How to Start a Personal Injury Claim
February 18, 2014 | Category: | SharePersonal injury claims are typically brought by individuals who contend that they have sustained injuries in an accident that was caused by another individual or entity that was acting negligently at the time of the incident. Fort Myers personal injury lawyer Randall Spivey notes that "all too often, drivers destroy families by taking lives or causing permanent injuries to others when they drive in a negligent, careless or downright reckless manner." However, there is help for accident victims. Filing a personal injury claim can provide victims with the compensation they need to try to deal with their injuries and other accident-related issues.
Some accident victims, particularly those who have never been involved in a motor vehicle accident before, are unaware of what steps they should take after a collision. That being the case, all drivers are advised to keep a copy of a Florida accident form in the glove compartments of their vehicles. The form will prove to be quite helpful in the event of an accident, and once the form has been completed, accident victims will have something in hand that they can then pass along to the lawyer handling the case.
What You Need to Know
Personal injury claims typically involve proving that someone else owed you, the accident victim, a legal duty to use reasonable care and he or she breached that duty. However, there is only a limited amount of time in which an accident victim can file a personal injury claim in Florida. Many claims have a four-year statute of limitations, while some claims have a two-year time limit. Accordingly, a Fort Myers personal injury lawyer will often stress to accident victims and potential clients the need to seek legal representation as quickly as possible after the occurrence of an accident. Working with a skilled attorney can help to ensure that you do not miss your opportunity to pursue a claim against any and all responsible individuals and/or entities.
Once it has been determined that an injury claim needs to be filed, individuals should be aware that in the state of Florida, the claim must be filed either in the county in which the accident took place or where any one of the defending parties resides. For cases that involve damages of less than $15,000, individuals will normally file their claims in county court; however, if the damages are worth more than $15,000, the circuit court will generally have jurisdiction over the claim.
Filing a personal injury claim can be stressful if you attempt to do it on your own. However, if you contact a skilled attorney as soon as possible after the accident occurs, he or she can file the claim on your behalf and take care of all the required tasks that must be done as part of the general process. If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident and you have questions about filing a personal injury claim, contact a Board Certified Fort Myers personal injury lawyer at The Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A., right away to ensure that your legal rights are preserved.