Yes. If we represent you in your personal injury case, we do not charge any fee upfront. You only pay us if we obtain a settlement or verdict for you. Our fee is a percentage of the amount you receive, so you don’t have to worry about being able to afford quality legal representation when you are injured. Also, we can advance the costs of the lawsuit, such as court filing fees and expert witness fees, so it doesn’t cost you anything out of your pocket to pursue your claim. Our costs are reimbursed from the settlement or verdict we obtain for you.
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Should I Settle My Case Pre-suit, or Should We Go to Court?
The decision of whether to settle a personal injury case pre-suit or whether to file a complaint should not be decided quickly but should be based on an evaluation of numerous factors. Some attorneys may tell you that you can get a larger total settlement if they file suit but is it really in your best interest to file suit?
For example, in a personal injury case, if you file a suit:
1) The attorney’s fee increases after you file suit to 40%.
2) Your cost increases after you file suit (filing fee, depositions, mediations, etc).
3) After you file a suit, you will have to sit for a deposition. This will require you to take off from work in order to attend as they typically run several hours long;
4) You will have to continue to go to the doctor to substantiate any claims for future medicals (which will increase doctor liens or subrogation amounts claimed by your health insurance company).
5) Your case will continue unsettled for a year or more.
6) The insurance company will thoroughly examine your medical and employment background.
7) You could always settle and end up with less money. At the Law Office of JJ Talbott, we aggressively fight for our clients both pre-suit and once a suit has been filed.
When Should I Settle a Personal Injury Case?
We believe that the decision of whether to file suit should be based on an evaluation of many factors and not just whether you can settle for more money. If you have questions about your case, call the personal injury attorneys at the Law Office of J.J. Talbott for your free consultation.
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Should I Provide a Statement to an Insurance Company Without Legal Help?
The attorneys at the Law Office of J.J. Talbott believe that you should NEVER make any sort of statement to an insurance company before you consult an attorney.
Often, the insurance company will contact you soon after the accident to ask you questions about the accident and your injuries. While you may think that the issues are straightforward, the issues may not be apparent. The insurance company may be seeking information so that they can deny or limit your claim.
Speaking with a personal injury lawyer at the Law Office of J.J. Talbott before you give a recorded statement can help protect your rights as we have the experience to identify the relevant issues in your case and help prepare you for the recorded statement. Additionally, we will be there by your side during the recorded statement to help assure that the insurance company does not ask any inappropriate questions.
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Do You Take Cases on a Contingency Fee Basis?
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How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer?
The cost to hire a personal injury lawyer can vary between cases and firms. Many Personal Injury attorneys charge different amounts based on location and the firms’ history.
However, many lawyers, like the Law Office of J.J. Talbott, charge on a contingency fee basis. What this means is that there are no fees or costs to hire a personal injury lawyer unless you recover a settlement. Then, the attorney fee is based on a percentage of that settlement. In Florida, the maximum contingency fee in a personal injury case is 1/3 of the recovery, pre-suit. If a lawsuit is filed, then the fee increases to 40% of the recovery amount.
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How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit?
In most cases, the statute of limitations requires that you file your lawsuit within two years of the date of the injury, or else you can be prohibited from recovering from the negligent party. However, this deadline may be longer or shorter depending upon a variety of factors, such as the type of negligence (medical malpractice, birth injury, product defect), the age of the victim (minor, adult), and the status of the defendant (public entity, private person).
Two years may seem like a long time, but it can pass by quickly while you are busy with the aftermath of a serious personal injury, such as concentrating on your physical recovery; dealing with insurance forms, doctor and hospital bills, and other paperwork; and getting back to work or collecting disability. If you are talking to the insurance company about a settlement, these negotiations can drag on past the deadline for you to file a lawsuit if you are not careful, which can be disastrous to your case.
Contacting an attorney soon after the accident will help ensure that the statute of limitations will not be overlooked, as well as handling other important matters such as notifying your insurance company in a timely fashion. Also, your lawyer will get started right away gathering important evidence and preparing your case for the best result either through settlement or verdict.
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How Do I Know if I Have a Personal Injury Case?
Simply being injured in an accident does not mean that you have a personal injury case. The experienced personal injury attorneys at the Law Office of J.J. Talbott are able to tell you whether or not you have a claim.
So, How do I Know If I Have an Injury Case?
However, generally, you must be able to prove three things to establish a case:
(1) that another party was negligent,
(2) that their negligence caused your injury, and
(3) that the injury resulted in your damages.
Depending on the facts of your case, proving negligence and causation may be complex, so it is important to consult with an attorney before making any assumptions about your injury case.
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Do I Need to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer?
Short answer – yes!
Longer answer – It is always a good idea to work with an attorney if you were injured in an accident. Generally, plaintiffs who hire personal injury lawyers to represent them have a higher likelihood of settlement, receive higher amounts and are more satisfied (on average) than plaintiffs who attempt to negotiate or recover damages on their own. When you are injured, it is difficult to focus on healing and deal with insurance companies and medical bills at the same time.
The experienced personal injury attorneys at the Law Office Of J.J. Talbott can assist you in getting the medical care you need, help compile your medical records, compute your damages, and work to settle your case, all while you work on getting better. Give a call today to explore your case options at (850) 695-8331">(850) 695-8331.
Client Experiences
We Treat Our Clients Like Family
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I really appreciated all the hard work that this law firm put in for me and how nice the people were that worked on my behalf.Dewitt L.
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I was very pleased with the service and the recovery of my lost wages.Ann M.
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I love you all so much. Thanks for all of your hard work! If I ever need to come back it will be you guys. Thanks.La Rheasa M.
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Has always done it correctly and thoroughly. You can give complete trust to J.J. and the whole Talbott staff.Brian C.
What Makes Us Different?
Reasons Our Clients Love Us
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Work Directly With Your Attorney
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Welcoming and Laid-Back Atmosphere
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We Always Return Phone Calls Within 24 Hours
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We Treat Our Clients Like Family
Whether you’re one of the 250,000+ Floridians injured in an auto accident each year, or you’ve suffered an injury at work and your employer’s insurance company is not co-operating, the Law Office of J.J. Talbott can help get you the compensation you deserve. Founder, J.J. Talbott is among the 1% of trial lawyers in the United States who have won multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements.
