Altamonte Springs Personal Injury Lawyer

Florida’s personal injury legal scheme was put in place to compensate victims who have suffered as a result of the negligence or reckless behavior of another person. Personal injury matters can vary widely, and they often include things like traumatic brain injuries, fractures, sprains, lacerations, spinal cord injuries, soft tissue injuries, property damage, wrongful death, and even minor bumps and bruises. If you were hurt in a serious incident, you are likely facing time off of work, limited capacity to function, pain and suffering, as well as financial troubles such as mounting medical bills and other expenses. Florida’s personal injury law is meant to ensure that you are not left alone dealing with these financial burdens.

If someone else’s negligence hurt you, then that party should compensate you for your lost wages, medical expenses, and the pain and inconvenience you suffered as a result of their behavior. Goldman Law, P.A., represents clients in Altamonte Springs and the Greater Orlando area who have been personally injured by another person. Our Altamonte Springs personal injury lawyer help injury victims get the damages they are owed for the harm they have suffered.

Representing You, Across a Range of Personal Injury Matters

Goldman Law, P.A. represents clients who have been injured by someone else’s negligence, regardless of the circumstances of the incident. It doesn’t matter if you were hit by a car, if you slipped on a spill at a department store, if your doctor botched a surgery, or if your washing machine exploded. If you were hurt, and it was someone else’s fault, Goldman Law, P.A. is here to represent you.

Our areas of dedicated practice include the following:

Dedicated Service to Altamonte Springs

The seasoned Central Florida personal injury attorney at Goldman Law, P.A. has over a decade of experience litigating personal injury matters. Celebrated personal injury attorney Sarah Goldman Geise previously defended insurance companies and now dedicates herself to recovering damages for personal injury victims in Altamonte Springs and throughout Central Florida. Her years of experience on both sides of the table have given her a deep and unique insight into all aspects of personal injury matters. She understands how defense attorneys and insurance companies think. She knows what arguments to make, which evidence to collect, and what strategies to employ to increase your bargaining power, strengthen your case before a court, and ultimately maximize your recovery from insurance companies and defendants.

Sarah has recovered millions of dollars for injured victims throughout Florida. She displays the perfect balance of compassion and advocacy. She prides herself on being available to her clients and understands the struggles of being an accident victim. While she knows that in many cases, no amount of money will compensate an injured person, Sarah fights hard to make sure that her clients get just compensation.

Altamonte Springs Personal Injury FAQs

We at Goldman Law, P.A., know that the best client is a well-informed client. Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions from our dedicated Altamonte Springs personal injury lawyer.

Is Florida a “Fault” or a “No-Fault” State For Auto Accidents?

Florida is what is known as a “no-fault” state for traffic crashes. Florida law requires that every driver in the state carry a minimum amount of insurance coverage for personal injury and property damage in the event of an accident. After a crash, regardless of fault, you first collect from your own insurance company under your policy. They will pay a majority of your medical bills and your lost income resulting from the crash.

You can only recover certain types of damages from no-fault insurance, however. You cannot recover for things like pain and suffering, for example. In order to get outside of the no-fault system and sue the at-fault driver directly for additional damages, you must reach a certain legal threshold. In Florida, the threshold is that you must have suffered a “serious injury” in the crash. Florida law defines serious injury as a serious permanent injury, permanent loss of a bodily function, significant scarring or disfigurement, or death. If you reach that injury threshold, you can bring a personal injury lawsuit.

I Fell and Got Hurt on Someone Else’s Property. Can I Sue?

Property owners have a duty to keep their premises safe for visitors. If the person who owns or operates the property you were visiting left the premises in an unsafe and dangerous condition, whether it is a private residence or a shopping mall or other public place, they may be liable for any injuries you sustain in a fall. This is known as a “premises liability” claim, also called a “slip and fall.”

Are There Time Limits for Bringing a Personal Injury Lawsuit?

Florida law sets a time limit on filing personal injury lawsuits. The time limit for filing a lawsuit is called the “statute of limitations.” For most personal injury claims, the statute of limitations is four years from the date of the accident or injury. For a wrongful death claim, the deadline is two years from the date of death. Medical malpractice claims must be filed two years from the date of injury or last treatment. There are exceptions to these rules that may extend the time period; ask a knowledgeable Florida personal injury lawyer about your case to see if you satisfy any of the exceptions.

What Types of Damages Can I Recover in a Personal Injury Lawsuit?

Depending on the nature of your claim and the type of incident, there are a variety of damages you may be able to recover in a Florida personal injury lawsuit. Generally, you can recover some combination of “economic” and “noneconomic” damages.

Economic damages are those that you can put a specific number to and include, for example:

Lost wages, past and future
Medical bills
Property damage
Funeral expenses

Noneconomic damages are damages that are harder to quantify but are no less real after a serious personal injury. Noneconomic damages include, for example:

Pain and suffering
Emotional distress
Loss of companionship

Additionally, if the defendant committed intentional wrongdoing or was acting with “gross negligence,” you may also be able to recover punitive damages. Punitive damages are reserved for cases where the law wants to punish a defendant for their actions to deter other people from acting that way in the future. The typical negligence case is unlikely to merit punitive damages.

What if there is a Criminal Case Involved?

You may have been injured in an incident that involved criminal behavior. Your family member may have been killed by a drunk driver, for example. Criminal matters and civil lawsuits (like a personal injury case) are handled in separate court proceedings, under different legal standards, and do not necessarily have to affect one another. The criminal proceeding focuses on whether or not the person is guilty of a crime, and a higher burden of proof applies for the prosecutor (they must prove guilt “beyond a reasonable doubt”). The criminal proceeding is not focused on financial liability for the death; criminal cases are not a good source of financial compensation for surviving family members.

You can, and should, separately pursue a civil claim for wrongful death (or personal injury). Here, the standard of proof is lower: You must prove liability “by a preponderance of the evidence.” This means that, even if the defendant is acquitted in a criminal case, you and your family may still recover. If the defendant is found guilty in the criminal case, you may be able to use that against them in the civil matter. Moreover, in a civil case, you can seek recovery for all of the financial and psychological harm the incident caused you and your family.

If You Were Hurt in Central Florida, We Can Help

If you or a loved one were injured or killed as a result of someone else’s negligence in Altamonte Springs or throughout Central Florida, get help from a dedicated and effective Florida personal injury lawyer by contacting Goldman Law. Our Altamonte Springs personal injury team will investigate your claim, build your case, and fight for the damages you are owed. We take pride in providing individualized, passionate representation for our clients, and we do not consider our job done until you get justice for your harm. Reach out to the Altamonte Springs personal injury lawyer at Goldman Law, P.A. for a free consultation.

Share This Page: