Accidents happen all the time, and you may have heard of terms such as bodily injury or personal injury, but what exactly do they mean? According to Jacksonville personal injury lawyers, bodily injury is a term applied when you have to pay the bills for another party’s injuries if you are involved and at fault in an accident.
It is a type of liability insurance coverage. When it comes to personal injury, it’s the exact opposite. Personal injury refers to a civil action taken against a negligent party that caused you injuries and other damages during an accident.
Understanding Personal Injury Cases in Florida
When it comes to the state of Florida, it is a no-fault state which means that in an accident, the drivers are covered by their insurance companies regardless of who is at fault. According to Florida law, all drivers must carry a minimum of $10,000 in personal injury protection (PIP) per person per accident.
However, these policies are in place only to ensure that car accident victims receive adequate medical care and don’t prevent a participant from seeking to prove fault towards the other party or suing for damages.
You might want to sue for damages if your injuries are serious. What constitutes serious injury in Florida car accidents includes the following:
⦁ Wrongful death
⦁ Permanent injuries
⦁ Permanent or significant loss of bodily function
⦁ Permanent or significant scarring or disfigurement
The time you have to file a claim under Florida’s statutes of limitations legally is four years from the date of the injury. Physical documents and eyewitness statements are all important pieces of evidence that deteriorate over time.
In some rare cases, the statute of limitations can be extended for up to seven years; however, the faster you take action and contact a personal injury attorney, the better. A personal injury attorney can help you receive the proper compensation for your troubles while you rest and heal.
Why You Should File a Personal Injury Claim
After an accident, medical bills and lost wages can pile up. You can be compensated for these economic damages with a lawyer by your side, though. Non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering, are not easily quantifiable, yet a lawyer can help you out with this as well.
Suing for both mental and physical injuries is within your rights, and you shouldn’t refrain from doing so. For example, if you suffer from a TBI (traumatic brain injury) following an accident, it can affect your life for many years to come.
TBI patients experience various cognitive and neurodegenerative issues and might develop PTSD, depression, face anxiety attacks, or other detrimental mental problems that will affect them and their families for a long time to come.
This is just one example of an injury that can’t be easily quantified and why you should file a personal injury lawsuit. TBI compensations are enormous. Suppose you accept a simple settlement agreement without properly being diagnosed. In that case, you risk paying later huge medical bills and since TBIs are so unpredictable, who knows when you will be able to work or if you will be able to work.
This is why it’s crucial to work with a personal injury attorney that has your best interests at heart. They will deal with the paperwork, gather evidence, hire other experts to build up a strong case, and ensure that you receive the best possible compensation for your injuries, pain and suffering.
Bodily Injury and Personal Injury
When it comes to bodily injury and personal injury lawsuits, it’s important to remember that the state of Florida uses the pure comparative negligence rules. This means that the amount of compensation awarded to accident victims can be reduced based on their degree of fault in the accident.
For example, if a driver were texting while driving, they would have a higher degree of fault. If your case goes to trial, it will be up to the jury to determine fault, while in a settlement agreement, it all rests on the insurance adjuster’s shoulders.
Suppose you were found to be 30% at fault for an accident, and your claim is $300,000. In that case, your claim would be reduced to $210,000. To have a better chance of receiving a higher claim, consider hiring a personal injury attorney that can prove the other party’s negligence and your innocence.
