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Serious Injuries

Florida Attorneys Helping You Recover For Serious Injuries

Catastrophic accidents may affect your life, as well as your family's, for years to come. After you experience serious injuries, returning to the same job you had before the accident and supporting yourself in the same manner (or at all) may not be possible. You may need extensive physical rehabilitation. Even with significant help, you may have stringent restrictions placed on what you're able to do. Your family's lifestyle may change dramatically. If your serious injuries were caused by someone's negligence or wrongful actions, the experienced Ocala personal injury lawyers at Dean Law Firm can help.

Making a Personal Injury Claim in Florida

Florida is a no-fault insurance state. This means non-serious claims may need to be submitted to your own insurer. However, serious injuries allow you to step outside the no-fault insurance system and try to hold the other party responsible for your injuries. Retaining our knowledgeable personal injury attorneys can mean the difference between recovering complete compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering, and receiving a cheap, quick settlement that does not adequately address your needs. Before talking to another person's insurer about what happened and what your damages are, consult your own attorney.

What Are "Serious Injuries" in Florida?

Serious injuries are those injuries involving a permanent physical change. These injuries can arise from car accidents, hidden dangers on real property, workplace accidents, involvement in recreational activities, and many other situations. They include:

If someone else is a fault for your serious injuries, you may be able to bring a lawsuit under a legal theory called negligence. The elements of a negligence lawsuit are: (1) a duty recognized by law that requires the defendant to act in accord with a certain standard of conduct, or in most personal injury cases, to act in a reasonable manner that does not endanger others; (2) breach of that duty; (3) "proximate" cause; and (4) actual damages or loss. A successful plaintiff may be awarded damages such as out-of-pocket expenses, medical expenses, and pain and suffering. However, the plaintiff's damages may be reduced by the extent to which he was responsible for his own losses or his "comparative fault."

Recovering Monetary Damages for a Lifetime of Care in Florida

The costs associated with catastrophic injury are enormous. In addition to significant and ongoing medical expenses, you may need physical therapy and vocational rehabilitation to get back into the workforce. There is no guarantee you will be able to go back to work at all. In preparing your case, we will need to investigate, gather all available evidence and analyze the evidence under applicable laws. Our attorneys will make a credible presentation of your position to an insurer. If that fails, we set forth a persuasive and compelling case to a jury at trial.

Wrongful Death Under Florida Law

We are also able to represent surviving family members in a wrongful death lawsuit. This type of lawsuit is brought when a family member dies due to somebody else's negligent or wrongful conduct, leaving behind grieving family members who are faced not only with the emotional losses, but also economic consequences.

Florida Statute 768.20 mandates that an “action shall be brought by the decedent’s personal representative, who shall recover for the benefit of the decedent’s survivors and estate all damages, as specified in this act, caused by the injury resulting in death.” Survivors are usually spouses or blood relatives that depended upon the decedent for support. If you are left reeling from the death of a family member caused by negligence or wrongful conduct, it is critical that you consult a lawyer who can counsel you and represent your family in a wrongful death action for damages.

Dedicated to Protecting Your Legal Rights

Michael, Timothy and Ed Dean are experienced serious injury lawyers and partners. Let our family help your family. Our attorneys possess several decades of combined experience helping people like you who have suffered all types of catastrophic injuries. We represent clients across Central Florida communities including Crystal River and The Villages. Contact the experienced Ocala personal injury attorneys at Dean Law Firm by phone at 352-387-8700 or via our online form. We handle all personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis, so you pay no attorneys' fees to us unless we are successful in your case.