In a personal injury lawsuit, the injured person must do more than show the defendant caused an injury. The injured person must also provide details of the damages incurred as a result of the injury. Some may be straightforward, like the bill for services from the Emergency Room visited after the accident. Others require more analysis and calculation. A recent Fifth District Court of Appeal decision (5D15-4423) discusses such damages, ... [Read More]

In the early phases of litigation, parties may move for summary judgment, arguing that the case should not move forward due to some legal preclusion specific to the type of injury. A common argument made by defendants in South Florida car accident cases is that there is no genuine issue of material fact for the jury to consider, so dismissal is the only route acceptable under the law. A trial ... [Read More]

If an accident occurs in Florida, an injured party can pursue legal recourse in this state. In a recent case, the appellate court looked at a prior judgment that attempted to address whether a party injured in a Florida car accident could access Personal Injury Protection benefits under her policy obtained in Michigan after she reached a settlement agreement under a Michigan rule of civil procedure. In this original agreement, ... [Read More]

Anyone who suffers a severe accident in Florida needs a tremendous amount of funds to cover the cost of living with expensive and on-going medical care. The circumstances around an accident dictate the number of avenues of relief available to the plaintiff. If there is more than one party responsible for the injuries, liability and damages can be divided among the parties - including the injured party. Determining who pays ... [Read More]

A Florida appellate court recently assessed an appeal stemming from an accident and negligent care that caused significant, fatal injuries. In a recent case, the personal representative of the injured person’s estate filed suit against several defendants, alleging the decedent was first injured by a malfunctioning sliding door at a drugstore, which led to her receiving inadequate care at a senior home, ultimately resulting in her death. The decedent suffered ... [Read More]

If you’ve been injured while physically in the state of Florida, you generally have a right to seek damages from the negligent tortfeasor under Florida’s civil court system. You do not have to be a resident of Florida to file suit against another Florida resident or business entity with relevant connections to Florida. As with all things, there are exceptions. Even when an accident has ties to Florida through location ... [Read More]

The Second District Court of Appeal recently issued a decision (2D16-353) regarding a highway accident on I-75, when the driver of a large service truck collided with a non-commercial truck. A mattress had fallen onto the highway, but the accounts of what happened afterward differed greatly between those involved. The driver of the truck testified that he saw the driver of the commercial truck behind him and that he was ... [Read More]

Personal injury lawsuits are all uniquely complex. Medical malpractice actions in particular have additional statutory requirements that add to the general challenges of a civil suit. The Florida legislature enacted Chapter 766 to create a pre-suit procedure for all medical malpractice actions. This process requires a claimant to conduct an investigation to see if there are reasonable grounds for a medical negligence lawsuit. The injured party must provide this corroboration ... [Read More]