South Florida Injury Lawyer Blawg
Loss of vision in one or both eyes is a traumatic and painful experience. Any interference with an individual’s ability to see can affect every aspect of his or her daily life. Even minor injuries to the eyes can leave long-term complications for the victim to deal with. Individuals who suffer from eye injuries deal with an extraordinary amount of physical, emotional, and psychological stress. If you or someone close to you has suffered vision loss or an injury to the eye, you have the right to seek compensation.
Eye injuries can occur in a variety of ways, ranging from automobile accidents to slip and falls to animal bites. In some cases, eye injuries happen due to mistakes or errors in medical procedures. Victims can suffer from a number of eye injuries, such as detached retina, eye laceration, blindness, cornea injuries, chemical burns to the eye, orbital fractures, and more.
If you suffer an eye injury due to the negligence or recklessness of another, you will be able to seek compensation for your injuries by filing a negligence lawsuit against the at-fault party. The principle of negligence mandates that individuals use reasonable care when acting. Reasonable care refers to a standard of behavior that is sensible or prudent. The idea behind negligence is to take reasonable precautions in one’s actions or omissions to prevent foreseeable harm to others. In order to establish negligence, a plaintiff has to establish four elements. The defendant must have owed the plaintiff a duty of care to act reasonably, the defendant must have breached the duty of care by acting unreasonably, the accident or occurrence must have happened because of the defendant’s breach, and the plaintiff must have suffered harm or injury to the eye as a result.
Eye injury victims may be entitled to recover damages, including but not limited to medical expenses, pain and suffering, loss of income, loss of earning capacity, rehabilitation, loss of enjoyment of life, disfigurement, scarring, and any other costs for equipment or services needed for the visually impaired. In some cases, victims may also be eligible for punitive damages.
In Florida, you have four years from the date of the injury to file a lawsuit in the state’s civil court. This time frame is known as the statute of limitations. Failure to take legal action within the statute of limitations could mean losing your right to be heard by a court altogether. Under Florida law, the statute of limitations for medical malpractice is two years from the when the patient knew or should have known that the injury occurred.
Robert Dixon is a highly skilled Miami medical negligence attorney who will provide aggressive and competent representation to victims who have suffered eye injuries. Our firm will work diligently to determine the extent and implications of the injury. We know these types of injuries can transform every aspect of your and your family’s life, which is why we make every effort to get you the maximum possible compensation under the law. It is best to act as quickly as possible after the accident. We proudly represent clients throughout South Florida. Contact us online or call us today at 1-877-499-HURT (4878) for a free, confidential consultation.
More Blog Posts:
Train Accidents in Florida, South Florida Injury Lawyer Blawg, October 10, 2014
Florida Laws Pertaining to Settlements for Minors, South Florida Injury Lawyer Blawg, September 9, 2014
The Different Statute of Limitations in Florida Boating Accident Cases, South Florida Injury Lawyer Blawg, August 26, 2014