity to recover compensation from those responsible for your injuries and losses.

Why You Need to Get Started Immediately on a Personal Injury Claim

Beyond the need to meet the statutory deadline, there are other reasons to start pursuing your claim as soon as possible. An attorney from Paul Knopf Bigger will promptly begin an investigation of the incident that led to your injuries. This can uncover evidence before cleanup, repairs, deletion of records, and fading witness memories destroy it.

Preparing your personal injury case as soon as possible will also maximize your legal options for financial recovery, as you may have the option to file insurance claims to secure financial benefits that can help with your recovery.

How an Orlando Personal Injury Lawyer Handles Your Case

Recovering after an accident can be a long process, often requiring extensive medical care and rehabilitation. Also, if you cannot work due to your injuries, you might struggle to afford medical care and everyday expenses. You deserve to be compensated for these losses, but you also deserve to focus on your health and recovery. That’s where an experienced Orlando personal injury attorney can help.

When you turn to Paul Knopf Bigger, you can rest easy knowing that you have a dedicated legal advocate handling every aspect of your lawsuit, including:

• Investigating the facts and circumstances of the accident or incident that caused your injuries to recover evidence for your claim
• Identifying liable parties and potential avenues for recovering compensation, such as potential insurance coverage
• Sitting down with you to explain your legal rights and options and prepare you for what to expect during your case
• Documenting your ongoing expenses and estimating your future needs so you can pursue the full amount of financial resources you will need for the future
• Filing your insurance claims or demand letters and handling negotiations with insurance adjusters and defense lawyers
• Taking your case to court and trial if the insurance company or liable parties refuse to offer full and fair settlement

What’s more, we at Paul Knopf Bigger do all this without any upfront cost to you. We offer our services on a contingency basis, meaning we only get paid if we win your case.

Contact an Orlando Personal Injury Attorney Today

Were you hurt in an accident someone else caused? Then you deserve to pursue compensation for your medical treatment, lost income, pain and suffering, and more. Learn how a personal injury lawyer in Orlando can help you demand justice and financial recovery from those responsible. Contact Paul Knopf Bigger today for a free, no-obligation consultation.