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Florida
Personal Injury Law
The following summary of Florida personal injury laws and case types
will help you understand important aspects of injury claims in this
state.
Florida Statute of Limitations:
Personal Injury: For general personal injury, the SOL is 4 years.
Medical Malpractice: 2 years from discovery of the injury, but no more
than four years from the act that would have given rise to the claim.
Products Liability: 4 years
Caps on Personal Injury Awards in Florida:
With regard to medical malpractice claims,
there is a $500,000 cap for
physicians and $750,000 for hospitals per patient claim for
non-economic damages; unless there is a death (wrongful death),
catastrophic injury or
the victim is placed in a permanent vegetative state as a result of the
malpractice (in which case the cap is $1,000,000.).
Florida Serious Injury Threshold:
There is no serious injury threshold in the state of Florida.
Florida is a No Fault state and follows the pure comparative negligence
doctrine. An insurance adjuster will first assess who is at fault and
pay accordingly, however even if the injured party is at fault as well
(up to 99%), damages will be adjusted to reflect the comparative
negligence.
Personal Injury Claim Types & Theory of
Liability in Florida:
Medical
Malpractice Cases: A doctor or other health care professional
must provide the standard of care. This is defined as that level of
care, skill and treatment which is recognized as acceptable and
appropriate by reasonably prudent similar healthcare providers under
similar circumstances (the judge is permitted to provide this
definition to the jury in a trial).
Slip and
Fall Accidents: This is a personal injury case in which an
individual slips and falls on property owned by someone else. The owner
will be liable if he/she is aware of the dangerous condition and failed
to correct it.
Auto
Accident Claims: These injuries occur when a driver causes an
accident due to his/her negligent conduct. Florida follows the pure
comparative fault theory, therefore he or she is entitled to recovery
reduced by their degree of fault, up to 99%.
Wrongful
Death Cases:
A wrongful death case can occur in a variety of
situations including auto accidents, medical malpractice or product
liability cases.
When a death occurs due to the negligence of another, the liable party
can be held financially responsible to the estate of the decedent.
Product
Liability Lawsuit: If a product fails to perform in the way
in which it was designed and the result is serious injury or even
death, the manufacturer or distributor may be liable to the injured
party under this theory.
Workers'
Compensation Law: Florida is a compulsory state meaning that
employers are required to carry workers compensation
insurance. If an employee is injured while working, the
employer will be responsible for compensating the injured party for his
injury provided it occurs during the scope of employment.
For More
Information Check out these sites:
Official Website of the State of Florida
Florida Vehicle Insurance Information
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