Emory Wood, P.A. - Fighting for Florida for Over 30 years Practice Areas »

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

Have you been injured, but are hesitant to talk with a personal injury lawyer because you don't have any money? Hiring a personal injury lawyer usually isn't as expensive as working with other types of lawyers. Here are several tips to keep in mind as you interview and work with personal injury lawyers:

CONSULTATIONS ARE FREE

We will not charge you for the opportunity to talk about your case. You can come in, describe what happened, and discuss the pros and cons of your case, as well as how much we think your case might be worth and how long it might take to see results.

CASES ARE TAKEN "ON CONTINGENCY"

We will generally take your case on what's called a "contingency fee basis." You're not required to pay any attorney's fees until you recover against the party at fault or their insurance company. If there's no recovery in your case, you don't owe any attorney's fees. When you do reach a settlement, we will then charge a percentage of your overall settlement for our fees.

The exact contingency percentage you'll be charged varies from one location to another, and from one type of case to another. Regardless of the fee arrangement, there are expenses which are incurred in pursuing a case which will need to be paid.

GETTING YOUR COSTS PAID AS YOU GO

Our firm will generally pay the costs of putting together your legal case, such as:

Copies of police reports
Medical records
Office expenses such as copying
Deposition fees
Court filing fees
Investigator charges
Expert witness fees

We pay these expenses as they crop up, then you reimburse the lawyer for these expenses out of your settlement. It's obviously a gamble on the lawyer's part, so it's a good indication that the lawyer thinks you have a strong case. In certain cases in some states, a lawyer may agree not to ask you for reimbursement if your case doesn't produce a settlement.

Litigation

Personal injury is the name given to the branch of tort law that covers any wrong or damage done to another in his person, property, rights, or reputation. A personal injury can happen at work, in a traffic accident, because of a faulty product or a faulty repair, because of a mistake during medical treatment, or because you slipped and fell on a wet floor or pavement. The personal injury can be physical or psychological but, to be considered actionable, it must occur due to the negligence or unreasonably unsafe actions of your employer, a manufacturer, your doctor, your landlord, or some other person or organization who owes you a duty of ordinary care.

Examples of personal injury law causes of action include professional malpractice, wrongful birth, wrongful death, liable, slander, trespass, and nuisance.

Emory Wood has been a civil trial lawyer for over 30 years. He is certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, a public interest group whose purpose is to identify lawyers who demonstrate that they are skilled, capable, ethical trial lawyers. He has practiced Personal Injury and Personal Injury Defense exclusively in the Tampa Bay Area since 1981 and has tried personal injury jury trials in Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee, Sarasota, Lee, Hendry, Hernando, Pasco, Citrus counties and in Jacksonville, Daytona Beach, West Palm Beach, Orlando, Pensacola and Arcadia.

Our team of trial lawyers will fight for your rights, from the beginning of the case all the way through trial. Whether by settlement or verdict, we will not rest until justice is achieved for you and your family.