Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyer in Stuart, FL
The Law Offices Of Keith Bregoff has a satellite office in Stuart, Florida, where the Stuart personal injury attorneys represent Treasure Coast residents who need help navigating an auto accident, personal injury or criminal defense case. Stuart serves as the county seat of Martin County, meaning criminal cases filed by Stuart Police or Martin County are tried in the city. Most small claims civil cases are also heard in Stuart. Civil cases where the damages eclipse $15,000 fall under the jurisdiction of Southern District of Florida (SDFL) Federal trial courts in nearby Fort Pierce.
Personal Injuries in Stuart
If you suffered injuries because another party was careless, you may be eligible to hold them liable for your damages under Florida law. Personal injury lawsuits stem from many different types of accidents, including car crashes, falls, dog attacks, defective products, and more.
While most victims are eligible to file a personal injury lawsuit seeking compensation, Florida law disallows car accident victims in the state from filing suit against the at-fault party unless they suffered significant scarring or permanent disability. Instead, auto accident victims recoup their losses by filing a Stuart personal injury claim with their own personal injury protection (PIP) insurance provider.
Get Help of An Experienced Stuart Personal Injury Lawyer
Enlisting the help of an experienced Vero Beach personal injury law firm is key because your Stuart personal injury lawyer will manage all aspects of your case, from filing an insurance claim with the at-fault party’s insurer to collecting evidence to negotiating a settlement. If the insurance company denies your claim or refuses to offer a fair settlement, litigation may be necessary. Your Stuart personal injury attorney will continue to attempt to negotiate a fair settlement for you throughout this process, and an out-of-court settlement is usually eventually possible. If not, your Stuart personal injury lawyer will present evidence to the jury that proves the negligence of the liable party and demonstrates your injuries.
At The Law Offices of Keith Bregoff, our Stuart personal injury attorney focuses on the following practice areas:
- Auto Accident
- Dog Bite
- Motorcycle Accident
- Pedestrian Accident
- Serious Injury Law
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Traumatic Brain Injuries
- Truck Accident
- Wrongful Death
Criminal Defense Cases in Stuart, Florida
Stuart Criminal Defense Lawyers at the Law Offices of Keith Bregoff work with clients facing criminal charges in Stuart, Florida, to ensure they get a fair trial and the outcome offers them the best possibility at putting the ordeal behind them as soon as possible. Throughout the process, we listen to your side of the story, offer the best legal advice based on your needs, and help you make the best choices for your life.
As soon as we are called to help with a case, we go to work collecting evidence and building a strong defense for our clients. Even if the evidence does not show that charges should be dropped, your Stuart Criminal Defense Attorney will attempt to get your charges reduced. This can be especially important when facing a felony count, because reducing this to a misdemeanor can significantly reduce the penalties attached to a conviction.
Trusted Stuart Personal Injury, Accident & Criminal Defense Law Firm
The Law Offices Of Keith Bregoff has an office conveniently located in Stuart, Florida, where we meet with clients who need a trustworthy, experienced Stuart personal injury attorney for a personal injury claim or criminal defense case. Call us today at (772) 492-8967 to schedule a free initial consultation at either our Vero Beach or Stuart location.
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Frequently Asked Questions for Personal Injuries in Stuart
Since there are various types of personal injury accidents and there are varying degrees on how severe the accidents are, there is no generalization on how long a personal injury claim will take. It depends on how injured you were due to the accident, if there was any property damage, and how willing the other side is to negotiate.
When you are trying to determine if you need to hire a lawyer, you should at least have an initial consultation with a lawyer. If you were injured in an accident due to another person’s negligent action, then odds are you have a personal injury case on your hands. Hiring a Stuart personal injury attorney is a good idea as they know how to negotiate with the insurance companies and represent you in court if it comes to that. You are not required to hire a lawyer, but the more complex your case is, the odds of you wishing you had a Stuart personal injury attorney to help becomes higher.
Yes, in Florida if you are found some degree at fault for the accident your compensation will reflect this. Florida follows a pure comparative negligence rule which means it doesn’t matter how at fault you were for the accident, you can still get some sort of compensation for your injuries. Even if you are found to be over 50% at fault you can still recover some damages.
If you are not too injured there are a list of things you should do at the scene of the accident. The first thing is to call the police, this will allow them to come and investigate the scene, create a police report, and ensure you are not going to be charged with a hit and run, even if you were not the one who caused the accident. You should also photograph the scene of the accident and exchange contact information with the other party involved in the accident.
A letter of protection is a notice you give the medical professional to let them know you are going to be paying them with your compensation. It allows you to still get medical treatment without paying your bills right away. The medical professional or the hospital must accept he letter of protection for it to be valid.
No, in the state of Florida you are not required by law to give a recorded statement. It is also not typically in your best interest to give one either. Once you hire a Stuart personal injury lawyer you should let them handle all contact with the insurance companies.
You have every right to get a second opinion, and it can be good to seek out another attorney’s advice. Maybe the first attorney wasn’t well versed in your type of case or maybe your case was too complicated and they were just starting out. If you go to multiple attorneys and they all mention the same reasons as to why they can’t accept your case, you just might not have a valid personal injury case.
After you have settled it can take anywhere from a couple of days to a few weeks for you to get paid. Under Florida law the attorney will have to place the settlement into a trust account for a period of time. Once the waiting period is over and the forms have been filed you will be able to get your payment.
You will want an attorney who has handled your exact case before. For example if you were injured in a motorcycle accident, you will want to hire a Stuart personal injury lawyer that has not only handled motorcycle accident cases before, but has a good success rate with them as well. You will also want to hire a lawyer that you feel you are able to communicate well with.
Yes, just note that it does become more complex if you do have a preexisting condition. You are still entitled to fair compensation but you will have to prove that the accident made your condition worse. It can be difficult to prove that the accident was the direct cause of your condition to flare up, but a good Stuart personal injury attorney can help you through this process.
