A senseless accident can turn your world upside down. Besides the pain and injuries you sustained, you also now have endless unplanned medical bills, doctor appointments, lost wages, stress and fear. Most people have no idea how to handle the matter and rely on an insurance adjuster from the negligent party’s insurance company to provide them with all the information on what they should do to handle their losses. What is not obvious to most is that the insurance company does not represent you nor do they have your best interests in mind. If you or a loved one has been injured, you need an experienced personal injury attorney to be working on your behalf.
You’re injured, in pain, and scared. We want to help you through this challenging time. We want to help you hold the person or party who is at fault be accountable for the damages they’ve caused. We give each client the attention and guidance needed to pursue their legal remedies and obtain compensation they deserve. Arna and her experienced staff help clients in all phases of injury from the initial investigation through trial. Contrary to the trend with many other law firms, The Law Office of Arna D. Cortazzo, PA has remained small in numbers in order to provide the highest quality of service to our clients. Arna has practiced for more than 30 years in Florida state and federal courts. We represent injured people in Viera, Melbourne, Rockledge, Cocoa, Palm Bay, the beaches and all of Brevard County, Florida. We focus on representing clients in car accidents, truck accidents, and other injury cases due to the negligence of third parties. We handle cases in a number of different areas including:
* Car Accidents
* Wrongful Death
* Pedestrian Accidents
* Truck Accidents
* Motorcycle Accidents
* Unsafe Premises
* Crime Victims
* Catastrophic Injuries
Car accidents are one of the leading causes of injury and death in Florida. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, accident fatalities increased by more than 7% in 2019. This represents the largest annual increase in the number of highway accident fatalities since the government started recording this statistical data in 1975.
Accidents can cause a wide range of complex injuries and medical conditions. Common injuries include fractures, broken bones, and other serious injuries to the neck and back. Some of the most common injuries occur to the neck and back. Someinjuries are severe enough to requre surgery. High speed crashes, accidents with pedestrians, motorcycle accidents, and drunk driving cases often result in severe or even catastrophic injuries, such as a traumatic brain injury, closed head injury, spinal cord injury, paralysis, and in some cases wrongful death. We are here to help our clients get through these difficult injuries and get the justice they deserve.
Of course, no one wants to suffer an injury, and people rarely see it coming. It is important to document the incident by taking pictures and writing down the contact information of any witnesses. It is just as important to seek medical attention. Dealing with injuries can be challenging; it can be just as challenging as dealing with insurance companies. We have the experience and resources to help you through the process. Call us today for help from beginning to end.
After an accident you may find yourself inundated with letters from insurance companies and bill collectors. We deal with these companies so you don't have to. It's also common for insurance company adjusters to contact injury victims to discuss the facts of the case. They may even try take a recorded statement. Call us before you speak to an insurance company representative who may be acting only in the interest of the negligent party. Insurance adjusters have their own agendas and stories, and we have heard them before. We advocate for our clients’ rights against insurance companies. They have their own interests and we are well aware of with the tactics they try to employ.
If You Are Injured In A Car Accident
After any crash, call for help. Seek immediate medical care and follow up with your doctors. Try to stay calm, take pictures, take audio, and video. Document skid marks, road debris, and property damage. Try to document events before vehicles are moved, before victims are taken out of their vehicles and before other drivers may try to cover up what they did. Be sure to document any landmarks which can be reference points later. Don't just create close ups. Take photos of your car, and the damage to other vehicles in the accident, even if the other vehicles were only incidental to the collision. Obtain names and contact information of all potential witnesses and if possible even obtain a written statement. Get license tags and names and other contact information of other drivers and copies of other eyewitness photos too.
Document as much as you can. Send the data to us by email at arna@cortazzolaw.com when you call for our advice and it will make it easier for us to understand what happened. It will help memorialize the accident.. You should also contact your own insurance company and report the claim right away.
Many people try and handle accident claims themselves. Insurance companies have their own lawyers and so should you. Don't be led to believe that an insurance company representative is going to resolve your case for the full case value unless you are represented by a qualified personal injury lawyer.
Compensation
Accident victims are entitled to recover financial compensation for the consequences of their injuries. These are commonly referred to as damages. Damages include past and future medical care, such as expenses from the initial hospitalization, emergency room care, diagnostic tests, and other reasonably related medical expenses such as physical therapy and surgery.
Compensation may also be awarded for lost wages, loss of earning capacity, scarring, and disfigurement. Injured victims and certain family members may also recover for their pain and suffering such as the loss of enjoyment of life and for psychological and emotional harms. Our firm is here to make sure that the full amount of our client's damages are fully recovered.
Wrongful Death - Helping the Surviving Family
The sudden and unexpected loss of a loved one due to an accident is tragic and feels impossible to go through.. The sudden or accidental death of a family member or loved one impacts a family impacts a family over a lifetime. Although there is no amount of money that can replace a loved one, a wrongful death claim may provide compensation to families for their losses and consequences. In addition to feelings of grief, shock, and sadness, families may also face unforeseen financial hardships due to lost earnings of the deceased, medical bills and even funeral expenses. If a loved one's death was caused by the negligent, reckless, or intentional act of another, family members can recover for their pain, suffering, and monetary losses by filing a wrongful death claim against the responsible party. Though money can never bring a deceased loved one back into your life, a wrongful death attorney can ensure that you receive compensation for the financial consequences and for your pain and suffering from the devastating loss.
Wrongful death cases in Florida are based upon a specific statute adopted by the Florida legislature. A lawsuit for a wrongful death claim can only be brought by the personal representative of the estate of the decedent and on behalf of the survivors. This is an individual or an institution named in the decedent's will, or if there is no will, an appointee by a probate judge. In a wrongful death case, the personal representative brings all claims for persons who qualify as "survivors" under Florida's wrongful death statute. Many people are surprised to learn that eligible survivors exclude many people who suffer as a result of the death of another. Florida's Wrongful Death Act contains a short two year statute of limitations within which a lawsuit can be filed . The types of damages which can be recovered are also spelled out in the statute. The measure of damages is based upon the loss and harm to the survivors, not the losses experienced by the decedent. When you come in for a free consultation, we will explain how the law applies to your specific situation.
Slip and Fall Accidents
Trip/slip and fall accidents are usually no accidents at all. In most cases, they are simply the inevitable result of hazardous conditions that have been ignored or overlooked by a property owner, a business or its agents. The difficult part is proving that those conditions existed and that the owner knew about or should have known about the problem but did nothing to address it. Pay attention to the substance that caused the fall. Is the water dirty? Does it look like it's been there for awhile? Does the store have video cameras that could prove how long the water or other substance was there before you slipped and fell? If you tripped, be sure to get photos of what caused your fall.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupation Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) trip and falls account for nearly 15% of all serious injury and accidental deaths. There are also reportedly over 540,000 of this type of accidents, which require medical attention in the United States annually. Fractures and broken bones are common in slip and fall accident cases. Other common injuries include leg, arm, wrist, shoulder, and knee injuries. If your accident occurred in a retail store, supermarket, or apartment complex here are some things you should do immediately.
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Fill out an incident report or report the accident and keep a copy.
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If they won't give you one take a picture of it.
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Obtain the names of all employees or managers.
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Be sure not to get into a discussion with the manager about the facts or liability.
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Take photographs and video footage of the accident scene and condition of the premises.
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Obtain the name, address, or phone number of all potential witnesses.
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Seek immediate medical attention and document all potential injuries.
Remember, property owners have a duty to maintain their premises to keep them reasonably safe for customers, invited guests, business people and the general public, like you. Failure to adhere to safety regulations means that you can get injured and the owner may be legally responsible for your injuries. These are some of the reasons why it is important to contact us if you are injured in a slip and fall. Contact our law firm today for a free consultation.
You have questions and we have answers.
Call now for your free initial consultation. During your case consultation Arna will take the time to answer your questions and help you understand the legal process. We will listen to your unique situation and provide you with an understanding of the legal system. Insurance companies have their own attorneys and so should you. Before discussing your injury claim with an insurance adjuster you should first seek the advice of an experienced personal injury lawyer.
When pursuing legal action after a car accident, motorcycle crash, or any other accident involving a serious personal injury you should always remember that time is of the essence.
Don’t wait! Contact us today!
For a Free 30-minute Personal Injury Consultation. Call (321) 690-2363, reach us by email at advocates@cortazzolaw.com or
complete the contact form below. You don't have to leave your home or office. We offer Zoom meetings and telephone
conferences for your convenience.
**No Attorneys Fees Unless We Collect.** We handle all personal injury cases under a contingency fee. That means there are no attorneys' fees unless we collect. There are also no upfront costs.
