Accidents are devastating, leaving victims to cope with physical injuries, emotional trauma, and financial burdens.
Understanding the legal timeline for filing a lawsuit after a personal injury accident is crucial for protecting your rights and increasing your chances of recovering compensation.
Each state has its own statutes of limitations, which dictate how long you have to file a lawsuit after an incident. In Florida, where the statutes of limitations can vary depending on the type of case, having a knowledgeable lawyer by your side can make a significant difference.
Our Pembroke Pines personal injury lawyers at Garnes Injury Law know how complicated and confusing navigating the aftermath of a personal injury accident is. Call our team today at (954) 905-2683 to schedule your free case consultation, and let us help you get the justice and compensation you deserve.
Frequent Causes of Personal Injury Accidents
Suffering a personal injury accident caused by another party’s negligence commonly leaves people struggling through immense physical injuries and emotional anguish.
Frequent causes of personal injury accidents include
- Slip-and-fall accidents when a property or surface area is negligently maintained
- Motor-vehicle accidents, including large commercial trucks, rideshare vehicles, cars, and motorcycles
- Drunk driving accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Medical malpractice accidents
- Birth injuries
- Nursing home negligence
- Animal attacks
- Wrongful death
If you or your loved ones have been injured in an accident, contact our trusted team at Garnes Injury Law today to schedule your free consultation.
Common Types of Personal Injuries
Being injured from another person’s negligence frequently leaves people suffering from catastrophic physical injuries and mental distress.
Common types of personal injuries include
- Cuts, scrapes, and lacerations
- Bruises and contusions
- Whiplash of the neck during a motor vehicle accident
- Burns, either from a vehicle catching fire or a chemical burn from airbags deploying
- Soft tissue damage, commonly in the form of sprains or strains to tendons, muscles, and ligaments
- Dislocated joints
- Fractured or shattered bones
- Crushed limbs that could result in an amputation
- Herniated or ruptured discs in the back
- Crushing of one or multiple limbs, often leading to amputation
- Dismemberment
- Partial or complete disability
- Spinal cord injuries that commonly result in a form of paralysis and early death
- Traumatic brain injuries, ranging from a mild concussion to a more severe and long-term cognitive impairment
- Internal bleeding and internal organ damage, resulting in severe health implications
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Wrongful death
Call our team today at Garnes Injury Law if you or one of your loved ones have suffered an injury or wrongful death from another party’s negligence.
Personal Injury Accidents in Florida
Getting injured in an accident caused by another party’s negligence can occur in a number of places in Florida.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), an estimated 2,400 traffic-related fatalities occurred in Florida in one recent year. Of these fatalities, approximately 670 were alcohol-related accidents, and close to 345 were speeding-related crashes.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reports an estimated 77 percent of motor vehicle crash-related fatalities in Florida occurred in urban areas in one recent year.
Data gathered by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics illustrates that close to 870 work-related fatalities were the result of falls, slips, and trips in one recent year in the United States, while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 210,430 deaths were caused by unintentional falls.
The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA), through the Florida Department of Health, reports that an estimated 2.5 percent of people in Florida have suffered a slip-and-fall injury in a single recent year. Non-fatal emergency room visits from slip-and-fall accidents were at a rate of 2,276.1 per 100,000 people that same year, and the rate of fatalities from slip-and-fall accidents was 12.2.
How Much Is My Personal Injury Accident Worth?
Personal injury accidents often leave a person suffering from severe physical pain and emotional suffering.
You can recover compensation for damages caused by your personal injury accident, including
- Physical pain and suffering
- Partial or permanent disability
- Inability to use a body part
- Emotional anguish
- Medical bills, both present and future
- Property damage
- Loss of wages
- Loss of future earning capacity
- Loss of quality of life
- Loss of consortium or companionship
- Punitive damages
- Wrongful death
- Any additional associated expenses
Finding a personal injury accident lawyer will help you protect your rights while maximizing your chances of recovering compensation for all of the damages incurred from your accident.
Contact our team at Garnes Injury Law today and schedule your free case consultation. Let us help you get the justice and compensation you deserve.
What Do I Do After Being in a Personal Injury Accident?
It is vital to take the correct steps after being in a personal injury accident to care for your health, protect your rights, and maximize your opportunity to recover total compensation for your damages.
Seek and Follow Medical Advice
Seek professional medical advice immediately after your personal injury accident. Not all health issues are readily apparent at the time of the accident, like internal bleeding or a traumatic brain injury.
Verify that your professional medical team thoroughly documents all of your pain and suffering from the accident.
Follow all the advice and treatment plans that your medical team gives you.
Maintain Detailed Documentation
Maintain a thorough file of documentation for all items associated with your accident, including
- A journal detailing what you recall from the accident, as well as any pain and suffering that resulted
- Your shoes and clothing worn during the accident, if it was a slip-and-fall
- Photographs and videos from the scene, if available
- Photographs and videos of any injuries that you suffered from the accident
- Photographs and videos of any property damage that resulted from the accident
- A copy of the police report or incident report, if available
- Notes and copies from any communications with third parties, including any other drivers or passengers if it was a vehicle-related accident, medical professionals at the scene, witnesses, and insurance agencies
- Doctors’ notes and recommendations
- Receipts from any expenses that result from your accident
- Proof of any lost wages that result from your injuries
Contact an Attorney
Contact an attorney as soon as possible after your accident.
Working with a dependable and assertive personal injury accident lawyer will help protect your rights and maximize your chances of recovering just compensation for your damages.
Your diligent legal team will work relentlessly on your behalf to help you attain justice for your wrongful damages through a series of diligent steps.
They will work diligently to gather evidence to help strengthen your case, prove that the fault of your accident lies with all parties responsible, manage the entirety of the lawsuit on your behalf, including filing the lawsuit, handling all correspondence with third parties, and negotiating a settlement offer, keep you updated throughout the entire process, and advocate on your behalf to ensure you recover compensation for all of the damages associated with your personal injury accident.
If you or your loved ones have been injured in an accident, contact our trusted team at Garnes Injury Law today to schedule your free consultation.
How Long After an Accident Can You Sue?
In Florida, the statute of limitations for filing a personal injury lawsuit following an accident is four years from the date of the accident. This applies to various types of accidents, including
- Car accidents – If you are injured in a car crash, you have four years from the accident date to initiate your lawsuit.
- Slip-and-fall accidents – Similar to car accidents, injured parties have four years to file suit if they suffer injuries on someone else’s property due to negligence.
- Dog bites – Florida allows victims four years to file a lawsuit against the owner or responsible party.
While four years is the general rule for filing a lawsuit in Florida, some exceptions may affect the timeline.
- Minor victims – If the injured party is a minor, the statute of limitations is paused until they reach the age of 18. Once they turn 18, they have until their 22nd birthday to file a lawsuit.
- Discovery of injury – In some cases, victims may not immediately realize the extent of their injuries. Florida has a “discovery rule,” allowing individuals to file a lawsuit within four years from the date they discover, or should have reasonably discovered, the injury.
- Wrongful death claims – In cases where a fatal accident occurs, the family members or personal representatives have two years from the date of death to file a wrongful death lawsuit.
- Government entities – If the accident involves a government entity, there are different rules. Victims usually must file a notice of claim within six months before they can sue. Failure to do so may bar the claim altogether.
Call our team today at Garnes Injury Law if you or your loved one have suffered a personal injury accident. Let us manage the complicated and lengthy legal process for you and your loved ones so you can focus on getting your life and health back on track.
Why Should I Hire Garnes Injury Law for My Personal Injury Accident Case?
Suffering a personal injury from an accident often leads to various complications that affect your physical, emotional, and financial well-being. Hiring a personal injury lawyer after an accident is an essential step in ensuring that you protect your rights and recover the compensation you deserve.
Founded by Attorney Erika V. Garnes, Esq., Garnes Injury Law is dedicated to providing its local Florida community with experienced and skilled legal representation in their pursuit of justice for their personal injury accidents.
Our firm offers all clients a free initial case consultation, during which we learn more about their unique situation and help them understand the complicated legal process of a personal injury case. We then formulate a plan tailored to their circumstance and work tirelessly towards a successful resolution of their case.
To better serve our community, we have team members who are fluent speakers of both English and Spanish.
Our clients frequently express gratitude for the ease of working with our team.
Dakota was pleased with our team’s dedication and professionalism in handling her complex case. She was impressed with our knowledge of the subject matter and our ability to clearly explain the complexities of her situation in a way she could easily comprehend. Our team’s compassionate and caring nature reassured Dakota that she had entrusted her legal matters to good hands.
Jennifer’s family started working with our firm after a terrible automobile accident left her husband suffering through immense pain and unable to work for an extended period. They were grateful for the help we provided, how we kept their family informed throughout the process, and for the settlement we were able to attain for them at the end of their case.
Besar came to our firm after suffering an accident. He was thankful for how our firm went above and beyond on his case while demonstrating our professional, caring, sympathetic, and knowledgeable nature.
If you or your loved ones have been injured in a personal injury accident, call our team at Garnes Injury Law today to schedule your free case consultation.
Work With an Experienced Personal Injury Accident Attorney
Understanding the time limits for filing a lawsuit after a personal injury accident in Florida is essential for anyone who has suffered damages due to another party’s negligence.
Navigating the complexities of personal injury law is daunting.
Working with an experienced personal injury attorney will help you stay fully informed and adequately represented as you pursue justice and compensation for your losses.
If you or someone you know has been involved in a personal injury accident, call our team at Garnes Injury Law today at (954) 905-2683 to schedule your free case consultation. Let us help you get the justice and compensation you deserve.
Our Pembroke Pines office is conveniently located on Pines Boulevard between South Hiatus Road and Southwest City Center Boulevard near the Arabelle City Center.
