Hunter Law Firm represents individuals injured in accidents or through the negligence of another
Personal Injury Law Overview
Personal injury is a field of law that deals with the injury of a person (the plaintiff) due to the negligence of another individual or company (the defendant). Personal injury can be broken down into a number of specific subcategories including car crashes, commercial vehicle collisions, slip and fall or premise liability, medical malpractice, animal bites, product liability, et cetera. Plaintiff’s attorneys in personal injury cases may seek damages from the individual responsible, his or her employer, or an insurance company.
Dangerous or Defective Products
If an accident occurs while using a product because that product was defective or because it malfunctions, the victim may be able to recover damages for any injuries sustained. For instance, if a pipe bursts because the material that it’s made from is insufficient for its intended use, and a person sustains third degree burns during the accident, the manufacturer of the pipe may be held liable for those injuries. Defective product cases may be isolated incidents where one or two substandard items are sold, or they can involve large-scale design flaws that effect entire product lines.
Motor Vehicle Accidents
Hillsborough County ranks third in the State of Florida in almost every category of motor vehicle accident. During the past five years, 100,000 people have been killed or injured in car crashes in Hillsborough County alone. The insurers of at-fault drivers are usually responsible for injuries caused by negligent drivers. Before accepting any settlement from an automobile insurer or its lawyers, the victim of an automobile collision should discuss his or her case with a qualified Florida personal injury attorney.
Premises Liability or Slip and Fall
In Florida, the person who is responsible for the property must also ensure the safety of the persons who frequents it. The manager or owner of a premise must maintain it—particularly when an unsafe condition has been brought to their attention. While “slip and fall” is a term usually associated with premises liability, an accident can involve nearly any sort of unsafe condition, including the behavior of other customers. If you have been injured while frequenting an establishment, it’s in your best interest to discuss the situation with a personal injury attorney at your earliest as convenience.
Catastrophic Injury
In Florida, catastrophic injury is defined by state statute. A catastrophic injury is an impairment constituted by:
- Spinal cord injury involving severe paralysis of an arm, a leg, or the trunk;
- Amputation of an arm, a hand, a foot, or a leg involving the effective loss of use of that appendage;
- Severe brain or closed-head injury as evidenced by:
- Severe sensory or motor disturbances;"
- Severe communication disturbances;
- Severe complex integrated disturbances of cerebral function;
- Severe episodic neurological disorders; or
- Other severe brain and closed-head injury conditions at least as severe in nature as any condition provided in sub-subparagraphs a.-d.;
- Second-degree or third-degree burns of 25 percent or more of the total body surface or third-degree burns of 5 percent or more to the face and hands;
- Blindness, defined as a complete and total loss of vision; or
- Loss of reproductive organs which results in an inability to procreate.
These injuries usually affect the victim and their families for the rest of their lives. In order to obtain a full and fair settlement, it’s almost always advisable to retain the services of a competent and experienced Florida personal injury attorney.
Wrongful Death
Wrongful Death suits usually (but not always) result from an accident that ends the life of a victim. The suits are brought on by the victim’s surviving family members. In Florida, the “Wrongful Death Act” determines who can receive payment for an accidental death, how compensatory damages are determined, and what constitutes non-compensatory damages. Wrongful death suits are brought before the Florida civil courts and are independent of any related criminal proceedings.
Contact attorney George Hunter today
Headquartered in Riverview, Hunter Law Firm serve clients in Tampa, Saint Petersburg, Apollo Beach, Brandon, Ruskin, Sun City Center, Gibsonton, and Lithia. To schedule an initial consultation to discuss your personal injury case, call us at 813-853-0720.
