Florida car accident injury victims might wonder if their injuries are serious enough to file a claim for damages. Most of the time, injuries are much more severe than people think. One of the worst mistakes you can make is to underestimate the severity of your injuries.

And if your injuries resulted from another person’s negligence, you need to speak to a Florida car accident lawyer.

That’s because if you want to seek compensation for your serious injuries, you must meet a serious injury threshold. Only an experienced attorney can help you determine if you meet that threshold.

The Damages Associated With Serious Accident Injuries

After sustaining serious injuries in a car accident, victims can face far more damage than just their injuries. Those damages can leave them with out-of-pocket expenses that they can’t afford. These damages could include medical bills, lost wages, property damage, pain and suffering, mental anguish, trauma, and more.

How Does Florida Define “Serious Injuries”?

Florida does not have an official definition of “serious injuries”. However, there are some indicators you can be sure are enough to categorize an injury as “serious”.

For example, if you required hospitalization and missed work, you probably suffered serious injuries. Or, if your lifestyle was drastically altered after getting injured, those are probably serious injuries.

Get Medical Treatment for Car Accident Injuries Immediately

No matter how insignificant you think your injuries may be, it’s crucial to get medical treatment as soon as you can. First, your injuries might be worse than you think they are. Often times injury symptoms don’t even show up until a few hours or days after the collision. So, even if your accident was a small collision, you might still have sustained serious injuries.

Whiplash is another common injury that people underestimate and have delayed symptoms. No matter what type of injury you have, it’s best to get medical attention and get an appropriate medical assessment for your injuries.

If your injury worsens over time, you should contact an experienced Florida car accident attorney. Your claim value might be much greater than you thought with an injury that gradually worsens over time. The initial settlement offer from the insurance company might have been much less than what you actually deserve. So don’t hesitate to reach out to a knowledgeable car accident attorney who can help you find out the maximum value for your claim.

Florida’s Serious Injury Threshold

Having a viable personal injury case in Florida requires meeting a certain criteria. Under Florida law (Florida Statute 627.737), the criteria are known as ‘tort threshold’ or ‘serious injury thresholds’.

Florida Statutes define serious bodily injury as any injury that causes:

• Significant loss of important body functions
• Permanent loss of bodily function
• Permanent injuries or debilitation
• Death
• Injuries so severe that there is a medical probability of death

What Are Some Examples of Serious Car Accident Injuries?

Some of the most common examples of serious car accident injuries in Florida motor vehicle collisions include:

• Severe whiplash or other neck injuries
• Deep lacerations and cuts
• Broken bones
• Fractured bones
• Soft tissue injuries and sprains
• Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
• Spinal cord injury
• Scarring and disfigurement
• Paralysis
• Amputated or lost limbs

What Types of Crashes Cause Severe Injuries?

Some types of car accidents are particularly dangerous and likely to cause more severe injuries than others.

T-bone Crashes

Side impact, or T-bone collisions occur when one vehicle hits the side of another. The impact is where the door is, making these types of crashes particularly dangerous for drivers and passengers. This is because the sides of the vehicle are built differently than the front and back. Consequently, they can’t withstand the same impact force as the front and back of the car.

Rollover Accidents

Rollover accidents are more commonly seen with larger vehicles such as SUVs and trucks. Due to their higher center of gravity, they have a higher likelihood of flipping over if the driver loses control. Since the vehicle rolled over, sometimes several times, the passengers sustained severe injuries. Rollover accident injuries commonly lead to occupants getting crushed and sustaining catastrophic injuries like spinal cord injury or organ damage.

Head-on Collisions

Head-on collisions or wrong-way accidents are one of the most deadly types of accidents. Since both cars are traveling towards each other head-on, the impact of the crash is more extreme. Front seat passengers are at especially high risk of serious injuries in a head-on collision. Anyone in the car during a head-on collision has a higher risk of fatality than other types of accidents.

If you were involved in one of the above types of accidents or any other type where you sustained serious injuries, speak to a Florida car accident lawyer. They have the experience and expertise to advise you on the best way to move forward with your case so you get a favorable outcome.

Contact an Experienced Florida Car Accident Attorney

If you wish to pursue a personal injury claim in Florida, it’s vital to understand what is considered a serious injury and whether your injuries are applicable. Only with a serious injury can you pursue a personal injury claim. An attorney can help you do this.

Our Florida car accident lawyers have extensive experience with a proven track record in winning cases for injury victims. Reach out now to see how we can help with your case.

We offer a free initial case review so call us today.