To view this, you need to install the Flash Player 5. Please go to here and download it.

Below are some frequently asked questions regarding your personal injury claim and fees. If you have any further questions, contact us in Miami, Florida, today. We will be glad to help.

What are my fees?

In personal injury cases, including wrongful death and medical malpractice, fees are on a contingency basis. That is, if you do not receive compensation for your personal injury, we do not charge a fee. In complex commercial litigation, our fees, of course, are on an hourly basis. We would like to discuss them with you. All initial consultations are free.

The Florida Bar requires that each Florida lawyer provide you, the client, with a Statement of Client's Rights, and that you sign the statement indicating you have received it. We provide all of our clients the Statement of Client's Rights with a written fee agreement.

back to top

Can I settle out of court, and what is mediation?

A claim can be settled at any time, including before the suit is filed, after the suit is filed, and, of course, before trial is started. Suits and claims can also be settled during or after trial. Statistically, most cases settle before trial and few ever go to trial. John H. (Jack) Hickey and The Legal Team can, and do, take cases to trial.

Mediation is an informal procedure where all parties and their lawyers meet in a conference room to attempt to negotiate a settlement. At mediation, I will make a brief presentation discussing our side of the case with the mediator (usually a retired lawyer or a judge) and, of course, with the lawyer for the other side and his or her representative (usually the insurance company adjuster). The lawyer for the other side will then make a brief presentation about their side of the case. You are required to attend mediation, but you are not required to say anything or to settle.

After the initial presentations are made, the mediator will meet with you and me separately from the other side and their lawyer. The mediator will then discuss the positives and negatives of our case and attempt to persuade us to lower our demand. The mediator will then meet with the other side, also in private, and attempt to persuade them to increase their offer to us. This process can be as short as one hour or can go on for several hours. The court orders that mediation takes place and that you and the other side appear in person at the mediation. The court does not order, of course, that the case settle at mediation.

back to top

How much is my personal injury case worth?

Every case is at least slightly different. In personal injury cases, you are entitled to compensation for such things as pain and suffering (past and future); lost wages and ability to earn income (past and future); medical expenses (past and future); disfigurement; disability, and loss of enjoyment of life (past and future). In order to evaluate your personal injury claim, we will have to speak with you and ask you some questions. Some of the questions we will ask are the following (you can speed up the process by providing this information in your e-mail or telephone call):

Still have questions? If so, contact personal injury attorney John H. (Jack) Hickey in Miami, Florida, to schedule a free consultation.

back to top

5 tips on what to do if you have had an accident

back to top

Q: What should I do if I have just had an accident?

A: We have on our webpage 10 things you should do if you have just had an accident. The bottom line is that you should first, of course, get medical care. Your health comes first. Even if you do not have health insurance, go to a hospital and get checked up immediately. Second, you should follow the 5 TIPS we outline on our web page. Here they are again, but the bottom line is to CALL US TODAY TOLL FREE AT 1.800.215.7117 FOR A FREE CONSULTATION:

back to top

Q: Should I as an accident victim negotiate with the insurance adjuster (or the company, the cruise line, or the railroad), and why not aren’t they on my side?

A: No. The insurance adjuster is not on your side. He or she is trained to negotiate and they know the law. Also, they are removed from the situation and you are not. You are personally involved, and you need to take yourself out of it. Get professional help. Call us. If your case fits the type of case we take, we will represent you. If not, and if we are able to, we will help you get the lawyer you need.

back to top

Q: I had an accident on a cruise ship and I live outside Florida. Don’t I need a lawyer who is here where I live? Don’t I need a lawyer where the cruise ship left from?

A: You need a lawyer who is where the cruise ship requires you to sue, and you need a maritime attorney who knows the cruise lines. Where your lawyer should be located: MIAMI. In the ticket for the cruise there is a lot of fine print. In that fine print, it says where you are required to file suit against the cruise lines. (It also says that you have to give them notice within a certain period of time –usually 6 months—and to file suit within a year). For Carnival, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, they require that you bring suit in MIAMI. WHAT KIND OF LAWYER: Maritime lawyer who knows the cruise lines. The maritime law applies. We know maritime law. We know the cruise lines. Jack Hickey used to represent the major cruise lines for 17 years. Now he is here for you.

back to top

Q: If I have been the victim of a sexual assault on a cruise ship, what do I do and where can I turn?

A: Here are our 10 TIPS for what to do if you are sexually assaulted onboard a cruise ship:

back to top

Q: Can you tell me how much my case is worth?

No one over the phone can really tell you how much your case is worth. It depends on a whole set of factors. Generally, lawyers and the adjusters for the big companies evaluate a claim based on the liability, that is fault, and on damages. Liability is who and how much the company is at fault and how much you are at fault. The jury in court gets to compare the fault of the company and your fault.
Damages usually include compensation for:

back to top

Q: Why should we hire you?

A: You should hire any attorney only after you have looked at their background, education, and experience….and of course their results. All of this is on our website. Jack Hickey has a unique blend of Experience, Leadership, and Results. He is recognized as one of the nation’s leading trial attorneys, is a leader in the legal community, and has achieved outstanding results for his clients. You be the judge. Call us for a free consultation today: 1.800.215.7117.

back to top

Q: How can I afford an attorney? How do you charge?

A: 3 points:

back to top

Q: If I call you, are you going to charge me?

A: No. All consultations are free. Of course, everything you tell us is confidential even if you never hire us.

back to top

Q: What do you do after I hire you, and will I be required to do anything for my claim or my lawsuit?

A: With every case, we have a game plan, a plan of action. First, we get as much information from you and your family as possible. We do this by our in office or over the phone interview of you. We also send you a checklist of things to do and to get us. This is your homework assignment. Next we investigate. That may mean that we talk to witnesses, including you and your family and friends. That also may mean getting whatever reports are out there on the incident. We also take photos or have them taken of you and of the scene. Then we get other records like medical records and bills. If necessary we prepare a complaint to file in court. After that, in the lawsuit, we will send out what is called discovery to the other side. That is primarily interrogatories (written questions to be answered under oath), request to produce (a request for documents and items), and notices of deposition (a notice to the other side that we are going to take the deposition of their representative. This is a sworn statement where the witness in the presence of his or her attorney, and all of the attorneys on the case, and a court reporter and sometimes a video camera answers questions about the case, their involvement and knowledge).

You will be required also to participate in discovery as well. You also will have to answer interrogatories, and provide documents, give a deposition, and go to a doctor hired by the insurance company.

back to top

Q: My medical bills are piling up; what do I do about those? Can’t we just send them to the cruise line/insurance company/company/railroad?

A: Generally, the company will not pay these, unless there is a settlement or a jury verdict. Unfortunately you have to deal with them.

back to top

Q: How do I get started? What is the first step now?

A: Call us. We can evaluate your claim. If we do represent you, we will guide you through all of this. Call us today at 1.800.215.7117. Thanks.

back to top

Q: Statutes of limitations: What is this and when do I have to act?

A: Click here for pdf article about Statutes of limitations

back to top

Q: I live in New York (or any other state), can you represent me?

A: Click here for pdf article about out of state representation

back to top

Q: Are there time limits on when I have to act? What time limits do I have?

A: There are always time limits and deadlines in the law. This is not legal advice and the only way we can tell you accurately what your time limits are is to speak with you and learn about your case. However, we want you to know the basics.

When you sue a government or the cruise lines there are time limits on giving notice of the claim. This notice is before you file a lawsuit.

There is always a deadline for actually filing a lawsuit. This deadline is called a "statute of limitation". The deadline or statute of limitation, usually, begins to run from the date of the accident or incident.

For a cruise ship accident, or any accident or incident involving a passenger on a cruise ship, the deadline is 1 year. For an accident on land, the deadline in Florida usually is 4 years. For medical malpractice, the deadline is 2 years. The medical malpractice deadline begins to run from the incident or from when you the patient knew or should have known of the negligence.

You need to hire an attorney well BEFORE these deadlines expire. That is why we recommend that you CALL TOLL FREE TODAY: 1.800.215.7117.

back to top

Q: I sent a letter to the cruise line or to the store or to the place where I had my accident. Isn't that enough to file a claim?

A: No. It is not enough. It may be good and it may be required in some instances to give notice or send a letter to someone about their negligence. But it is never enough. Most of the time, that has no legal significance. What counts is filing a lawsuit in the right court.

If you file in the wrong court or past the deadline, you have no claim. We know what court is right. At Hickey Law Firm, P.A., we have the staff and attorney to assist you. The lead trial lawyer is John H. (Jack) Hickey. He has 28 years of experience practicing law; is Board Certified as a Civil Trial Lawyer; is rated A/V by the international legal directory Martindale-Hubbell (the highest rating, achieved by only 5% of lawyers); and is Past President of the Dade County Bar Association. Hickey represented the cruise lines, railroads, and insurance companies for the first 17 years of his practice. For the last 11 years, he has represented the seriously injured against the cruise lines, railroads, and insurance companies. CALL TOLL FREE TODAY 1.800.215.7117.

back to top

Q: I don't live in Florida. Can't I hire a lawyer here and file a lawsuit against the cruise lines where I live?

A: No. You have to file suit against the cruise lines where the ticket requires you to file. For Carnival Cruise Lines, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, and Celebrity Cruise Lines, Costa Cruise Lines, and some others, the place is Miami, Florida.

back to top

Q: Do I have a claim? Do I have a good case?

A: We can tell you about your case when we talk to you. And we do not charge for consultations. That’s right; ALL CONSULTATIONS ARE FREE. That is why we say: CALL TOLL FREE TODAY: 1.800.215.7117.

back to top

Contact personal injury attorney John H. (Jack) Hickey in Miami, Florida, today to discuss your case.

1401 Brickell Ave. Suite 510 Miami, Florida 33131 Click HERE to view location and directions

Toll Free: 800.215.7117 | Fax: 305.371.3542 Se Habla Español Nous Parlons Français