Deadlines for Filing an Injury Lawsuit in Florida

Florida has 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.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. If you don't file your case in time, the court will likely refuse to hear it. 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.

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Working hard to ensure you receive the settlement you need

Colette Heck Law has helped many Port Orange, Florida bikers that have been injured due to the negligence of another driver, an unsafe roadway or a defective motorcycle. There's little doubt that motorcycles are a lot of fun to ride and, in today's economy, they can save you money when it comes to gas. However, people riding motorcycles have very little protection and are always at a much greater risk of serious injury when involved in a motor vehicle accident. Head injuries or even a fatality can occur even though the motorcycle rider was wearing a helmet and the proper riding gear. In most road accidents, the motorcyclist is almost always thrown from their motorcycle into the street or into other vehicles involved in the crash.

If you or a loved one have been seriously injured in a motorcycle crash, Colette Heck Law can help you get your life back on track. The Heck Law Firm truly understands the legal nuances involved with a motorcycle crash and how to use the legal system when dealing with your insurance company and the insurance companies of the other drivers involved. Colette Heck Law will work diligently to ensure that you receive the settlement you need for compensation, including property damage, medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and long-term health care. Unfortunately, they can't change what happened, but they can help you get on the road to recovery. Call today.

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This could save your life: Don't text and Drive!

Rear-end collisions are some of the most common types of car accidents on the roads today.  These types of accidents occur when the front end of an automobile hits the back of the car in front of it.  Although many of these collisions happen at relatively low speeds, the impact can still cause serious bodily injury to the occupants. Our attorneys know that not all rear-end collisions occur at low speeds. Colette Heck has represented victims of high speed, highway rear-end collisions where the injuries were truly catastrophic in nature.

There are many reasons that rear-end crashes occur. The most common cause is driver inattentiveness or distraction whether due to reading text messages, talking on a cell phone, conversation/ argument with a passenger, checking e-mail, use of navigation system or radio. Tailgating and racing can also result in a rear-end collision among other negligent acts or omissions.

Injuries most commonly associated with low-speed rear-end collisions include damage to the soft tissues of the body such as sprains or strains to the muscles supporting the spinal
cord, injuries to the inter-vertebral discs (Herniated disc or HNP), spinal cord injuries and closed head injuries, which can result in a traumatic brain injury (TBI) / brain damage and permanent disability. When the accident is the result of a high speed impact to the rear, the injuries are often very serious and even fatal. They can include spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, burn injury, fractures, amputation, nerve damage, herniated disc and even death.

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Florida law imposes a duty to stop at the scene of an accident

Florida law imposes a duty to stop at the scene of an accident and exchange information with the other driver.  If a party appears to be injured, the law imposes an additional duty to render reasonable aid and call for emergency help if necessary.  When a driver leaves the scene without stopping and providing information, and the accident resulted in personal injury or death to another person, the driver has committed a third degree felony, punishable by significant jail time and fines.

Because many hit and run drivers flee the scene for fear of being caught driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, criminal proceedings often accompany a civil law suit. The injuries suffered by victims of these accidents are often severe, life-altering and even fatal.

However, even hit and run victims may be able to seek compensation for injuries, pain and suffering, medical bills and lost wages.  Accident victims with uninsured motorist coverage may be able to make a claim under their own insurance policy.  If the hit and run driver was driving a work vehicle at the time of the accident or was on a work errand, an accident victim may seek compensation for injuries by filing a law suit against the employer or owner of the vehicle. Victims of a Florida hit and run accident who have suffered personal injuries or family members of those killed in a hit and run accident may also be able to bring criminal charges against the driver, if the person can be located by police.

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Accidents Involving Alcohol

It is incredibly frustrating for victims and their family members to know that Florida drunk driving crashes are preventable.  For example, the driver could have asked a friend to drive, taken a taxi or public transportation, spent the night at a hotel or at the home of a friend.  Drunk drivers choose to drive drunk and are therefore negligent when they get behind the wheel.  Drunk drivers also break the law when they operate a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher.

The injuries resulting from drunk driving accidents can be catastrophic and are often fatal. Colette Heck is a car accident lawyer have successfully litigated catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases throughout Florida and have the experience necessary to maximize the amount of compensation our clients receive.

Drunk or intoxicated drivers have slower response times, fall asleep more easily while driving and often lose control of their vehicles, weaving between lanes and crossing into oncoming traffic.  Too often they drive their vehicle off the roadway and strike pedestrians on adjacent sidewalks or bike paths. Drunk driving accidents also tend to occur at night when visibility is low and involve high speeds, so that victims may not be able to see the drunk driver coming, or have little time to react.

Victims of drunk-driving accidents and their family members may be able to file a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit against the drunk driver and sometimes others in order to receive compensation for their injuries.  They can recover compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, disability or for the emotional and financial loss suffered when an accident results in the death of a family member.  In certain situations, punitive damages may also be recovered.

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No matter where you ride, there are risks every time

Most bikers are especially concerned about their bike and getting it fixed; or, having it declared as a total loss, for quick resolution to getting back on the road as soon as possible. Other questions might be related to obtaining a rental car, or finding a doctor who takes motorcycle accident cases, or finding a lawyer experienced in motorcycle cases, injuries, and settlements.

With its year-round sunshine and warm weather, there are few places better suited for motorcyclists than Port Orange, Florida. But no matter where you ride, there are risks every time you head out on the open road. Even minor accidents may lead to serious injuries causing permanent pain, disability, and life-threatening complications.

If you have a motorcycle accident, you may be out of work for a long time and struggling to pay for your medical treatment. Contact Colette Heck Law.

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Contact an experienced motorcycle injury attorney

Motorcycle accidents will often result in a very serious injury or death, and it is therefore extremely important for those involved in a motorcycle accident to contact an experienced motorcycle injury attorney in order to properly recover costs for injuries, medical bills, distress, loss of wages, medical expenses, and other damages caused as a result of the motorcycle accident.

You should also make sure to do the following:
-Report the accident to local law enforcement and insist upon an accident crash report
-Seek immediate medical attention, even if you think you are not injured. Being involved in a motorcycle accident can result in severe shock, so any injuries may not be immediately apparent.
-Get the license number, personal and insurance details, and name of the other driver involved.
-Ask for the details and names of any witnesses present at the accident scene.
-Take pictures to document your injuries and damages as soon as possible.

Contact Colette Heck Law today.
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