How to Protect Your Legal Rights if You Were Injured in an Accident in Florida

If you’ve been injured in an accident, you may be entitled to financial compensation under Florida law. Accident victims can seek financial compensation in many circumstances—provided that they take the necessary steps to protect their legal rights. Keep reading to learn what you need to do to protect your legal rights from an experienced Florida injury attorney at Searcy Denney.

5 Steps to Protect Your Legal Rights if You Were Injured in an Accident

There are several steps involved in protecting your legal rights after an accident in Florida. Many of these steps require experienced legal representation—and, as we discuss below, you will want to speak with an experienced Florida injury attorney about your situation as soon as possible. With this in mind, here are five steps that all accident victims can (and generally should) take to help maximize their chances of recovering just compensation:

1. Keep Any and All Documentation of the Accident  

First, you should keep any and all documentation you have from your accident. This documentation could take many different forms, including (but not limited to):

• Photos or videos you took with your phone
• Photos or videos that a friend or family member took after the accident
• Photos or videos that a witness sent to you from their phone
• A copy of the police report or incident report
• Debris, blood-stained clothing, or damaged personal items

Along with keeping any documentation you may have, you should also take detailed notes. Write down all of the details you can remember, even if they don’t seem particularly relevant to your claim for just compensation. Your Florida injury attorney will want to have as many details as possible—and the information you provide could lead to evidence that is available from other sources.

2. Document the Costs of Your Injuries as Thoroughly as Possible

Second, you should start the process of documenting the costs of your injuries. These include not only your financial costs, but your non-financial costs as well. The financial costs that you may be entitled to recover include:

• Emergency medical care
• Additional diagnostic and treatment services (including surgery)
• Physical, occupational, and psychological therapy
• Prescriptions, medical supplies, and other out-of-pocket costs
• Loss of income and benefits

If you have a personal injury claim, you may also be entitled to just compensation for non-financial costs such as:

• Permanent scarring or disfigurement
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional trauma and post-traumatic stress
• Loss of companionship and consortium
• Loss of enjoyment of life

However, you can only seek just compensation for these costs if you can prove them. This makes documenting your costs essential. To learn about some of the steps you can take to document the financial and non-financial costs of your accident, you can read: The Importance of Documenting Your Injuries for a Lawsuit.

3. Follow Your Doctor’s Medical Advice

Third, you should follow your doctor’s medical advice. When you’ve been seriously injured in an accident, protecting your health and protecting your legal rights go hand-in-hand. If you follow your doctor’s advice, this will help with proving the costs you are entitled to recover. Conversely, if you don’t follow your doctor’s advice, this could make it significantly more challenging to fully recover the costs of your injuries.

Generally speaking, following your doctor’s advice means attending your appointments, undergoing all necessary treatment, resting, and beginning therapy and rehabilitation when the time is right. One of the most common (and most costly) mistakes we see people make is resuming normal activities or returning to work too soon. If you make your injuries worse by ignoring your doctor’s recommendations, this could prevent you from fully recovering your medical bills and other losses.

With all of that said, you should not hesitate to seek a second opinion if you feel that one is necessary. Unfortunately, doctors also make mistakes. If you have any reason to be concerned about your doctor’s advice, you should seek advice from another doctor as soon as possible.

4. Seek Legal Advice from a Florida Injury Attorney

Fourth, another step that you should take as soon as possible is to speak with an experienced Florida injury attorney. You need to ensure that you are relying on accurate legal advice that is custom-tailored to your individual circumstances. An injury attorney who has experience handling cases similar to yours will be able to explain everything you need to know in order to protect your ability to seek the financial compensation you deserve.

5. Work with Your Florida Injury Attorney to Prove Your Claim

Finally, once you hire a Florida injury attorney to represent you, you should work closely with your attorney to prove your claim. This involves both: (i) proving who (or what company) is responsible for your accident; and (ii) proving how much you are entitled to recover. While your attorney will be able to handle the legal aspects of your personal injury claim on your behalf (including negotiating with the insurance companies), your attorney will need your involvement with steps, including:

• Determining where additional evidence may be available
• Determining what financial losses to include in your claim
• Determining what constitutes “just compensation” for your non-financial losses
• Deciding whether to accept any settlement offers that are on the table
• Deciding whether to seek a jury trial or a bench trial if a fair settlement offer isn’t on the table

For now, though, all you need to do is start the process. This means scheduling a free, no-obligation consultation. If you have questions about your legal rights after an accident in Florida, we encourage you to contact us right away so that we can help you protect your legal rights.

Schedule a Free, No-Obligation Consultation with a Florida Injury Attorney at Searcy Denney

To schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with a Florida injury attorney at Searcy Denney, call 800-780-8607 or tell us how we can reach you online. We will arrange for you to speak with one of our attorneys in strict confidence as soon as possible.