Traumatic Brain Injury Attorney in Florida
A brain injury can threaten or alter a person’s life if they do not receive care in time. Medical attention can leave them with enormous expenses. The person struggles to pay other bills and live life normally as a result.
You could take legal action if another individual’s actions caused your brain injury. Our attorneys at Holliday Karatinos Law Firm have the skills you need to seek justice. We are ready to meet with you and discuss your case. Hire a Florida traumatic brain injury lawyer today.
Why Should You Choose Us?
The team at Holliday Karatinos Law Firm has decades of collective experience with brain injury cases. We have helped recover millions of dollars for residents of Florida. Our firm has the resources while we provide personalized care for each person. Many clients know us for our professionalism and dedication to favorable results.
Our brain injury lawyers treat clients with respect and kindness. We make sure to communicate progress to your case without treating you like you are another lawsuit to settle. You can be confident in us when we represent you in court. In addition, people recognize us for our extensive knowledge of the legal system.
The team at Holliday Karatinos Law Firm has given seminars to current and upcoming lawyers. We have a strong reputation for our expertise in courtroom procedures. You can rely on us to work hard for the best outcome.
If you have a valid brain injury claim, give us a call. We are happy to review your case and answer any questions you may have. Feel free call us today for your free consultation.
Should You Find an Attorney Who Focuses on Brain Injuries?
Lawyers focus on specific areas of law. Therefore, not every attorney will give you an advantage with your lawsuit. You should find a brain injury lawyer in particular to work on your case and maximize your compensation.
A Florida brain injury lawyer understands what laws are relevant and how they apply to your case. They have experience with the legal process and can prove liability.
How Can Our Florida Brain Injury Lawyers Help You?
An attorney can be crucial for anyone’s brain injury lawsuit. They help improve a person’s chances of receiving a settlement in various ways.
The benefits of a brain injury lawyer include:
- Fight for higher compensation. Your attorney maps out the damages and calculates the worth of your losses. Then, they argue with the opposing side to secure a fair settlement. Your lawyer takes on the insurance company to fight for compensation.
- Help you get medical treatment. A lawyer can help make sure you get the treatment you need while they work on your case. The attorney might be able to connect you with an experienced doctor.
- Represent you during a trial. Most brain injury cases resolve before people have to go to the courtroom. However, a trial could become necessary. The potential to win lowers, but a lawyer can give you an advantage.
- Collect enough evidence. The injured party must provide evidence to prove the other side was negligent. A brain injury attorney knows what information you need. They gather the evidence to build a strong argument against the defendant.
- Meet deadlines. The lawsuit process has deadlines like the statute of limitations. However, you may become preoccupied with your personal life. You can rely on your attorney to complete and submit the papers on time.
Find a brain injury lawyer to work on your case. The best way to locate one is to look online. Many law firms have websites where they provide potential clients with information. You can use the site to get your free consultation.
The Statute of Limitations for Brain Injuries
A brain injury lawsuit is a legal process you can use to seek compensation for a traumatic brain injury. However, you must get started right away if you plan to hold someone liable. Florida gives people a limited time to initiate a lawsuit.
The state’s statute of limitation provides the injured party with four years. The deadline ends four years from the date of the accident. Afterward, you can lose your ability to seek compensation. The court likely will dismiss your case unless you can get an extension.
A few people can qualify for an exception to the statute of limitations. For example, the defendant traveled out of Florida after the accident. You might not have filed a lawsuit yet when the other party left.
Alternatively, the liable party might have taken steps to hide their identity. The defendant could have attempted a name change to avoid legal consequences. Therefore, the statute of limitation pauses until you find and serve the defendant.
Common Causes of Brain Injuries
Car Accidents
Every year, around 2.87 million people have to treat some form of traumatic brain injury. The condition can have multiple forms and can be either open or closed. Motor vehicle accidents are one of the most common causes of brain injuries.
A car may have collided with you, and the force of the impact caused your head to move drastically. Alternatively, debris or another foreign object struck your head during the crash. Even a slow-speed collision can be enough to cause a traumatic brain injury.
Truck Accidents
A truck accident can lead to a brain injury as well. Semi-trucks are larger than the average car and weigh more. As a result, they can cause a considerable amount of harm. You should get medical care and have a doctor look for signs of a brain injury.
Slips and Falls
Yearly, over 800,000 people have to go to a hospital because they suffer from a fall. Many of the people who require treatment sustained a brain injury. Damage occurs to the brain when the head hits the ground.
You could face medical expenses whether you fell from a significant height or tripped over uneven flooring. Therefore, you might qualify for compensation if someone else caused your brain injury.
A Settlement for a Brain Injury Case
Compensation depends on whether the injured party can prove negligence. An individual should provide sufficient evidence the other party caused their traumatic brain injury. Afterward, they become a step closer to financial reimbursement.
Economic Damages
When brain injury lawsuits in Florida settle, plaintiffs frequently receive money for their economic losses. A common type is the wages an individual loses while they recover from their injury. In addition, loss of future income can be recoverable if the victim’s condition affects their ability to work.
Economic damages also include the medical costs associated with a brain injury. The total healthcare cost of nonfatal traumatic brain injuries is $40.6 billion yearly. You might have to spend money on emergency room services and follow-up doctor visits.
Furthermore, severe injuries generally require medication or surgery as part of treatment. An individual can end up with thousands of dollars of medical debt. In addition, compensation may cover future healthcare expenses.
The long-term effects can result in someone paying for rehabilitation services. Your case’s value may increase if you need an occupational, physical, or speech therapist.
Non-economic Damages
Settlements for brain injury cases can include non-economic damages as well. People usually experience pain and suffering due to the symptoms. They may be unable to enjoy activities and experience a loss of quality of life.
Therefore, you can get reimbursement for pain and suffering. Calculations for non-economic losses are not simple. Our brain injury lawyers have the skills you need to ensure your settlement estimation is accurate.
See a Doctor Even if You Feel Fine
After an accident, you may not have any visible injuries and feel fine. However, the lack of pain may not mean your condition is optimal. Do not tell the other party or their insurer you are okay. Instead, visit a doctor right away to receive an examination.
Traumatic brain injuries do not present symptoms immediately after an incident in every case. Signs may appear days or even weeks after the accident. Keep an eye out for symptoms, and do not delay medical treatment.
Delaying a visit to the doctor can impact your health. In addition, the other side could use the waiting period against you. The insurance company might question the diagnosis, especially if you claimed you felt fine earlier.
Go to the nearest doctor and then locate a brain injury attorney. Our firm can protect you from the insurance company and strengthen your case.
What to Bring to a Consultation
When you find a potential law firm, you should schedule a consultation with them. The meeting allows the lawyer to understand the facts of the case and determine if you can get compensation. Take time to prepare before you attend the consultation.
A Police Report
People usually have a few documents when they talk to a brain injury lawyer. For instance, you generally explain what happened. The paperwork you bring should provide further details of the accident. An example would be a police report.
The police may have arrived if the accident was a car crash. The accident report explains where the incident occurred, the date, time, and possible weather details. The attorney may find notes from the officer regarding the probable cause of the collision.
Insurance Details
The lawyer also might expect your insurance information if the accident was a crash. The documents should explain what policy you have. You might have limited coverage you can get from the insurer. The lawyer should be able to prepare to speak to the adjuster if they take your case.
Medical Records
Another item to take to the consultation is any medical records and bills you have obtained. You should have seen a doctor before finding a brain injury attorney. The records show the lawyer how significant the brain injury is and the economic losses you face.
You do not need to have every document with you when you visit the law firm. However, the attorney can better evaluate the case with as much paperwork as you can give them.
What if the Defendant Only Worsened a Past Brain Injury?
If you suffered from a brain injury previously, you might have been more susceptible during the accident. The incident might have worsened your condition, and you now suffer acute side effects. However, the argument of a pre-existing condition may be a concern.
Insurance companies may ask to see past medical records. An adjuster may attempt to blame a claimant’s condition on a previous accident to avoid a payout. However, the other side might be unable to use your past brain injury against you.
Florida follows the eggshell plaintiff doctrine, so the negligent party must take the plaintiff as they are, and cannot avoid liability for aggravating a previous condition. The victim has some protection if they are more susceptible to an accident. Therefore, you still can pursue compensation if the other driver’s actions have worsened your symptoms.
What Expert Witnesses Does a Lawyer Use?
An expert witness is an individual who can testify due to their proficiency in a specific field. They help the court understand the complexity of an accident and the resulting damages. Not every case uses an expert witness, but your lawyer may find one is necessary.
The type of professional an attorney needs depends on the nature of the accident. In brain injury cases, your lawyer may hire a healthcare worker. Specifically, a neurologist can offer a statement regarding your traumatic brain injury. Alternatively, a life care planner may testify on your behalf.
Your brain injury may leave you disabled. The planner discusses how you require additional support to meet your needs due to the injury. The need for life-long care can cost you as well.
An economist can testify as an expert witness. They explain how the accident led to financial losses. Their testimony helps increase the value of your lawsuit.
Once your lawyer understands the circumstances of your accident, they can determine which expert witnesses to contact. Our attorneys know who to connect with if we need to gather witness statements for your case.
Call Our Florida Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyers
A person’s life changes forever after they sustain a traumatic brain injury. Your daily routine can be a struggle to complete, but you should not have to deal with everything alone. We at Holliday Karatinos Law Firm are ready to help you. Reach out to a Florida personal injury lawyer.
You can trust us to face the insurance company and fight for higher compensation. Contact Holliday Karatinos Law Firm at (352) 597-0009 for your free consultation. We serve clients throughout Florida from our offices in Brooksville, Lutz, and Inverness.
Client Testimonial
"Attorney James Holliday is the best attorney I have ever worked with. I went to him after an auto accident and I was impressed with his knowledge of the situation and judgement on how to proceed. In the end, Mr. Holliday was able to obtain full compensation. He was also a pleasure to work with."
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Barb C.
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