Tag Archives: personal injury law

Personal Injury: Auto Accidents Over the Holidays

With the Christmas holiday approaching, a steady trend of increased traffic on Tampa roads continues to grow. This trend over the holiday leads to an increased number of automobile accidents and a greater rate of drivers sustaining injuries on crowded Florida roads. In the event you are involved in an accident, it is important to know your rights.

Parties to an accident are often times contacted by insurance companies in an attempt to get personal injury victims to settle an injury claim quickly, and for a non-negotiated amount. Before a settlement offer is even discussed, it is extremely important to first know the extent of your injuries.

Usually, the severity of damage sustained in an accident is not easily determined, and in many cases an injured party may suffer soft tissue or latent injuries that do not arise until much later. However, once a settlement agreement is made and tendered, an injured party releases their right to recovery for injuries related to that particular incident.

If you are involved in an auto accident, it is always important to first seek medical attention. After an auto accident, it is best to go immediately to the hospital or other treatment facility to determine the extent of your injuries and pinpoint the necessary steps of rehabilitation that might be required.

Secondly, an injured party should always contact an attorney for legal consultation and general information on how to proceed following an accident. In the event an insurance company contacts you regarding your injury claim, do not offer any recorded statements without first consulting with an attorney.

If you or a loved one has been in an accident and need legal advice, call Blick Law Firm today at (813) 931-0840. Schedule a free 15-minute consultation with attorney Michael Blickensderfer.

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Rise in Personal Injury Claims

Over the past couple of years there has been an increasing trend in the number of personal injury claims. A personal injury claim arises when a party suffers an injury with lasting consequences as a result of the actions of another party. The recent rising trend of injury claims is attributable to various reasons.

One reason is that injury victims are finding it easier to file claims in a market that offers no fee for cases that result in no recovery. Legal fees associated with personal injury claims are paid on a contingency basis; as a result, the standard is that attorneys offer to represent injury victims with payment for services contingent upon a recovery settlement. While this type of arrangement may encourage injured claimants to file suit more readily, it is important to recognize that the recovery is tapered by the legitimacy and extent of the injury.

The rise in personal injury claims is also attributable to various products that were negligently released to the public, and have caused serious and even life threatening effects.

Media coverage and an overall heightened awareness of the availability of insurance compensation for injuries have also encouraged injury victims to pursue recovery for injuries sustained through the actions or negligence of another person or company. Furthermore, while auto accidents haven’t increased in frequency over the past couple of years, the number of claims arising out of auto accidents has risen likely due to the publicity of auto accident injury recovery; and the recent trend may also suggest that motorists are more likely to seek compensation for insurance coverage that they are mandated to pay, even for marginal injuries.

Personal injury claims all vary in severity, and often times they involve lifelong consequences that require extensive future medical expenses and years of pain and suffering. If you or a loved one has been injured due to the actions or negligence of another, call Blick Law Firm today at (813) 931-0840. Schedule a free 15-minute consultation with attorney Michael Blickensderfer. Think quick, call Blick!

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Florida Auto Accident Claims

Parties to an accident are often times contacted by insurance companies in an attempt to get personal injury victims to settle an injury claim quickly, and for a non-negotiated amount. Before a settlement offer is even discussed, it is extremely important to first know the extent of your injuries.

Usually, the severity of damage sustained in an accident is not easily determined, and in many cases an injured party may suffer soft tissue or latent injuries that do not arise until much later. However, once a settlement agreement is made and tendered, an injured party releases all further rights to recovery for injuries related to that particular incident.

If you are involved in an auto accident, it is always important to first seek medical attention. After an auto accident, it is best to go immediately to the hospital or other treatment facility to determine the extent of your injuries and pinpoint the necessary steps of rehabilitation that might be required.

Secondly, an injured party should always contact an auto accident attorney for legal consultation and general information on how to proceed following an accident. In the event an insurance company contacts you regarding your injury claim, do not offer any recorded statements without first consulting with an attorney.

If you or a loved one have been in an accident and need legal advice, call Blick Law Firm today at (813) 931-0840. Schedule a free 15-minute consultation with attorney Michael Blickensderfer. Think quick, call Blick!

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Personal Injury litigation

A common question asked by personal injury clients is:  “Will I have to go to court?”  While Blick Law Firm will diligently prepare your case, there is no guarantee that the client will be exempt from going to trial for a personal injury matter.

Though most personal injury cases are settled between parties during pre-trial settlement negotiations, some cases will go to court if the parties fail to settle on an amount suitable for both parties. If a court date is set, the two parties could still negotiate and reach a settlement, even as late as the day of the hearing.

It is important that you know that only you have the authority to agree on a settlement on your claim.  Tampa Lawyers can only advise you on a settlement figure and have no authority to settle your case without your express permission to do so.

If you have a personal injury issue and need help, call Blick Law Firm today at 813-931-0840. Make an appointment for a free 15 minute consultation with Attorney Michael Blickensderfer to assess your legal claim.

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How much should I expect from a personal injury settlement?

When it comes to a personal injury case, there are many factors involved that affect the outcome of your settlement, but the two major parts of your case are: 1) liability, and 2) causation which include damages.

In terms of liability, if someone else is 100% liable for your injuries, you have passed the first hurdle; but the value of your case can be less if you are partially responsible for your injuries, and Florida statutes allow apportionment of damages based upon the comparative negligence of the parties.  For example, if the at fault party is 80% at fault, but you were judged 20% at fault, typically your damages or value would be reduced by 20%.  You can have very serious injuries but have very weak liability in your case; or you can have great liability, but have very minor injuries as a result.

The second major part is causation, or do the injuries you are complaining of stem from the accident you were involved in??  This is primarily developed from a medical opinion from one or more of your treating doctors.  Proper follow through and treatment with your doctors will allow them to give a final opinion as to the nature of your injuries and link them causally with the accident, i.e., your injuries were caused by and are a direct result of the accident.

Injuries resulting in an auto accident are generally split into two major categories: soft tissue injuries, and really everything else.  Roughly 90% of personal injury cases involve some sort of soft tissue injury or whiplash, which is a ripping and damaging of the muscles, ligaments and tendons of the neck and back area of your body.  Soft tissue injuries can cause bulges or herniation to the disc material between the spinal vertebrae.

Other types of injuries include injuries to knees, shoulders and extremities, broken bones, concussions, cuts, bruises and the like. These types of injuries typically receive a higher personal injury settlement because these injuries are easily documented and can be proven in court more objectively than soft tissue injuries, even though the chronic pain of permanent soft tissue injuries can be severe and debilitating to an individual.

A severe wound may also cause a psychological damage or financial loss. For example, a scar resulting from an incident on a professional model can hurt her ability to earn future income and as a result be a great financial loss. And if the scar is permanent, this would further increase a personal injury settlement. Some cases may even lead to plastic surgery which greatly weighs into the benefit of the plaintiff’s case.

Many injuries may result from a personal injury incident so it is important to know your legal rights to receive fair compensation for pain and suffering due to someone else’s negligence.

Seek a Tampa personal injury attorney today for further consultation if you have been severely hurt from an accident. Attorney Michael C. Blickensderfer of Blick Law Firm has over 25 year’s legal experience in personal injury cases and will aggressively pursue your case to the best outcome possible. Call us today for your free consultation at 813-931-0840.

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Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office discusses severity of underage drinking for minors

Is your child approaching graduation? This time of year for many high school seniors is exciting because of what it symbolizes, the beginning of something new. As a parent, it is important to be mindful of the mindset of students and educate them so they make responsible choice for the future.

According the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff David Gee wants to encourage everyone to celebrate safely and to let the community know that deputies will be on extra alert for parties where alcohol is made available to minors.

Anyone that allows those under the age of 21 to possess and/or consume alcohol may be at risk of charges such as Open House Parties and Contributing to the Delinquency or Dependency of a Child. As well as charges of Child Neglect, which is considered a felony.  

Other issues that derive from underage drinking: acts of violence. Many house parties are known for violent outbursts as a result of the combination of underage drinking and lack of adult supervision.

There are many dangers that may occur around this time of year for high school graduates. Local sheriff’s offices will be extra cautious of these situations and encourage parents to educate their children of the harm of underage drinking.

If you find yourself in this unfortunate situation, give attorney Michael C. Blickensderfer a call at 813-931-0840. Seek an experienced Tampa Criminal Defense attorney that will properly represent you or your loved ones, striving for the best possible outcome for your children.

Anyone with information about underage drinking is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office at 247-8200 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-873-8477.

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