Fort Myers Personal Injury Attorney

A wide array of scenarios can cause injuries leading an individual to bring a lawsuit against another party to recover damages related to injuries. At Viles & Beckman our practice areas include:

Auto Accidents

More than 400,000 traffic collisions occurred on Florida’s roads and highways in 2018, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV), with more than 12,000 of them in and around Fort Myers in Lee County. When auto accidents caused by driver negligence result in injury, victims turn to a qualified personal injury attorney to sue for damages related to their injuries.

Truck Accidents

Truck accidents rank among the most dangerous and deadly of all traffic collisions. The size and weight of large trucks and semis create a dangerous impact when a collision occurs, causing more property damage, more severe injuries, and a higher likelihood of fatality. The FLHSMV estimates more than 45,000 commercial vehicle accidents on Florida’s roads in 2018, many of them involving heavy trucks

Motorcycle Accidents

Florida’s warm climate and scenic background make it the perfect location for motorcycle enthusiasts. Fort Myers area bikers have the added enjoyment of panoramic ocean views while cruising around on their bikes. Yet, approximately 10,000 motorcycle accidents occur on Florida roads each year. Although motorcyclists can and do cause accidents, many bike accidents are a result of negligent motorists. When a severe motorcycle accident results in serious injury, victims need legal counsel to hold careless drivers accountable.

Bicycle Accidents

The FLHSMV estimates almost 6,500 bicycle accidents, including 148 fatalities, occurred across Florida in 2018. Whether riding a bike for fun or as a form of transportation, cyclists risk collisions with cars driven by negligent motorists. With no protection, those on bicycles, especially children, run the risk of severe injuries or death. While helmets can protect cyclists from head injuries, they don’t protect from all the other injuries which might occur. A severe bicycle crash can quickly turn an enjoyable activity into a life-altering event.

Pedestrian Accidents

Like all of Florida’s coastal cities, Fort Myers offers great sites for shopping, dining, and exercising outdoors. Yet, those on foot must be careful to avoid reckless drivers who might collide with them, even in crosswalks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports pedestrians are more than one and a half times more likely to be killed in a traffic crash than those in motor vehicles. In 2018, approximately 9,300 traffic collisions involved pedestrians, resulting in almost 700 fatalities across Florida, with 23 of those fatalities in Lee County. Distracted drivers pose special risks to pedestrians.

Boat Accidents

Florida has hundreds of miles of coastline, as well as rivers and canals, which tourists and residents use for boating, fishing, and watersports, making boating accidents commonplace. Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) estimates more than 65 boating accident-related fatalities each year and thousands of accidents and injuries. Most of these accidents are preventable and attributed to inattentive boat operators, excessive speeding, reckless operation, and alcohol use. Those who suffer injury as a result of a boating accident might be able to hold the boat owner liable in Florida court.

Premises Liability Cases

Florida property owners have a legal responsibility to maintain a safe environment for patrons and visitors to their properties. When they fail to uphold their duty, accidents happen. Premises liability cases can include a wide range of accidents which include theme park accidents, slip and fall accidents, elevator accidents, escalator accidents, swimming pool accidents, and any other accident which might occur on another party’s property. Slip and fall accidents are of special concern in Florida because of the large senior population; unintentional falls are the number one cause of injury for those over age 65.

Nursing Home Neglect Cases

Florida is the state with the highest senior population as well as the highest percentage of seniors living in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Unfortunately, a quick internet search uncovers story after story of elder abuse and negligence in Florida nursing care facilities. The elders you love deserve to be treated with dignity and the utmost respect in addition to receiving exceptional care. When resident rights are violated, we are here to help you stop the abuse and hold parties financially liable for their actions.

Defective Product Cases

When companies introduce new products to the marketplace, they have a responsibility to ensure those products are safe for use or consumption. The Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) collects data and warns consumers of dangers related to a wide variety of products such as chemicals, home decor, kitchen items, furniture, toys, and children’s products. Any party involved in bringing a product to market might be liable for injuries in a Florida court. Defective consumer products might be a result of poor design, poor manufacturing, or the failure to provide information to consumers about the hazards of a particular product.

Many people involved in accidents don’t sustain injuries and can return to their daily routine without seeking medical treatment or suing for damages. Yet, when accidents are severe and lead to injury or death, victims and their families can face astronomical financial loss. When accident victims seek compensation for damages, they might recover the following losses in a settlement or verdict in their favor:

Medical Costs

Florida is a no-fault insurance state, so victims who are involved in a motor vehicle accident will seek compensation under their mandatory personal injury protection (PIP) coverage.

Unfortunately, these policy limits are typically low and barely make a dent in the cost of medical treatments for severe accidents. With a personal injury lawsuit, victims can recover damages beyond what insurance pays for including ambulance and emergency services, hospital stays, radiology, surgery, and prescription medication. When a severe injury causes a lifelong condition or requires extensive recovery, victims might also pursue future medical expenses to cover things like long-term healthcare, physical therapy, and assisted devices such as crutches, wheelchairs, and artificial limbs. Victims of nursing home abuse might require trauma counseling as an added expense.

Lost Wages

Injury, treatment, and recovering can require weeks or months away from work for a full recovery. Those with labor-intensive jobs might face work restrictions even after many weeks of healing and rehabilitation. Injured victims can claim lost wages as part of their lawsuit, to recover income associated with time away from work. When an injury prevents a victim from returning to work, he or she might also claim the loss of future earnings due to permanent disability.

Non-Economic Losses

In addition to medical expenses and lost wages, many injured victims suffer non-economic losses for which a Florida court might award damages. These intangible losses are difficult to calculate and cannot be measured by adding up receipts, bills, and pay stubs from work. Non-economic damages which a court might award to a defendant in a personal injury lawsuits include physical pain and suffering, mental anguish, loss of quality of life, scarring and disfigurement, and loss of consortium with a spouse.

When you hire an experienced personal injury lawyer to recover damages in a Florida court, he or she will pursue the best course of action for your individual circumstances. If you have been harmed because of another party’s negligence, then your attorney can guide you through a series of steps to help you recover damages. This process includes the following:

Case Evaluation

When you schedule an initial consultation with our firm, we will review your case and determine your eligibility for compensation. You can share details with your attorney and he or she can offer advice on the best way forward.

Investigation

Viles and Beckman and other firms investigate events and accidents to build a strong case against the defense. This might include interviewing eyewitnesses, obtaining relevant documents such as police reports and medical reports, and reaching out to experts who can support the facts of a particular case.

Valuing Your Claim

Your attorney needs to place a monetary value on all damages you suffer as a result of injury to determine fair compensation. This includes adding up medical bills, pay stubs, and other relevant receipts, as well as placing a value on the non-economic aspects of your claim.

Filing an Insurance Claim

Insurance claims are not part of every personal injury lawsuit, but if you are involved in an auto accident, you will have to deal with your insurance company. You will need to file a claim under your Florida PIP policy. With other types of accidents and injury, you might have to file a claim with a property owner’s commercial or homeowners’ insurance carrier. Your attorney can help you with these claims, and handle communications and negotiations. In some cases, you might be able to recover damages without taking legal action.

Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit

When insurance companies deny your claim, try to undermine your claim, or act in bad faith, you need a personal injury attorney to file a lawsuit to seek compensation. Sometimes this may result in a settlement; other times, your attorney may need to litigate your case so you can receive the full and fair compensation you deserve.

If you or one you love has suffered injury or harm as a result of another party’s negligence, you deserve compensation for the losses you have incurred as a result of your injury. If you live in the Fort Myers area, contact the skilled legal team at Viles and Beckman at (239) 208-5223. We advocate for our clients’ rights to recover the maximum amount of damages possible for their cases. We handle cases on contingency, collecting attorney fees from any compensation we secure for our clients.