If you’ve been injured in Okeechobee through no fault of your own, your recovery may feel especially overwhelming with the additional burden of medical expenses and lost wages – not to mention your pain and suffering. Unfortunately, recovering financially is often just as difficult as recovering physically. The legal process is complex, and insurance companies do everything they can to minimize claim payouts. This is where an experienced personal injury lawyer at Steinger, Greene & Feiner in Okeechobee can help.
We’re dedicated to helping injury victims in Okeechobee. We know how to handle these legal complexities so that you can focus on recovery. Whether you’ve been in a car accident, suffered a slip and fall, or been injured by a defective product, we’re here to protect your rights and fight for the compensation you deserve.
Why You Need a Personal Injury Lawyer in Okeechobee
The personal injury claim process involves strict deadlines, extensive documentation, and negotiations with insurance companies who prioritize their bottom lines over yours. The skilled Okeechobee personal injury lawyers at Steinger, Greene & Feiner possess the resources to thoroughly investigate your case, gather compelling evidence, and build the strongest argument possible to maximize your compensation. If necessary, we will go to the next step and represent you in court.
Types of Personal Injury Cases We Handle
Since our founding in 1997, we’ve helped more than 32,000 injury victims obtain justice and compensation for the damages and suffering they sustained. Along the way, we’ve developed the knowledge and experience needed to handle all types of personal injury cases.
At Steinger, Greene & Feiner, our team of injury claim lawyers can take on any of the following cases:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Boating accidents
- Slip & fall
- Brain Injury
- Spinal Injury
- Dog bites
- Medical malpractice
- Product Recall
- Workers’ compensation
- Wrongful death
- Birth Injury
- Social Security Disability
Compensation You May Be Entitled To
The compensation you’re eligible to receive from your personal injury case will vary depending on the type of case. It will also depend on the nature and extent of your injuries. The personal injury attorneys at Steinger, Greene & Feiner will discuss the details of your accident case and give you a rough estimate based on similar cases that they’ve handled.
There are two types of compensation you can seek for a personal injury accident:
- Economic: These are measurable losses with a monetary value. Common examples include medical expenses, rehabilitative care, property damage, lost wages, mental health treatment, and prescription medication.
- Non-Economic: These are intangible losses that affect a person’s well-being but have no direct monetary repercussions. Common examples include pain and suffering, mental anguish, emotional trauma, scarring and disfigurement, amputation, and loss of companionship or consortium.
- Punitive Damages: In cases involving gross negligence or intentional misconduct, punitive damages may be awarded to punish the at-fault party and deter similar actions in the future. In Florida, the law generally caps punitive damages at three times the amount of compensatory damages or $500,000, whichever is greater, but exceptions may apply in cases involving intentional harm.
- Wrongful Death Damages: If an accident results in a fatality, surviving family members may seek additional compensation through a wrongful death claim. This can include:
- Loss of Support and Services: Compensation for the financial and emotional support the deceased would have provided to their family.
- Funeral and Burial Expenses: Coverage for the reasonable costs of funeral and burial arrangements.
- Loss of Future Earnings: Payment for the income the deceased would have contributed to the family, especially if they were the primary provider.
- Emotional Pain and Suffering of Surviving Family Members: Acknowledges the profound emotional impact of the loss on close family members.
At Steinger, Greene & Feiner, we work closely with you to evaluate every aspect of your injury or loss, ensuring that each category of damages is carefully considered and that you receive the full compensation you’re entitled to under the law.
Proving Negligence in Personal Injury Cases
Most personal injury lawsuits in Florida start with negligence—or, a failure to act with a reasonable duty of care resulting in harm. At Steinger, Greene & Feiner, we understand how to expertly prove negligence in personal injury cases. It boils down to four elements, or questions, that need to be addressed in order for our Florida personal injury lawyers to prove negligence:
1. Did the defendant owe you a duty of care?
Depending on the nature of the relationship between the plaintiff and defendant, they may share a legal duty. For example, drivers on the road are legally responsible for operating their vehicles with a reasonable level of due care. Likewise, doctors have a legal duty to provide their patients with proper medical care.
2. Did the defendant breach that duty of care?
Once a duty of care has been established, the lawyer must prove whether or not the defendant breached that duty of care by doing (or neglecting to do) something that a “reasonably prudent person” would do under the same circumstances. For example, motorists should obey traffic signals or be aware of pedestrians while operating vehicles.
3. Did the breach of duty cause your accident/injury?
Next, an experienced injury lawyer must connect the negligence—or breach of duty—to your injury. For example, if you suffered an injury after your car was t-boned by another speeding car whose driver failed to stop at a stop sign, there is causation. The driver at fault should have reasonably foreseen the consequences of their actions—in this case, your damaged car and injured body.
4. To what extent did you sustain damages?
To quantify compensation, your lawyer must first quantify the extent of damages. The compensation you receive may typically relate to damages resulting from physical discomfort or pain, scarring or disfigurement, diminished enjoyment of life, humiliation, or mental anguish and emotional distress.
The Legal Process for Personal Injury Claims
At Steinger, Greene & Feiner, we make sure our clients receive the highest level of legal counsel and representation in court. We deliver a professional approach when handling injury cases in Okeechobee.
The process starts with a free consultation in which we learn about you and the circumstances of your accident. Next, we conduct a thorough investigation, gathering key evidence like police and medical reports, photos/videos, eyewitness statements, expert testimony, and interviews from your family. This evidence builds a compelling case which will later be used as leverage during negotiations with your insurance company. After all, insurance companies often try to minimize payouts, putting their best interests (and bottom line) before yours. There are, however, steps you can take along the way to protect your claim.
For example, file it promptly and avoid admitting fault. Do not provide any recorded statements or accept any settlement offers before consulting with an attorney, as insurers’ first offers are notoriously low.
Depending on the outcome of our negotiations we will then advise you whether it’s time to negotiate further or file a lawsuit to prove the other party’s negligence in court. We have your back at every step, from trial preparation to litigation on your behalf in court.
Holding negligent parties accountable in court not only upholds justice, but it may also prevent similar accidents from occuring. It also compensates you for losses related to medical bills, damage, and pain/suffering. While claim values vary based on severity and circumstances, we fight to maximize your financial recovery.
Contact the Okeechobee injury attorneys at Steinger, Greene & Feiner to get started.
Florida Laws Impacting Personal Injury Claims
Having local legal representation following an accident ensures you will be able to successfully navigate complex insurance claims and Okeechobee County court systems. For this reason, it always benefits you to speak with a knowledgeable Okeechobee personal injury attorney before communicating with your insurance company.
Some of the Florida laws which may impact your personal injury claim include:
No-fault insurance and Serious Injury Threshold
Florida is a no-fault auto insurance state, which requires drivers to carry at least $10,000 in personal injury protection (PIP) coverage. Unless you can prove you’ve suffered a serious injury (or what the state calls an emergency medical condition) after a car accident in Okeechobee, your insurance may limit your benefits to only $2,500 from that coverage. At Steinger, Greene & Feiner we’ll do everything in our power to maximize your benefits.
Comparative Negligence
If you are found partially responsible for an accident that caused damages, the compensation you receive may be limited further because of Florida’s full comparative negligence fault rule. This rule states that the plaintiff’s compensation amount will be reduced by a percentage that equals their share of fault for the accident. Specifically, you cannot collect compensation if you’re more than 50% at-fault for an accident. If you’re less than 50% responsible for the accident, you can collect compensation but it will be reduced proportionally to your percentage of fault.
Beware that insurance companies may use this law to their advantage and try to lower your settlement by shifting blame, thereby limiting their payment liability. When insurers try to frame you as 51% at fault, Steinger, Greene & Feiner will protect your right to compensation through thorough investigation and prove that you were less than 50% responsible.
Statute of Limitations
Every state has its own statute of limitations which confines the amount of time you have to file a personal injury lawsuit. Florida’s statute of limitations for personal injury cases is two years, which means you have two years from the date of the accident (or the date you discovered your injuries) to file a lawsuit against the defendant.
If you file a lawsuit once the statute of limitations has expired, you forfeit any compensation you might have otherwise received. That said, act quickly to preserve your rights and maximize compensation. No matter what kind of accident you’ve been in and the resulting injuries you suffered, contact a personal injury attorney as soon as possible to maximize your chances of receiving fair compensation.
Client Testimonials
Our client testimonials speak for themselves!
“Day 1, they were up & running. Getting things done, wasting no time! I had to let my prior attorney go bc I could never reach them, but with Steinger, Greene & Feiner, they go to work immediately and they get things done! So far I’m extremely happy with this firm. Thank you ST& F for all your hard work and efforts! Please keep it up!” – Christina K.
“Wow! Great job John Sampas and team! 13 months post-accident, and I was extremely happy with the communication between us during my case. You fought for me and ultimately you exceeded my expectations for my settlement! Thank you!” – Arlene D.
See what others are saying about their experience working with Steinger, Greene & Feiner.
Choosing the Right Personal Injury Attorney in Okeechobee
Steinger, Greene & Feiner is your best choice for a knowledgeable and compassionate personal injury attorney in Okeechobee. We blend experience with success to achieve results for our clients. Our team of dedicated personal injury lawyers has a combined track record of 10 decades.
When seeking legal representation following an accident in Okeechobee, it’s crucial to choose an attorney with the right expertise. You’ll want to work with an accident attorney who has relevant knowledge of Florida’s injury laws and other regulations that may apply to your unique claim. An experienced personal injury attorney will research the outcomes of past cases and leverage this knowledge to advocate for you and achieve a favorable outcome.
Call us any time at (863) 532-4079 for your free, no-obligation consultation with our team today.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to Florida’s car accident laws, you have four years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit, in most cases. This is known as the statute of limitations. Every Florida driver is required to carry personal injury protection insurance (PIP), which covers a percentage of your medical bills, lost income, and other out-of-pocket expenses after the accident. You may receive benefits from PIP regardless of who was at fault for the accident, but you may be eligible to also file a third-party insurance claim or lawsuit for expenses not covered by your PIP.
If you were partially at-fault for the accident, you may not be entitled to full compensation for your expenses because of Florida’s full comparative negligence fault rule. This rule states that the plaintiff’s compensation amount will be reduced by a percentage that equals their share of fault for the accident.
No lawyer can tell you exactly how much you will receive for your car accident injuries, but they can help you estimate the amount you can seek in your lawsuit. The amount of damages awarded to car accident victims may include past and future medical bills, past and future lost wages, car repair costs, and other expenses related to your injuries and property damage. The amount may also include a monetary value for any pain and suffering, mental anguish, and loss of enjoyment in life you experienced.
For injury cases like car accidents, you pay no fees upfront to your lawyer. In fact, you only pay us if we get money for you through your settlement or jury-award through the courts.
Our car accident lawyers are dedicated to helping you recover every dollar you’re entitled to, and we use our intimate knowledge of Okeechobee’s courts to help win your case. Call us any time at (863) 532-4079 for your free, no-obligation consultation with our team today.