If you are injured in an accident that is the fault of an individual or organization, you can pursue compensatory damages to cover the costs of things like medical bills and the loss of current and future earnings.
Common personal injury cases include auto accidents, medical malpractice, dog bite accidents, wrongful death, and workplace accidents, to name just a few.
While you are entitled to pursue compensation throughout the United States, laws concerning personal injuries can vary from one state to another.
Florida in particular has some unique laws concerning personal injuries. So, let us take a look at how personal injury law works in the Sunshine State.
An Overview of Personal Injury Law in Florida
Personal injury law enables victims to recover specific damages when they are injured in accidents that are due to the negligence of a person, business, or organization.
In the state of Florida, personal injury cases are governed by Florida Statutes Title XLV and Florida Statutes Chapter 768.
Those statutes help to define and determine things like duties of care, negligence, liability, damages, and compensation recovery.
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Florida’s Comparative Negligence Rule
In Florida, if you share some of the fault for the accident that causes your injuries, the amount of financial compensation that you can receive is affected.
Under Florida’s Pure Comparative Negligence rule, the amount of compensation you can receive is reduced by an amount that is equal to your percentage of fault for the accident.
That means that even if you are 99% responsible for the accident, you can still pursue a claim to recover 1% of the damages.
Florida’s No-fault Car Insurance Rules
Due to Florida’s no-fault car insurance rules, if you are injured in an auto accident, your own insurance policy will provide compensation for specific out-of-pocket expenses, such as lost income and medical bills, regardless of who was liable for causing the accident.
Liability for Dog Bites and Dog Attacks
When it comes to injuries caused by dog bites or dog attacks, due to Florida Statutes 767.04, the dog owner is liable for damages regardless of the dog’s past behavior.
However, the victim must be lawfully on the property where the attack took place, which means the dog owner may not be responsible if a dog attacks a burglar, for instance.
Also, a victim’s own negligence can reduce the liability of the dog owner.
Finding a Reputable Personal Injury Lawyer in Florida
If you sustain injuries from an accident that is not your fault or an accident that is not entirely your fault, once you have received medical attention and informed your insurance company, you should contact a local lawyer for legal advice.
He or she will be able to help you explore your options and assist you in claiming compensation.
Just make sure you choose a local personal injury law firm in Florida that has specialist knowledge and experience in handling personal injury cases.
Summing Up
As you have seen, Florida has some specific laws concerning personal injury.
To recap, the state’s comparative negligence rule means you can still claim compensation even if you share some of the responsibility for the accident that caused your injuries and the no-fault car insurance rules mean your own insurer will pay for some out-of-pocket costs if you are injured in an auto accident.
Also, in the case of dog bites and dog attacks, the dog owner is usually liable for damages.
No matter what type of accident you are involved in that causes you to sustain injuries, you are entitled to pursue compensation.
So, get in touch with a local lawyer who can help you understand your options and assist you in claiming the financial compensation you deserve.
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