Starke Personal Injury Lawyer
Accidents happen in an instant. People never expect to become involved in an accident so serious that it changes their life. Unfortunately, car crashes, slip and falls, and bicycle accidents are just a few types of ways people become hurt every day in Starke, and throughout all of Florida.
If you have been injured in an accident caused by another person’s negligence, you can file a personal injury claim against the careless party. When filing a claim, you will have to follow certain laws and procedural rules and many accident victims are not aware of these. A Starke personal injury lawyer can advise on what these are and help you claim the maximum damages you are entitled to.
Personal Injury Law Practice Areas
Our experienced Starke personal injury lawyers can help after many different types of accidents. The most common of these include:
- Car accidents: After a car accident, you must first exhaust your own personal injury protection (PIP) benefits from your own insurance company. Once you have reached the policy limits, you can then file a claim against the negligent driver.
- Bicycle accidents: With little more than a helmet to protect them, cyclists are very exposed when they are on the road. When a vehicle strikes them, they will sustain very serious injuries. Cyclists typically sustain secondary injuries as well because they are knocked from their bike and fall to the ground.
- Pedestrian accidents: Pedestrians have no protection when they are in intersections or trying to cross busy roads. After being hit by a vehicle, pedestrians will sustain catastrophic injuries and sometimes, they may not even survive the crash.
- Motorcycle accidents: Motorcycle accidents are different from other crashes on the road. The injuries are much more serious and because motorcycles are not considered vehicles under state law, bikers also cannot claim PIP benefits.
- Slip and fall accidents: Slip and fall accidents may sound minor, but they are not. They also cause serious injuries and when these are caused by negligent property owners, they can be held liable.
- Truck accidents: Truck accidents are also vastly different from other collisions. The injuries are generally catastrophic, there are many parties that can be held liable, and different laws govern these cases.
When filing a personal injury claim against a negligent party, you must prove that they were at fault and that you were injured as a result.
Comparative Negligence in Starke
Sometimes, more than one party is at fault for an accident. In that case, the comparative negligence law of the state will apply. Under the comparative negligence law, you can file a personal injury claim even if you were 99 percent at fault. Any damages you are awarded, though, are reduced by your same percentage of fault.
Our Personal Injury Lawyer in Starke Will Protect Your Claim
There are many challenges associated with filing a personal injury claim. At Douglas & Douglas, our Starke personal injury lawyer can overcome them to ensure your claim is protected every step of the way. Call us now at 386-752-5511 or reach out to us online to schedule a free injury consultation.
