Many victims are embarrassed after a slip and fall accident and may wave away assistance in an attempt to overcome the fall on their own.
However, as the days pass, these victims realize they do need help—from doctors, their employers, and their insurance providers—but might not consider the guidance of an injury attorney.
While there are many legitimate reasons for delaying a meeting with a lawyer, this oversight can have critical and permanent consequences.
Why You Should Quickly Seek Legal Counsel
Many victims deny themselves access to legal advice simply because they don't want to add the cost of hiring a personal injury attorney to their accident-related debts.
As an experienced Seminole personal injury lawyer, I know that the added financial burden of legal action can rob victims of their chance to get justice. For this reason, I take injury cases on a contingent-fee basis and offer free consultations to discuss the details of a case even before we're hired. Since it won't cost anything upfront to learn about your legal options, there's no downside to speaking with us as soon as possible.
However, there are many downsides to delaying a consultation, including:
- Accepting too little payment. As soon as an injury occurs on someone else’s property, the owner calls their insurance company. An insurance company adjuster then contacts the victim and offers a settlement. This happens before the victim even knows the full extent of injuries and how much they'll cost down the line. We can examine the settlement offer, calculate the true value of the claim, and negotiate with the insurer to get the amount you actually deserve.
- Losing evidence. If you're not able to successfully negotiate with an insurer, you may need to file a lawsuit to get compensation. If you hire a lawyer at this point, it can be much more difficult to track down photos, witnesses, and documentation related to the incident. The sooner you call us, the more likely it is that we'll be able to prevent the loss or destruction of evidence needed to make your strongest possible case.
- Making costly mistakes. Injury victims are often unfamiliar with the process and pitfalls of collecting compensation after an accident and may make mistakes that cost them dearly in the long run. Small errors like posting on social media, giving recorded statements to an insurance agent, or admitting partial fault for the accident can all reduce the amount of potential damages. We prevent these errors from happening by advising you on each step in the process and negotiating with the insurance company on your behalf.
- Losing your right to a lawsuit. In Florida, victims have up to four years to file an injury lawsuit against a property owner. Once the statute of limitations expires, victims are barred from recovering damages. We can ensure that your lawsuit is filed within the time limit.
- Damaging credibility. In addition to hurting your case, failure to hire an attorney might damage your credibility in court. For example, let’s say you contacted an insurance company a week after the accident and came to us after your insurance agent denied the claim. Although this is perfectly reasonable, the insurer may use the delay against you, claiming that a seriously-injured person would have gone to a lawyer right away.
- An uncertain future. Even if you're able to collect an amount for your medical bills and lost wages, you may still face losses every day as a result of an inability to perform your job or cope with changes to your lifestyle. We accurately estimate the costs you've already paid, as well as determine a fair amount for your permanent disability, reduced earning capacity, and pain and suffering.
At DeLoach, Hofstra & Cavonis, P.A. our skilled legal team will lay out all possibilities related to your slip and fall case and diligently pursue the maximum compensation you deserve under the law. Simply fill out the quick contact form on this page to set up a consultation and get answers to your questions.
| Related Links: |
