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Charlotte County shows an alarming trend: ATV accidents on the rise. During the pandemic, experts say that outdoors is the safest place to be to avoid exposure to the virus. More riders can mean more ATV accidents. It’s no surprise, then, that the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) reports that so far this year, sales are the best in three years for powersports, which include All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs), side-by-sides, and motorcycles. Off road motorcycle sales are up 18.9% through March 2020. Powersports May 2020 sales by Honda are up 172% over last May. Many believe stay-at-home orders, children out of school and stimulus checks have fueled powersport purchases. If used safely and correctly, powersports are a great outside activity, and Charlotte County is a favored place to ride. The safest place is off-road parks, which have rules and groomed trails. However, off-road parks including Florida Tracks and Trails in Punta Gorda, closed last year for financial reasons, and Redneck Mud Park in Punta Gorda only has occasional weekend events. As a result, many young, new and inexperienced riders are taking to the woods and rural areas in Charlotte County or riding on roads and in neighborhoods. Experts worry that increased use, particularly by younger riders will result in more ATV accidents on the rise. ATV accidents hurt about 135,000 people nationwide every year, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Almost 75% of the of ATV accidents result in spinal cord and brain injuries. One in 10 victims are permanently disabled. Riders under the age of 16 receive one-third of the injuries. Causes of ATV accidents on the rise include drunk driving, speeding, hill-climbing, rollovers and too many riders on the ATV. Following safety advice, including where to ride, can prevent many accidents. ATV Accidents on the Rise ATV riders in Florida can ride during the day on an unpaved public roads with a posted speed limit less than 35 m.p.h. Riders cannot run an ATV on any other public road, street or highway. As fast as cars but with low pressure tires, ATVs are prone to tipping and losing control. More than half of ATV deaths are on public or private roads. Without a driver’s license requirement, children are often the riders. One study showed that the average age of most ATV drivers is 12.8 years old. Florida requires riders and passengers under age 16 to wear a safety helmet, eye protection and ankle boots and be supervised by an adult. Riders under age 16 must also show completion of a state-approved safety course. How to Ride Safely If you choose to ride, here’s how to stay safe and avoid ATV accidents: Wear safety gear. ATVs have no safety cages, roll bars or seatbelts. Protective clothing will help prevent scrapes and cuts if thrown from an ATV. Ride or drive on trails at your skill level. Always ride at a safe speed on a trail meant for ATVs. Be at least 16 years old. Anyone younger than 16 is less likely to have the strength and experience to drive an ATV safely. Get safety certified. Before you ride an ATV on a trail, learn how to ride in a controlled setting. Ride an ATV that’s right for your size and age, as shown on the warning label. Know basic first aid for minor injuries and be able to get help in an emergency in case of ATV accidents. If You Have an ATV Accident Insurance is also important for powersports – especially ATV accidents on the rise. ATVs are titled but not registered and do not have to be insured. Some state-owned lands and parks require riders to have ATV liability insurance. Without coverage like Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and Personal Damage Liability (PDL), riders in an ATV accident will not be covered for medical costs or damaging another person’s property. Also, many health insurance policies exclude covering injuries from activities such as motorcycles, ATVs and jet skis. As with car and truck accidents, an ATV accident victim may be able to recover medical expenses, lost income, psychological anguish, property repairs and pain and suffering. Deciding who is at fault is a good start to figuring out with which insurance policy to file your claim. An ATV expert injury attorney knows your legal rights and understands the process of holding the ATV driver responsible for your injuries. Our firm has extensive experience in handling ATV accident cases, recovering millions of dollars for ATV accident victims. Contact us if are a victim of such a crash.

Did you get hit while walking and now suffering injuries? You must act quickly and start your pedestrian accident claim before it’s too late! Call us today. Differences Between Pedestrian Accident and Car Accident Cases Pedestrian accident injury claims differ in multiple ways, shapes, and forms than automobile accident claims. A lot of times, it comes down to what Florida law says about the duty owed as a result of a crash involving a pedestrian. Pedestrians have certain duties and responsibilities under the law but the law more times than not is more favorable to pedestrians and puts certain duties and responsibilities on auto drivers to make sure they’re looking out for pedestrians certainly here in sunny southwest Florida where we’re out and about quite a bit just based upon our community and lovely weather that we have. The occurrence of the accident and putting the pieces together in a pedestrian accident case is vitally important from the very beginning. As opposed to an auto accident case where someone runs into the back of you while you’re at a stop sign, it’s pretty clear in that circumstance who’s at fault for the accident, but in pedestrian cases, it can become more involved. It’s certainly important that you get an attorney onboard early, that you document not only your injuries and your damages but the scene of the incident early on so that we, your attorneys, can go about dealing with the insurance companies using the law in Florida to our benefit to show who certainly was at fault for the accident more times than not it being that motor vehicle driver who simply wasn’t paying attention in looking at for pedestrians. As far as damages goes, the damages in a pedestrian accident case and the damages in an auto accident case are very similar and pretty much overlap in Florida, the biggest difference, again, being who was at fault for the accident and trying to put those pieces together early on. At Goldstein Buckley Cechman, Rice & Purtz, we’re committed to getting on the ground level with you early on in the case to make sure we are putting together the best case we can to show who certainly it was that was at fault for the crash. Pedestrian Accident Insurance Investigation After a pedestrian accident, it is never a good idea to talk to the insurance company for the adverse party, the driver that was likely involved in striking you while you are a pedestrian. It’s never advisable to speak with them until you have spoken with an attorney that you trust and that you know will handle your case for you. Getting an attorney involved early makes the most sense for you so that insurance companies do not try to take advantage of you when they seek to take your statement or simply call you to ask you how you’re doing after an accident. There are ulterior motives that are involved. We at Goldstein Buckley Cechman, Rice & Purtz deal with insurance companies all day, every day. We know their tactics. We know the way they approach these things. Getting us involved in your case early on will allow us to help you navigate those waters and will help you to not let the insurance company take advantage of you when you’re at your most vulnerable. Mistakes After a Pedestrian Accident Claim The most common mistakes people make in a pedestrian accident injury case in Florida is simply not documenting what occurred at the point in time that it occurred, witnesses, getting names, taking photographs, making sure that the right folks arrive at the scene, calling the police, making sure that things are not moved or touched, and also working to really help at the ground level to put all of this together so that when you hire the right attorneys, the ammunition already exists. The other most fatal mistake we see in pedestrian accident cases is folks sometimes just think they’re going to get better. It may be something where you were on your bicycle or you were walking across the street and a car bumps into you while you were in the crosswalk. Folks may go to the ground and think they’re just bruised, maybe battered, and will feel better over the course of a couple of days and they don’t seek medical care and treatment. They don’t document all those things at the scene. They don’t go about making sure they’re contacting the authorities and they simply, like we all do sometimes, just think this is a minor blip on the radar screen and we’re going to get better. Ultimately, more times than not, that doesn’t happen. Things get worse over the course of time. Pain starts to set in and intensifies. If you dismiss that early on in the process and just think it’s going to get better, you potentially left a whole lot out that your attorney can work with in order to maximize the value for your case and seek justice for you. At Goldstein Buckley Cechman, Rice & Purtz, we are committed to getting on the ground with you early on making sure that we are taking the right approach helping you help us document exactly what we need to maximize the value of your case. Have you or a loved one recently been injured in a pedestrian accident in Florida and have questions about pedestrian accidents? You must act quickly and start your pedestrian accident claim before it’s too late!  Contact our experienced Southwest Florida pedestrian accident lawyers today for a free consultation and case evaluation. Like us on Facebook

Personal Injury On Vacation in Southwest Florida Vacation is one of the least convenient times to sustain an injury. Disappointment from foiled rest and relaxation due to pain is compounded by unfamiliar locations, doctors and hospitals. The unforseen costs of personal injury can make an already pricey getaway even more expensive. Injuries sustained on vacations can be caused by a myriad of different occurrences – negligence by a hotel, resort, cruise ship, or other accommodations, or being involved in a motor vehicle, motorcycle, bicycle or scooter accident or boating or other watercraft accident. In these particular cases, it can be prudent to seek legal help to get the justice and compensation deserved. Certain steps should be taken to fully document the particulars of the emergency immediately after a personal injury occurs. Always report the injury with the manager of the hotel or resort, to crew of the ship, or local law enforcement agency. Document the defect or dangerous condition that caused your injury, or damage to the motor vehicle or other conveyance being ridden by photograph if possible. While it can seem inconvenient, it is also important to seek medical attention if needed while on vacation. A Common Vacation Injury Hotel fires in the U.S. have greatly decreased even in the last 20 years. However, in 2013, 117 civilians were injured in hotel fires. Six people lost their lives.¹ From 2004 to 2008, 7,840 people in the United States were victims of a violent crime while in a hotel.²  These crimes and injuries are rare, but they do happen and should be taken seriously. Many hotel pools do not have a lifeguard on duty, so it is important to be diligent when at the swimming pool, especially with children. Following several accidental drownings or near drownings in the past several years, two major cruise lines, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean, added lifeguards to their ships in 2017.³ Other examples of personal injury on vacation include- Gym equipment accidents, slip and falls, elevator accidents, boating or recreational equipment accidents, and food poisoning. Who to Call If you or someone you love has sustained an injury while on vacation, it is important to seek legal counsel. Your Southwest Florida attorneys at Goldstein, Buckley, Cechman, Rice, and Purtz have over 50 years of legal experience in dealing with personal injury. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation. 1 National Fire Protection Association, “U.S. Hotel and Motel Structure Fires” report 2 https://www.bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=tp&tid=44 3 http://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/tourism-cruises/article145571359.html

Are you suffering major injuries and want to know how to win your truck accident case? Read our tips on what we can do for you, then call our attorneys now. Selecting a Truck Accident Attorney Recently we had someone come to us and their husband was in a terrible truck accident. A truck was at fault for that crash, and they asked me, “How do I go about finding the right attorney for this accident?” We had to explain that usually the insurance company will have their attorney at the scene of the accident or at least an investigator there. They even have an expert witness there that will do a reconstruction of the accident. They act right away because they know what the extreme value of a truck accident case can be, so you need an attorney that has the wherewithal to be able to have their investigator potentially at the scene or at least get on top of an investigation right away to make sure we have all the appropriate information. We need to preserve the vehicles involved, we need statements from witnesses, and those sorts of things. When she asked, we said that is step number one, and what we think is the most important starting point, finding an attorney that knows what they’re doing with truck accidents, that has experience in those accidents, and can act right away to make sure they can maximize the value of the case for you. Mistakes After a Truck Accident Claim We spoke with a client recently and we took on their trucking accident case. They didn’t hire us right away. They had originally tried to handle the case themselves. What they did that was troublesome was they gave a statement to the insurance company for the trucking company right away. They didn’t have the benefit of having counsel involved, and in that statement, they made some comments that ended up hurting their case. They weren’t things that ultimately took away from their case, but they were things that the defense brought up at a later date to try to diminish the value of their case. It’s very important that right away you get your attorney involved. The attorney needs to be someone who is skilled in trucking accident cases. Our firm has a lot of experience in these cases and we have board-certified trial attorneys who try trucking accident cases. You need an attorney to get involved right away and help navigate you through those questions, make sure there’s no statement given. Also, if you don’t hire an attorney right away, the attorney can’t go do the investigation of the vehicles, preserve the evidence, and start to make your case the best case it can be. It’s important to reach out right away. We’re always happy to talk to anyone who wants to call in about a trucking accident case, and we give free consultations in that regard. Role of Expert Witnesses in a Truck Accident Claim An expert witness in a trucking accident case is usually determining who is at fault by looking at roadway evidence and looking at crush damage to a vehicle. We recently had a lady hire me. Her husband was severely injured in a trucking accident and, unfortunately, succumbed to his injuries. The defense, the insurance company, had their expert at the scene of the accident doing an investigation already, so you need an attorney who also can hire an expert immediately and who has the financial resources to pay that expert. These experts can be costly – $30,000, $40,000, $50,000 or more – and that’s something that the law firm pays; we do not ask you to pay. That’s something that’s reimbursed at the end. Our law firm can pay these experts. We have the financial wherewithal to do that. We need a competing expert because there’s often severe damages in trucking accident cases, so the insurance company will do anything they can to try to limit that value by hiring an expert early on and trying to come up with some opinions that would indicate that you’re somehow at fault. Hire an attorney who understands that they need to get an investigation done right away, that has the wherewithal to hire the experts, to make sure they can maximize the value of your case. Our law firm does just that. We’ve been handling trucking accident cases for nearly 60 years, and we handle them often. Please feel free to reach out to us. After a Truck Accident We had a recent case for a client whose husband was in the hospital with severe injuries, and he ultimately succumbed to those injuries as a result of a truck hitting his motorcycle. She wanted to know what the first steps are that needed to be done. The first step that needs to be done is to try to preserve as much evidence as you can. Oftentimes the insurance company for the trucking company knows that there can be major injuries, so they will send an investigator to the scene of the accident. In this particular case, the defense attorney in the case was actually at the scene of the accident. They’ll act quickly, so what you need to do is make sure you hire an attorney that understands they also need to act quickly to get an investigation done to the vehicles, to preserve evidence, including preserving the vehicles, to take statements of witnesses, and to start to build the case from day one. We have seasoned trial attorneys her, so we understand the intricacies of a trucking accident case. It’s important that you reach out to us right away so we can get started on your trucking accident case. Have you lost a loved one been involved in an accident with a truck in Florida and have questions about how to win your truck accident case? Contact our experienced Southwest Florida truck accident lawyers today for a free consultation and case evaluation. Subscribe to Our YouTube Channel

More than 50 years ago, John Cechman was called to fight for his country in the Vietnam War, earning a Bronze Star for his service. Today, he fights for his neighbors as a partner and personal injury attorney at Goldstein, Buckley, Cechman, Rice & Purtz, P.A His military career started at the West Point United States Military Academy in New York where he was recruited to play football from high school in Northumberland, Pennsylvania, where he grew up. It was football, not necessarily the Army, that attracted him to West Point. “The campus was beautiful, and it was a good education,” he said. He played for the freshman and junior varsity teams until he failed a European history class and his grade point average dipped below the requirement, forcing him to leave. “Had I stayed, I would have played on the big Army team,” he said. He continued his education at New Mexico University, and joined the advanced Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) to help pay for his college expenses. After Cechman graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics in 1967, he became a second lieutenant in the army, completing Infantry Basic Officer Leader course in Fort Benning, Georgia. He completed Army Intelligence School at Fort Holabird in Baltimore. Attorney John B. Cechman served his country and now serves his clients It was there that some friends talked to him about practicing law. From Fort Carson, Colorado, he was sent to Quang Tri Province just south of the demilitarized zone (DMZ) in South Vietnam. As Agent in Charge of Military Intelligence, he was stationed with the 1 st Brigade 5 th Infantry Division from July 1968 to July 1969. “It was difficult,” he said. “There were good days and bad days. It’s a year I would not want to duplicate. That’s why I think vets who have seen combat don’t ever talk about it. If you haven’t lived through it, you can’t possibly imagine it.” While he admits his grades in school were not always the best in his younger years, he understood the legal system and considered a future practicing law. He did well on his way to the law school entrance exam and applied to the then-recently established law school at Florida State University (FSU) while still in Vietnam. “I heard about law from friends in Baltimore,” he said. “I knew I didn’t want to stay in the Army. I had never been to Florida, so I went straight to FSU.” On a break from law school, he drove to Naples to visit the family of another student. On the way, he stopped in Fort Myers to look into a job that founders of Goldstein, Buckley, Cechman, Rice & Purtz had posted on an FSU bulletin board. It was a long way to the law firm, but he pulled up to the office on his motorcycle and has been representing motorcyclists ever since. His military medals hang next to a large quilted American flag over his desk: Bronze Star, National Defense Service medal, Vietnam Service medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Ribbon, Expert Badge & Auto Rifle Bar, and Marksman Bar & Pistol Bar. “I tell my sons that the military is a great character builder,” he said. “There are no excuses. You get the job done. Yes sir. No sir. It makes you an overall better person. If I have a case, I’ve got to do it right and on time. It translates not only to the law, but any job, any occupation.” Throughout the year, members of the firm collect clothing and supplies for veterans to be donated through the Cape Coral office of U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. It’s been a long way to the law. “A lot of veterans need help, especially since in combat PTSD is a real thing,” Cechman says. “I’m proud of the fact the firm does what it can to assist vets.” Goldstein, Buckley, Cechman, Rice & Purtz has offered professional legal services to Southwest Florida clients since 1962. The firm’s experienced attorneys are board certified by the Florida Bar, and their areas of practice include personal injury and accidents, fall and premises liability, wrongful death, motorcycle and truck accidents, medical malpractice, real estate, commercial litigation, construction law, wills, estate planning and administration, social security law and criminal law. With offices in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Naples, Lehigh Acres and Port Charlotte, attorneys can be reached by calling (239) 326-0558 or visiting our Contact Us page.

Were you or a loved one injured from a fall and have questions? Check out these 3 slip and fall tips for guidance, then call our Southwest Florida attorneys. Slip and Fall Case Going to Trial We have folks come to us who have been involved in a slip and fall incident and tell us the last thing they ever want to do is go to trial, and that’s fine. Most of these cases never have to go to trial. We can settle some of these cases early on with the insurance company by sending a demand letter and negotiating settlement. The demand letter just says what your injuries are, how the accident happened, what your medical bills are, what your pain and suffering is, and then we can negotiate settlement within the first few months after an accident. Sometimes, though, we have to file a lawsuit. A lawsuit just means that we file paperwork with the court and we proceed towards trial. Even when we do that, most of those cases settle before we go to trial. Why? Because the insurance company understands that our law firm is a trial firm, that we will try these cases, so that usually means we can maximize the value of the case before going to trial. Insurance companies also know the attorneys that don’t try cases, so they’ll continue to lowball the client because they know the attorney will push the client to settle the case. That’s not what we do. We have four board-certified civil trial attorneys – which is the highest certification you can receive for civil trial – and that makes us personal injury trial experts, and we’re willing to try these cases for you. Because we’re willing to do that, most of these cases never have to go to trial; in fact, a very small percentage do. Slip and Fall Pre-Existing Injury If you have a slip and fall claim in Florida and you have a preexisting condition – say you have an arthritic knee – and then you get in this slip and fall accident and hurt that knee worse. While you had some pain in the knee before, you never needed surgery. After this accident, you need a surgery on the knee. The insurance company is going to say, “Well that was a preexisting condition, so we’re not going to pay you for that because it’s something that you would’ve had anyway.” This is a very common argument they make. Insurance companies hire defense doctors all the time, and those doctors will come up with these opinions. Those opinions oftentimes lack foundation because they do not take into account that you were hurt worse. The law in Florida says if you have a preexisting condition and it’s aggravated because of an accident, then the insurance company is responsible for that aggravation and responsible for that knee surgery if that knee is aggravated. Don’t let it scare you off if you have some preexisting condition. If you’re hurt worse, the law says that you can recover for that. You need a skilled attorney that’s able to make sure your treating physicians understand that you had this prior condition, that it got worse from the accident. Then the doctors can give appropriate opinions and we can recover appropriately for that aggravation of the preexisting condition. Please feel free to reach out to us if you have a preexisting condition and then you’re injured to where it’s made worse. Suing the City for a Faulty Sidewalk Injury If you have a trip and fall case in a municipality, city, or county on a curb or on a sidewalk, then you absolutely have a case. In Florida, there is this law that property owners have to keep their property in a reasonably safe condition, and that includes any city, county or municipality. They do have sovereign immunity, meaning that there is a cap on the damages that you can recover of $200,000, and there’s a cap on the attorney fees of 25%, but our firm doesn’t shy away from those cases because of that. We still handle them regularly. If you have one of these sorts of injuries, please feel free to reach out to our law firm. We handle these cases regularly and we’d be happy to talk to you about your case. Were you ore a loved one injured in a slip and fall accident in Florida due to the carelessness or negligence of someone else and have questions about these 3 slip and fall tips? Contact our experienced Southwest Florida slip and fall lawyers today for a free consultation and case evaluation. Like us on Facebook

Have you been hurt due to the negligence of a business or property owner? Read these 4 negligent security tips, then call our Florida attorneys today. Selecting a Negligent Security Attorney The way you select the best negligent security attorney in Florida is by looking up their credentials, what they’ve done in their career. Our law firm has been around for nearly 60 years. We handle negligent security cases regularly. We have four board-certified civil trial attorneys. What does that all mean? It means that when you hire an attorney, the insurance company knows that attorney. They know if they’re a trial attorney or they know if they’re not, if they’re just an attorney that takes cases and settles them without the willingness to push the case forward to go to trial. You really need to look into the attorney that you’re hiring, make sure the attorney has a good understanding of negligent security law, and that they can appropriately handle your case to maximize the value of the case. If you have a negligent security case, please feel free to reach out to us. We’d be happy to help you through that. After a Negligent Security Injury We have folks come to us where they have a negligent security injury claim in Florida and they ask us what they should do, what some of the steps are that they should take. They’ve taken the right step first, which is to get the attorney involved. An attorney can preserve all the evidence, such as if there’s video, if something happens at a gas station or in the parking lot at a Walmart or any other large establishment like that where they may have parking lot cameras and get statements of witnesses. The attorney can preserve all the appropriate evidence to maximize the value of your case. The second thing would be to not talk to the insurance company. Don’t give them a statement. You can say things that could potentially hurt your case, so get the attorney involved right away. The attorney can guide you through the steps that you need to take to maximize the value of your case. Our law firm has been handling these sort of cases for nearly 60 years. If you have a negligent security case, please feel free to reach out to our law firm so we can help. Mistakes After a Negligent Security Claim A common mistake that someone may make if they have a negligent security case in Florida is not really realizing they have a negligent security case. A negligent security case is where a property owner, whether it be a gas station or some sort of big-box retailer, know that there are some issues on their property, say with crime. They have violent crimes where they’ve had people mugged or they’ve had shootings, and then they don’t appropriately protect the people that are coming on their property. If they don’t appropriately protect someone and that person is injured, then there’s a case. You see these sort of things happen all the time and the person just thinks, “Well, the person that assaulted me is really the at-fault party,” but, no, the at-fault party can be the actual place of business that you’re going to, where you have an expectation that you’re going to be safe. That’s what a negligent security case is. Another common mistake is not hiring an attorney right away. In a negligent security case, oftentimes there will be video that will show the incident, if you’re at some sort of business premises where they have video cameras, and the person doesn’t hire an attorney, so we can’t get the appropriate evidence, can’t get the witnesses and statements from them, so we can’t build your case appropriately. You really need to hire an attorney right away that knows what they’re doing. Our law firm has been handling negligent security cases for nearly 60 years, so we can help you out if you or a loved one has been injured or, unfortunately, there are sometimes death with these negligent security cases. Negligent Security Case Value When we have folks that have been injured in a negligent security case, they’ll come to us and ask, “What is the value of my case? How do we determine that?” That comes down to multiple factors. First of all, you have to prove that the defendant was in some way negligent; that’s called liability. The way you do that is, say if there’s an assault that happens on a property or if there’s a shooting that happens on a property, you need to look at the history on that property. There are different call logs through different police departments where you can find if there were similar crimes in the past, and that’s kind of how you build your negligent security case. You need an attorney, first of all, that can show you how to do that, that can pull the right documents to be able to prove that the defendant was negligent in some way, that they should have had security on the property because there’s a history of bad behavior on the property. The second part of that is damages. Damages can be lost wages, pain and suffering, loss of the capacity of the enjoyment of life, and medical bills. All of those factor into determining the value of a case, and the damages portion is a lot about the attorney’s skill in maximizing each of those elements of damages and understanding the history of what has happened in similar cases around the state. Our law firm has been handling these sort of cases for nearly 60 years. We have four board-certified civil trial attorneys who try these sort of cases, and we do a lot of research to determine the value of these cases. You really want an attorney that can do all of those things to maximize the value of your case and instruct you appropriately on what that value is. If you’ve had a negligent security case, please feel free to reach out to us and we can help you with that. Have you or a loved one been hurt on due to the negligence of a business or property owner in Florida and have questions about our 4 negligent security tips? Contact our experienced Southwest Florida Negligent Security lawyers today for a free consultation and case evaluation. Like us on Facebook

Have you or a loved one been seriously injured in a car crash? Check out these 3 car accident tips for guidance, then contact our Florida lawyers today. Car Accident Attorney Fees When you’re hiring an auto accident injury attorney in Florida, you should not have to pay anything out of pocket. We work on a contingency fee. What that means is that we are only paid if we are successful in the case and obtain a recovery for you. You should never have to pay any money out of pocket to an attorney to represent you for your injury claim. Car Accident Medical Bills The person that’s responsible for paying your medical bills after you’re involved in a car crash in Florida would be the at-fault driver. There are certain other things that go into that question though in terms of what insurance coverages are available both to you through your own insurance policy and also available through the at-fault driver. That’s why it’s incredibly important to hire someone who specializes in personal injury law to represent you when you’re injured in a motor vehicle crash because that attorney has the specialized knowledge to make sure that they are maximizing your recovery and any potential sources of insurance coverage or recovery for you. If you have questions about your injury claim or you have questions about insurance coverage, please call us. Lost Wage Reimbursement If you’re involved in a car accident in Florida, you are entitled to recover your lost wages. There are several different ways that we can do that and help you with that. The most important thing though is documentation and getting a personal injury attorney involved early on in the process. You can be compensated for lost wages through your own personal injury protection coverage to a certain extent, but then you also have a claim for lost wages against the person who caused the crash or caused your injuries. A personal injury attorney can help prepare all of that documentation and get it submitted to the insurance company, and if the insurance company is not treating you fairly, help present that claim along with your injury claim to a jury if the case needs to be tried. We’re always happy to answer questions about lost wage claims that are included in injury cases. If you have questions, please call us. Have you or a loved one been injured in a car accident in Florida and have questions about our 3 car accident tips? Contact our experienced Southwest Florida car accident lawyers today for a free consultation and case evaluation. Like us on Facebook

Were you or a loved one involved in a motorcycle accident in Florida? Check out these 3 motorcycle accident tips for guidance, then call our lawyers today. Selecting a Motorcycle Accident Attorney If you’re injured in a motorcycle crash in Florida, you need to select an attorney who specializes in personal injury and specifically motorcycle accidents. Motorcycle accidents are different in many ways than a motor vehicle crash involving two automobiles. For that reason, it’s incredibly important to select someone who not only understands the unique aspects of a motorcycle crash but also can potentially litigate and try your case if necessary. You need an attorney who can potentially hire experts and do a very thorough investigation if you’re involved in a motorcycle crash. We specialize in motorcycle crashes and have the ability to hire experts if needed and investigate those cases so that we make sure that you’re compensated fairly. Forced Off The Road If you were involved in a crash where you were forced off the road, you absolutely still have an injury claim, even if that person either hasn’t been identified or fled the scene of the crash. That’s why you need to contact a personal injury attorney as soon as possible so that we can start doing any investigation and make sure that you’re fairly compensated for your injuries. If you have questions about this or you were involved in a crash where you were forced off the road by another vehicle, please give us a call. We’d be happy to talk to you and help you with your case. After a Motorcycle Accident The first steps that someone should take when they’re involved in a motorcycle crash in Florida are first and foremost getting the medical attention that they need. That’s should really be your primary focus. The second thing should be hiring a personal injury attorney who specializes in motorcycle crashes. The attorney when you hire them should be able to handle all of the moving parts that are involved in the case so that you can focus primarily on getting better and focus on your recovery. Oftentimes, the injuries that people sustain in motorcycle crashes are significant. You need someone who can help you and handle all of the things that you would otherwise have to deal with so that you can focus your attention on getting the treatment that you need. We’re of course happy to help with that. We specialize in motorcycle accidents. Unfortunately, the injuries are often very severe. We have the ability and wherewithal to handle those types of cases. We also have the ability to try and litigate your case if necessary. If you have questions and you were involved in a motorcycle crash or you have a family member involved in a motorcycle crash that was unfortunately injured, please call us. Have you or a loved one been injured in a motorcycle accident in Florida and have questions about these 3 motorcycle accident tips? Contact our experienced Southwest Florida motorcycle accident lawyers today for a free consultation and case evaluation. Like us on Facebook

Were you injured due to someone’s negligence? Check out these 3 personal injury tips for guidance, then call our Florida attorneys to get started today. 1. Mistakes After a Personal Injury Claim The value of a personal injury claim in Florida is what the question presents and that is it’s personal. These are personal injury claims, personal to you. The value of that claim depends on many factors and many things that go into looking at what that claim is worth. It starts from the insurance company’s perspective with your medical bills. What did it take to treat these conditions that resulted from the accident or the incident? The value of the claim also includes things like your wage loss if you missed work as a result of the accident and your injuries. That goes into determining a value of the claim. It’s so much more than that. The value of the claim is personal— how this claim has affected you, how it’s affected the way you go about your daily activities, the things that you enjoy doing, your hobbies, your interests. The value of the claim varies based upon many factors that go into a case. At Goldstein Buckley Cechman, Rice & Purtz, we look to maximize that value based upon what you, our client, is looking for to fully compensate and receive justice as a result of this accident that was not your fault. We put the pieces together with you very early on and continuing throughout the course of your case to make sure that we are maximizing value based upon your desires to search for justice for you. 2. Pre-Existing Injury Personal injury claims and pre-existing conditions are things that are at the forefront of most cases that are handled in Florida. Those are things that do impact cases. Insurance companies like to look at pre-existing conditions and try to blame the effects of the accident on those pre-existing conditions. Luckily, when you have an experienced attorney like us at Goldstein Buckley Cechman, Rice & Purtz, we know how to flip that argument on its head because what the law tells us is that simply because you were suffering from some form of pre-existing condition, be it a prior spinal cord injury, be it prior neck pain or back pain, just because you may have those things in the past doesn’t mean that you cannot collect damages you deserve from suffering an aggravation or an exacerbation of those prior conditions, again, things in your past that have been reignited, brought to life, and intensified as the result of the accident in question. While it is certainly something that is at the forefront of cases when those pre-existing conditions exist, having the right attorneys to know how to deal with those situations in the right context and how to make those situations most beneficial for you folks that suffer from those sort of things in your past is so paramount and important to making sure you are choosing the right attorneys. What we do when we get a case is, we certainly ask about the accident and your injuries as a result of the accident. What we do is take a deep dive into your medical past, not in an effort to undervalue your claim but in an effort to get that ammunition we need to try and prove what we know to be true, and that’s that the accident and the injuries more times than not have caused those underlying conditions to be reignited, brought to the forefront, and you are now suffering worse than you ever had before. While pre-existing conditions certain points in time can be detrimental to a case, if you have the right attorneys looking at it in the right light, we can work to make those work in your benefit as opposed to your detriment. 3. Taking the First Personal Injury Settlement Offer In Florida, insurance companies will make an initial offer generally early on in the process. More times than not, it is not advisable to take their initial offer. Insurance companies work to try to turn files over, which means get it off their desk and get you candidly out of their hair. What we do at Goldstein Buckley Cechman, Rice & Purtz is we put together comprehensive damages packets that we will send out to insurance companies at the right time. Timing is important because those first offers generally are not the best offers. We work hard to put together that information, give the insurance company all they need to evaluate your case, and the vast, vast majority of the time, we see offers increase as we continue to work through your case putting together the accident, your injuries, the damages, and how those have affected you. Holding out a little longer while time can obviously be a factor more times than not is generally in your best interest and we will be with you the full view of the way to get you to a point where you get to decide what justice is for you and what we should do with offers from the insurance company. Have you suffered a serious injury at the hands of someone who has been careless or negligent and have questions about our 3 personal injury tips? Contact our experienced Southwest Florida personal injury lawyers today for a free consultation and case evaluation. Like us on Facebook

Were you or a loved one hurt while riding your bike? Check out these 3 bicycle accident tips, then give our Florida bicycle accident lawyers a call today. 1) Bicycle Accident Insurance Investigation If you’re involved in a bicycle crash and you’re contacted by an insurance company, do not talk with the insurance company. Hire a personal injury attorney as quickly as you can so that the attorney can help you with communications involving the insurance company. Unfortunately, we oftentimes see insurance companies put words in people’s mouth or try to get them to settle their cases early on before they really know the full extent of their injuries and damages. For that reason, it’s important to get someone who specializes in personal injury but also specializes in bicycle accidents to help you with your case. Unfortunately, in bicycle accident cases, there’s often situations where they will try to blame the bicyclist. If that’s the case, you need a personal injury attorney representing you, fighting for you in your corner that can handle those types of issues. We specialize in those types of cases and handle those issues all of the time. For that reason, we would be happy to help you with your case. Please give us a call. 2) Partial Fault Bicycle Accident If you’re involved in a bicycle crash in Florida and you have been determined to be partially at fault, you still have a case. You still have damages that you need to be compensated for. One of the things that we often see unfortunately with cases involving bicyclists is that there’s often an effort to try to blame the bicyclist for a crash. That’s why you need an attorney representing you as soon as possible after the crash so that an investigation can be done and that someone is fighting for you from the beginning to make sure that you’re properly compensated for your damages. If you’ve been involved in a crash and were determined to be partially at fault, please call us because we’d be happy to help you with your case and talk with you about it. 3) Mistakes After a Bicycle Accident Claim Some of the most common mistakes that we see people make when they’re involved in a bicycle accident case in Florida is Number One, not hiring a personal injury attorney as soon as possible. It’s important to hire an attorney as soon as possible because you will likely be contacted by insurance companies very soon after the crash. Unfortunately, what we see oftentimes is people give statements or are talked into settling their case very early on before they even know the full extent of their damages. Oftentimes, what insurance company adjustors tell you is not accurate. You need someone fighting for you who is going to represent your interests and your interests alone to recover your damages. Secondly, the biggest mistake we see people make is with respect to the attorney that they hire. You want to make sure that you hire someone specifically with the knowledge to handle your bicycle accident case. Unfortunately, there are a lot of attorneys out there, but not all of them specialize in personal injury and specifically bicycle accidents. You need someone who has the ability to perform a proper investigation and also potentially hire the experts that are needed if your case needs to be litigated. That’s why it’s very important to not only hire an attorney as quickly as possible after your bicycle accident but also make sure that you’re hiring someone who specializes in bicycle accidents. Our firm specializes in those types of cases. If you have questions, you need to talk to someone, you’re injured, please call us. We’d be happy to help you. Have you or a loved one been injured in a bicycle accident in Florida and have questions about these 3 bicycle accident tips? Contact our experienced Southwest Florida bicycle accident lawyers today for a free consultation and case evaluation. Like us on Facebook

Have you or a loved one been injured in a car accident? Check out these 4 car accident tips for guidance, then call our Florida attorneys to get started. 1. After a Car Accident The initial steps you should take when you’re injured in a car accident in Florida is, first and foremost, make sure that you’ve received medical attention. One thing that people don’t often realize is that in Florida, we have PIP or no-fault. That requires that you get treatment with 14 days. It’s very important for you to get that initial treatment as quickly as possible after the crash. Secondly, if you are involved in a serious motor vehicle crash in Florida, it’s important to hire a personal injury attorney as soon as possible. That’s because you want to make sure that the attorney gets involved in the investigation aspects of the case and that the attorney handles any communications or conversations that happen with the insurance company, whether that’s your insurance company or that at-fault driver’s insurance company. Those are all very important things to remember. Then the attorney can help you through the process. You want someone in your court fighting for you from the very beginning. That’s why it’s crucial to get an attorney involved as soon as possible. If you have questions about your injury claim, of course, we’re always here for you and happy to answer those questions. 2. Car Accident Attorney Fees When you’re hiring an auto accident injury attorney in Florida, you should not have to pay anything out of pocket. We work on a contingency fee. What that means is that we are only paid if we are successful in the case and obtain a recovery for you. You should never have to pay any money out of pocket to an attorney to represent you for your injury claim. 3. Car Accident Medical Bills The person that’s responsible for paying your medical bills after you’re involved in a car crash in Florida would be the at-fault driver. There are certain other things that go into that question though in terms of what insurance coverages are available both to you through your own insurance policy and also available through the at-fault driver. That’s why it’s incredibly important to hire someone who specializes in personal injury law to represent you when you’re injured in a motor vehicle crash because that attorney has the specialized knowledge to make sure that they are maximizing your recovery and any potential sources of insurance coverage or recovery for you. If you have questions about your injury claim or you have questions about insurance coverage, please call us. 4. Lost Wage Reimbursement If you’re involved in a car accident in Florida, you are entitled to recover your lost wages. There are several different ways that we can do that and help you with that. The most important thing though is documentation and getting a personal injury attorney involved early on in the process. You can be compensated for lost wages through your own personal injury protection coverage to a certain extent, but then you also have a claim for lost wages against the person who caused the crash or caused your injuries. A personal injury attorney can help prepare all of that documentation and get it submitted to the insurance company, and if the insurance company is not treating you fairly, help present that claim along with your injury claim to a jury if the case needs to be tried. We’re always happy to answer questions about lost wage claims that are included in injury cases. If you have questions, please call us. Have you or a loved one been injured in a car accident in Florida and have questions about our 4 car accident tips? Contact our experienced Southwest Florida car accident lawyers today for a free consultation and case evaluation. Like us on Facebook