Being involved in a serious car accident can be among the most trying times in a person’s life. Some will be left dealing with medical bills and lost wages. Others will face months or years of rehabilitation, disability, long-term care and pain and suffering.

At Colette Heck Law, we will work with investigators and other professionals to determine the causes of your accident and who is responsible. We will then assemble the team best able to fight for the maximum compensation your case deserves under the law.

If you are dealing with the aftermath of a car accident, your choice of law firms can have a dramatic impact on the outcome of your case and the long-term financial well-being of you and your family. Colette Heck has been a member of the Florida bar since 1998 and has earned the reputation of being a trusted attorney.

www.colettehecklaw.com | (386) 253-3033 | plus.google.com/112342627763158578314/posts?hl=en | twitter.com/colettehecklaw | colettehecklaw.tumblr.com | www.linkedin.com/pub/colette-heck/107/612/852

Deadlines for Filing an Injury Lawsuit in Florida

Like every other state, Florida has a statute on the books that sets a deadline for the amount of time you have to file a lawsuit in civil court against the person or business that might be legally at fault for your injury. This law is called a statute of limitations.

Under Florida's statute of limitations for personal injury cases, you have four years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit in Florida's civil courts (this law can be found in Florida Statutes Annotated section 95.11). If you don't file your case within this time window, the court will very likely refuse to hear it at all. In rare cases, you may not “discover” that you actually suffered harm for some amount of time after the incident that caused the injury, and in those instances the lawsuit-filing window will be extended.

For injury claims against a city, county or state government, the time limit is three years.

If you're filing an insurance claim or lawsuit over an accident or injury, you'll need to be familiar with laws in your state that might affect your case.

Contact Colette Heck Law today.

www.colettehecklaw.com | (386) 253-3033 | plus.googloe.cm/112342627763158578314/posts?hl=en | twitter.com/colettehecklaw | colettehecklaw.tumblr.com | www.linkedin.com/pub/coletteheck/107/612/852

Auto Accident Lawyer

No car collision or accident is a good thing, but head-on collisions are very violent. Head-on collisions occur when the front end of one car collides with the front end of another car while the two vehicles are traveling in opposite directions. These types of car accidents are especially dangerous because head-on collisions generate a massive amount of force on impact.  Some of this force may be absorbed by the front bumpers of the cars involved, if an oncoming vehicle is traveling at a high rate of speed, or if the road is not well-lit, the other driver may have little time to react and steer out of harm’s way, essentially driving into the path of the accident.

Colette Heck is an auto accident lawyer and has found that the most common cause of head-on collisions is driver distraction. Drivers may be distracted by many things including texting or talking on a cell phone.  Teenage drivers are often distracted by other teens in the car. Examples of head-on collisions include a driver who negligently crosses the median into oncoming traffic, a driver who fails to read the “wrong way” sign on a highway entrance ramp, a driver who drifts into oncoming traffic when negotiating a curve, or a driver who is under the influence.

Despite the use of airbags and seat belts, most head-on collisions still result in catastrophic injuries including brain damage, spinal cord injuries, paralysis, fractures and death.

Victims of head-on collisions may file a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit in order to obtain compensation for their injuries. Compensation may be recovered for past and future medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages as provided by Florida law.

www.colettehecklaw.com | (386) 253-3033 | plus.google.com/112342627763158578314/posts?hl=en

Drunk driving

Drunk drivers willfully and needlessly endanger the life of others. According to the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles, 33,625 people were convicted of driving under the influence last year alone. When someone decides to drive drunk innocent drivers and passengers are in immediate danger. These cases are more difficult than many people realize. It is not about just reckless driving. It's also about tracing the beverage or substance trail back to the source to make those who foster, encourage, or enable drunk or drug impaired drivers.

Drunk driving is a third degree felony under Florida Statutes and is punishable in by incarceration. Under Florida law, drivers with a blood alcohol level of .08 or higher are above the legal limit. Furthermore, drunk drivers that cause accidents and serious injuries such as a traumatic brain or closed head injury can also be subject additional civil liability for punitive damages under Florida Statutes 768.762.

Damages in a drunk driving case include amounts for past and future medical bills, loss of earnings, loss of a loved one, pain and suffering, permanent disability and punitive damages. This is because drunk driving is reckless disregard for the life and safety of others. Drunk driving cases can also include claims not just against the drunk driver but may include legal liability from other third parties such as establishments where the alcohol was served. Florida's vendor responsibility act requires alcohol establishments to teach their employees to serve alcohol responsibly to the public.

www.colettehecklaw.com | (386) 253-3033 | plus.google.com/112342627763158578314/posts?hl=en

Proudly serving Ormond Beach.

It's important to note that many accidents occur when drivers are simply not paying attention to the road. In fact, distracted driving accidents are quickly becoming one of the leading causes of personal injury in the nation.

With over 3 million injuries a year resulting from auto accidents, car crashes can also be responsible for property damage, financial losses, physical injuries and sometimes death.

If you have been injured in an auto accident, you may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages, repair costs, loss of future earnings and other damages such as emotional and physical pain and suffering.

Proudly serving Ormond Beach | www.colettehecklaw.com | (386) 253-3033 | plus.google.com/112342627763158578314/posts?hl=en