Palm Harbor Personal Injury Lawyer
Did you suffer serious injuries that were caused by someone else? If you were injured in a motor vehicle accident or a slip and fall, or a defective product caused you to get hurt, you may be entitled to money damages. Palm Harbor personal injury lawyer Jim Magazine can help you file a claim or lawsuit to recover compensation for your medical bills, pain and suffering, and lost wages.
Serving Palm Harbor, FL for over 30 years, the experienced legal team at Magazine & Light Law Group has earned a reputation for excellence among our clients and peers. Let our law office make your case part of our track record of success.
Schedule a free consultation with our Palm Harbor personal injury lawyers. Contact us online or call at 727-499-9900.
Why Our Personal Injury Lawyers Are Different
Magazine & Light Law Group is not like many of the large personal injury law firms you’ll find on billboards and TV ads in Palm Harbor, FL. Instead of taking on as many personal injury accident cases as we can bring in, and settling claims for pennies on the dollar, our legal team takes our clients’ cases personally.
We understand the financial burdens victims like you face, especially if personal injuries require ongoing medical care, long term rehabilitation, and lost time from work. If catastrophic injuries cause a permanent disability, the financial losses can be overwhelming. A low settlement offer from the insurance company will barely make a dent in these expenses.
When you hire our law firm to handle your case, you will have direct contact with your personal injury lawyer, and you’ll be treated like family. Our legal team will determine how much your case is worth, and we will take your case to trial if necessary to ensure you recover maximum financial compensation from the insurance company. Let our law firm do the heavy lifting on your personal injury case, so you can concentrate on getting better.
No Fee Unless Your Case Is a Success
Our personal injury lawyers represent people who have suffered injuries, and those who have lost loved ones, because of the negligence of someone else. To help ensure that injured victims have access to quality legal representation, we offer a free consultation, and we accept all personal injury and wrongful death cases on a contingency basis. Our law firm will only accept payment for our services if we are successful in recovering compensation for you and your family.
Over 30 years
of Personal Injury Experience
Types of Palm Harbor Personal Injury Claims Our Lawyers Handle
Our Palm Harbor personal injury attorneys handle a wide variety of injury cases each year. While cases involving car accidents, truck accidents, and slip and falls make up the majority of our caseload, we help victims with all types of personal injury accident cases. These include, but are not limited to, cases involving:
Car Accidents
Over 100,000 motor vehicle accidents occur each year in Florida. Although not all of these auto accidents result in serious injury, those that do often leave victims to face substantial financial burdens. In many cases, victims’ PIP limits are not nearly enough to cover all losses. Fortunately, filing first party insurance claims may not be the only option available to injury victims.
An experienced personal injury attorney can help car accident victims identify all available insurance policies to recover monetary compensation to cover medical costs, lost wages or future lost earnings, and pain and suffering from all negligent parties.
Wrongful Death Claims
When a fatality was caused by medical malpractice, or due to the negligence or the malicious actions of another, it is considered a wrongful death. Surviving family members can recover compensation for the losses they suffered because of the death, like loss of financial support, medical expenses accrued before the death, funeral and burial costs, and other losses.
Although the personal representative of the decedent’s estate must be the one to formally file a wrongful death lawsuit, he or she will submit a list of beneficiaries when the suit is filed. Compensation is awarded to the selected recipients, which may include the victim’s spouse, children, surviving parents, blood relatives, adoptive siblings, and adult children (when there is no spouse).
Motorcycle Accident Lawsuits
Florida experiences thousands of motorcycle accidents each year. Thousands cause severe injuries, and hundreds more are fatal. Motorcycle riders are at a higher risk of suffering severe injuries than people in passenger vehicles, due to the lack of safety features, like airbags and enclosed passenger compartments.
Even minor accidents can cause injuries for motorcycle riders. The most common injuries include road rash, burns, and broken bones. A serious motorcycle accident can lead to traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, or even death. A spinal cord injury or a traumatic brain injury can lead to lifelong disabilities that require ongoing medical bills and expensive medical equipment.
Do you need help with a personal injury claim or lawsuit? For a free case evaluation, call The Magazine & Light Law Group at 727-499-9900.
Steps to Take After a Personal Injury Accident in Palm Harbor
When an accident happens, Your safety and wellbeing are priority. If you or any other victims need immediate medical attention, the first step is to call 9-1-1 and get emergency medical services on the way. If you are in danger, move to a safe location if possible.
Once all parties who were involved in the accident have been checked for physical injuries, and the scene is safe, you should do the following:
Gather Information and Evidence
If you are able, gather the information and evidence that will be needed for your personal injury claim. This includes the name of the other party involved, his or her contact information, and the names and contact information for any witnesses. For an accident involving a motor vehicle, also get the other driver’s insurance and motor vehicle information.
Pictures of the scene of the accident scene and the surrounding area, as well as things that might have contributed to that accident, should also be taken.
Request a Copy of the Accident Report
If a police report is required, request a copy of the report to help establish liability for the accident. The responding officer will make a preliminary determination of fault and include it in the report. Additionally, the report will contain information detailing the circumstances of the accident.
Get Checked Out by a Medical Professional
Next, injuries should be looked over by medical professionals, even if there are no apparent personal injuries. Some injuries won’t start to show symptoms for hours or days after an accident. Traumatic brain injuries, organ damage, or other internal injuries that don’t get addressed right away can become fatal. If headaches, nausea, dizziness, or abdominal pain are experienced after an accident, there may be an undiscovered injury that will need immediate medical treatment.
Contact a Personal Injury Attorney in Palm Harbor, FL for a FREE consultation
Most Palm Harbor personal injury lawyers will provide a free consultation to accident victims, and you should take advantage of the legal advice they offer before you make any deals, accept any payments, or even disclose detailed information to the insurance companies.
Your attorney will listen to your side of the story, and determine whether you have a legal claim for damages. He or she will evaluate your case, and help you decide the best way to proceed. Even if your own PIP coverage is not enough to cover your injuries, other sources of recovery may be available. You may have additional insurance policies that will help pay for your losses, or you may be able to file a third party personal injury claim against the negligent party’s auto insurance, homeowners insurance, or another policy.
Additionally, an experienced personal injury attorney can negotiate directly with the insurance company, or file a lawsuit if a settlement cannot be agreed upon by both parties, to ensure you receive maximum compensation.
FAQs About Florida Personal Injury Cases in Palm Harbor
How much does a Palm Harbor personal injury lawyer charge?
Most personal injury lawyers accept cases on a contingency fee basis. There are usually no upfront attorney fees or case costs. The lawyer’s fee is taken out of the settlement or jury award, and the percentage an attorney requires is usually disclosed during the client’s free consultation. An experienced personal injury lawyer will often charge a higher percentage than an attorney who is just starting out. However, someone who has a track record of success in personal injury cases is more likely to win fair compensation in a more complicated or challenging case.
What types of damages can be recovered in a personal injury lawsuit?
There are three types of damages that a case may qualify to receive in personal injury lawsuits. The first type is economic damages, which are tied to direct costs of the accident such as medical bills, physical therapy, lost wages, and property damage. The second type is non-economic damages, which have no direct costs associated with them, but can be calculated off of the total amount of economic damages. Examples of this include pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and scarring. If an accident was due to someone else’s negligence or malicious intent, then punitive damages can be awarded to discourage similar behavior.
How long do I have to file a personal injury lawsuit in Palm Harbor, Florida?
When an accident takes place in Florida, the victim has two years to file a personal injury lawsuit against the negligent person. This time frame is known as the statute of limitations and begins to run the day that the accident takes place. Some exceptions may apply to your case, however. Hiring a personal injury lawyer as soon as an accident occurs gives the law firm adequate time to prepare the case for trial in case negotiations with the insurance company are unsuccessful.
About Palm Harbor, FL
Located in Pinellas County, Palm Harbor, Florida is an unincorporated community 22 miles north of downtown St. Petersburg and west of Tampa. Palm Harbor has a population of just over 60,000 residents who can enjoy the historic downtown, which features open historic buildings, the chamber of commerce, and a variety of places to eat.
Attractions in Palm Harbor include:
- Innisbrook Resort and Golf club
- The annual Palm Harbor Citrus Festival
- Historic downtown
- Mineral springs
- Local beaches
Besides these attractions, visitors and residents can enjoy the miles of natural coastlines to take a stroll or go surfing.
Dramatization, not an actual client
Client’s Testimonial
“I had the best experience I’ve ever had with an attorney. Jim and his staff are amazing. From day one they were helpful and very knowledgeable. They were very concerned and sincere, and every aspect about my case. I am very happy with the end results. I would highly recommend Jim and his staff to anyone seeking an accident attorney. I consider Jim and his staff my friends as well now.”