In the movies, personal injury clients seem to walk away with million dollar verdicts. It doesn’t matter what kind of injury they suffered. Their attorneys manage to get them huge settlements. They often talk about punitive damages in these tv shows and films. In the real world, however, it is very hard to get punitive damages awarded in a Florida personal injury lawsuit.
In order to get punitive damages, your Florida personal injury lawyer is going to have to prove more than ordinary negligence. They need to show that the defendant not only acted intentionally, but that they knew what sort of consequences would follow their actions. For example, it is not enough to show that someone was speeding and crashed into your car. Your personal injury lawyer in Florida would have to prove that the defendant was doing more than 100 mph and intentionally slammed into an innocent vehicle.
It’s important to realize that punitive damages are not meant to compensate the victim. They are intended to punish the victim.
There is a Cap on Punitive Damages in Florida
Not only is it very hard to prove punitive damages in Florida, but there is also a cap on how much you can receive in punitive damages. The current cap in Florida on punitive damages is $500,000. This may sound like a lot of money. And, to most of us, it is. However, when one considers that some people receive millions of dollars in pain and suffering in other personal injury cases, $500,000 seems like a low amount.
One of the reasons the cap is so low is that the courts don’t want people to abuse it. This amount is enough to reward the victim, but it is also enough to deter the defendant from ever acting this way again. It is also enough to deter other people from behaving in the same way the defendant behaved.
Contact an Experienced Personal Injury Lawyer in Florida
If you’ve been injured in any sort of accident and believe you’re entitled to damages, call our office right away. Your Florida injury lawyer will be able to let you know if your case entitled you to punitive damages. Even if it doesn’t, your attorney will still fight to get you as much money as possible. Call today and schedule your free initial consultation with a skilled attorney in Florida.
