Palm City Personal Injury Lawyers

In the wake of serious injuries come stress, anxiety, and frustration. How do you continue paying the bills if you cannot work until you have fully recovered? How long will it take to secure a settlement from the liable party? And how do you go about finding an accident lawyer who can help you navigate the claims process?

Victims of personal injury and wrongful death can get the answers to these questions—and others like them—by turning to the Palm City injury attorneys at Donaldson & Weston. We provide the compassionate touch of a small firm with the resources and experience of a large practice.

After evaluating your case for free, an accident attorney on our team will help you determine the most strategic way to proceed. Call 772-266-5555 to schedule a consultation.

There are countless ways to sustain serious injuries as you go about your day. Even those who do not hold especially dangerous jobs or participate in extreme sports are at risk of getting into a car accident every time they get behind the wheel.

Fortunately, our Palm City personal injury attorneys have an extensive background in tort claims involving myriad scenarios, including:

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  Bicycle accidents

  
  


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  Boating accidents

  
  


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  Burn injuries

  
  


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  Car accidents

  
  


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  Civil assault and battery

  
  


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  Drunk driving accidents

  
  


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  Motorcycle accidents

  
  


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  Nursing home abuse

  
  


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  Pharmacy errors

  
  


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  Premises liability

  
  


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  Spinal cord injuries

  
  


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  Wrongful death

  
  


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  Elder abuse

  
  

If your claim is successful, your monetary award may include enough compensation to cover the damages you have already incurred and will incur as a result of the liable party’s negligence. Besides direct financial losses such as medical bills and lost income, your claim can also include non-economic damages such as pain and suffering, as well as future damages such as loss of earning capacity.

The following damages may be recovered in Florida personal injury claims:

• Past medical bills;


• Future healthcare expenses;


• Vehicle repairs;


• Lost income and benefits;


• Loss of enjoyment of life;


• Disfigurement and physical impairment;


• Pain and suffering;


• Loss of consortium; and


• Emotional distress.

In certain cases, accident victims may also be able to recover punitive damages. These damages do not compensate the plaintiff for any incurred costs but, rather, punish the defendant for especially negligent, reckless, or malicious behavior.

The statute of limitations for personal injury claims is usually four years from the date of the incident, but there are several exceptions. For example, victims of medical malpractice have just two years to file a suit. If you want to sue a government entity, you have three years to file the lawsuit; however, after notifying the agency, you must wait for an investigative period of 180 days to pass before filing suit.

At Donaldson & Weston, we limit our scope of practice to personal injury law. This allows us to stay up to date on the relevant statutes and case law. It also means our attorneys have encountered just about every complication that can arise during the proceedings, and we know how to anticipate, avoid, and overcome issues that might otherwise derail your case.

Although you can certainly count on a general practice firm for general legal advice, you’ll want a seasoned personal injury attorney by your side when it comes to taking on the insurance company. At Donaldson & Weston, we’ve achieved substantial monetary awards in a wide array of cases including slip and falls, vehicle collisions, dog bites, and many other types of accidents. You can trust our lawyers to employ effective legal strategies at every stage of the proceedings.

If you choose to represent yourself or if you turn to a general practice firm, it’s possible that essential evidence to support your claim may be overlooked. Our attorneys will know the types of evidence to gather given the facts of your case. We will also know what kinds of disputes and delays are most likely to arise, and we will take the steps necessary to mitigate them. Finally, we will know the best tactics to employ during settlement negotiations.

To ensure your claim gets off to a strong start, you can prepare for our first meeting by considering the answers to the questions we will likely ask. Our specific questions will depend on the facts of your case, but generally speaking, the following questions are often asked during initial consultations:

• Did police respond to the scene? If so, did they conduct any chemical tests or make any arrests?


• Were there any eyewitnesses who saw what happened? If so, did you get their names and contact information?


• Has an insurance adjuster tried to reach out to you yet? If so, have you provided any recorded statements?


• What were you doing prior to the incident that caused your injuries? Could the opposing party argue that you were partially liable?


• Did you receive care from emergency responders at the scene?


• How much time passed before you visited a doctor?


• Have you been tracking all the costs associated with treating your injuries?


• What is your prognosis? What kinds of treatment have you received, and when does your doctor anticipate you will reach maximum medical improvement?


• What is your current employment situation? Have you missed any work to recover? Have your loved ones had to miss any work to take care of you?


• How have your injuries impacted the rest of the household?


• Do you have any active social media profiles? Have you posted about the accident or your injuries online?


• Have the injuries prevented you from participating in favorite hobbies or pastimes?


• Did you gather any evidence at the scene of the incident?