Experienced Personal Injury Attorney in Orlando, FL
Are you looking for reliable legal representation in the Orlando area? Call The Law Offices of Marc L. Shapiro, P.A.
Have you been hurt in a car accident, slip-and-fall accident, or animal attack? If so, seeking the help of an experienced personal injury attorney in Orlando, FL, is one of the smartest things you can do. Specifically, if you’re dealing with an animal attack, such as a dog bite, our Florida dog bite lawyer can provide specialized legal assistance. Our attorneys from The Law Offices of Marc L. Shapiro, P.A., can calculate the value of your case, prove the liable party acted negligently, and represent you if your case goes to trial.
Our attorneys have years of experience representing clients throughout the Orlando area. Read our reviews to learn how we’ve helped clients, then call 239-500-5000 for a free case evaluation. We’ve also included some helpful information below to guide you through the process.
Why Choose The Law Offices of Marc L. Shapiro, P.A.?
We know you have many choices regarding personal injury attorneys in Orlando. Here’s why you should work with The Law Offices of Marc. L Shapiro, P.A.:
- We’ve proudly represented clients throughout Florida since 1992
- Marc L. Shapiro, Esq., is an award-winning attorney with nearly 30 years of experience
- Our staff speaks multiple languages, including French, Spanish, and Creole
- We skip the confusing legalese and explain things to you in a way you can understand
- We’re big enough to handle serious cases and small enough to truly care
- We have a “Superb” rating on Avvo and an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau
Our attorneys know how important it is to seek justice for our clients. We pair our knowledge with a down-to-earth attitude that you’ll find reassuring and approachable. If you want a reliable personal injury attorney in Orlando, FL, look no further than The Law Offices of Mark L. Shapiro.
Learn more about our Orlando attorneys, then call us to speak with a lawyer about your case. Having a committed legal professional in your corner is a wise move.
Our Practice Areas
The Law Offices of Mark L. Shapiro handles all personal injury cases. If you are an accident victim, reach out to us today.
Slip-and-Fall Accidents
Slip-and-fall accidents can seem relatively benign, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Slipping on spilled food at the grocery store or wiping out on a slick sidewalk is enough to put you in the hospital for weeks. Head injuries, broken bones, and even spinal fractures aren’t uncommon outcomes of slip-and-fall accidents. Gathering evidence for a slip and fall accident is crucial in these cases, as it can significantly strengthen your claim
These accidents fall under a type of law called premises liability. This law says that property owners must remove hazards to keep their guests safe. If a property owner knew about (or should have known about) a hazard yet failed to remove it, you could hold them liable for your accident.
For instance, assume a child spills a can of soda in the aisles of a grocery store. The store owner knows about it but doesn’t send someone to clean the mess because the store is too busy. Ann doesn’t notice the spill and falls in the soda puddle. She could file a claim against the owner for negligence.
Car Accidents
Car accidents are extremely common on our Orlando roads. Take one trip on our local highways, and it’s easy to see why. Drivers zip down the streets at frightening speeds, swerve in and out of traffic, and drive aggressively when others don’t move fast enough for their liking.
Florida is a no-fault state, which means insurance will cover minor injuries and property damage resulting from a car accident, regardless of whose fault it was. However, if you sustained serious injuries, you may be able to sue the negligent driver in a lawsuit.
Serious injuries include the following:
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Loss of bodily function or mobility
- Death
You may also sue the at-fault party if their insurance doesn’t fully cover your expenses.
Truck Accidents
Semi-trucks are far larger and heavier than cars, so it stands to reason that accidents involving these behemoths can have devastating outcomes for victims. Those fortunate enough to survive such accidents may be left with multiple broken bones, brain injuries, internal damage, and even complete paralysis.
Truckers must abide by different rules than average drivers. These rules limit how many hours they can drive without breaks. Sometimes, a driver will ignore the rules to make their delivery anyway. They then doze off at the wheel, leaving a trail of destruction and injured drivers in their wake.
If you’ve had a truck accident, you may be able to hold the trucking company responsible. This may be possible if the trucking company:
- Didn’t perform background checks on its drivers
- Hired drivers with alcohol and drug addictions
- Failed to train its drivers
- Didn’t inspect its trucks or remove defective vehicles from the road
Bicycle Accidents
It can be a blast to ride your bike past our gorgeous oceans and palm-lined streets, but unfortunately, some drivers treat bikes with more than a little disdain. They don’t enjoy sharing the road with slow-moving bicyclists and may respond by swerving or driving aggressively to “teach them a lesson.”
Other drivers don’t seem to notice cyclists at all. They can pass them far too closely, knocking those poor bikers off their ride and into a ditch.
Bikes offer far less protection than cars, which means your injuries can be more serious. If you suffered injuries from an inattentive or aggressive driver, reach out to our firm for help.
Rideshare Accidents
Did your Uber or Lyft driver have an accident with you in the back of their car? Or maybe a rideshare driver backed into your car in a parking lot. You may wonder if it’s possible to sue the driver in such a case.
Rideshare drivers must have insurance that protects them when picking up and transporting passengers. If a rideshare driver hit you while not on duty, though, this coverage doesn’t apply.
In the latter case, you must file a claim with the driver’s personal insurance company. If their insurance isn’t enough to cover your bills, you may want to seek damages from them with a lawsuit.
Boating Accidents
Is there anything better than enjoying the Florida sunshine while relaxing on your boat? That dream can quickly become a nightmare when another boat crashes into yours.
Boating accidents are similar to car accidents in that operators have a duty to operate their craft responsibly. However, boats can lull their operators into a false sense of security. They speed, perform stunts on the water, and even indulge in alcohol while cruising along the waterways.
Our firm can hold negligent boat operators responsible for accidents under the following circumstances:
- Operator inexperience
- Maintenance problems
- Failure to yield to oncoming vessels
- Driving a boat while intoxicated
- Speeding near land or docks
- Failing to keep safety equipment on the boat
Drunk Driving
Thousands of people lose their lives to drunk drivers throughout Florida every year. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), nearly 7,600 Floridians were killed in alcohol-related crashes from 2009 to 2018. Almost 750 people died in such accidents in 2020 alone.
If you were injured or lost a loved one in a drunk driving accident, you’re probably furious at the driver who hit you, and rightly so. The Law Offices of Marc L. Shapiro, P.A., can help you seek justice and hold the negligent driver responsible.
Workers’ Compensation
If you’re hurt on the job, workers’ comp benefits can tide you over until you’re well enough to return to work. These benefits pay for a part of your lost wages plus all medical bills related to your work-related injuries.
However, claiming workers’ comp can be confusing, and many workers don’t know they must make a claim by the two-year deadline. You also only have 30 days to report the accident to your employer.
If you miss either deadline, workers’ comp could deny your claim. It may also deny your claim if your employer says you weren’t hurt at work.
Contact us to learn whether we can make an appeal if workers’ comp has denied you.
Animal Attacks
A dog can bite you without warning, even if it always seemed friendly before. Such bites can cause infections, scarring, and even broken bones if the dog bites you hard enough.
In Florida, dog owners are responsible for damages if their dog bites you in a public place or on a private property where they invited you as a guest.
Wrongful Death
If your loved one lost their life because of someone’s negligent or deliberate actions, it’s understandable that you want to seek justice against the responsible party.
In Florida, surviving spouses and children can sue for loss of companionship and mental pain and suffering. Parents of a deceased child can seek damages for pain and suffering as well. The court may further order the defendant to pay punitive damages if they acted in a deplorable or especially negligent manner.
Damages You Can Seek in Personal Injury Lawsuit
Many of our clients want to know what compensation is available to them after an accident. You can seek damages for:
- Accident-related medical bills, both current and anticipated
- Lost wages for the time you need to take off work
- Loss of earning potential
- Damage to your car and other belongings
- Loss of companionship
- Wrongful death
How Can You Prove Negligence in Your Case?
If you intend to sue someone and win, your personal injury attorney in Orlando, FL, will need to prove four elements:
- The defendant had a duty of care to you. For instance, a driver has a duty not to drive aggressively, and a store owner has a duty to clean up spills before someone falls in the mess.
- They breached their duty by acting negligently or failing to remove hazards.
- The breach of duty caused your accident.
- Your accident caused damages that the court can compensate you for.
Comparative Negligence in Florida
For the past 50 years, Florida has been what’s known as a “pure comparative negligence” state. Victims may seek damages regardless of how much blame they share for their injuries.
However, in March 2023, Governor Ron DeSantis signed major changes to comparative negligence rules into law. Under these changes, victims can no longer seek compensation if they are more than 50% at fault for an accident.
This could have a major effect on your settlement or award. For instance, if you were in a car accident and the other driver’s insurance company proves you’re 55% at fault, you can’t recover any compensation.
This is why it’s so critical to have an attorney by your side. They will gather all possible evidence to prove who was responsible for your accident.
Florida’s Statute of Limitations
You may not think of filing a lawsuit immediately after an accident, but Florida has a statute of limitations on personal injury claims, so it’s a good idea to pay attention to this deadline.
In our state, you have just two years to file a lawsuit for a negligence-based accident. If you miss the deadline, the court will likely refuse to hear your case, which means you cannot recover compensation.
There are a few exceptions to the rule, though. They include:
- You were a minor at the time of the accident
- The negligent party fled the state after the accident and before you were able to sue them
- You were incapacitated at the time of the accident (in a coma, for example)
- The defendant changed their name or took other steps to conceal themselves to avoid being sued
Contact The Law Offices of Marc L. Shapiro, P.A.
If you’ve had an accident and wish to seek damages from liable parties, you must act quickly to avoid passing the deadline. A personal injury attorney in Orlando, FL, will gather all the details about your case, negotiate with insurance companies, and represent you if your case makes it to trial.
For a consultation on your case in Orlando, FL, call The Law Offices of Marc L. Shapiro, P.A., at 239-500-5000.
The Law Offices of Marc L. Shapiro, P.A.
2295 S. Hiawassee Rd., Suite 403
Orlando, FL 32835
Telephone: 321-319-3494
