How Jacksonville Personal Injury Attorneys Can Maximize Your Settlement? 2024

Suffering a critical injury is itself life-altering. You may end up out of work, bombarded with hospital bills, and living with significant stress. A life fraught with these elements for too long can hurt your chances of fully recovering. While you may understand that an injury settlement can help you move on with your life, you may wonder how Jacksonville personal injury attorneys can maximize your settlement.

In Florida, personal injury is any incident in which someone is careless and their accidental or intentional actions cause another person harm. The most common types of personal injury are motor accidents, medical malpractice, nursing abuse, slip and fall accidents, and product liability claims.

The legal space around personal injury is tricky to navigate, and it is common knowledge that parties at fault want to minimize the amounts they have to pay. Therefore, consulting with an educated attorney before filing a claim is wise.

What Can I Do to Help My Case?

While an experienced personal injury lawyer can help maximize your settlement by using their knowledge and experience to advocate for your optimal compensation, there are significant steps you can personally take. Following these steps, you can put yourself in the ideal position to receive a maximum settlement.

1. Get Medical Attention ImmediatelyReceiving medical attention immediately after your incident is the most crucial step in maximizing your settlement, especially in severe injuries like spinal cord injuries. Getting medical attention means documenting your injuries.The defense will have a difficult time questioning how your injuries occurred and if the fault lies with you. In some cases where an individual did not seek medical attention right away, the defense claimed that the individual was at fault for making their injuries more severe, causing a decrease in the overall settlement amount.

   Immediate medical attention will also give a legitimate timestamp to the start of your case.

2. Keep Employment Records and InformationRetaining copies of your hourly or salary rate, the number of hours you work, pay stubs, and the amount of money you have missed are essential in calculating your settlement. These copies are also vital in showing your entitlement to the recovery of future potential earnings like retirement savings, pay increases, bonuses, and more.
3. Take Account of Future DamagesConsidering how the injury and aftermath will impact your life is essential, especially when the damage can affect you years into the future. Ask if you need consistent medical care, and checkups and if you are unable to work the same jobs you would have been able to had you not been injured. Documenting the possibilities is vital in bringing about a strong case for future damages.
4. Be Wary of the Insurance CompanyOne of the biggest mistakes can be assuming that the insurance company has your interest at heart. It is in the insurance company’s interest to lowball you and do everything possible to decrease your settlement. Although you may rightfully be entitled to a higher amount, an insurance company can offer you less. Even if the payout seems reasonable, having your attorney negotiate more with the insurance company for you will ensure you get the compensation you deserve.
5. Stay off Social MediaAs you could expect, the defense may attempt to use your online presence against you. Staying off of social media and not discussing the details of your accident without your lawyer guarantees that the insurance adjusters and defense cannot find opportunities to lessen the impact or severity of your injuries.
6. Remain PatientUltimately, along with these other steps, remaining patient is an essential thing you can do through the process. If your case only took a day to negotiate, the parties involved didn’t put in the proper time or attention to it.Getting discouraged and taking a bad deal due to impatience can affect your future more than you think and slow your overall life recovery. Letting your attorney take the time and energy to do their job and use all available resources is key to maximizing your settlement.

What Will My Personal Injury Attorney Do?

Presented with the facts of your case, your attorney can work to quantify your damages monetarily. With the medical costs, lost wages, and non-economic damages laid out, your attorney can make your case to the insurance company and fight for your maximum settlement. They will include available evidence such as medical records, eyewitness accounts, expert testimony, or any other information they may have gathered through the investigation of your case.

If, after hearing your case from your attorney, the insurance company does not settle or denies your case, your lawyer can then file a claim and represent you in court – typically seeking a higher compensation amount.

FAQs

Q: What Is the Average Personal Injury Settlement in Florida?

A: There is no reliable way to determine the average settlement for personal injury claims. Each claim is unique, consisting of a variety of critical factors. The severity of an injury, the elements of the case, and the victim’s incurred losses determine the settlement amount. To ensure your deserved compensation, consult an experienced personal injury attorney.

Q: How Much Do Lawyers Take From Settlement in Florida?

A: Personal injury lawyers often work for contingency fees. A contingency fee declares that the lawyer is paid when they win the case and compensation is received. If the lawyer loses the case, they receive nothing. A typical fee is 33% or a third of the settlement received. This percentage compensates the lawyer for the time and resources spent getting you the appropriate compensation for your situation.

Q: Why Do Lawyers Often Try to Negotiate a Settlement?

A: Lawyers commonly try to negotiate settlements to save time, cut down on uncertainty, reduce client emotional distress, advocate for the appropriate outcome, customize agreements, and other reasons. Taking a case to trial is costly and strains the judicial system. Negotiations give attorneys the flexibility and control to consider all possible outcomes, available evidence, and legal precedents to get a suitable result for all parties involved.

Q: How Do I Ask for More Money in a Settlement?

A: Upfront work helps make the case for more money in a settlement. You can have your most robust chance for an increased settlement by seeking medical attention when you become injured, documenting your damages, hiring an experienced attorney, being prepared to go to trial, and considering long-term damages.

See How a Personal Injury Attorney Can Help You

While it’s possible to file a personal injury claim yourself in Florida, it is not recommended. For proper representation and a chance to obtain the maximum settlement you deserve, it is important to work with a knowledgeable personal injury attorney. Contact Spohrer Dodd Trial Attorneys to discuss all the factors of your case.