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Vero Beach Personal Injury Lawyer

Our Team of Vero Beach Personal Injury Attorneys Can Help You Fight for the Compensation You Deserve

Start Your Path toward Financial Recovery after an Injury in the Hibiscus City

One of the best small cities along Florida’s Treasure Coast, Vero Beach is a popular place for families to settle down and tourists to enjoy the sunshine. It’s the seat of Indian River County and home to about 15,000 people. Residents and tourists alike love visiting our three beaches, and Disney’s Vero Beach Resort attracts thousands of tourists from across the world every year.

Unfortunately, accidents leading to injury do happen in Vero Beach. For over 30 years, our Vero Beach personal injury attorneys have helped victims in the community seek the compensation they are entitled to after they have been injured. Every client we serve gets the personal attention he/she deserves from an experienced team of legal professionals.

Whether you have been in a car accident, boating accident, trucking accident, motorcycle accident, slip and fall incident, or have been injured in some other kind of way, you have legal rights. Our Vero Beach personal injury attorneys are here to help you fight the insurance companies to get you the full compensation you deserve.

If you’ve suffered a personal injury in Vero Beach, contact the personal injury lawyer Steve Hoskins by calling 866-460-1990 or by filling out our online form for a free, no-obligation consultation.

Types of Compensation You Might Receive after an Injury

One of the most common questions we hear from new clients is, “How much is my case worth?” While it is impossible to give an accurate monetary figure without first evaluating all the details of the case, we can tell you what types of damages, or compensation, you may receive after your injury.

Economic damages are the most common type of compensation you may receive. This category of damages includes real money you lost because of your injury, such as paying medical bills, missing time at work, and more. Because these damages are so objective in nature, it’s hard to argue against the fact that you deserve this compensation.

On the other hand, noneconomic damages don’t involve spent or lost money, but rather what you have had to mentally or physically endure because of your injury. This includes pain and suffering, mental anguish, worsening of previous injuries, and more. Because the value of non-economic damages is more subjective in nature, your Vero Beach personal injury attorney will need to make a strong argument to ensure you get the full compensation you deserve.

Depending on the type of incident that caused your injury, you may be sent a settlement offer from your own insurance provider or from the defendant’s insurer. In the majority of cases, the settlement offer you’re sent will be well below what you actually deserve. However, your offer may contain language that makes it seem like accepting it is your only option.

This is a business decision made by all insurance companies. If they can get you to accept a low offer, they have saved money and boosted their own profits. However, an experienced Vero Beach personal injury lawyer can evaluate the offer sent to you and help you decide whether he/she can get greater compensation on your behalf.

It’s important to note that once you accept the settlement offer, you can’t pursue greater compensation from the insurance company. That’s why it’s important to speak with our team about your options before you accept any settlement offer presented to you. Steve Hoskins and his legal team always offer free, no-obligation consultations, during which we’ll review the offer sent to you.

Common Types of Injuries in Vero Beach

Whether you’re relaxing at home with a new gadget, walking down the street, or taking a ride in your car, injuries can happen for any number of reasons. However, there are some causes of injury that are more common than others.

According to the Florida Department of Health, the most common cause of non-fatal injuries in nearly every age group is falling. In 2016, more than 71,000 Floridians were hospitalized with non-fatal injuries caused by falls. These may happen in the home, or they may happen when the floor is slippery at the store. Falls may also happen at work if the floor isn’t clear from obstacles, such as boxes or large cracks that cause a worker to trip.

Another common cause of injury, including brain injuries and especially fatal injuries, are accidents that happen on the road. This category includes car accidents, pedestrian accidents, motorcycle accidents, and more. In 2016, nearly 17,000 people were injured in motor vehicle-related accidents. In addition, more than 3,100 people were killed in such incidents.

Dealing with the aftermath of an injury caused by falling, a car accident, or any other reason can be incredibly difficult to do on your own. You may be out of work, and you may be facing medical bills and other expenses that are difficult to pay. With the help of a personal injury lawyer in Vero Beach, you can start the path toward financial recovery after an accident.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is “Negligence”?

Negligence is a legal concept. It refers to a situation where someone was given a duty of care, they failed to uphold it, and their lapse directly led to an injury or financial loss. Someone’s “duty of care” can mean a duty to obey the law, follow professional standards, or act as a “reasonable person” exercising “ordinary care” would. When a person violates this duty and hurts someone else as a result, a personal injury attorney in Vero Beach can file a personal injury claim to legally hold that person responsible for the damages they caused. For example, someone who is texting while driving could be found negligent because it is widely known that this action is dangerous and likely to cause an accident.

When Would I Need a Personal Injury Lawyer?

If you have been in an accident or injured in some way because of someone else’s negligence, you may have a lot of questions right now. You may be wondering what to do about your medical expenses and loss of income. You may be worried about paying for vehicle repairs or even full replacement. And you may be questioning if you need to hire a personal injury lawyer in Vero Beach to represent you. 

You are not legally required to have a personal injury lawyer represent you. You can submit your personal injury claim to your insurance company and even represent yourself in court. However, you have a much higher chance of winning your case and getting the financial compensation you need and deserve if you hire an experienced Vero Beach personal injury lawyer. When personal injury cases involve extensive damages, such as expensive hospital bills or permanent disability, there is a greater chance that an insurer will attempt to deny some or all of a claim to prevent paying such a high sum. 

In addition, some injury cases involve complex questions about who was responsible and how much financial damage occurred. Depending on the circumstances surrounding your injury, you may need to bring in expert witnesses, sort through documents provided by the defendant, and provide testimonies from a medical professional to prove your case. Working with an experienced personal injury lawyer in Vero Beach will help you not only win your case but get the highest settlement value. Personal injury attorneys will handle the legal complexities for you, including gathering necessary evidence, completing all of the paperwork, communicating with the insurance company, and facilitating car repairs and medical care on your behalf. 

What Do I Do About Lost Wages After My Accident?

If you had to miss work, change jobs, or reduce your hours after an injury, a lost wages claim can pay the difference in your income since the accident occurred. This claim is filed as part of a larger personal injury claim, which will also seek damages for your medical treatment and out-of-pocket costs.

A Vero Beach personal injury attorney can help you review your income statements, document the difference in earnings since the accident, and seek a lost wages claim. However, not all insurance policies pay full reimbursement of lost wages. Your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) policy, for instance, only covers 60% of lost wages up to a limit of $10,000. You may need to seek a claim with a liability insurance provider or another source of compensation in order to obtain close to 100% of your true lost wages.

Are Car Accidents the Only Type of Personal Injury Case?

Absolutely not! Personal injury law encompasses any situation where someone’s negligence or wrongful conduct caused an injury. Other common types of personal injury cases in Vero Beach include trucking accidents, motorcycle accidents, biking, and pedestrian accidents, scooter accidents, slip and fall accidents, medical malpractice, defective products, brain injuries, wrongful death, and any other incident resulting in a serious medical condition.

What Are My Options Following an Accident?

If you have been hurt in a car accident in Florida, you have the option to file under your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance regardless of who was at fault. This claim will pay 80% of your medical treatment bills and 60% of your lost wages up to a limit of $10,000. If you have losses beyond the $10,000 limit and a qualifying serious injury, then you can pursue a claim against the liability insurance policy of the driver who hit you. Most Florida drivers aren’t required to carry liability insurance, but some do, and all commercial drivers are required to carry this coverage.

You may also have a potential cause of action to seek compensation from a defective product manufacturer, such as the company that built your vehicle. You can review your options on a case-by-case basis with the assistance of a Vero Beach personal injury lawyer.

What If My Accident Happened at Work?

All accidents that happen within the “scope of employment” fall under workers’ compensation. You can’t sue your employer, but you are likely eligible for a workers’ comp claim. This insurance claim pays for the costs of your medical treatment and a portion of your lost wages. It may also provide long-term benefits for temporary or permanent disabilities.

In addition, you may have the opportunity to hold a non-employer party liable for your injury costs. This may refer to the manufacturer of a piece of equipment that hurt you or a third-party involved with your job. Refer to a personal injury lawyer in Vero Beach to consider your options for obtaining compensation after a work-related incident.

How Long Does It Take to Settle a Personal Injury Case?

The timeline for your case depends on a number of factors. The biggest factor is always how large of a settlement is at stake. If you are requesting compensation for significant losses after a devastating injury, the insurance company is more likely to delay your claim or fight it.

Other factors that can affect your case’s timeline include the availability of evidence, whether there was clear negligence or liability, whether the defendant thinks they can use the law to dismiss your case, how clearly your injuries are related to the accident, and so on.

Unfortunately, there is no way to predict how long it will take to get a settlement — or whether you need to pursue a jury trial in lieu of a settlement — until the last piece of paperwork is signed.

How Do I Know If I Have a Personal Injury Case?

Anyone has a personal injury case if there are damages (costs), injuries, and someone who can be identified as being at fault. Many hurt individuals think they “don’t have a case” simply because they don’t have the legal knowledge and experience that a professional accident attorney does. By working with a Vero Beach personal injury lawyer, you can investigate your accident, gather evidence, prove all your losses, and seek a claim against all potentially liable parties. You can even pursue damages if you were partially at fault for your own injuries, thanks to Florida’s generous comparative negligence statute. Many people are often surprised that they have a viable case when they initially thought they didn’t have anything to pursue.

Do I Have a Case If I Do Not Feel Hurt?

You have a case as long as you have an injury that costs money to treat. Always receive a comprehensive medical exam after a car accident or similar incident just to rule out whether or not you have an injury. Some injuries, like a traumatic brain injury (TBI/concussion) and whiplash may not show up for days after an accident. Some people feel fine immediately after an accident only to develop a limp or partial disability in the future. You may not “feel” hurt, but until a medical examiner rules out any injury, you could still have one.

Furthermore, you can file a complaint (lawsuit) based on property damages alone. These cases usually do not have as large of damages compared to injury, but they can benefit individuals who aren’t being offered a fair settlement for vehicle repairs or personal property replacement after an accident.

Review Your Legal Options with a Vero Beach Personal Injury Attorney Today

If you’ve been injured in The Hibiscus City because of someone else’s actions or negligence, you may be entitled to compensation. Steve Hoskins and his Vero Beach personal injury attorneys have over 30 years of experience helping people just like you get the full compensation they deserve after an injury.

Our team will create a strategy that fits your unique situation and help you through every step of the process. Call us at 866-460-1990 or contact us online for your free, no-obligation consultation.