If you were in a serious accident in Wesley Chapel, FL, you may be unsure where to turn. You might not be able to work, support your family, or even take care of yourself. A Wesley Chapel personal injury lawyer can help you recover compensation for your losses from the at-fault party.
Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers has represented injury victims and families for decades. Contact our law office today to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with a Wesley Chapel personal injury attorney to discuss how we can help at (727) 787-2500. You pay nothing out of pocket and no attorney’s fees unless we recover the compensation you need.
How Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After an Accident in Wesley Chapel, FL
If someone else injured you through their negligence, you should not have to bear the financial burden. Unfortunately, recovering fair compensation can be an uphill battle against an insurance company whose interest is limiting payouts. An experienced Wesley Chapel personal injury lawyer can help you protect your rights and level the playing field against the insurance company.
Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers proudly represents injury victims and their families in Wesley Chapel, Florida. Our AV-rated law firm has two nationally recognized Board Certified Civil Trial attorneys. We are not afraid to take your case before a jury. We’ve appeared on the Top 50 Verdicts in Florida and Tampa Bay Magazine’s list of Top Lawyers.
When you choose Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers to help you, you can rest easy knowing we will:
- Give you the personal attention, legal advice, and support you need
- Conduct an independent investigation into your case to preserve evidence and identify all avenues for compensation
- Work with specialists to value your damages
- Build the strongest evidence-based negligence case possible
- Handle all communications and administrative tasks
- Negotiate on your behalf with the insurance company
- Present a compelling case in court if necessary
You do not need to fight an insurance company alone. Call Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers today for a free consultation with a Wesley Chapel personal injury attorney committed to achieving the best results in your case.
How Common Are Injury Accidents in Wesley Chapel, FL?
Personal injury claims can result from any type of accident or intentional wrongdoing, from a car accident to an assault. Every year in Wesley Chapel, thousands of incidents give rise to injury claims.
Traffic accidents are the most common cause of accidental injury and death in Florida. There were 401,867 traffic crashes in Florida in 2019 alone.
This included:
- 2,951 fatal accidents that resulted in 3,185 deaths
- 152,768 injury crashes that resulted in 236,753 injuries
- 18,063 incapacitating or catastrophic injuries
Of the total traffic fatalities, alcohol was the confirmed cause of 378 deaths, and drugs were confirmed in 381 deaths.
Falls are another leading cause of non-fatal injury, hospitalization, disability, and death in Wesley Chapel and the rest of Florida.
- Falls were the top cause of unintentional injury death in Florida in 2017. There were 3,183 fall deaths, second only to drug poisoning. Falls were the leading cause of death among seniors who accounted for 2,817 deaths.
- Except for people aged 15 to 34, falls were the leading cause of non-fatal injury hospitalization. There were 71,246 falls in Florida that required hospitalization in 2016.
- Falls, slips, and trips are the second leading cause of workplace deaths in the U.S. and Florida, accounting for 17% of all worker deaths. Florida has a higher rate of slip and fall deaths on the job than the U.S. average.
Other events such as dog bites and medical malpractice cause another significant portion of injuries in Florida.
Types of Personal Injury Cases We Handle in Wesley Chapel, Florida
Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers represents injury victims and families in all areas of personal injury law. If you have suffered a serious injury in a Wesley Chapel accident, contact our law firm for the legal representation you deserve.
Our practice areas include:
- Car accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Truck accidents
- Boat accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Uber & Lyft accidents
- Child injuries
- Catastrophic injuries
- Construction accidents
- Cruise ship accidents
- Slip and fall accidents
- Medical malpractice
- Catastrophic injuries
- Premises liability
- Product liability
- Workplace accidents
- Wrongful death
Contact our law office today to schedule a free consultation with a Wesley Chapel personal injury attorney ready to give you the legal advice and guidance you need.
What is My Personal Injury Case Worth?
Every personal injury case is unique and based on highly personal variables. There is no way to estimate the value of your injury case with any chart, formula, or calculator.
The value of your claim may be based on important factors such as:
- Type and severity of your injuries
- How your injuries impact your life, future medical needs, ability to work, and more
- Whether you contributed to your accident or mitigated damages
- Available insurance coverage
Contact Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers today to schedule a free consultation with a personal injury lawyer in Wesley Chapel, FL, to discuss what your case may be worth.
What Damages Are Available in a Personal Injury Case in Wesley Chapel, Florida?
When someone else is at fault for your injuries, you are entitled to seek damages to reimburse you for the losses you have suffered. These damages are divided into several categories.
Economic damages compensate you for losses with a clear financial value, such as:
- Current medical expenses
- Future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Diminished earning capacity for impairment or disability
- Property damage
Non-economic damages compensate for personal losses without a financial value.
These include emotional, physical, and psychological damages, such as:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Emotional distress
- Disfigurement
- Scarring
Punitive damages are a third type of damages, but they are rare in personal injury cases. A jury may award punitive damages to punish a defendant for egregious wrongdoing or wanton disregard for human life.
What Happens if I’m Partially at Fault for My Accident in Florida?
Florida uses a modified comparative negligence rule if more than one party shares fault for an accident. Under this system, your damages will be reduced to account for your share of fault, and they’ll be prohibited if your share of negligence is over 50%.
For example, if you are 35% to blame for the accident, your damages will be reduced by 35%. If you’re 51% or more to blame for the Wesley Chapel accident, you’re barred from recovering any compensation.
Insurance companies use comparative negligence to their advantage. They may blame you for your accident and try to shift as much blame as possible to you. If you are being blamed for your accident, contact experienced Wesley Chapel personal injury attorneys to fight these blame-shifting tactics.
How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Florida?
The Florida statute of limitations for a personal injury lawsuit is two years from the date of your accident. It was historically four years, but Florida modified its statutory deadline on March 24, 2023. Accordingly, if your accident in Wesley Chapel happened after 3/24/23, the two-year timeframe applies.
If you do not file a lawsuit before the applicable deadline, you are generally barred from recovering any compensation. For medical malpractice and wrongful death claims, the statute of limitations is also two years.
Note that a few circumstances can make this statute of limitations longer or shorter. Claims against government entities, for instance, have a shorter statute of limitations.
What is Negligence and How Does it Affect My Personal Injury Case?
The vast majority of Wesley Chapel personal injury cases are negligence-based. Someone is negligent and legally liable for damages when they failed to act in a way that a reasonable person would have acted in similar circumstances.
Your case must generally prove the following:
- The defendant owed a duty of care.
- The defendant breached this duty of care.
- The breach of duty caused your accident.
- You suffered damages as a result of the breached duty.
Proving negligence is at the heart of your personal injury case. Your Wesley Chapel personal injury lawyer will perform a thorough investigation into your accident to gather evidence that proves causation, fault, and damages. This evidence may include witness statements, expert testimony, citations, accident reports, maintenance records, and more.
What Does it Cost to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer in Wesley Chapel, FL?
When you are already struggling with mounting medical bills, lost earnings, and other setbacks, you should not be concerned about out-of-pocket expenses for experienced legal representation.
Our Wesley Chapel personal injury attorneys work on a contingency fee basis. You do not pay anything up-front to get skilled legal counsel. You only pay attorney’s fees and other costs if we recover compensation for you through a settlement or jury verdict. Our fees will be paid when you recover compensation, not before.
Schedule a Free Consultation with a Wesley Chapel Personal Injury Lawyer
You do not deserve to deal with an uncaring insurance company to fight for fair compensation after your injury. Contact a Wesley Chapel personal injury lawyer at our law office today for a free consultation to discuss what we can do to help you.
