Our Ruskin Personal Injury Lawyers can help you win the maximum possible settlement if you’ve suffered injuries in an accident that wasn’t your fault.
Here in Ruskin, there are hundreds of accidents every day of different types, from car accidents to dangerous products. If you’ve been involved in one, our experienced legal team will take the reins so you can recover without the stress of insurance companies and paperwork.
Contact our Ruskin Personal Injury Lawyers Sean McQuaid and Jonathon Douglas today for a free consultation to get your life back on track.
Proudly Serving Ruskin
Do I Need a Ruskin Personal Injury Lawyer?
To Take on Greedy Insurance Companies
Hiring a Ruskin Personal Injury Lawyer is highly advised if you’ve been injured in an accident that wasn’t 100% your fault.
Personal injury claims are made against businesses and insurance companies. These for-profit parties care more about minimizing their expenses than paying accident victims the compensation they deserve. The party you’re filing against will do everything in its power to avoid paying you more. Victims are regularly denied, delayed, manipulated, and thrown lowball offers.
Our Ruskin Injury Lawyers will take on these insurance giants on your behalf. You can rest and recover knowing your claim is in the best hands.
To Win the Maximum Possible Settlement
If the accident was caused by someone else, why should you continue to pay? Your settlement should cover every cent you’ve lost since the date of the accident and that you’ll lose in the future.
Many injury victims underestimate how much their case is truly worth. From medical expenses to lost future wages, there is a broad amount of damages you can claim.
Our Ruskin Injury Lawyers will determine the true cost of your injuries, using experts and evidence to prove it to the insurance company – so you can win the maximum possible settlement.
Ruskin Personal Injury Statistics
Why Use Our Ruskin Personal Injury Lawyers?
Successful Experience and Expertise
Our award-winning Ruskin Personal Injury Attorneys are known across Florida as top-notch litigators. From day one, we prepare for trial so the insurance companies know we’re ready to bring a serious fight. This approach has consistently worked, recovering over $145 million for accident victims.
Long-Standing Law Firm
As a division of Battaglia, Ross, Dicus & McQuaid, P.A., you’ll be working with one of the oldest law firms in the Tampa Bay area. For over 60 years, we’ve been helping Ruskin residents to rebuild and recover from their injuries. We are the resources and power to fight for the maximum possible settlement.
Empathetic and Straightforward
Our Ruskin personal injury lawyers treat victims like people, not numbers. We’ll take the time to know you and your story, to learn about how your injuries will affect you and how we can make your life easier.
From start to finish, we’ll keep you in the loop. Our phone is always open, ready to address any concerns you may have.
No Win No Fee
Our legal representation offers free consultations and case reviews. We only get paid if we recover money for you. There are no upfront legal fees to pay. That means we’re extra motivated to win the maximum possible settlement.
What Is a Personal Injury Claim?
Personal injury claims are civil claims filed against insurance companies following an accident.
The claim demands compensation for the damages the victim suffered. To do so, the claim must prove that the victim suffered injuries as a result of someone else’s negligence.
If the insurance company cannot provide a satisfactory figure, then our Ruskin Personal Injury Lawyers and our client will consider filing a lawsuit in court.
Note that a personal injury claim does not work to punish the other party, or criminally charge them. It’s about getting the victim the money they deserve from their insurer, or the negligent party.
How to File a Personal Injury Claim?
To file a personal injury claim in Ruskin, you must send the relevant paperwork to your insurance company. This paperwork should include:
- Evidence of the cause of the accident
- Evidence the negligent party owed you a duty of care
- Evidence of your injuries
- Evidence of the value of your damages.
We highly recommend that you contact your insurance company as soon as possible after the accident. Never admit fault. Never sign a release or accept an offer without speaking to a Ruskin personal injury lawyer.
What Is the 14-Day Accident Law in Florida?
Car accident injury victims in Florida must receive medical care within 14 days of their accident to receive Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits, per Florida’s 14-day accident law.
We advise you to visit a hospital even if your injuries are minor, as this will ensure you can make a claim and build a solid claim.
Can You Sue for a Personal Injury in Florida?
Florida is a no-fault state. That means that for auto accidents, you’ll file a personal injury claim against you against your own insurance.
However, for accidents caused by negligent parties, such as product injuries or premises liability injuries, you will file a civil lawsuit against the negligent party.
How Long Do I Have to Make a Personal Injury Claim in Florida?
For personal injury claims based on negligence (such as an auto accident, premises liability accident and wrongful death claim), you have 4 years from the date of the accident to make a claim.
For civil injury cases not based on negligence (such as medical malpractice, assault and battery), you have 2 years from the date of the accident to make a claim.
How Do I Find the Best Ruskin Personal Injury Lawyer for My Case?
When looking for a reputable Ruskin personal injury lawyer you should:
- Looking for lawyers working as part of a long-standing law firm that has the experience and resources to succeed.
- Work with experienced attorneys only.
- Work No Win No Fee lawyers only.
- Pay attention to how they engage with you. Do they treat you like a person?
- Do they have good reviews?
How Much Could I Win For My Personal Injury Claim?
There is no quick answer to this question. Please contact our Ruskin Personal Injury Lawyers to determine how much your injury claim may be worth.
Don’t rely on what your insurance company or negligent party tells you. Without a proper investigation, they can’t know the true long-term cost of your injuries. They will likely offer a lowball sum to lure in you.
Our lawyers will conduct a deep analysis, ensuring the insurance company or other party pays what it should.
What If I Was Partly At-Fault for My Accident?
In most cases, you can still file a personal injury claim even if your actions were partly a cause of the accident.
For example, like the rest of Florida, Ruskin uses a ‘comparative fault’ law to determine car accidents. This law assigns a percentage of fault to each party involved in the accident.
For example, Mary was injured severely in a car accident caused by a drunk, speeding driver who swerved into her lane. However, Mary was also speeding by 10 mph.
As a result, Mary was assigned 10% of the fault – so her settlement was reduced by 10%.
We advise you not to admit any partial fault to any parties, instead first consult our Ruskin Personal Injury Lawyers.
What Damages Can I Recover?
The damages suffered in personal injury cases are usually far larger than first assumed, as it’s about the future as much as the past. Our Ruskin personal injury lawyers will conduct an intensive investigation, using financial experts to recognize the true cost of your injuries.
Common Damages for Car Accidents in Ruskin
Economic Damages:
Economic damages are those that have a monetary worth.
- Medical Expenses: Includes any expense you’ve had to pay for since the accident, or will need to pay in the future. Such as medical bills, ambulance fees, specialist appointments and medication.
- Rehabilitation Costs: Rehabilitation is an expensive treatment that often lasts months or even years. Future costs should be carefully calculated.
- Treatment Costs: Surgery and other treatments are among some of the highest economic damages, and must be fully compensated.
- Lost Wages: Victims deserve to be compensated for their loss of income since the accident, and in the future. This may include a loss of position, potential promotion, or employment.
- Loss of Future Earnings: Similarly, you deserve to be compensated for any potential promotion stolen from you due to the accident.
- In-Home Care Expenses: Serious injuries resulting in the need for in-home care services are of high value and deserve full coverage.
- Medical Equipment Costs: If you require specialist equipment to get through life, you deserve to be financially compensated for it.
- Transportation Expenses: You may be eligible to recover any transportation costs associated with your accident, such as taxis, ambulances or specialist disability travel.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are losses that don’t have a price tag attached to them but warrant the need for financial compensation.
- Loss of Enjoyment of Life: The loss of ability to enjoy and experience life as before, such as in sports, hobbies, arts, social life and independence.
- Loss of Consortium: The loss of support and benefits you and your family have experienced as a result of the injuries.
- Depression: Mental health illnesses such as depression can have a devastating impact on the victim’s life, affecting relationships, employment and quality of life.
- Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: PTSD is sadly a common consequence of injury accidents. Symptoms such as nightmares, flashbacks and anxiety can tarnish day-to-day life and may require therapy.
- Pain and Suffering: Any pain that you may endure as a result of your injuries should be factored into the settlement-free. This can include chronic pains or even minor pains when walking.
- Scarring and Disfigurement: Visual injuries can have a big impact on a victim’s life, affecting their self-worth, relationships and general happiness.
- Long-Term Disability: Disabilities are life-altering. The loss of freedom and enjoyment in life should be factored into the settlement fee.
Common Injuries in Personal Injury Claims
- Head, Neck and Shoulder Injuries
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)
- Burns and Scarring
- Fractures, Tears and Sprains
- Amputation
- Catastrophic injury
- Chest injury
- Crushing injury
- Degloving
- Eye injury
- Paralysis
- Poisoning
- Soft tissue damage
- Whiplash
Types of Personal Injury Claims in Ruskin:
Car Accidents
19.7% of all preventable injuries in Florida are caused by auto accidents. Car accident injury claims are made against your own insurance company and require the victim to have received medical treatment within 14 days of the accident.
Car accident injuries often result in significant settlements, as they’re prone to serious injuries that result in high medical bills and time off work.
Please contact our Ruskin car accident lawyers to get started with your claim today.
Boat Accidents
In 2021, 469 people were injured in boat accidents in Florida. With 133 of these involving lacerations, they are often life-threatening and highly traumatic.
These accidents are often caused by drunk boaters, inexperienced drivers and over-congested waterways, there is a high chance you can claim a victim.
Establishing negligence is critical, even if you were a passenger of someone else’s boat. Our Ruskin boat accident lawyers can take on this difficult task on your behalf.
Bus Accidents
With strong regulations and safety standards, bus injury victims can often find multiple parties responsible for their injuries. That may include government agencies, bus companies, bus drivers and other road users.
Our Ruskin bus accident lawyers can fight on your behalf to win the maximum compensation in these often confusing cases.
With 4,800 school bus injuries in the last decade, school students are also injured too often. If this has happened to your child, we can work to ensure they can recover properly and that you as a parent are reimbursed for any financial losses.
Dog Bites and Animal Attacks
Around 600 Floridians are hospitalized due to dog bite injuries every year.
Each year, an average of 2 Floridians die from injuries due to dog bites. These are preventable accidents. Dog owners in Florida are liable for any injuries caused by their dogs.
If you’ve suffered from an animal attack, our Ruskin dog bite lawyers can work to hold the owner responsible for your damages.
Electric Scooter Accidents
With a reported 14.3% of every 100,000 e-scooter trips involving injuries, this modern transport option is proving a major problem for Ruskin’s roads.
45% of injuries are head injuries, most are life-altering. Whether you were injured by an e-scooter rider, or injured on one, there may be someone else responsible for your damages. Our Ruskin electric scooter lawyers welcome you to call us today for a free consultation.
Motorcycle Accidents
With around 520 motorcycle injuries in Ruskin every year, we know well the long-term consequences of these accidents. From broken bones to spinal cord injuries, these injuries have damages that should not be underestimated.
These claims require taking on daunting insurance companies to gain the full value of the victim’s damages.
Publix Accidents
Despite the slogan “Where shopping is a pleasure”, we have seen many accidents on Publix property such as slips and falls. The company is thankfully reasonable when confronted by a reputable Ruskin Publix accident lawyer and will usually provide a quick resolution, to avoid a bad public image.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Caused by bumps, blows, jolts or penetrating injuries to the head, they can have life-altering effects on victims. Symptoms may not arise immediately, so we advise anyone who has been in an accident to visit a doctor quickly if they arise even weeks after the accident. The secondary injuries, caused by internal swelling, can be even more serious than the initial blow.
TBIs require significant settlement to cover the life changes, expensive medical bills and loss of wages. We welcome any victims to contact our Ruskin Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyers for a free consultation.
Trucking Accidents
24% of truck crashes result in severe injuries that require large settlements to recover from. Truck accidents also tend to involve multiple parties, such as trucking companies, manufacturers, maintenance companies, government agencies and other road users.
Gathering evidence in trucking claims is critical but far from easy, as data from the vehicle can easily get lost or disposed of. Our Ruskin trucking lawyers’ phones are open and ready to assist if you or a loved one have been the victim of an accident involving a truck on Ruskin’s roads.
Wrongful Death Claims: What If Someone is Killed?
If a loved one has been killed in an accident in Ruskin you may be able to file a Wrongful Death Claim. These claims can provide surviving families with compensation for the expenses related to the death.
We welcome you to contact our compassionate Ruskin personal injury lawyers today for a free consultation.
The Personal Injury Claims Process
Free Consultations
During our initial free consultations, our Ruskin personal injury lawyers will discuss your accident experience, learn how it affects you and outline what is possible. We’ll answer any of your questions and concerns.
Handling Communications
Next, we’ll communicate with your insurance company or the relevant party about your claim. They know you’ll be desperate for money and may try to exploit you. We won’t fall for that. We’ll protect your rights and handle the stressful communication so you can recover.
Investigations
We’ll perform a deep, intensive investigation into your accident, revealing the true causes and aggravating factors. We’ll also determine the true cost of your accident, and ensure no damages are overlooked.
This may require using specialists in our evidence-collection phase, for which our law firm has extensive resources.
Demand Package
All supporting evidence and documentation will then be provided to your insurance company in a ‘demand package’. The insurer will then have a chance to accept, reject or counter your demand offer.
Pre-Litigation Settlement and Negotiations
Most personal injury claims are settled in the pre-litigation settlement, without the need for a lawsuit.
However, negotiations are common in personal injury claims, as you’ll typically get an insulting lowball offer. Our expert lawyers can negotiate on your behalf, for the best possible settlement.
During this phase, our Ruskin personal injury lawyers will communicate with you, giving you the power to make a final decision.
Consider a Personal Injury Lawsuit
If the insurance company refuses to increase its offer, we can consider filing a lawsuit on your behalf. This is always only done with your consent.
We may also consider a lawsuit against companies who are responsible for your injuries, such as in product liability injury cases.
Mediation or Arbitration
Mediators may hear your case before facing a jury to try to get both sides to agree to a settlement figure.
Insurance companies usually settle at this point, as they become aware of the strength of the victim’s case.
Discovery and Depositions
Jury trials are rare, but always possible. During this phase, you have the chance to tell your story under oath. The success rate before getting to this option is very high, however.
Jury Trial
In rare cases, a case can go to court. If so, our Ruskin personal injury lawyers will show the jury why you deserve the settlement you’re asking for. The jury will then decide. It’s our goal to avoid going to court, but we always prepare for this possibility both for your protection and to show the insurance companies that we’re serious.
Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer in Ruskin, FL
Free Consultations
If you’ve been injured in the Ruskin area of Florida due to someone else’s fault, then we welcome you to contact our Ruskin Personal Injury lawyers for a free consultation. We never pressure victims into hiring us. We’re here to understand your situation and tell you what’s possible. The power always remains in your hands.
Sean McQuaid and Jonathon Douglas are award-winning Personal Injury Lawyers with vast experience, a proven track record, a strong reputation and impressive resources. We believe we provide the strongest chance of winning the maximum possible settlement to rebuild your life.
