West Palm Beach Personal Injury Lawyer

At a minimum, personal injuries throw a wrench in your life. At worst, they can completely turn your sense of normalcy upside down. You need compensation to protect your livelihood, ability to work, and mental health under both circumstances. The West Palm Beach personal injury lawyer with Steinger, Greene & Feiner’s team can help you navigate your settlement or lawsuit.

Choosing the right lawyer for your case can significantly influence the case’s outcome. Our experienced lawyers have solid reputations and are committed to helping clients find their feet again. We will walk you through the basics of personal injury law in Florida. You will better understand what to expect throughout the proceedings with our guidance.

What to Do After an Accident

If you’ve been involved in an accident, follow these steps to protect your health and legal rights:

1. Seek Medical Attention: Get medical help immediately, even if your injuries seem minor. Some injuries may not show symptoms until later.
2. Document the Accident:
   • Take photos of the accident scene, your injuries, and any property damage.
   • Gather contact information from witnesses.
   • Write down any details you remember about the incident.
3. Avoid Admitting Fault:
   • Be cautious with your words; avoid making statements that could be interpreted as admitting fault.
   • Do not sign any documents or accept any settlements without consulting an attorney.
4. Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer Promptly. Due to Florida’s recent legislative changes, you now have only two years to file a personal injury lawsuit. An attorney can guide you through the legal process, preserve evidence, and ensure your case is filed on time.
5. Work with Your Attorney. Collaborate closely with your lawyer to document all aspects of your case and effectively advocate for the compensation you deserve.

Personal Injury Law in West Palm Beach

Personal injury laws protect people and their properties in the event of a damaging accident. For example, you might survive a car wreck that left you with broken bones and a totaled vehicle. Since you didn’t cause the accident, you can pursue litigation against the other driver’s insurance company to pay for your damaged vehicle and injuries. 

As of 2023 and 2024, Florida has made significant changes to the statute of limitations for personal injury cases. Previously, individuals had four years to file a personal injury claim, but recent legislative changes have reduced this period to two years for most cases. This makes it critical to act quickly if you’ve been injured due to someone else’s negligence. Additionally, certain types of cases, such as medical malpractice or claims against government entities, have specific notice requirements and may involve shorter timeframes:

Car accidents are one of the more recognized types of personal injury cases. However, you can suffer from qualifying injuries under diverse circumstances, including:

• Care facility abuse: Your loved ones might rely on 24/7 care from professional caregivers. You could hold the staff at these establishments liable for abuse or neglect if your loved one suffers at their hands. 
• Accidents involving other vehicles: Cars aren’t the only vehicles that can cause injuries. Operators of boats, scooters, bicycles, and semi-trucks can also become involved in traumatic, damaging accidents. In cases involving commercial vehicles, such as semi-trucks, additional federal regulations may also come into play.
• Pedestrian accidents: Some people use walking as their preferred mode of transportation. While this method of travel offers excellent exercise, it also exposes you to fast traffic and inattentive drivers. 
• Product malfunctions: When you purchase a product, you expect it to properly work when you follow the instructions. You could pursue a product liability case if you become injured despite following the enclosed directions.  
• Falls: A store manager may forget to place signs indicating a wet spot on their floor. You could slip, fall, and incur a life-changing injury if you don’t notice the spill. 
• Traumatic brain injuries: A TBI can transform the way you think, behave, and move. People who suffer these life-altering injuries need compensation to accommodate their new normal. 
• Spinal injuries: Like TBIs, spine injuries can also change your life, mobility, and health for the worse. 
• Wrongful deaths: Wrongful death is one of the more devastating types of personal injury cases. A person dies because of the defendant’s negligence. 

Consulting with an experienced personal injury attorney promptly after an incident is key to navigating Florida personal injury laws and meeting all necessary deadlines.

Personal Injury Case Process in West Palm Beach

At Steinger, Greene & Feiner, our team knows the legal processes for truck accidents, boating accidents, and other accident injury cases inside out. We understand that when clients know what to expect, they can provide specific details and evidence to help their cases. We outlined the personal injury case process below to ensure you know what to do next. 

Pre-Trial Preparation

Preparing for a personal injury lawsuit is often arduous. Your lawyer pays close attention to the smallest details to support your claim and craft a convincing argument for your compensation amount. The pre-trial process typically involves:

1. Contacting the defendant’s insurance company: We contact the insurance company on your behalf to access the defendant’s insurance policy. Your legal team must know the coverage details and how they apply to your case. 
2. Seeking medical treatment: It is imperative that you continue attending doctor’s appointments and treatments related to your injury. Your treatment needs will ultimately determine the final compensation amount. 
3. Filing a personal injury complaint: We begin negotiations with the defendant’s insurance provider while you continue treatment. If our team cannot reach a satisfactory compensation level, they will escalate by filing a complaint on your behalf. 
4. Awaiting the defendant’s response: The defendant’s legal counsel will respond to our complaint. Sometimes, the lawsuit moves forward. Other times, the defense’s legal team settles. 
5. Preparation and discovery phase: We begin collecting evidence and documentation about the severity of your injury and losses if the defense doesn’t settle. Your lawyer will also attend court hearings and mediation appointments to determine which evidence is allowed, whether each side has fulfilled their duties, and if we can settle the case out of court. 

Personal Injury Lawsuit and Trial

Many property damage and personal injury claims settle out of court. However, the defense’s insurance company sometimes avoids reaching an agreed-upon compensation settlement. Your trial attorney will pursue a trial if this happens. 

• Jury selection: Your lawyer fights to secure a fair jury. This first trial stage is highly influential and essential in personal injury trials. 
• Verdict appeals: Your case goes on trial, and the jury reaches a verdict. The losing side may appeal the verdict if they believe it is unfair.  
• Reaching a settlement: The defendant must pay if the court rules that they are completely or partially at fault for your personal injury. If they appeal the initial verdict and lose that appeal, they must compensate you. 
• Healing: The pretrial, trial, and settlement processes can take months or even years. Throughout this time, you can focus on healing and submitting relevant evidence and documents to your personal injury attorney in West Palm Beach, Florida. 

The personal injury case may seem daunting at first. However, our attorneys can simplify your experience and protect your well-being by navigating each step for you.

Compensation in Personal Injury Lawsuit

You might wonder what an attorney will include in your compensation package. After all, the injury affected you more than physically. It may have influenced your daily routine, livelihood, and well-being for the worse. We take all factors into account to determine a fair amount. 

You likely know that personal injury settlements often inventory physical damage and recorded financial losses. We call this type of loss economic damage, which includes:

• Funeral expenses: Wrongful death cases involve funeral services. The plaintiff’s family shouldn’t have to shell out their money for another entity’s deadly negligence. 
• Medical bills: Seeking treatments, attending appointments, and emergency room visits can rack up a significant dollar amount. Documenting and adding the service costs related to your injury supports your case for financial reimbursement.  
• Stunted earning capabilities: Some injuries prevent the plaintiffs from working as much or in the same position as they did before. Fair compensation under these circumstances should include lost earning potential. 
• Lost wages: If you sustained a severe injury, you might not be able to work for weeks or months at a time. Your compensation amount might include these lost earnings.

Non-Economic Damages

Your potential settlement might go beyond recorded economic damages. As of 2024, Florida does not have a cap on non-economic damages in personal injury cases. This follows the Florida Supreme Court’s decisions that struck down caps in medical malpractice cases, allowing for potentially significant awards for pain and suffering, loss of companionship, and other non-economic harms. You could receive compensation for non-economic damages such as:

• Disabilities and impairments
• Lower quality of life
• Losses in social and interpersonal relationships
• Continuous mental, physical, or emotional anguish

Florida law allows for punitive damages in cases involving gross negligence or intentional misconduct. These damages are intended to punish the defendant and deter similar conduct in the future. However, punitive damages are capped at three times the amount of compensatory damages or $500,000, whichever is greater, unless certain exceptions apply.

Negligence in Personal Injury Actions

It’s important to remember that Florida follows a modified comparative negligence rule, where a plaintiff’s compensation can be reduced based on their percentage of fault. If an accident victim is found to be more than 50% at fault, they may be barred from recovering any damages. This rule ensures that only those who are less at fault can seek compensation. Working closely and communicating with your attorney helps them document these details and effectively advocate for your needs.

At Steinger, Greene & Feiner, we have represented more than 32,000 people harmed through no fault of their own. If you are looking for a West Palm Beach personal injury attorney, our team is here to help you put your life back together by helping you recover the resources you need and deserve. We are well known in Palm Beach County and South Florida, and we fight for the people in this community. Your personal injury claim will be handled by experienced attorneys who have worked for insurance companies, ensuring that you receive the maximum compensation you deserve.

The Role of a Personal Injury Lawyer in West Palm Beach

Many legal cases are fraught with unfamiliar terminology, complex processes, and countless variables that can alter proceeding outcomes. A lawyer with proven case results will put your mind at ease about these unknowns. They will identify:

• The type of accident case: Cases for truck accidents have different protocols and processes than product malfunctions. Your lawyer can quickly pinpoint where your personal injury falls. 
• Potential outcomes: Your West Palm Beach personal injury lawyer can predict where the proceedings may go. 
• The ideal compensation needed to cover personal damages: Calculating the overall personal injury cost can be tricky. It accounts for property damage, medical bills, lifestyle complications, and more. 
• Negotiation methods to improve your chances of success: An experienced lawyer knows that negotiating with insurance companies and defendants is rarely straightforward. They plan to protect your interests and avoid being caught off guard. 

Your lawyer’s primary role is to take the pressure off you by handling the more strenuous tasks of negotiation and evidence collection. There is no need to stress over navigating unfamiliar legal territory alone.

Common Challenges in Personal Injury Claims

In Florida, a personal injury plaintiff might face numerous obstacles during their settlement. After all, insurance companies are businesses, and a business’s primary goal is to make and save money. 

Therefore, the defense’s insurance provider will not have your interests in mind. Plus, Florida state law uses comparative negligence to determine settlement outcomes. Comparative negligence refers to the percentage of responsibility each party had in the injurious occurrence. 

For example, you suffered a broken leg after a car hit you while you walked across the street. Your legal team found that the defendant’s speed exceeded the legal limit and they were also distracted by their mobile device.

However, you either crossed an area of the road that lacked crosswalks or crossed without the correct light signal. Therefore, the court may find you partially 30 percent responsible for your injury. 

Your legal team presents the total damage amount. The defense pays for 70 percent of your compensation needs. Another factor is Florida’s statute of limitations, which states that you must file your claim within two years of the accident.

Frequently Asked Questions

Personal injury law is a complicated topic since it varies by state. Florida has specific laws regarding responsibility, compensation amounts, and damage types. We responded to common client questions below to help you better understand the subject.

Choosing the Right Personal Injury Lawyer

Some law firms might advertise that they practice personal injury law without having the experience and reputation to back it up. When you search for an attorney for personal injury cases, look for excellent testimonials from prior clients. You should also prioritize:

• Personalized attention: Your injury lawyer shouldn’t treat you like another number. They should demonstrate respect, empathy, and a willingness to answer your questions. 
• Clear communication: A seasoned attorney quickly responds to their clients when they reach out. They should also help you understand terms you don’t know and inform you about what to expect. 
• Resource access: No lawyer is an island. They work alongside a team full of knowledgeable professionals and can access evidence, documents, and other materials pertinent to your case.   
• Uncompromising strategy: When you know what to expect, you can enjoy peace of mind while your attorney handles the grunt work. Experienced legal teams employ various strategies to help your personal injury case work in your favor. 

Keep these qualities in mind when consulting with Floridian law firms about your litigation needs.

Proven West Palm Beach Personal Injury Lawyers

A fair settlement is not what you can expect to receive from the insurance company. Their goal is to reduce payouts on claims so they can remain highly profitable. Our proven and committed legal team understands the tactics these companies regularly use to pay claimants as little as possible. We routinely battle their schemes in and out of court and have developed effective methods for doing so. Our track record of past successful cases speaks for itself:

• $7.5 MILLION Bicycle Accident Outcome for a client injured by a driver that drifted into the bike lane, causing multiple fractures that required surgeries and ultimately amputation of the client’s leg.
• $4.7 MILLION Truck Accident Settlement for a client injured as a result of the defendant’s violation of traffic laws and federal trailer safety regulations.
• $835,000 Car Accident Verdict for a client injured in a collision with a City of Delray Beach police officer.
• $450,000 Injury Settlement for a client hurt by a faulty ladder.

With a legal team of more than 50 lawyers and more than 150 staff, including investigators and other assistants, we have the resources needed to get the job done efficiently. You can bring your personal injury case to us with confidence, knowing you will pay nothing until we recover the compensation you deserve.

Our West Palm Beach Attorneys Serve the Following Areas

• Riviera Beach
• Palm Beach
• Downtown West Palm Beach
• Palm Beach Lakes
• Southwest Palm Beach
• West Gate
• Palm Beach Gardens
• Cypress Lakes
• Lake Worth
• Royal Palm Beach
• Boynton Beach
• Southside
• Delray Beach
• Boca Raton
• Jupiter
• Villages of Palm Beach Lakes
• Northwood Hills

Personal Injury Cases We Handle in West Palm Beach

• Car accidents
• Truck accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Bicycle accidents
• Pedestrian accidents
• Boating accidents
• Slip & fall
• Brain Injury
• Spinal Injury
• Dog bites
• Medical malpractice
• Defective Product
• Drug Injury
• Workers’ compensation
• Wrongful death
• Birth Injury
• Social Security Disability
• Property Damage

Whether you’ve been injured in a car accident, suffered a slip and fall, or are dealing with the aftermath of medical malpractice, Florida law provides a pathway for you to seek the compensation you deserve. Our team is well-versed in handling the specific legal aspects of each case type. Such as, in car accident cases, we navigate the complexities of Florida’s no-fault insurance laws, while in medical malpractice cases, we address the stringent pre-suit requirements and expert testimony standards. You can trust us to guide you through every step of the legal process, ensuring that your rights are fully protected and allowing you to focus on healing and recovery.

Speak with Our Experienced Personal Injury Lawyers in West Palm Beach

Protect yourself and your loved ones mentally, physically, and financially with an experienced West Palm Beach injury lawyer from Steinger, Greene & Feiner. Contact us to schedule a free consultation. You can also call (561) 566-5021 for 24/7 support from our dedicated team in West Palm Beach, Florida.