Do I Need a Miami Injury Lawyer if I Don’t Want to Go to Trial?

When you are catastrophically injured, you need an experienced attorney on your side who has a will to win. Why?  Because the insurance companies and cruise lines do.  And because you don’t want to go it alone.  This is your one shot to recover.  Hickey Law Firm in just a few short years has recovered over $100 Million  for personal injury clients in Miami and across Florida. How?  We have a will to win.  And we specialize in life changing injury cases: spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, rapes and sexual assault, orthopedic injuries with surgeries, nerve injuries, RSD/CRPS, and central pain syndrome.

Hickey Law Firm is respected by former clients, insurance companies, and defense lawyers for our impressive record of settlements and verdicts. The Best Lawyers in America© recognizes John H. (Jack) Hickey in three areas: Admiralty and Maritime Law, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs, and Medical Malpractice – Plaintiffs. Call us in Miami to get started on your case.

Why should I choose Hickey Law Firm? 

John H. (Jack) Hickey, the lead trial lawyer on all of our cases, used to represent the insurance companies.  And he used to represent large self insured companies like the railroads and the cruise lines.   He knows how they operate.  And he knows what they want to see in a claim.  That is a big advantage to you, our client, over other lawyers.  That is why we say: “Was a lawyer for the insurance companies.  Now a lawyer for you”.

Do I have to go all the way to trial to get a recovery?

The answer is usually not.  But you have to prepare as if you are going to trial.  So most of our time is spent preparing for trial.  Some people think that the bulk of a lawyer’s duties are centered around the courtroom. It is true that your Miami personal injury lawyer at our firm is or will be ready, willing, and able to take your case to trial.  But sometimes the best option for you is to settle your claim. Even if you plan to file an insurance claim with the other person’s insurance company, that is when you definitely need a lawyer. Insurance claims adjusters  do not do right by you  unless a lawyer is in your corner. Our lawyers use their legal skill to help our clients recover as much compensation as the clients’ can from their accidents. With personal injury accidents, you have the chance to be made “whole” again by being financially compensated by the defendant.

What if my claim is denied?

Insurance companies almost always deny claims.  That has zero legal significance.  It is meaningless.  And if they don’t outright deny it, they will say it is not worth much.  The insurance companies’ claims departments are in the business of saying “no”.

No matter what type of accident you are involved in, the insurance company will do everything in their power to keep you from receiving a penny. Even if your claim is legitimate, they will still deny it with the hope that you will be discouraged from fighting for an appeal. Before or after the insurance companies deny your claim, you need a skilled personal injury lawyer on your side.  The insurance companies all have lawyers on staff and retained in private law firms.  And the adjusters for the insurance companies know all the tricks.  You should have a lawyer too.

There is a deadline to file any claim for any personal injury.  That deadline is different for different types of personal injury cases.  A slip and fall on land in Florida can be 4 years.  Medical malpractice in Florida is 2 years from when you knew or should have known.  A case against a cruise line for a passenger usually is 1 year.

There is only one way to beat that deadline.  It is not to send a letter to the insurance company.  It is not to “file a claim” with the insurance company.  (There is no such thing as “filing a claim” with an insurance company).  The only way to beat that deadline is to file a complaint in court.  It has to be the right court (state or Federal) and in the right place (“venue”).

And the complaint has to state certain theories as to why the Defendant, the person or company which was negligent and caused the accident, is responsible (liable) for compensating you for your losses.

The complaint is required to state what damages you have suffered.  In law, there are economic damages which are the medical expenses from the past and which you will incur in the future and the past and future loss of income.  There are also non economic damages.  These include pain, suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, mental anguish, physical impairment, and scarring and disfigurement.  You are entitled to recover, if the jury finds for you, all of these damages in the past and in the future until the end of your life expectancy if physicians testify that these injuries or damages are permanent.

At Hickey Law Firm, our personal injury lawyers have the technical knowledge and skills to get all of the required information from you the client and to prepare a complaint filed in court.  When an experienced Miami personal injury lawyer at Hickey Law Firm prepares the complaint, you have more confidence that your claim will be taken seriously.

Gathering credible evidence

Your personal injury lawyer can also gather the strongest evidence for your claim. The more evidence that you include in your claim that can prove the other person’s negligence, the more likely you will be successful.  Your personal injury lawyer at Hickey Law Firm can get police reports, photographs, witness statements, and medical records.  All of these can strengthen your case.

Settling with insurance is easier with a lawyer

Our personal injury lawyers can also mediate with the insurance agents and lawyers and reach a settlement that actually benefits you. To prevent a trial from happening, you and the insurance agents and lawyers will have a chance to negotiate and come to a mutual settlement. Again, insurance agents and their lawyers will do everything to prevent you from being paid. An experienced personal injury lawyer will make the negotiations process easier for you. They can use their expertise to justify your settlement and prove why the other party is liable for your injuries.

Representing you if your case goes to trial

If the insurance agents still want to be hardheaded, don’t worry; we’re prepared. The preparation that your lawyer has done for your case can be fine-tuned for your trial. Even while your lawyer is helping you prepare for trial, there is still a chance for you to reach a settlement. It usually takes a lawyer who is not afraid to go to trial for the insurance agents and lawyers to reach a settlement.

Successful cases

At Hickey Law Firm, our personal injury lawyers have a successful track record of winning settlements and verdicts for our clients. We represent injured clients in car, truck, motorcycle, and boat accident cases, cruise ship accidents, premises liability accidents, product liability cases, and nursing home abuse claims. Our 60 years of experience have helped us win over $100 million for our clients. Unlike many law firms, we have the resources, the people and the money, to represent clients who have suffered catastrophic injuries.

Our lead attorney John H. (Jack) Hickey has built a nationwide reputation of taking on corporations and being successful. Our team is known for three things: experience, leadership, and results. We treat every client’s case with the attention and compassion that it deserves.

When you have been involved in a serious accident, you need Miami personal injury lawyers who care. At Hickey Law Firm, our legal team is big enough to handle any case and small enough to care. Complete our contact form to schedule your free consultation.