Even common accidents such as slip and fall can lead to life-changing injuries such as spinal damage, neck injuries, paralysis, brain trauma, broken bones, and fractures. If the accident happens on a property owned by someone else and due to his or her negligence, then you may be able to file a claim. Under Florida’s premises liability laws, all the owners are required to make their properties safe for all invitees and visitors.

Why Hiring an Experienced Lawyer is essential for your premises liability case?

Premises liability cases are a bit different than your typical personal injury cases, and it’s always a good idea to hire an experienced lawyer who has in the past worked with other victims of similar accidents.

It’s often quite challenging to prove that the owner of the property was liable for the damage which, when combined with the fact that the owner’s or their insurance companies rarely admit to their fault, makes retaining an experienced lawyer in a premises liability case even more important.

How an Experienced Premises Liability Lawyer can help you

Here are some ways in which an experienced premises liability lawyer can help you file a claim and ultimately get compensation for the damages suffered in an accident:

Identify all responsible parties

In a more significant number of cases, there may be other parties in addition to the owner, who may be held accountable for your accident. For example, you suffer an accident in a business center where the job of maintenance has been outsourced to a third party.

You can also sue the party whose job was to ensure that the premises are safe for any visitor. An experienced premises liability lawyer will identify all the responsible parties and guide you on how to make them a party in your claim.

Interview the witnesses

An attorney will help you identify the witnesses, track them, and record their statements soon after the accident. It’s important to interview witnesses asap as overtime, their memories of the accident may fade away, or they may be unable to question due to relocation or any other reason.

Collect all the evidence

An attorney will also help you collect all the evidence such as the medical bills and records, gather expert witnesses such as your physician to testify in the case, etc.

Negotiate a settlement

It’s a known fact that an attorney is better skilled to negotiate a settlement on your behalf from the insurance company than you’d be able to do on your own. A qualified and experienced attorney has a better idea of the strategies used by the insurance company’s strategy and tactics to reduce the value of a claim, and he is also well equipped with the skills needed to overcome the objections raised by an adjuster.

Conclusion

SP Justice is a leading St. Petersburg personal liability law firm, and our experienced lawyers have helped several victims get fair compensation from the owners of the premises where they suffered the injury. Just call us at (727) 498-8771 for a free consultation, and we’d be happy to guide you further.

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St. Petersburg Supermarket Accident and Injuries

Supermarket accidents are most commonly caused by the following:

• Faulty entrance and exit doors
• Cracked or uneven outside pavement
• Broken or damaged grocery carts
• Slippery or wet floors from leaks and spills
• Grocery items falling from shelves
• Expired or spoiled food
• Obstructions from boxes, pallets, or food items

Supermarket accidents can lead to a wide range of health conditions. Below are some common injuries which often result from these accidents:

• Fractured legs
• Fractured wrists or arms
• Cuts and bruises
• Head wounds including fractured skulls
• Back and Spinal cord injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries

When can you expect compensation for your damages

Supermarkets and grocery stores in every state are subject to premises liability laws, which essentially means that they have a duty of care or an obligation to make their property or premises safe for visitors and customers. If they fail to take necessary steps to make the premises safe, then the supermarket or grocery store has breached their obligation and is liable to pay all the damages which result from their failure.

How to build a strong injury claim

Most people have no idea what to do after a supermarket accident, and are thus unable to take the necessary steps for building a strong compensation claim. The first thing you need to do after a supermarket accident is collect evidence such as photos, videos of the incident which will allow you to later prove in a court that the accident occurred due to the negligence of supermarket staff.

You can also ask nearby shoppers or friends to record their statements as witnesses play a crucial role in a compensation claim. If the supermarket has surveillance cameras (as most supermarkets have nowadays) then ask the manager to show you the video footage of the accident and try to get a copy of the video footage.

Keep a record of all the medical bills and invoices along with a statement of lost wages due to missed workdays, which you can get from your employer as these are among the most important document in a supermarket accident compensation claim.

Consult the Best Lawyer for Your St. Petersburg Supermarket Accident Claim

Due to the complex nature of supermarket accidents, very few good lawyers specialize in such cases in Florida. Shocklee Paolino’s team of attorneys has had tremendous success with these types of accidents in the past and we have team members that specialize in St. Petersburg Supermarket accident claims. You can call us for a free consultation at (727) 498-8771.

The post St. Petersburg Supermarket Accident: How to Claim Injury Compensation appeared first on Shocklee Paolino, PA.

In this article, we want you to know what you need to do after such an accident, and what steps you can take to safeguard yourself against any medical bills, and how to seek compensation from the store where the accident happened.

Collect Evidence

The first thing you must do after falling in a store is to collect pictures of the accident spot using your mobile device as nowadays almost every smartphone is equipped with a powerful camera. You can also shoot a video to provide more detailed evidence during your compensation claim.

Seek Medical Attention

Immediately seek medical attention even if it seems that you’ve suffered minor scratches or bruises as often people get hidden injuries that they can feel after a certain length of time. Ask the doctors to diagnose the area of your body which was hit in a fall along with the surrounding organs for any other injury. You may also get an X-ray or an ultrasound to check if there are any internal injuries.

File an incident report

Always file an incident report with the store manager and get a signed copy. You should be aware that there are store owners who would outright deny that an incident happened to avoid paying damages. Insist on getting a signed copy of the incident report along with the complaint or report number.

Contact a lawyer

Before contacting the store owner or their insurance company for your damages or any compensation, we would advise you to get the opinion of an experienced lawyer who specializes in such cases. Slip and fall cases in stores are quite complex as the burden of proof is on the victim, which means that you need to prove that the store is liable for the injury or the accident happened due to negligence on the part of the store. So, always contact a lawyer before you proceed with your claim.

Slip and Fall Lawyers at Shocklee Paolino

Shocklee Paolino can help if you are the victim of a fall in a store as our reliable attorneys have experience of such cases and have successfully helped numerous victims of slip and fall accidents in the past. You can call us for a free consultation at (727) 498-8771 or contact us by leaving a message at our site.

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Swimming Pool Accidents

Swimming Pool accidents are among the leading cause of unintentional deaths in the U.S. It is reported that over 7,000 people die annually due to swimming pool accidents, while another 60,000 receive emergency treatment for injuries caused by such accidents. Every 1 in 4 victims of swimming pool accidents is a male child under the age of 14.

Swimming Pool Drownings

According to most recent stats from World Health Organization (WHO), drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death across the globe, with an average of 372,000 people dying due to drowning. In the U.S., the situation is also similar as drowning remains one of the significant causes of death and fatal injuries.

Most drowning deaths are caused due to varying levels and types of negligence, and the owner/operator has a duty of care towards the people who are swimming in the swimming pool. A victim of drowning has a right to compensation for any injury suffered and relatives of a victim who has died can also seek compensation for their loss from the owner of the swimming pool as swimming pool owners are held responsible for injury or death caused due to their mistakes.

When do you need a Drowning Lawyer?

Drowning cases are quite complicated as the victim needs to prove that he doesn’t share any responsibility for his drowning and the death or injury was caused due to negligence of the owner or the owner doesn’t follow the statutory safety requirements.

Due to the complexity of such cases, you should immediately seek the assistance of an experienced attorney who has dealt with drowning cases in the past. You shouldn’t not settle out of court or talk with the insurance company or the owner/operator of the swimming pool where the accident occurred without consulting with your attorney first.

Get the Help of an Experienced Drowning Lawyer at SP Justice

Not all attorneys have the necessary experience in handling drowning cases, as this is a specific niche in personal injury law. SP Justice has some of the most experienced drowning lawyers in Florida and our experts have helped hundreds of people get compensation for their accidents in the past.

You can contact us for a free consultation as we are always eager to help victims of drowning accidents and offer a free consultation to all interested clients. To book an appointment, call us at (727) 498-8771 or drop us an email at our contact us page.

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Swimming Pool Accident Statistics

According to the available statistics, more than 60,000 people are injured in the U.S. alone each year due to swimming pool accidents. A disproportionate number includes children between the ages of 14 and 9 who are often the primary victims of swimming pool accidents.

Each year more than 5,000 children aged under nine drown due to a swimming pool accident while almost 3,000 children are treated for severe injuries due to swimming pool related accidents. In 1 out of 4 fatal drowning incidents, the victim is usually a child aged less than 14.

Common Causes of Swimming Pool Accidents

Negligent Supervision

Negligent Supervision is often the most common cause of swimming pool accidents. Swimming pool owners/operators have a statutory duty to provide adequate supervision to swimmers. This applies to both the public swimming pools and private swimming pools.

For example, if a swimming pool owner invites the children in his neighborhood to swim in his private swimming pool and a child drowns while swimming and the owner neither has lifesaving experience nor is he trained as a swim rescuer, then he may be held liable for negligent supervision as owners are expected to meet the duty of care which in this case, he fails to satisfy.

Negligence Per Se

Negligence per se is also known as a strict liability which means that a pool owner who violates any law related to pool safety or maintenance can be held accountable for any accident which may occur due to such violation of the law. Pool owners are required by law to:

• Erect a barrier of a certain height such as a fence surrounding the pool
• The fence should not have any gaps, damages, or openings
• The fence must have a lockable gate
• The pool must have entrance and exit tools such as stairs and ladders
• The pool must also have warning signs such as “do not dive” at certain areas
• There must be functional and safe pool lighting systems
• At a public pool, a certain number of staffed lifeguards must be present at the pool

Premises Liability

Premises liability refers to the situation when a pool owner fails to provide a safe environment but doesn’t violate any law.  A pool owner can be held liable for any accident which may occur due to the unsafe environment.

Hire a Reliable Swimming Pool Accident Lawyer at SP Justice

If you or your loved one has been a victim of a swimming pool accident and you want to file a case to get a compensation, you should get the help of an experienced Swimming Pool Accident Lawyer. Contact us here at SP Justice as we have the experience in helping several victims of swimming pool accidents in getting fair compensation for the injuries they suffered.

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1. Paying an Attorney Upfront

Injury lawyers usually work on a contingency fee basis, which means that you don’t owe your lawyer anything unless you win compensation from the insurance company or guilty party. Most injury lawyers take around 25% to 40% of the amount won by them during a personal injury claim. This safeguards the interests of the victim and protects him or her from giving payment without any result. Don’t ever agree to pay the fee of an accident injury attorney upfront as this eliminates your attorney’s motivation to seek the best possible outcome.

2. Hiring an Inexperienced Attorney

This is perhaps the most common and harmful mistake committed by some people. Nothing can weaken your case as much as hiring an inexperienced attorney, and in many cases, this may lead to zero compensation for the injuries suffered by the victim. There is no substitute for experience and insurance companies know this, that’s why they’ll often look to take advantage of a legal representative who isn’t well versed in the intricacies of injury law.

3. Lawyers with a reputation for settling less than the amount claimed

Some lawyers want to avoid the inside of a courtroom at any cost and thus often settle a claim for a lot less to avoid litigation against an insurance company. These lawyers may resolve a claim lot sooner, although the compensation which they get for their clients is pitiful when compared to the possible outcome if the case had been properly and thoroughly managed. Insurance companies keep track of such attorneys and use pressuring tactics so that they can pay lower compensation to victims. Avoid such lawyers at all costs.

4. Hiring a Cheap Attorney

Some lawyers quote lower fees to win customers. Most often these lawyers lack the required skills for getting compensation and lower their prices to attract new clients. The adage “you get what you pay for” is also true in the legal industry as almost all the attorneys worth their salt never lower their fee to get new clients. So, avoid lawyers who use low fees as bait.

Conclusion

We’ve tried to identify some of the common mistakes committed by victims of personal injury accidents when hiring a Tampa injury attorney and hope that this article helps you avoid these mistakes and find the best lawyer to file your claim and win compensation for the injuries you or your loved one suffered.

If you need a competent and experienced personal injury representation in Tampa, don’t hesitate to speak to the lawyers at Shocklee Paolino at (727) 498-8771, or send a message through this contact form to schedule a free legal consultation.

The post Hiring a Tampa Injury Attorney: Top 4 Mistakes You Should Avoid appeared first on Shocklee Paolino, PA.

Hire an experienced attorney

Never make the mistake of hiring an inexperienced attorney as no matter how energetic or smart the attorney is, he or she will need at least a few years to learn the tricks of the trade. An experienced attorney is familiar with all the intricacies of building up a good case, and you should aim for experience of at least 10 years with an excellent success rate when you screen for potential candidates.

Ask if they are an AAJ Member?

Almost all attorneys based in the U.S. worth their names are registered with American Association of Justice, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting a fair and effective justice system.

Hire an Attorney who specializes in cases similar to yours

Skills and expertise required for fighting a medical malpractice claim, or an auto accident case can differ vastly from those needed for fighting a catastrophic injury claim. So, make sure that you are hiring a lawyer who specializes in the types of cases that are similar to yours.

Free Initial Consultation

Always choose an attorney who offers a free initial consultation and doesn’t ask for any payment for the first meeting. Most good quality attorneys provide free initial consultation as this is the standard industry practice. You must be under no compulsion to hire an attorney just because you booked an appointment with them to discuss your case as you may need to consult 3 or 4 attorneys or more before finding the right one.

Avoid relying too much on advertisements

Don’t trust ads and shun any attorney who promises sky-high success rates as advertisements are prepared with the intent to attract new customers and often use deceiving language which is not a substitute for hard facts.

Don’t hesitate to ask questions

You must be ready to ask questions to clear any doubt which you might have before hiring an attorney. Always ask an attorney about their education, qualification, license, number of years they have been in practice, number of cases handled by them, which are similar to yours, and the average compensation per case won by them for their past clients.

In Conclusion

Hopefully, the tips mentioned in this article can help you chose the right catastrophic injury lawyer to help fight for your catastrophic injury claim. Finding the right attorney can dramatically increase your chances of winning the claim for your injuries. To get started down the right path, contact Shocklee Paolino for your free initial consultation today.

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Call the Cops

You should immediately call the police after being involved in a drunk driving accident.  In case your phone is damaged, or you are unable to make the call due to injuries, then ask any witness or bystander to call the police on your behalf.

The police will investigate and you should insist (although they should do so by default) that the responding officers document every detail about the accident.  This can help you later on in your lawsuit or for getting compensation from the insurance company.

Cooperate with Law Enforcement Officials

Police officers investigating the crash will inquire about the circumstances surrounding the accident.  You must fully cooperate with law enforcement officials and tell them all the facts which you know.  Just don’t try to exaggerate things and tell them how it really happened.

If the police will ask if you are hurt, then don’t say no even if you are not sure about your injuries as this may, later on, hinder your claims in the court.

Collect evidence

Try to collect as much evidence about the crash as possible.  You will ideally get the contact details of another driver along with his/her car and driving license number, get photos of the crash scene, contact details of the witnesses, and also, take pictures of your injuries.  Many lawsuits are unsuccessful due to a lack of evidence, and by collecting all the evidence about the crash, you can significantly increase your chances of getting compensation.

Seek Medical Attention

It’s essential to seek medical attention immediately after the crash, even if you feel that you are not injured.  Often a person injured in a drunk driving accident may not feel the pain or notice the injuries caused for several hours or even days and weeks after the crash.  So, it’s always a good idea to seek medical attention after the crash, and it will also bolster your claims for damages.

When a victim fails to seek medical attention immediately after an accident, the defense could argue that he or she was not injured due to the accident and any sustained injuries may have been caused by something else.

Contact an experienced DUI attorney

Drunk driving cases are often complex, as the driver responsible for the crash and his or her insurance company may use every trick to avoid responsibility for the accident.  This is because, it would make them liable for the injuries you suffered and the many financial losses associated with those injuries.

It’s a good idea to contact an experienced DUI attorney immediately after the accident as you’ll need an experienced drunk driving attorney to sue the driver responsible for the crash.

In Conclusion

If you have been hit by a drunk driver in Tampa, then feel free to contact SP Justice. Our lawyers have helped hundreds of victims of drunk driving in the past, and we’d be glad to assist you. You can book a free consultation by calling (727) 498-8771.

The post Drunk Driver in Tampa: Top Things to Do If You Are Hit by One appeared first on Shocklee Paolino, PA.

A large number of people suffering from spinal cord and brain injuries are also not able to work for the remainder of their life, which further compounds the problem.  According to data from Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, a 25-year-old victim of spinal cord and brain injury may incur a total cost of $2million to $4.5 million in medical care expenses during their lifetime.

Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Compensation

It’s important to know what type of costs you will incur before filing a claim for spinal cord and brain injury.  Here are some costs associated with spinal cord and brain injuries:

• You need to account for hospitalization, surgery, medical consultation, medical devices, physical therapy and prescription drugs for the long term as a patient of spinal cord and brain injury.
• You also have to consider care-giving expenses if you need a caregiver for the long term.
• You must account for transportation and other miscellaneous costs as a patient of SCI needs to visit doctors hundreds of times during his lifetime.
• Also consider long term medical costs as SCI patients are vulnerable to several other medical problems such as bladder infections, bedsores and other serious infections.

Potential Compensation for Spinal Cord and Brain Injury in St. Petersburg

It’s difficult to arrive at a precise compensation for spinal cord and brain injuries due to the complex nature of SCI and the long-term care needed.  Generally, though, most people agree that the costs associated with these complex and long-term injuries (and thus the financial compensation to cover those costs) will run into several million dollars during the lifetime of the patient. By combining the total costs explained above with the total of lost (potential) earnings over time, as well as financial compensation for pain and suffering, you can arrive at an estimated value for your spinal cord or brain injury compensation.

Recently, a Florida court awarded a sum of $53 million to a young woman who suffered from spinal cord and brain injuries due to seat belt failure.

In 2005, a 35-year old woman was awarded $16.5 million due to the negligence of the auto manufacturer, Ford.

Conclusion

You will need the help of an experienced attorney who has dealt with cases of the spinal cord and brain injuries in the past. Not all injury law firms have the requisite experience or skills to win a compensation claim for victims of spinal cord and brain injuries.

At SP Justice, we’ve provided compassionate representation to dozens of people to get compensation for brain injuries in St. Petersburg. Just call us at (727) 498-8771 for a free consultation, and our lawyers would be glad to assist you.

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Drowsy Driving Statistics

Drowsy driving has been a contributing factor that leads to a tremendous number of accidents, injuries, and deaths in the US each year.  There are no statistics available which can tell us exactly the number of people injured or killed in car accidents caused by drowsy driving, but the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has estimated that drowsy driving causes around 328,000 crashes each year which lead to more than 6,400 deaths.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that drowsy driving causes more than 100,000 accidents each year which lead to around 5,000 deaths.  The problem of drowsy driving was analyzed in a survey conducted by National Sleep Foundation and shows that almost half of the drivers claimed that they drive while feeling tired, on the other hand, 20% of the drivers admitted that they have slept behind the wheel in the last 12 months.

How Drowsiness Can Impair Drivers?

A drowsy driver is potentially even more dangerous than those ones who are drunk.  A drunk driver may be able to apply the brakes or steer away from the potential crash, but if the driver is sleeping behind the wheel, then you can be sure that the chances of preventing a collision are almost zero.

According to the National Safety Council, driving while drowsy equals to driving with an alcohol level of 0.08, and that, if you are tired, you are three times more likely to get into an accident.

Florida Laws on Impaired Driving

Florida has a specific law known as Ronshay Dugans Act which recognizes the issue of drowsy driving and was enacted in the memory of Ronshay Dugans, an eight-year-old third-grader who was killed in an auto crash involving a drowsy driver in 2008.

This law was enacted to raise awareness about drowsy driving, and it encourages state organizations to educate the law enforcement community and the general public about the dangers posed by drowsy driving.

A person who is a victim of an accident caused by drowsy driving has the option to sue the driver and can get compensation for suffering, pain, lost wages, medical bills, future medical bills, property damage, and rehabilitation expenses, etc. as drowsy driving accidents are mostly caused due to negligence of the driver, who in the first place, decided to drive without having proper sleep.

Conclusion

Crashes caused by drowsy driving are quite complicated as there is currently no state or federal statute which specifies the exact amount of fatigue under which a driver must not drive.  This sets these accidents apart from drunk driving accident cases as law enforcement agencies can quickly tell if the driver was drunk above the permitted limit using alcohol in blood test or by a breath analyzer.

So, it’s a good idea to hire a competent auto accident attorney who has experience in handling drowsy driving cases.  Contact us at (727) 498-8771 for a free consultation. We are the leading impaired driving accident law firm in St. Petersburg Florida and have helped hundreds of victims of auto accidents.

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