Negligent motorists can cause life-changing or even catastrophic injuries. You can be operating your vehicle in a completely safe and cautious manner, however, it only takes another driver taking their eyes off of the road for a moment to cause a devastating auto accident. Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, distraction by one’s mobile phone, or simply changing the radio station can have dire consequences for the other innocent motorists on the road. When such negligent activity results in injury to one of our clients, we will fight to ensure that full compensation is obtained. This not only includes damages for medical bills, pain and suffering, and property damage, but also any employment wages lost due to the injury.
Business owners have a duty to maintain safe premises for their customers. Too often however such business owners do not properly train their employees to promptly clean up an accidental spill or other mess in areas that are open to the public. This can result in a slip or trip and fall accident that can cause major injury to the unsuspecting visitor. These types of incidents also tend to cause severe aggravation to prior injuries as well, those for which the victim could still deserve substantial compensation. Florida law can be complicated when it comes to these types of accidents as there is a significant burden of proof put on the individual making the claim. For this reason, persons injured due to slip or trip and fall accidents need a competent litigation team that is well versed with the complexities of this particular area of law.
With the beautiful warm weather that we are blessed to have in Florida people enjoy going outside and walking or biking around in their cities and neighborhoods. Unfortunately, there is always a substantial risk of severe bodily injury caused by a negligent driver of a motor vehicle who isn’t paying enough attention to those around them. Pedestrians and cyclists are at the mercy of the drivers of the solid steel cars and trucks on the roads and parking areas with whom they share the right to move about. It only takes the driver of even a small, seemingly harmless little sedan, trying to send a quick text message while crossing through an intersection, to cause a life-altering injury or even death, to an innocent pedestrian or cyclist. When an incident like this occurs, experienced legal counsel who knows exactly how that negligent driver’s insurance company will operate is absolutely imperative.
It is quite understandable to place absolute trust of our own bodies into the hands of a doctor, nurse, or medical technician. The fact is however that those involved in the medical field are susceptible to human error. A mistake committed by a medical professional that falls below the normal standard of care can have a devastating effect on both the mind and body of a patient and will warrant adequate and substantial compensation. A medical malpractice claim in Florida requires that complicated procedural hurdles be met, including providing sworn testimony by another medical professional in the defendant’s particular specialty, before a civil Complaint can even be filed. There is also a shorter time limit to file a medical malpractice case as compared to other standard negligence cases. For these reasons, it is essential that a victim of medical malpractice retain an experienced litigation team that knows both the legal and procedural complexities of these distinct types of claims.
The death of any loved one, no matter what the cause, can take both an emotional and financial toll on the surviving family members. When that loved one’s, death is caused by the conduct of someone else, whether it be intentional or negligent, that emotional toll can be intensified. The individual that caused the wrongful death of a family member can be civilly liable to certain members of the deceased’s close family, specifically the spouses, children, parents, or other dependents. In addition to direct monetary costs caused by the death such as funeral expenses, liability can also include mental anguish, the loss of financial support, companionship, and even parental guidance for surviving children. Florida law is specific as to who may bring a wrongful death claim against the defendant and as to which survivors can be entitled to certain types of damages. For these reasons a compassionate, empathetic, and experienced lawyer in this field is necessary.
Insurance companies are infamous for denying valid claims made by their own policyholders. If they are willing to actually cover a claim, they elect to “low ball” their insured as to the monetary value of the claim in order to maximize their own profits. Insurance claims adjusters do not consider that their policyholder has been paying their premiums on time year after year. When the time comes to file a valid claim often due to an incident completely out of the policy holder’s control, that loyal customer suddenly becomes just another number on a vast list of claims and the assigned adjuster’s primary job is to simply pay out as little as possible. At Colgan Dominelli Law we not only call that a breach of common decency, but also a breach of contract entitling the policyholder to adequate coverage for their loss. Fortunately, in Florida when an insurance company wrongfully denies coverage to their own policyholder or even attempts the old “low ball” tactic, they will be responsible for that policy holder’s attorneys’ fees should he or she be forced to sue for the coverage that they are already entitled to.