Navigating the Legal Landscape: What to Do After a Personal Injury in Tallahassee

If you’ve been injured in an accident in Tallahassee, you may have a personal injury claim. Florida’s personal injury laws protect individuals who suffer injuries in accidents that weren’t their fault. Filing a claim allows you to seek just compensation for your medical expenses and other injury-related costs—with the specific losses you are entitled to recover depending on your specific circumstances.

But, even when you are clearly entitled to just compensation, filing a successful claim is not easy. You need to know how to navigate the legal landscape, and you need to know when (and if) it is in your best interests to settle. As a result, it is important to hire an experienced personal injury lawyer in Tallahassee as soon after your accident as possible.

7 Important Steps to Take if You Have a Personal Injury Claim in Tallahassee

When you hire an experienced personal injury lawyer in Tallahassee to represent you, your lawyer will help you navigate the legal landscape step-by-step. With that said, there are some steps you should try to take right away if possible. While every case is unique (which is another reason why it is important to have experienced legal representation), here is an overview of the major steps involved in filing a personal injury claim in Tallahassee:

1. Document Your Personal Injury Claim as Thoroughly as Possible

Whether you were injured in a vehicle collision, slip and fall, or any other type of accident, you should do your best to document your claim as thoroughly as possible. This means preserving as much evidence and information as you can. For example, it will be a good idea for you to:

• Spend 10 or 15 minutes taking detailed notes about the accident;
• Review any photos or videos you took with your phone to see if they help you remember any important details;
• Be sure to keep all of your photos and videos (even if some look like duplicates);
• Keep any damaged clothing or other personal items that you were wearing or had with you at the time of the accident; and,
• When you see a doctor, be sure to tell your doctor how you got injured.

Taking these steps will help your personal injury lawyer assess what happened and determine what additional steps are necessary to prove your legal rights. While we know it can be hard to re-live your accident, it will be well worth it if doing so helps you recover the financial compensation you deserve.

2. Start Keeping Track of the Costs of Your Injuries

Along with documenting your personal injury claim as thoroughly as possible, you should also start keeping track of the costs of your injuries. Crucially, this includes not only their financial costs, but your non-financial costs as well. While there are exceptions in some cases, generally speaking, personal injury claimants in Tallahassee can seek just compensation for their:

• Out-of-pocket costs (including medical bills, medications and transportation);
• Loss of earnings (including wages or salary, commissions, tips, and benefits);
• Physical pain, emotional suffering, and psychological trauma;
• Loss of companionship and consortium (inability to spend meaningful time with friends and family); and,
• Loss of enjoyment of life (inability to participate in hobbies, social events and other activities).

To document your financial costs, you can keep your medical bills, receipts, paystubs, and any other relevant records. To document your non-financial costs, you can keep a log or journal where you record your injuries’ day-to-day impacts on your life—and the more details you record, the better.

3. Investigate the Accident Promptly

Conducting a prompt and thorough investigation is crucial for protecting your legal rights after an accident in Tallahassee. But, this is not something you should try to do on your own. When you hire a personal injury lawyer to represent you, your lawyer will conduct an investigation focused on gathering any and all available evidence before it disappears.

4. Determine What Company (or Companies) to File Your Claim Against

After gathering and reviewing the available evidence, your personal injury lawyer will be able to determine what company (or companies) to file your claim against. Practically speaking, most personal injury claims involve dealing with the insurance companies. Auto insurance companies, homeowner’s insurance companies, and commercial liability insurance companies end up paying for accidents in most cases.

5. Carefully Determine How Much You Are Willing to Accept in a Settlement

But, while resolving your personal injury claim may involve collecting an insurance settlement, there are no guarantees. It is up to you (and your personal injury lawyer) to assert your legal rights effectively—and this includes seeking an appropriate amount of financial compensation for your injury-related losses. You will need to carefully determine how much you are willing to accept in a settlement, and you will need to base this decision on a clear understanding of your long-term financial and non-financial losses.

6. Rely on Your Personal Injury Lawyer to Negotiate on Your Behalf

Once you decide how much you are willing to accept, you will also need to rely on your personal injury lawyer to negotiate on your behalf. After carefully calculating the value of your claim, your personal injury lawyer will use his or her experience to fight for a fair settlement.

7. Be Prepared to Take Your Personal Injury Claim to Court if Necessary

As we mentioned, when you have a personal injury claim, there are no guarantees. While many personal injury claims settle (and while we have a long record of success), we cannot control the insurance companies. If the insurance companies involved in your case refuse to settle for just compensation, you will need to be prepared to fight for your legal rights in court.

Schedule a Free Consultation About Your Personal Injury Claim in Tallahassee Today

Do you have a personal injury claim in Tallahassee? To find out, schedule a free consultation today. Call 800-780-8607 or tell us how we can reach you online to speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer in confidence as soon as possible.