Damages You Could Recover in a Tampa Personal Injury Case
In a personal injury case, you may have the right to seek compensation for losses you suffer due to your injuries. Examples of financial relief available in a personal injury claim include:
- Reimbursement of your medical treatment and rehabilitation expenses
- Compensation for costs of long-term care or support for permanent disabilities that result from your injuries
- Reimbursement of lost wages/income from missed work or due to a reduction in earnings because of injuries
- Compensation for future earning capacity and lost job benefits if you develop a disability that prevents you from working
- Compensation for physical pain and emotional distress, including due to lost quality or enjoyment of life caused by disabilities or disfigurement
Could You Recover Compensation if You’re Partly to Blame for the Accident?
Even if you share some blame for the accident that injured you, you may still have the right to pursue compensation for the losses you suffer. Florida follows a modified comparative negligence system, under which an accident victim can seek compensation if their share of fault for the accident doesn’t exceed that of the other party or parties. However, an accident victim is barred from seeking compensation if they are more than 50 percent to blame for their injuries.
Under the comparative negligence system, any fault you share for your injuries may affect the award you receive. A judge or jury could reduce your compensation according to your percentage of fault. For instance, if you suffer $100,000 losses, but a judge or jury finds you 20 percent at fault, you could only be awarded $80,000 in compensation.
How Long Does a Common Personal Injury Case Last?
Personal injury cases can last anywhere from a few months to a few years. Although we cannot predict precisely how long it will take you to recover personal injury compensation, various factors will affect the duration or timeline of a personal injury case. These include the following:
- The kind and severity of injuries you suffered in the accident
- How long your medical treatment and rehabilitation lasts
- Whether you suffer permanent disabilities due to your injuries
- Whether you miss any time from work or cannot return to work
- The number of parties liable for your injuries and losses
- Whether other people also got hurt in the same accident that injured you
- Whether you share any fault for your injuries
- The availability of insurance coverage or other financial resources for compensation
- The complexity of the evidence in your case
- How quickly the insurance companies investigate and process your claims
- Whether you need to go to court to pursue your personal injury claims
- Whether your case ends up at trial
How Long Do You Have to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Tampa?
Under Florida’s statute of limitations for personal injury claims, you typically have only two years to file a lawsuit against those who caused your injuries or bear liability for your losses. Certain circumstances may extend or “toll” this deadline.
However, you should speak with a Tampa personal injury lawyer as soon as possible to determine how long you have to file your personal injury lawsuit. Filing a lawsuit after the deadline means the court can dismiss your case, and you may lose the opportunity to recover compensation in civil court for your injuries and losses.
Why You Need to Get Started Immediately on a Personal Injury Claim
For several reasons, starting a personal injury claim immediately after an accident is critical. First, an early start to your personal injury claim can ensure that if you need to file a lawsuit, you can do so before the statutory deadline.
Getting started immediately on your personal injury claim will also enable you to gather all available evidence from the accident. Accident scenes get cleaned up, damage is repaired, photos and videos are lost, and witnesses’ memories fade. The longer you wait to start your claim, the more evidence you may lose.
Finally, getting a prompt start on your personal injury claim means you’ll have the full scope of options for financial relief, including filing insurance claims or pursuing lawsuits against at-fault parties.
How a Tampa Personal Injury Lawyer Handles Your Case
If you suffered injuries in an accident, you must focus on healing and moving forward with your life. However, you also deserve to pursue financial relief from those responsible for your injuries and losses.
A Tampa personal injury lawyer from Paul Knopf Bigger can handle all the details of your case so you can devote your time and energy to your physical and emotional recovery. Let our firm give you peace of mind and handle your case by:
- Investigating the facts and circumstances of the accident or incident that caused your injuries to secure evidence for your claim
- Identifying liable parties and options for compensation, such as available insurance coverage
- Documenting your injuries and losses, including working with medical, vocational, or financial experts to determine your future anticipated losses
- Organizing the evidence to develop a compelling personal injury claim
- Filing insurance claims or demand letters on your behalf and communicating with insurance adjusters or defense attorneys to pursue a settlement
- Fighting for your rights in court or at trial when litigation becomes necessary to hold those responsible for your injuries accountable and seek maximum compensation
Contact a Tampa Personal Injury Attorney Today
If you’ve suffered injuries in an accident in Tampa due to the negligence or fault of others, get legal help to pursue compensation and justice for your harm and loss. Contact Paul Knopf Bigger today for a free no-obligation consultation with our Tampa personal injury attorney. Let our firm advocate for your rights and help you seek financial relief for your medical bills, lost wages, and other losses.
