St. Petersburg Personal Injury Attorneys – Jones Law Group
St. Petersburg is the second-largest city in the Tampa Bay Area, after Tampa, and the 5th largest city in Florida, with 272,000 residents. With all these people, there are bound to be serious accidents and injuries, especially on the roads, in workplaces, and in businesses. When somebody’s negligence or careless actions lead another person to be seriously injured or made ill, that injured person has a right to compensation for their damages.
Medical bills lost wages, and countless other expenses all begin to pile up the moment a person is injured. This is where Jones Law Group comes in. Jones Law Group is a team of dedicated Florida lawyers that have decades of experience and a reputation for putting our clients’ needs above all else. We have been consistently recognized by our peers as a zealous and serious law firm that gets results for our clients.
If you recently suffered an injury due to a negligent incident or recently found out that you were possibly made sick by negligence or defect, contact the attorneys at Jones law group. A consultation with our law firm is completely free and comes with no obligation. You’ll have the opportunity to sit down with an attorney and discuss the facts of your case and hear your rights and options.
We also work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you do not pay us anything unless we recover compensation for your claim. You can reach out to us by calling (727) 571-1333 or submitting a contact form through our website.
We are here to help. Some types of accidents we can help you with include:
Car Accidents
Florida is a dangerous state for drivers. Usually, it ranks in the top ten most dangerous states for motor vehicle drivers and vulnerable road users. If you live here, you’ve probably experienced an accident at least second-hand once or twice. Unfortunately, most people will get into a car accident at least once in their lifetime, so it’s important to know how to handle things.
Car accidents are most frequently caused by distracted driving, driving under the influence, speeding, and aggressive driving. They can cause injuries that range from mild to severe. This includes traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, broken bones, fractures, bruises, burns, and more.
Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcyclists are less protected the motor vehicle drivers, so their accidents tend to result in more severe injuries. A motorcyclist who’s well protected (wearing leather and a helmet) can walk away with more minor injuries. Someone who isn’t as protected, however, will likely have worse, more severe injuries. As a result, they’ll also have higher damages.
Truck Accidents
Unlike car accidents, truck accidents are frequently caused by a third party. While they can be (and are) caused by a driver, they can also be caused by the trucking company, the loaders, the truck rental company, and the manufacturer of the vehicle or a part used. In some cases, more than one party could be liable for the accident.
For example, if a fatigued driver caused your truck accident, both the driver and the trucking company could be liable. The driver would be at fault for getting behind the wheel while exhausted, and the trucking company would be at fault for failing to properly monitor their hours or overscheduling them past the legal limit.
Bicycle and Pedestrian Accidents
Bicyclists and pedestrians are referred to as “vulnerable road users” because they have little protection and are often overlooked by drivers. Cyclists and pedestrians are also often victims of road rage or aggressive driving. Drivers may get upset about having to wait for someone to cross the street or if a bicycle is moving slowly in front of them.
Slip and Fall Injuries
A slip-and-fall injury can occur pretty much anywhere. However, they most frequently occur in businesses, rental properties, parking lots, and parking garages. Slip and fall accidents are caused by hazards, such as broken steps, uneven flooring, spills, clutter, poor lighting, and more. It’s the responsibility of the property owner to keep their building up to code and reasonably safe from hazards. By not doing so, they’ll be liable for any accidents that occur as a result.
Catastrophic Injuries
A catastrophic injury refers to a severe injury such as a traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, or internal injury. A catastrophic injury can occur as a result of any type of personal injury case. However, we group them separately because they often have much higher damages. For example, someone with a severe spinal cord injury may have millions of dollars in past and future damages.
Receiving Compensation for Your Personal Injury Damages
When your injuries are caused by the negligence of another, it can become complicated and frustrating, especially when you have to deal with multiple parties or uncooperative insurance companies.
Jones Law Group strives to help those who have been injured get their lives back on track.
We approach client relationships with your best interest and physical wellness in mind. Our team will be available to you to walk you through the personal injury claim process step-by-step. We handle the stress of filing a claim so you can focus on getting better.
Our personal injury attorneys help victims obtain compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and property damage. We also help clients who have lost a loved one due to negligence get compensation through a wrongful death lawsuit.
What To Do After an Accident
If you have suffered an injury due to negligence, the personal injury attorneys of Jones Law Group recommend that you be familiar with the proper steps to take after an accident:
- Get medical care immediately. After the accident, do not dismiss your injuries until you can’t stand it anymore. Not only will this hurt your claim, but it can also make injuries worse. Once you have received initial care, do not miss follow-up appointments with your doctor or disregard medical recommendations, treatments, prescriptions, or other advice. This could cause serious problems with your case later.
- Try to gather evidence if you are able. Get photos of the scene of the incident and photos of your injuries. Document everything that happened to you in a journal, keep all records, and make note of all conversations you have and what was said. Also, get witness contact information if possible. Being able to get the account of an eyewitness to your injury can be very important later.
- Never withhold information from either your doctor or your attorney. It is crucial that you are completely honest so that you can get a fair settlement. Your doctor needs to know everything about your injuries so they can fully document the claim and help you to get comprehensive care. Your attorney needs accurate information to give you the best shot at fair compensation possible.
- Finally, never sign any release of personal information forms, medical authorization forms, or any other insurance company documents without first consulting your attorney. Additionally, never agree to a recorded statement with any insurance adjuster without first speaking to your attorney.
Look to the Expert Personal Injury Attorneys of Jones Law Group for Help
Our team of attorneys and support staff are ready to assist you in all aspects of your representation. At Jones Law Group, we will ensure that you are treated fairly and receive all the compensation to which you are legally entitled. Prior to representing any client in a personal injury claim, we provide a free consultation with an attorney.
If you or a loved one has suffered an injury, illness, or death because of negligence, we want to help. We can answer any urgent questions you may have as well as set up your free consultation for you. Reach out to us by calling 727-571-1333, by filling out our online form, or by using our Chat feature below.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I choose the best personal injury lawyer for my case?
To give your claim the best chance of success, choose a personal injury law firm with the staff, resources, and caseload capacity to handle your case. Note that not all personal injury lawyers have the same level of expertise in every area of personal injury law. Find a personal injury attorney whose specialization aligns with your type of claim for the best results.
Typically, you also want a law firm with offices in your local area so it’s easier to meet with them. Plus, they will know which state and local laws may influence your case. Another factor to consider is whether or not the personal injury attorney has experience taking lawsuits to trial.
If you start out with a personal injury attorney who is prepared to go to court, you may be able to leverage that in settlement negotiations, as defendants generally want to avoid a trial. However, if you do have to pursue your lawsuit in court, you don’t want to have to worry about switching to a new personal injury attorney with trial experience.
How soon do I need to file a personal injury claim after an accident?
After you are injured in a personal injury accident, you have a limited amount of time to present a case showing another party should be held liable for your damages. Under the current Florida statute of limitations, accident victims have 2 years to file a claim seeking compensation.
However, if you sustained an injury in a workplace accident and you plan on filing for workers’ compensation benefits, the deadlines are not the same as the cut offs for civil lawsuits. To maintain your eligibility, you need to report your accident to your employer within 30 days of the incident. There are some exceptions to this rule, like if your injury developed over time. However, you should still notify your employer as soon as possible.
My accident was partly my own fault- can I still recover compensation from the other party?
Don’t give up hope of recovering compensation for your damages just because you were partially at fault for your accident. Florida legislators built some flexibility into personal injury statutes in recognition of how nuanced fault can be in these claims.
To keep things fair to both sides, Florida’s modified comparative negligence law allows an injured person who contributed to their own accident to seek compensation for their damages from the other negligent party, as long as they are 50% or less responsible for their own accident.
However, there is a caveat to this. The injured party can’t recover the full value of their damages if their negligent behavior also helped cause the accident. Instead, they can recover a portion of the amount, minus the percentage of fault they contributed. So if an accident victim was 10% responsible for their own injuries, they can only recover 90% of their damages.
