Florida personal injury lawyer

Published on: January 30, 2024

How to Hire a Florida Personal Injury Lawyer

South Florida personal injury lawyer Think you might need to hire a Florida personal injury lawyer but have no idea where to start?

Most Naples personal injury clients are folks with little-to-no experience in civil litigation, and this is a good thing as we all don’t want to hire lawyers unless we have to. Many of our clients are reeling from a horrible crash or devastating loss due to a medical mistake and unsure of their next steps. Very often doctors or insurance companies are not always helpful in encouraging people to seek legal counsel.

The good news is that an experienced Naples Florida personal injury lawyer can help you navigate the whole process from start-to-finish, sometimes without even stepping foot in a courtroom.

How Do I Find a Lawyer?

The internet is usually the first place people start nowadays when looking for a Florida personal injury lawyer.

You can start with a simple search of attorneys in your region who practice the type of law you need. For serious injuries, you may want to dig a little deeper.

Personal injury law falls under the general umbrella of “torts,” but there are actually several different types of personal injury claims. For example, injury due to a doctor’s error is going to fall under “medical malpractice law.” Injuries resulting from a dangerous or defective product or vehicle will be filed as “product liability” claims. If you’re injured as a result of a dangerous condition on someone else’s property, this is called “premises liability.”

You want to check for injury lawyers in the area with experience and success in handling cases just like yours. For this, you can specifically for a section on their website with detailed testimonials and/or case results. (You can also ask for this directly if you decide to meet with the attorney.)

It’s not a bad idea to check the ratings and reviews on Google, social media, and other platforms. These might not give you the whole story, but attorneys and/or law firms with a fair number of positive reviews are probably doing something right.

In Florida, you can also contact your local Bar Association for lawyer referral services. There are offices in Collier, Lee, Charlotte and Sarasota Counties.

What Does a South Florida Personal Injury Lawyer Need From Me?

Published on: May 25, 2022

Fort Myers Bike Injury Lawyer Explains Your Legal Rights After a Crash

by Leland Garvin

May is National Bike Month, promoted by the League of American Bicyclists to showcase the many health and environmental benefits of biking – and encourage more people to give it a try. Here in Florida, though, bicycling is not without risk. As a Fort Myers bike injury lawyer, I’ve worked with many cyclists (and sometimes their surviving family members) in the pursuit of compensation from careless, at-fault drivers.

Although Florida bicycle law recognizes the right of bicyclists to share the road like any other vehicle, motorists often fail to give them the same courtesy and respect as other road users. They fail to watch out for them, slow down for them, or give them the required three-foot distance when passing. Whereas bicyclists account for about 2 percent of the nation’s traffic deaths, the rate is more than double that in Florida.

Florida consistently ranks as the deadliest state in the country for bicyclists. Nearly 50,000 were injured and more than 780 were killed nationally in a single, recent year. That same year, Florida reported 125 bicycle deaths – 16 percent of the nation’s total. The Cape Coral-Fort Myers metro region has repeatedly ranked No. 1 most dangerous for cyclists.

Although coastal communities like Sanibel-Captiva are extremely popular for cyclists in South Florida, it tends to be areas in Fort Myers, Lehigh Acres, and Cape Coral – with lagging bicycle infrastructure – that see the highest bike accident and injury rates.

The most serious bicycle accidents are almost always those that involve motor vehicles. Bicyclists, like pedestrians, are vulnerable road users who face the greatest harm in these collisions – regardless of fault – simply by virtue of the size disparity and lack of protection between the person and the pavement.

Why is Florida So Dangerous for Bicyclists?

Published on: November 25, 2020

Florida Personal Injury Lawyer on Avoiding Common Holiday Injuries

by Leland Garvin

Florida personal injury lawyer

It is the most wonderful time of the year – unless preparing for or partaking in it lands you in a hospital emergency room.

From ladder falls to parking lot pedestrian accidents, an experienced Florida personal injury lawyer knows all-too-well how life-altering these occurrences can be.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reported that there were 18,400 reported injuries sustained by those decorating for the holidays in a single recent year. Many of these involved falls, often while hanging lights or other decorations from roofs or trees. Many suffered strains, sprains, and lacerations, but two died.

Further, the CPSC reported roughly 100 Christmas tree fires resulting in 10 deaths, 10 injuries, and $12 million in property loss. There are also 20 injuries caused by swallowing objects and dozens of burn injuries caused while cooking holiday meals.

On the road, injuries can result from drunk driving accidents caused by motorists over-imbibing at holiday parties. There are also pedestrian accidents at shopping centers, crosswalks, and other high foot traffic areas, often precipitated by distracted, rushed, or fatigued drivers.

Your health insurance may fully cover the costs of some of these injuries. However, if you are injuries are fairly serious, and someone’s negligence was at least partly to blame for what happened, you will want to consider talking to a Florida personal injury lawyer.