Have you been injured in an accident in Miami? Even if you’re a careful person, you still face a risk of many different types of accidents. Often, these accidents result from someone else’s negligence.
Examples include the following:
- Car, motorcycle, or truck accidents
- Slip and falls
- Dog bites
- Pedestrian accidents
- Accidents resulting from negligent security
- Workplace accidents
- Accidents resulting from negligent ownership at hotels, malls, restaurants, and more
Those are just a few examples. Being involved in these types of accidents can leave you with serious injuries that may require medical treatment. Your injuries may also be severe enough to prevent you from returning to work. You likely aren’t prepared for these financial burdens.
Luckily, you may not have to cover these losses on your own. You can often file a claim to recover compensation for your losses from the at-fault party or their insurance company.
Personal Injury Claims and Insurance
Florida is a no-fault state when it comes to auto accidents. If you’re injured in a car accident, you can file a claim to recover compensation from your own insurer — even if someone else caused your accident.
Other accidents follow more traditional at-fault rules. In other instances, such as slip and falls, you can file a claim against the insurer for the party that is responsible for your accident (assuming they have insurance).
Before filing your claim, you should strongly consider reviewing your case with a Miami personal injury attorney. Insurance companies will typically try to deny your claim or convince you to settle for less than it’s worth. Having a lawyer on your side improves your chances of recovering the full compensation you deserve.
The process of working with an attorney begins with a free consultation. Keep the following tips in mind to ensure this meeting is as productive as possible.
Prepare Certain Questions
You may want to ask an attorney questions during your initial consultation. For example, you might wonder how much hiring a lawyer will cost.
Most personal injury lawyers use the contingency fee system when charging for their services. Their fee is a percentage of the compensation they recover for their client. If they fail to recover compensation, their client pays nothing. You might want to confirm an attorney uses this system before agreeing to hire them.
Other questions you might ask include:
- Have you handled cases like mine before?
- Who will be handling my case?
- How will I get updates on my case?
- How long do you expect my case to take?
- How much compensation should I expect?
Don’t be afraid to ask questions during a free consultation. A qualified attorney will gladly answer them.
Gather Evidence
You can make it easier for a lawyer to determine if you have a winnable case by providing evidence. For example, if you were involved in an accident resulting from a hazard on someone else’s property, you might have made the wise choice to take pictures of the scene and get the contact information of witnesses. Bring all this with you to your consultation.
You should also bring documentation of your losses, such as medical bills and receipts.
Be Prepared to Take Notes
Discussing a traumatic accident with a personal injury attorney can be mentally and emotionally draining. When you’re in that state, it’s natural to be distracted. Your emotional state could prevent you from remembering certain details of the consultation later on.
It may be wise to take notes during your consultation. Bring a notebook and a pen or pencil with you. A lawyer will likely be willing to provide paper and a pen if you forget. Simply explain to them that you want to take notes to avoid forgetting any important details.
Most importantly, remember that a free consultation also comes with no obligation. Therefore, there’s no reason not to review your case with an attorney. These recommendations will merely help you have a more valuable meeting.
Contact Our Personal Injury Law Firm in Miami, FL
If you’ve been injured in an accident in Miami, FL and need legal help, contact our Miami personal injury lawyers at Lavent Law Personal Injury Lawyer to schedule a free consultation.
Lavent Law Personal Injury Lawyer
17295 NE 19th Ave
North Miami Beach, FL 33162
(305) 257-9464