Filing a Claim for an Accident During the Holidays: What to Know About Hiring a Florida Personal Injury Lawyer

While the holiday season is many people’s favorite time of year, unfortunately, it can sometimes be memorable for all the wrong reasons. Accidents during the holiday season are common—from trick-or-treating mishaps to shopping mishaps or travel mishaps while visiting friends or family. Accident victims can—and should—file claims in many cases, and hiring an experienced Florida personal injury lawyer is the first step in the process.

Common Accidents During the Holiday Season that Can Give Rise to Personal Injury Claims

Several types of accidents during the holiday season can give rise to personal injury claims. For example, if you, your child or spouse, or another close family member has been injured in any of the following, it will be worth talking to a Florida personal injury lawyer about your legal rights:

• Car accidents involving drunk, distracted and reckless drivers
• Golf cart accidents involving drunk, distracted and reckless drivers
• Pedestrian accidents while trick-or-treating
• Slip-and-fall accidents while holiday shopping
• Kitchen fires and other accidents involving dangerous appliances and other defective products

In the vast majority of cases, filing a personal injury claim involves dealing with the at-fault party’s insurance company—and most successful personal injury claims settle without going to court. Even though it is the holiday season, it is important that you prioritize protecting your legal rights. Once you take the necessary steps to protect your legal rights, you can get back to focusing on the holidays, and you can rely on your personal injury lawyer to fight for the compensation you deserve.

What You Should Know About Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer to Represent You or Your Family

For many people, hiring a personal injury lawyer after an accident is the first time that they will ever have to hire a lawyer to represent them. We know that some people can find this intimidating, and we also know that there are a lot of misconceptions about personal injury lawyers out there. With this in mind, here is what you need to know about hiring a Florida personal injury lawyer to represent you or your family:

1. Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer Truly Costs You Nothing Out of Pocket

Personal injury lawyers represent their clients on a contingency-fee basis. This means that it truly costs nothing out of pocket to hire a lawyer to fight for the financial compensation you deserve. When you hire a Florida personal injury lawyer “on contingency”:

• Your initial consultation is free
• You do not have to pay a retainer or any other up-front fees
• You will not be charged on an hourly basis
• You will not receive monthly legal bills
• You only have to pay legal fees if your claim is successful

If your claim is successful, your lawyer’s fees and the costs of pursuing your personal injury claim will be deducted from your settlement or verdict (your lawyer will discuss his or her fees with you during your free initial consultation). If your claim is unsuccessful for any reason, you still owe nothing. While many people assume that there must be hidden costs somewhere, there truly are not.

2. Your Personal Injury Lawyer Will Have Your Best Interests in Mind

Since your lawyer will be representing you on a contingency-fee basis (and since all lawyers have an ethical duty to put their clients’ interests first), you can be confident that your lawyer will have your best interests in mind. Your lawyer will be focused on helping you recover just compensation as quickly as possible. Unnecessarily delaying your claim won’t help anyone, and fighting for the full compensation you deserve will help ensure that you are fairly compensated for your losses and your lawyer is fairly compensated for his or her time.

3. There Are Several Complex Steps Involved in Filing a Personal Injury Claim

Filing a personal injury claim is a complex process. From conducting an investigation and gathering evidence to establishing liability and negotiating with the insurance companies, there are several steps involved. An experienced Florida personal injury lawyer will know what it takes to assert your legal rights effectively, and will be prepared to get to work immediately preserving the evidence needed to seek just compensation on your behalf.

4. Your Lawyer Will Need Your Help at Times

While your lawyer will work hard to make sure you can focus on the holiday season as much as possible, your lawyer will need your help at times. In particular, your lawyer will need your help documenting the financial and non-financial costs of your (or your loved one’s) injuries. With this in mind, you should expect to hear from your lawyer on a regular basis, and you should do your best to provide the information your lawyer needs as efficiently as possible.

5. It’s Up to You to Decide How and When to Resolve Your Claim

While your lawyer will use his or her experience to fight for the financial compensation you and your family deserve, it is up to you to decide how and when to resolve your claim. Specifically, if a settlement offer is on the table, it will be up to you to decide whether to accept. Your lawyer will advise you based on what he or she believes is best for you and your family, but you will make the final call regarding whether to resolve your claim or keep fighting for more.

Schedule a Free Consultation with a Florida Personal Injury Lawyer at Searcy Denney

Do you need to know more about filing a personal injury claim related to an accident during the holiday season in Florida? If so, we strongly encourage you to contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation. To discuss your legal rights with an experienced Florida personal injury lawyer at Searcy Denney in confidence, give us a call at 800-780-8607 or tell us how you would like to be contacted online today.