Any kind of accident is potentially a frightening and expensive experience. Some kinds of accident can lead to very serious injuries. If you are injured in St. Petersburg, Florida in an accident that was someone else’s fault, you may be able to claim a fair amount of compensation with the help of a personal injury attorney.
A successful claim can help pay for unexpected medical bills and compensate for lost earnings and the pain and suffering experienced.
Choosing a Personal Injury Attorney in St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg has a very large number of licensed attorneys. It is always sensible to select an attorney with experience in personal injury law and who has successfully helped clients gain the compensation they deserve.
At present, over 450 attorneys are able to offer personal injury help in St. Petersburg, so there is plenty of choice and you are certain to find an attorney to help you with your particular claim.
Typical Injuries in St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg is a very busy city, especially its highways and streets, which are commonly congested. It is no surprise that traffic accidents of all types top the injury statistics according to the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics*.
This federal body also reveals that other accident types include slips, trips and falls, construction and transportation accidents and medical negligence.
Traffic accidents have the unenviable record for the greatest percentage of serious and fatal injuries. Slips, trips and falls, on the other hand are not confined to streets and highways but can happen anywhere.
A slippery floor in a supermarket or an uneven sidewalk can lead to serious if not necessarily fatal injuries
Medical negligence is unfortunately also one of the leading causes of injury in St. Petersburg. Medical negligence can range from misdiagnosis in a city hospital to a prescription error in any one of the city’s pharmacies.
Nursing home abuse is also a frequent cause of injury and avoidable ill health amongst the city’s elderly population.
The Personal Injury Claim Procedure in Florida
Personal injury claims are hard to win, but a personal injury attorney can definitely make a difference to your chances of success.
All claims for compensation in St. Petersburg follow Florida’s state laws on personal injury claims. The statute of limitations in Florida determines when a claim should be filed. For personal injury claims against a private individual, business or other organization you have four years to file a claim.
However, if the claim is against a government entity such as the St. Petersburg city government the time period is a lot shorter. Claims against a government department tend to be more complicated than those against a private party.
Florida follows a pure comparative negligence rule, which means that you should be able to obtain compensation in proportion to the perceived degree of blame apportioned in the accident. In other words, even if you are 80% at fault, you may still be able to obtain 20% of the compensation claimed.
If you are injured in a car accident in Florida, you may need to claim compensation through your own insurance company as the state has a no-fault insurance law. If your injuries are particularly severe, you may still be able to seek appropriate compensation with a personal injury lawsuit.
Claims in St. Petersburg will probably be filed with the Pinellas County Court, which is open from 8.30 to 4.30 every week day except for public holidays. The actual court will depend on the size of the claim. Your attorney will help with determining the court and how to file a claim.
Use a Free Claim Evaluation to Find a Suitable St. Petersburg Attorney
You can use our free claim evaluation form found below to help decide on a suitable personal injury attorney in St. Petersburg. We understand how daunting such a legal exercise can be when contemplating making a claim for compensation after an injury which was not necessarily your fault.
While you have four years in Florida to file a claim against a private individual, it is always better to start the claim process as early as possible.
Additional Resources
Source: * bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=tp&tid=45
