Litigation In Florida: What Are My Options?

Being involved in an accident, losing your ability to earn income for your family, being the victim of medical malpractice, being injured from using defective products . . .  all of these things can change a person’s life. The steps after that, making the decision to file a lawsuit, can also dramatically change a person’s life. It is important to fully understand what your legal options are and the impact litigation can have on your future, as well as to understand the possible outcomes.

Should I File A Lawsuit?

Deciding to file a lawsuit when you are suffering from an injury or loss can be difficult. If you have lost income due to missing work, your family lost their primary breadwinner, you have extensive medical bills, or if you will require long-term care due to injury or disability, you may be entitled to compensation. Deciding to file a civil lawsuit requires the preparation of a legal document known as a complaint. A complaint makes specific allegations about the wrongdoing of the person who allegedly injured you. After you file the complaint with the court, that person has to respond to your complaint in a document called an answer. In order to form a legal basis for the complaint, you need to be able to explain in detail what happened, the circumstances surrounding your accident, and information about your injury.

This process may require collecting medical records, hospital bills, medical opinions, and other documents and statements that may assist your case. While the lawsuit is ongoing, you may be required to disclose things of a personal nature, and you may need to talk about them in a deposition or other formal setting with the attorneys present. This fact may be a deterrent to litigation for some people, but having experienced attorneys on your side may help you in being able to preserve your confidentiality and help you navigate the process. Plus, disclosing information may also provide both parties more information to work with to negotiate a settlement.

Often, to save the time and cost of litigation and to try to come to an amicable resolution without trial, many civil cases will settle. Settlement is the process by which the party who allegedly did something wrong will pay the injured party a fair amount to settle the dispute. Though settlement is the most common option for receiving compensation in civil cases, sometimes cases will proceed to trial. At trial, you may be required to testify or have friends or family members testify. Trials can also have extremely favorable outcomes. The decision to settle or to try a case at trial depends on the unique needs, circumstances, and wishes of the injured party.

Miami Personal Injury Attorneys

At Alan Goldfarb, P.A., our dedicated, experienced Miami trial attorneys work hard to zealously represent our clients in various areas of the law. We seek to protect the injured victims of medical malpractice, vehicle accidents, job site accidents, and others that have been injured due to the negligence of another. We take the time to make sure our clients understand the legal process, participate in settlement negotiations, and to ensure the most favorable outcome possible. If publicity of any kind is undesired, we will take care to work to negotiate confidential settlements. If you or anyone you know is considering filing a lawsuit, the first step is to contact an attorney today.