Nothing upfront. We work exclusively on a contingency fee basis, which means our fee is a percentage of what we recover and we are paid only if we recover something. Case costs such as expert fees, court filing fees, and deposition transcripts are advanced by the firm as the matter proceeds rather than billed to you along the way. The specific percentage is set out in a written agreement before we begin, and we will walk you through it in plain terms.

Florida's statute of limitations for most negligence claims is two years from the date of the injury, though shorter deadlines apply in certain circumstances, particularly claims against government entities, which can require formal notice within months. Some claims involving medical negligence have their own timing rules. Because a missed deadline generally ends a claim permanently regardless of its merit, the safest course is to have the specific dates reviewed early rather than assuming a general rule applies to your situation.

Honest answer: nobody can tell you precisely at the first meeting, and you should be cautious of any lawyer who does. Value depends on the severity and permanence of the injury, the available insurance coverage, the clarity of liability, and the jurisdiction. What we can do early is give you a realistic range and explain what would move your case toward the upper or lower end of it. We update that assessment as the medical picture becomes clearer.

Most cases resolve before trial, and yours probably will. But we prepare every file as though it will be tried, because that preparation is precisely what produces a fair settlement offer. Insurance carriers evaluate whether opposing counsel is genuinely willing and able to try the case, and they adjust their numbers accordingly. Firms that never try cases are known and are discounted.

Get medical attention first, even if you feel able to wait, because gaps in treatment are used later to argue the injury was not serious. Report the incident to the appropriate authorities and get a report number. Photograph the scene, the vehicles or hazard, and any visible injuries. Avoid giving a recorded statement to the other side's insurer before speaking with a lawyer, and do not accept a quick payment in exchange for signing a release.

Not before someone reviews it. Early offers frequently arrive before the full extent of an injury is known, and accepting one generally requires signing a release that permanently ends your claim, including for treatment you have not yet had. If surgery becomes necessary six months later, that cost is yours. Having the offer evaluated costs nothing and takes very little time.

It varies considerably. Straightforward claims with clear liability and completed treatment can resolve in several months. Cases involving serious injuries usually take longer, in part because we generally wait until your medical condition has stabilized before valuing the claim, since settling earlier risks undervaluing future care. Litigated matters run longer still. We will give you a realistic timeline for your specific case and update it as things develop.

Depending on the facts, recoverable damages may include past and future medical expenses, lost wages, diminished earning capacity, pain and suffering, and property damage. In wrongful death matters, surviving family members may recover for loss of support, services, and companionship, along with funeral expenses. Which categories apply, and how they are proven, depends on your circumstances and the applicable law.

You may still have a claim. Florida applies a comparative fault framework in which your recovery is reduced in proportion to your share of responsibility, subject to statutory limits that have changed in recent years. Insurance adjusters frequently assert that a claimant was more at fault than the evidence supports, because it is an effective way to reduce a payout. That assessment is worth challenging rather than accepting.

Scale and structure. High-volume advertising firms sign a large number of cases and resolve them efficiently, which works reasonably well for straightforward claims. We take substantially fewer cases so that a partner can stay personally involved in each one from intake through resolution. If your matter is straightforward, a volume firm may serve you perfectly well, and we will say so.

Bring whatever you have, and do not delay the meeting to gather more. Useful items include any accident or police report, insurance information for all parties, photographs of the scene and your injuries, medical records or discharge paperwork, pay stubs if you have missed work, and any correspondence from insurance companies. If you have none of it, we can obtain most of these ourselves.

Yes. Florida's wrongful death statute allows a personal representative of the estate to bring a claim on behalf of surviving family members. These matters have particular procedural requirements regarding who may recover and in what capacity, and they carry their own deadlines. We handle the procedural work so the family is not managing it during an already difficult period.

We appear in courts throughout Florida and regularly handle matters in surrounding counties. For cases arising in other states we associate with qualified local counsel, which allows the matter to be filed properly while our team continues the substantive work. If a case genuinely belongs with a firm in another jurisdiction, we will tell you and help you find one.

Call our office at any hour or submit the form on our contact page. A member of the team will speak with you the same business day. The initial consultation is free, carries no obligation, and is confidential whether or not you decide to hire us. If we do not think you need a lawyer, or that another firm is better suited to your case, we will tell you that directly.