People are injured in accidents every day in Florida. Unfortunately, a high number of these people miss out on the financial compensation available to them due to a misunderstanding of the legal system. If you’ve been injured in Florida, don’t let this happen to you. By reviewing the following common personal injury lawsuit myths, you can avoid the pitfalls that keep many injury victims from obtaining the compensation they deserve.
Myth #1: Personal Injury Lawsuits are Expensive
Many injured people think that they can’t afford to hire a lawyer and file a personal injury lawsuit. What they don’t realize is this: most personal injury cases are handled on a contingency fee basis. This means if you’ve been injured in an accident, you pay nothing unless your lawsuit is successful.
Myth #2: Personal Injury Lawsuits are Only for Serious Injuries
Although people who suffer serious injuries should certainly consider legal action, this doesn’t mean that those with minor injuries should forgo doing the same. If you’ve suffered a minor injury due to another’s negligence, you may be entitled to financial compensation, and an experienced personal injury attorney can help ensure that the insurance company doesn’t present you with a lowball settlement offer. In addition, what you believe to be a minor injury may be more serious than you think, meaning that you may be eligible for additional compensation.
Myth #3: Personal Injury Lawsuits are Punitive in Nature
Personal injury lawsuits are generally not intended to punish defendants. Rather, their purpose is to compensate injury victims for their injury-related losses. In fact, the reality is that most personal injury claims are paid by insurance companies—not defendants. Therefore, if you’ve been injured and are concerned that filing a lawsuit against the responsible party may negatively impact his or her life, this simply isn’t the case in most situations.
Myth #4: Only Greedy People File Personal Injury Lawsuits
Another common misconception injury victims have is that filing a personal injury lawsuit will make them appear greedy. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Personal injury lawsuits are intended to compensate victims for their injury-related losses, such as medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. In other words, a personal injury lawsuit isn’t a treasure hunt or a cash grab—it’s a chance to put you back into the position you were in prior to your injury.
Contact a Personal Injury Attorney
If you’ve been injured, you should strongly consider filing a personal injury lawsuit. With the help of an experienced Florida personal injury attorney, your odds of obtaining financial compensation for your injury increase drastically. At Staples, Ellis + Associates, P.A., we have decades of combined experience representing personal injury victims in Northwest Florida. When you come to us for help following an injury, we’ll do everything we can to ensure that your case is successful. Please contact us to arrange a free consultation with one of our talented attorneys.
Posted in: Personal Injury