The Top Causes of Personal Injury in Florida: Prevention and Liability

The Sunshine State is no stranger to personal injury lawsuits. Long-time residents, snowbirds, and tourists alike have each had their unfortunate run-ins with accidents that were no fault of their own. Florida is known for its great weather and relaxed lifestyle, but unfortunately, accidents do happen in paradise.

Understanding which types of accidents happen more often and knowing who can be held liable for them can help you avoid becoming a victim. If you feel you’ve been a victim, contact a Freidin Brown personal injury lawyer to learn what your rights are. Moreover, specialized attorneys can help you recover compensation for your material losses, bodily injury, pain & sufeering, and more.

The Top Causes of Personal Injury Lawsuits in Florida

What are the top reasons for Florida personal injury lawsuits? Although they do occur, it’s certainly not from alligator or mosquito bites. The best way to prevent becoming injured by a negligent act of others is to be aware of which ones are the most common. However, if you’ve been injured as a result of a person or a company’s neglectful act, you should contact a lawyer and file a personal injury lawsuit.

It should be noted that in March 2023, the Governor of Florida signed a new law to help combat the filing of frivolous personal injury lawsuits in the Sunshine State. One of the most important aspects of this new law is the shortening of the Statute of Limitations from 4 years down to 2 years.

Motor Vehicle Accidents

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles reports that each year in the state there are approximately 381,600 motor vehicle accidents. On any given day in the Sunshine State, there are more or less 1045 crashes per day. Motor vehicle accidents account for a large percentage of personal injury lawsuits, each caused by a variety of different causes.

Common reasons for vehicle accidents are:

• Distracted driving
• Impaired driving
• Disregard of traffic laws

The liability for car accidents falls upon the negligent driver.

Slip and Falls

Slip and falls account for a large percentage of hospital emergency visits. Unfortunately, this type of accident is a leading cause of injury for those over the age of 65. Falls that result in an injury can happen in the home on private property or in retail or public spaces.

Victims of slip-and-fall accidents will need to prove that their accident was the result of either a person’s or a company’s negligence. Florida businesses must maintain their property to keep them safe and hazard-free.

Defective Products

Another common cause of personal injuries in Florida is defective products. Personal injury lawsuits that are the result of poor product design, improper warning labels, or are found to be defective can be sued if the plaintiff can prove they sustained injuries directly from the product. Typical scenarios for a product liability injury and lawsuit include:

• Manufacturing defects
• Design defects
• Marketing defects (Failure to warn)

Medical Malpractice

Although Florida has a good reputation for providing high-quality healthcare, medical malpractice does occur. It can be difficult to know if your healthcare provider is giving you the best possible medical treatment. As a precaution, patients can see if their doctor has been disciplined by searching the Florida Board of Medicine’s website.

Medical malpractice can happen in a variety of different ways including:

• Prescription errors
• Misdiagnosis
• Surgical procedure mistakes
• Childbirth injuries

What’s Required to File a Florida Personal Injury Lawsuit?

To file a personal injury lawsuit in Florida, it’s best to work with an attorney that specializes in personal injury cases. The burden of proof will be yours, so you’ll need to gather as much evidence as possible to prove your case. Depending on the cause of your injury, your lawyer will inform you of what documents you’ll need. Some of the obvious ones are:

• Police accident reports
• Emergency room documents
• Witness statements
• Photographs of the accident/incident, if applicable

The Bottom Line

Although some accidents are impossible to avoid, having a little knowledge of the most common personal injury causes can help keep you safe, or at the very least, safer. If you’ve been the victim of negligence and have suffered injuries, speak to a Florida personal injury attorney. With their help, you can file a personal injury lawsuit and seek the damages you deserve.