Get Justice with Our Gainesville Catastrophic Injury Lawyer

Any injury will change your life, at least temporarily. Still, some injuries are worse than others and can affect you for the rest of your life. You may be unable to work or even care for yourself for years or for a lifetime. Your losses can total into the hundreds of thousands or even millions.

Our Gainesville catastrophic injury lawyer can help you identify all liable parties and fight to recover the fair settlement you need to recover from them. This is important in Florida, because here, your Personal Injury Protection insurance will cover 80 percent of certain expenses up to $10,000. But in cases involving catastrophic injuries, this will not be enough.

Whether you are the injured party or you are a caretaker, when you’re dealing with a catastrophic injury, your life will be changed forever. If you didn’t cause the accident that led to the injuries, it is an injustice for you to end up paying for a lifetime of expenses. Let our Gainesville personal injury attorneys fight for you. Call us today for a free consultation.

Our Attorneys Fight for Every Dollar Your Injury Has (and Will) Cost You

Catastrophic injuries are extremely costly to treat. Injured individuals require extensive medical treatment that includes emergency care, lengthy hospital stays, surgery, and more. All of this is very expensive, but it is only a portion of the cost of a catastrophic injury.

Catastrophic Injury Damages Include Far More Than Just Medical Bills

Accident victims usually cannot return to work again, and it is not uncommon for them to have to find a new line of work in the future, if they can return to the workforce at all. To make this time even more difficult, accident victims also endure an immense amount of pain and suffering and emotional distress.

Family members are also often left wondering how they will care for a loved one with a catastrophic injury. They may have to miss a significant time from work or make the decision to hire a caretaker or home health aide, which is also very expensive.

All of these are damages accident victims and their family members incur after a catastrophic injury. Our personal injury law firm can help you claim compensation for these losses and any other accident-related losses you and your family have sustained.

How Much Your Gainesville Catastrophic Injury Claim May Be Worth

A serious injury’s life-changing effects warrant substantial compensation. But insurers often manipulate facts to lessen what victims deserve, blaming pre-existing conditions or claiming the victim caused or contributed to their injuries. Our lawyers fight these tactics.

We conduct complete assessments of all your short- and long-term accident impacts to secure fair compensation, asking questions like:

• How will disabilities from the injury forever affect income, mobility, independence, and life enjoyment?
• What is the total current and future medical cost tally considering necessary procedures, equipment, and care?
• How severely did the trauma physically and emotionally harm you?

It takes meticulous effort and commitment battling insurers’ denial machines— we’re willing to invest extensive time reaching just outcomes. The goal of our Gainesville catastrophic injury lawyers is to recover fair compensation that enables you to live your best possible life.

Damages You Can Claim in a Gainesville Catastrophic Injury Lawsuit

Recovering from injuries means stability – both financial and emotional. But “making victims whole” spans wide-ranging damage categories, including:

Economic Damages

The economic damages you can claim are concrete financial costs that are provable through documentation. They may include medical bills, prescriptions, medical equipment, property replacement, lost income, legal fees, etc.

Non-Economic Damages

The non-economic damages you can claim are subjective but equally valid. You may be able to recover compensation for your physical agony, emotional trauma, diminished life enjoyment, and lost affection.

Insurers may balk at rightfully covering your pain and suffering damages, calling it exaggerated or unquantifiable. Don’t believe it. Our Gainesville catastrophic injury attorneys combine sound documentation, testimony, and context to prove the value of your non-economic damages.

Our Attorney Knows the Importance of Medical Care After an Accident

Internal injuries are often catastrophic. When an accident occurs, it can result in blood vessels and internal organs becoming damaged, punctured, or torn. All of these are internal injuries, but they do not always present symptoms right away. When internal injuries are left untreated, they can result in massive hemorrhaging, and even wrongful death.

Due to the seriousness of these injuries, and the fact that they can escalate and become life-threatening quite quickly, it is imperative that you seek medical attention after any accident. A physician will know the signs of internal bleeding, how to detect it, and will provide proper treatment so the injuries do not become any worse.

Our Attorney Handles Cases Involving Many Types of Internal Injuries

Accidents can cause many different types of internal injuries. The most common types of internal injuries that form the basis of personal injury claims include:

• Internal bleeding: Internal bleeding can occur in any part of the body in which blood vessels are torn or crushed.
• Liver damage: The liver is located in a very vulnerable part of the body, making it one of the most commonly injured organs during an accident.
• Kidney damage: Approximately ten percent of all accident victims that suffer from significant abdominal trauma suffer from kidney damage, commonly referred to as renal trauma.
• Punctured lungs: A lung may become punctured during the course of an accident, or a rib may break, which subsequently punctures the lung.
• Damage to the diaphragm: The diaphragm is a muscle that sits across the bottom of the rib cage and it plays an important role in the respiratory system. Approximately five percent of all accident cases that result in blunt trauma to the abdomen involve damage to the diaphragm.

Unfortunately, the above are just a few of the most common types of internal injuries accidents cause. Any time you suffer from such a serious injury, it is important to speak to an attorney that can help you claim damages to offset the financial burden they impose.

Our Attorney Explains the Serious Symptoms of Internal Injuries

While internal injuries will not always present symptoms right away, that is not always the case. Receiving proper medical treatment after any crash is important, but particularly if you experience the following symptoms of internal injuries:

• Extreme weakness, particularly on one side of the body
• Losing consciousness
• Dizziness
• Problems with vision
• Low blood pressure
• Numbness
• Severe abdominal pain
• Severe headaches
• Shortness of breath
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Chest pain
• Diarrhea

All of the above are very serious injuries that require immediate medical attention.

How Long You Have to File a Catastrophic Injury Lawsuit in Gainesville, FL

When you sustain an injury due to someone else’s negligence or misconduct, you may wonder how long you have to file a personal injury lawsuit in Florida. The time limit depends on several factors, including the circumstances of the injury, who the victim was, and who was responsible. In most cases, you have two years to file a lawsuit in Florida.

However, specific scenarios can alter the statute of limitations window.

The range of potential factors that could impact the time limit on your case means you should consult with a Gainesville catastrophic injury lawyer as soon as you can after an accident. Don’t lose rights simply due to a lack of clarity on Florida’s personal injury laws – let us protect your interests following any accident that was caused by recklessness or oversight.

How Your Gainesville Catastrophic Injury Lawyer Will Prove Negligence

When we take on your claim, one of the first things we need to do is gather the evidence to prove the other party’s negligence. This groundwork establishes a sturdy foundation for your Gainesville catastrophic injury claim. Our investigation leaves no stone unturned, collecting all available evidence like:

• Medical reports verifying treatment
• Official accident documentation
• Witness statements plus our recorded testimonies
• Independent experts across medicine, economics, psychology, etc.

Armed with extensive third-party-validated evidence, we then demonstrate undeniable negligence by the defendant, resulting in tangible harm to you. This insulates cases against the standard insurance denials, delays, and lowball offers. We invest effort upfront so you will have the strongest possible case later.

How Much It Costs to Hire a Gainesville Catastrophic Injury Attorney

Injury lawyers typically work on “contingency” – you pay their fee out of your settlement or award. We operate this way, too. Our consultations, advice, and efforts remain free if we don’t win damages.

Here’s how contingency arrangements work:

• No payment ever comes directly from your pocket to us.
• Our basic fee is an agreed percentage of the final settlement or court award.
• Additional case expenses like court filing fees or hiring experts also get deducted from the total payout.
• The remainder of the recovery after deductions goes straight to you.
• This structure ensures we only prosper when you do.

During your initial free consultation, we will meet to discuss your potential claim at no cost or commitment. Together, we’ll help you move forward.

What Is Considered a Catastrophic Injury Under Florida Law?

According to Florida Statute Chapter 316 Section 027, “Serious bodily injury” means an injury to a person, including the driver, which consists of a physical condition that creates a substantial risk of death, serious personal disfigurement, or protracted loss or impairment of the function of a bodily member or organ.”

Catastrophic injuries are those that are so serious they result in long-term debilitation or disability. If your injury prevents you from obtaining any type of gainful employment, it may also be considered catastrophic. Catastrophic injuries typically involve a physical or mental deformity or loss of capacity.

Common catastrophic injuries caused by negligence include:

• Traumatic brain injuries
• Amputations
• Severe burns
• Internal injuries
• Spinal cord injuries

Any of these conditions can leave you unable to work, facing mounting medical bills, and requiring around-the-clock care. A Gainesville personal injury lawyer understands that these costs will affect you far into the future, so we fight to get you the compensation you will need to cover a lifetime of accident-related expenses.

Common Causes of Catastrophic Injuries Our Gainesville Lawyers Represent

Catastrophic injuries occur in a number of different ways, and in most cases, they are the result of an accident that was entirely preventable. The most common causes of catastrophic injuries our Gainesville injury lawyers represent are as follows:

• Car accidents
• Bicycle accidents
• Scooter accidents
• Truck accidents
• Pedestrian accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Bus accidents
• Construction accidents
• ATV accidents
• Boating accidents

Regardless of whether you suffered a catastrophic injury due to the above causes or you are caring for someone who is hurt, these injuries are overwhelming. Understanding the necessary medical treatment alone is daunting, let alone figuring out how you are going to pay for it.

When the accident was caused by someone else’s carelessness or negligence, you can hold them liable for your damages. A catastrophic injury attorney in Gainesville can fight for your right to the full amount of compensation you will need to move forward.

Florida Laws That Can Affect Your Gainesville Catastrophic Injury Claim

The following Florida laws can significantly affect the value of your catastrophic injury case. Your injury lawyer will tell you how these laws apply to your claim.

Florida’s Modified Comparative Fault Statute

Florida follows “modified comparative fault” laws for accidents. This means victims who contributed to crashes aren’t necessarily barred from compensation. But their awarded damages decrease by their percentage of fault.

However, those who are found 51% or more at fault will be barred from recovering their damages. If you are below 50% at fault, your payout will drop according to your degree of fault.

For example:

Driver A runs a red light, injuring Pedestrian B. But Pedestrian B crossed against the signal while distracted.

The court finds Driver A 65% liable and Pedestrian B 35% liable. Pedestrian B still recovers money, but they can only recover 65% of their damage award.

It’s complex. But shared blame doesn’t always kill victims’ rights, thanks to modified comparative fault. Our catastrophic accident attorneys in Gainesville know how to navigate this nuanced Florida law. Don’t assume no options exist if you hold any accountability – explore your claim fully first with the help of a lawyer.

Florida No-Fault Insurance Laws

Florida operates under no-fault auto insurance laws. This means injury victims must use their own PIP policies for initial medical and partial lost earnings reimbursement. Whether you are at fault or not for the collision, each driver claims compensation from their respective insurer.

However, PIP only covers economic harms including a portion of your medical and income costs up to your policy limits. Additional medical bills, lost wages, miscellaneous expenses, suffering from pain, reduced quality of life, trauma, and emotional impacts go unaddressed. To pursue rightful additional recovery, seriously injured victims must take legal action against the at-fault driver.

PIP gets a jump on emergency expense reimbursement, but it typically doesn’t make victims of catastrophic injuries whole on its own. Our team will explore every avenue to recover the compensation you need.

The Catastrophic Injury Claim Process in Florida Explained

After catastrophic injuries, victims and their loved ones need to focus on healing, not wrangling insurers and fighting for justice. We handle the heavy lifting by seamlessly managing the claims process so families avoid added stresses. Here’s what to expect during the claims process:

• We thoroughly investigate negligence and substantiate immense losses from missed income to lifelong medical costs. Gathering exhaustive evidence removes any doubt regarding your entitlement to damages.
• After building your case, we send the insurance company a demand letter. However, insurance companies routinely deny reality and responsibility, offering scraps. Our team will fight tooth and nail to get you fair compensation.
• If the insurance company refuses to offer a reasonable settlement, we can file a lawsuit. We’re fully prepared to argue your case in court. However, the prospect of court motivates fair settlements more often than not.

Throughout the claims process, our focus remains getting the compensation you need to recover and gain closure. We want you to focus on healing— that’s why a Gainesville catastrophic injury lawyer will handle everything else from start to finish.

Call Our Gainesville Catastrophic Injuries Attorney Today

Don’t take on callous insurance corporations alone; our catastrophic injury lawyers in Gainesville leverage our decades of experience so families can look ahead, not back. Understand your options during an initial free consultation today.

If you or someone you love has suffered a serious injury, Meldon Law can assist with your case. We have a proven track record of helping our clients claim the compensation they deserve, and we want to help you, too.