Plantation Personal Injury Attorney On Your Side After An Accident
When you are injured through no fault of your own, you can be left with significant—even severe—injuries and could be unable to return to work and make a living. Accidents caused by the negligence of another are known as personal injury claims. Medical bills may be overwhelming you, and you may be unable to pay even your normal monthly expenses. If you find yourself in such an untenable position, it is time to contact a knowledgeable, compassionate personal injury attorney. Plantation personal injury Attorney Nerina Smart will be the advocate in your corner you desperately need at a time like this. Nerina will help to ensure your rights and your future are protected at every turn.
What Does a Personal Injury Attorney Do?
A personal injury attorney helps those injured by the negligence of another obtain compensation for their injuries. A personal injury attorney will help you to sort out the details of your case and present them in an effective way. The Plantation personal injury attorney will also help the injured person collect the documents describing their medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering in order to support your case. Finally, a personal injury attorney will negotiate a fair settlement agreement with the opposing party or take your case to court if the other party could not agree on a fair settlement.
What Damages are Available After a Personal Injury Accident?
While the specific facts surrounding your accident, along with the extent of your injuries will determine which damages you are entitled to receive, in general, the following damages are available:
- Medical expenses, current, and future. It is possible to collect reimbursement for all medical expenses you have already paid, as well as any future medical expenses you can reasonably expect.
- If your injuries from the accident caused you to lose work, you are likely able to collect compensation for lost wages. If your injuries were severe enough to prevent you from returning to work for a significant length of time you may be entitled to future lost wages.
- If your injuries left you with chronic physical pain or left you with emotional pain, you may be entitled to pain and suffering damages.
What Types of Plantation Personal Injury Cases Does The Law Offices of Nerina Smart, P.A. Handle?
Car Accidents
Car accidents are perhaps the most common type of personal injury claim. Any time a driver acts in a careless, reckless, or negligent manner, causing harm to another, the injured driver is entitled to pursue a personal injury claim and secure damages.
Truck Accidents
Due to the sheer size and weight of a large commercial truck, those involved in a truck accident are likely to have severe injuries that can potentially last a lifetime. Because there can be multiple defendants in a truck accident, these cases are especially complex. The truck driver, trucking company, loading company, maintenance company, or the manufacturer of the truck could be held liable for the accident.
Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcyclists are another vulnerable group, particularly because many drivers fail to properly watch for them. Changing lanes, backing out of a parking space, or opening a door into traffic can lead to serious injuries for a motorcyclist.
Rideshare Accidents
If you are injured in a rideshare accident you should definitely contact a personal injury attorney who understands the laws surrounding rideshare accidents. Because rideshares like Uber and Lyft are relatively new, you definitely need legal assistance to ensure your injuries are covered.
Pedestrian Accidents
Pedestrians are likely to sustain grave injuries when hit by a vehicle. Unfortunately, in some cases, the driver speeds away to avoid prosecution or a civil lawsuit, leaving the pedestrian injured, perhaps unable to work, and unable to hold anyone accountable. Having a pedestrian accident attorney on board can be invaluable as the attorney can pursue every avenue for determining who the driver was, holding them accountable, then securing an equitable settlement on behalf of the injured pedestrian.
Bicycle Accidents
Bicyclists are extremely vulnerable and when hit by a vehicle a bicyclist may suffer severe, even life-threatening injuries. Just as drivers do not always watch carefully for motorcyclists or pedestrians, they may not watch for bicyclists either. A bicyclist has little in the way of protection other than a helmet, if worn, and can greatly benefit from the help of a personal injury attorney.
Wrongful Death
A wrongful death claim occurs when the victim of a personal injury accident dies as a result of those injuries. The immediate family members of the victim may be entitled to receive compensation for funeral costs, future lost wages of the deceased, as well as loss of consortium, loss of inheritance, or loss of guidance.
Premise Liability
Premises liability concerns accidents that occur on another’s property due to a dangerous condition that the owner knew—or should have known—existed. Examples of premises liability claims include dog bites or other injuries due to unrestrained animals, attacks on public property (like a parking lot), and slip and fall accidents on public or private property. A lack of maintenance or poor security can lead to premise liability claims.
Product Liability
Consumers expect that products they purchase will perform as advertised and they will not be injured by these products. When injuries do occur as a result of a defective or dangerous product, a product liability claim is in order.
FAQs Regarding Plantation Personal Injury Claims
Do I Need a Personal Injury Attorney?
If your accident left you with only minor injuries and you lost no work or little work, you might attempt to handle your personal injury claim on your own, but even then it can still be difficult. For more severe injuries or significant lost wages, you absolutely need the experience and knowledge of a personal injury attorney. You will likely receive lots of paperwork and other communications from the defendant’s insurance company. You could be asked to provide medical records, sign forms, and provide recorded statements. First, the time and resources this can take—at a time when you are trying to recover from your injuries—can be a major disruption to your daily life. Further, without a personal injury attorney by your side, you could inadvertently sign something or say something that could totally derail your settlement or case. Remember, insurance companies virtually never have your best interests at heart. You must also consider the statutes of limitations—the time limit you have in which to file your claim or be forever barred. Your injuries could be more extensive than you realize, and these damages are best assessed by a highly skilled attorney.
How are Personal Injury Settlements Paid Out?
Whether your Plantation personal injury attorney reaches a settlement for your injury damages, or your claim goes to trial, the settlement or trial award is generally not received right away. This compensation can be paid out as a single lump-sum amount, or it can be paid as a series of periodic payments known as a structured settlement. While structured settlements can be tailored specifically to meet your needs, once agreed on, the terms cannot be changed.
How Nerina Smart Can Help You with Your Plantation Personal Injury Claim
At The Law Offices of Nerina Smart, P.A., we represent those injured from the negligence of another. The injury can be physical, emotional, or both and can result from many different types of negligent conduct. Attorney Nerina Smart handles all types of personal injury matters, with the goal of identifying the responsible party, then compelling them to fairly compensate you for your losses. You never pay our firm a fee or cost unless we recover money on your behalf. Contact The Law Offices of Nerina Smart, P.A. today for a comprehensive consultation.