What Happens If You Were Partly at Fault for Your Accident in Florida?
Many people who are injured, whether by a car accident, at work, or who slip and fall at a business, may choose not to file a lawsuit because they believe they were partly at fault for their injury. It could be because they believe they should have seen the puddle on the floor, they knew they were working in a dangerous condition, or because maybe they made a minor error while driving. But just because you may have some fault for your injury does not mean you are not entitled to compensation for your injury if the other person or business also had fault.
The state of Florida is what is known as a “contributory negligent” jurisdiction. All that means is that in most cases for negligence, jurors are asked to apportion the percentage of fault accordingly. For example, perhaps you did not stop at a stop sign at an intersection, but the other vehicle that was driving in the opposite direction also barreled through their stop sign going 80 miles over the speed limit, wrecking your car and causing you severe injuries.
In a case such as the one above, jurors may say that you were 20% at fault for failing to stop at the stop sign, but the other car was 80% at fault because they were clearly acting in a more negligent manner than you were. Being apportioned that 20% just means that percentage will be reduced from your total reward.
So even if you believe that you also had some fault in your injury, call Rosen Injury Law at 954-787-1500 so we can analyze the facts of your case and provide you with the representation you need to be compensated for your injuries.