Brandon Personal Injury Attorney

In addition to the large number of people injured or killed in Florida car accidents every year, there are significant numbers of people who suffer serious personal injury or wrongful death due to the negligence of another in other ways as well. For instance, Florida has by far the highest rate of accidental drownings for children under five, as well as the highest rate and number of drowning deaths for all children under 14. Hundreds of motorcyclists are killed in crashes every year, and thousands more are injured. Several thousand medical malpractice claims are filed every year as well, compensating individuals for serious injury or death inflicted in hospitals, doctor’s offices and other healthcare facilities. Let a Brandon personal injury attorney from Reed & Reed provide information and assistance today.

At Reed & Reed, we have decades of experience helping individuals and families in Brandon, the greater Tampa area and throughout the state of Florida recover compensation for all types of personal injury accidents suffered at the hands of negligent individuals, doctors, store owners and others. Below are descriptions of some of the types of personal injury matters we routinely handle.

Brandon Slip & Fall Accidents

Restaurants, grocery stores, retail shops and other property owners have a duty to keep their premises in a safe condition for customers, employees, delivery persons and others who are invited or licensed to be on their property. This duty includes making routine inspections of the premises and either fixing any dangerous conditions or warning others about them within a reasonable time after they occur.

Slip and fall accidents can cause serious personal injury, including broken hips, ankles or wrists, concussions and back injuries. Holding property owners accountable for their negligence can be challenging, however, since it can be difficult to determine how long a condition (such as a food or drink spill) was present before the accident occurred and whether the owner had time to fix the situation. Brandon personal injury attorneys, Reed & Reed know how to properly investigate a slip and fall accident and establish the property owner’s liability when appropriate.

Brandon Drowning Deaths

Sadly, hundreds of small children and people of all ages die every year from accidental drowning. Even more tragic is the fact that many of these deaths could have been prevented if more care had been taken by the persons responsible. Owners of swimming pools at hotels and public parks can be liable for not providing adequate fencing around the pool or for failing to provide the proper safety and emergency equipment and signage. In some cases, pool owners may be liable for not providing lifeguards or other appropriate supervision.

Boating accidents can occur when the boat operator is reckless or merely untrained, inexperienced or unmatched for the craft being piloted. The owner of the boat can also be liable for letting an inexperienced or untrained individual drive the boat. This is especially true for employers or companies who have a duty to properly train and supervise their employees. Boat owners can also be liable for not providing life jackets and having other emergency safety gear on board. Let our Brandon personal injury attorneys assist you today.

Brandon Motorcycle Accidents

Motorcycle riders who are involved in collisions with cars or trucks often suffer serious personal injury or wrongful death. Whether wearing a helmet and leathers or not, bikers are almost completely exposed to direct impact from another vehicle or a solid object when struck or forced off the road by a negligent, reckless or aggressive driver. Drivers and riders alike are required to obey traffic laws and operate their vehicles with reasonable care in light of the weather conditions and traffic around them.

Jurors may sometimes be biased against motorcyclists. We make sure the facts are known, and when another driver is at fault, we work to hold them responsible for the damages they have caused in cases of serious personal injury or wrongful death.

Brandon Dog Bites

An owner of a dog is strictly liable under Florida law if the animal attacks or bites and injures someone. It doesn’t matter whether the attack happened in a public place or even on the owner’s own property, so long as the victim was lawfully on the property at the time. It also doesn’t matter whether the owner had any previous knowledge that the dog might be dangerous or have a tendency to bite someone. The only way for a dog owner to avoid liability is if the owner had prominently displayed on the property an easily readable sign that said “Bad Dog.” Even this sign will not let the owner off the hook if the victim was under six years old, or if the dog bite occurred because the owner was somehow otherwise negligent, such as by failing to maintain a fence or letting the dog run free in public. Our Brandon dog bite attorneys can provide more information about your case.

If the victim was somehow partially responsible for the attack, then any jury award would be reduced proportionately, but the victim can still recover compensation based on the owner’s percentage of negligence, contact our Brandon dog bite attorneys today.

Brandon Medical Malpractice

We put our trust, our health, and our lives in the hands of doctors, nurses and hospitals. When healthcare professionals fail to treat us with the appropriate standards of care and competence, the results can be devastating. Florida law has a confusing and complicated scheme regarding the ability of medical malpractice victims to recover compensation for non-economic damages, which is compensation for things such as pain, suffering, and disfigurement. Medical malpractice cases often cause permanent conditions or require additional surgeries and treatment to repair. It is important to hire a personal injury attorney who knows the law and can help you get the maximum amount of compensation available.

Brandon Personal Injury Frequently Asked Questions

At Reed & Reed, our attorneys are frequently asked some common questions regarding car accidents or other personal injury claims. Below are answers to some of the questions we hear most often. If you have other questions, or if you or a family member have been injured and you need advice and representation in a particular legal matter, give us a call at (813) 438-5960 for a free consultation with one of our personal injury attorneys.

Q. Will I have to go to court and testify about the accident?

The vast majority of cases settle before the parties have to go to trial, so it is unlikely that you will have to go to court. However, you should be prepared to go to court and testify if necessary. If there is going to be a trial in your case that requires your testimony, we will help you prepare for court so that you will know what to expect.

It is possible that you will need to give a deposition in your case, which involves being interviewed by the other party’s lawyer. Depositions are recorded by a court reporter, but they typically take place in a conference room instead of a courtroom. We will help you prepare for any deposition and will be by your side the entire time.

Q. How long will it take before I get a settlement check?

It is not uncommon for the insurance company to offer you a check very quickly after the accident. However, the amount they offer typically is not anywhere close to what your case is really worth. The insurance company is hoping that you haven’t talked to a lawyer yet and do not know the value of your claim. It is in your interest to talk to an attorney before accepting any money from the insurance company.

While we are open to settling your case at any time and want to resolve the matter as soon as possible when it is in your best interests, it is often necessary to file a lawsuit and pursue it toward trial before the insurance company is willing to settle for the proper amount. Also, we do not want to settle your case until the doctors have determined the long-term extent of your injuries, which can take some time to establish. Therefore, your case may take months or even more than a year to resolve. Rest assured that we are always working in your best interests and that we will keep in touch with you as your case progresses.

Q. How will I pay my bills until my settlement comes?

If you have health insurance, you will only be responsible for deductibles and co-pays on your medical bills, and you may have additional medical payments coverage through your automobile, home or umbrella insurance policy. If you cannot work because of your injuries, social security and other disability benefits may be available as well. In addition, your doctors may agree to hold off on billing or collections if they know you have a lawsuit pending. We can help you negotiate with your doctors or issue letters of protection to make sure you get the treatment you need, regardless of your present ability to pay.

Q. What if I was partially responsible for causing the accident? Can I still recover?

Under Florida law, you can still recover compensation even if you were partly to blame in causing the accident or contributing to your injuries. For instance, you may have been distracted and not stopped in time to avoid being hit by another car that ran a red light. Or you may have been more seriously injured because you weren’t wearing your seat belt. In these situations, a jury may assign a percentage of fault to you and a percentage to the other driver. Whatever amount you receive as a compensation award would then be reduced by the percentage of fault assigned to you. It is important to be represented by a strong attorney who will make sure you are not unfairly allocated any of the blame.

Q. What if I was hit by an uninsured motorist?

You should have Uninsured Motorist/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) coverage on your automobile liability insurance policy, unless you specifically rejected UM coverage. This coverage will apply if you have a serious injury and your bills exceed the PIP limits, but the at-fault driver is uninsured or is not carrying enough insurance to cover your damages. UM/UIM coverage can also be used if you were injured in a hit-and-run and cannot locate or identify the driver who hit you.

Remember that whether you are dealing with your own insurer or the other driver’s carrier, the insurance company may try to pay as little as possible to settle your claim. At Reed & Reed, it won’t cost you anything to talk to us and let us give you our opinion whether you are being treated fairly by the insurance company or not.

Experienced Brandon Personal Injury Attorneys

If you or a loved one has been injured due to the negligence or wrongful conduct of another in or around Brandon and Hillsborough County or anywhere in the state of Florida, contact Reed & Reed in Brandon and Tampa for a free consultation to learn about your rights and ability to recover compensation from the responsible party. Our Brandon personal injury attorneys are ready to help you today.