Sarasota Personal Injury Lawyer

Why Choose Jack Bernstein, Injury Attorneys, for Your Sarasota Personal Injury Case?

If you’ve been searching for a dedicated “Sarasota personal injury attorney near me,” look no further.

Our team has been helping people for over four decades, and our experience with Florida personal injury law has allowed us to obtain settlements of over $3 million for our clients. And how much does a personal injury lawyer charge at our firm? We only get paid if we win.

Our staff is made up of over 40 people, including six attorneys. This gives us the chance to personally take on claims. We’re proud to have been recognized by the National Trial Lawyers Top 100.

Attorney Jack Bernstein, our leading personal injury lawyer, received his degree from the University of Miami Law School and obtained cum laude honors from SUNY Fredonia. He is a member of the Florida State Bar Association, Hillsborough Bar Association, and Clearwater Bar Association.

Our Sarasota Personal Injury Law Firm Serves Clients Across All Case Types 

If you’re looking for a Sarasota personal injury lawyer, firms like ours can help clients with claims that involve:

• Car accidents
• Truck accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Wrongful death
• Medical malpractice
• Premises liability 

We have also helped numerous clients recover losses after suffering catastrophic injuries, including brain injuries. 

Understanding Sarasota’s Dangerous Roads and Accident Hotspots 

In 2022, Sarasota experienced 7,067 traffic crashes, resulting in 4,127 injuries. Many of these were significant enough to require care at local hospitals, including Sarasota Memorial Hospital at 1700 S Tamiami Trl. 

This high number of crashes is partly a result of tourist traffic. People from all over the world come to enjoy the beaches and vibrant nightlife without being aware of dangerous intersections, including:

• US-41 & River Rd 
• Bee Ridge Rd & Beneva Rd 
• Clark Rd & Beneva Rd
• Washington Boulevard (U.S. 301) and 17th Street
• Tuttle Avenue and Bahia Vista Street
• Fruitville Road and Lockwood Ridge Road
• I-75 corridors

The high amount of traffic, combined with complex intersection designs, such as multi-lane roundabouts, creates locations where accidents are likely to occur. 

Highways to be careful on, especially during tourism peaks, include Fruitville Road, University Parkway, I-75, and US-41. Even going to the Sarasota County Courthouse at 2000 Main Street can be dangerous because of the Main Street and Washington Boulevard intersection. 

Why Sarasota Roads Are Particularly Dangerous

The main concern on Sarasota roads is the mixture of local and visiting drivers from other parts of the country. They may not be familiar with traffic laws in the state and might not be used to the complexity of a large city’s road system. 

A large influx of people can quickly change traffic patterns and impact road conditions. It’s also common to see construction crews hard at work repairing streets, but tourists might not know how to proceed safely, leading to crashes. 

Hit-and-run accidents are a concern, as well. Tourists may lack appropriate insurance coverage, or residents might not report an accident with a visitor. In 2023, there were 1,629 hit-and-run accidents in Sarasota. 

Types of Personal Injury Cases We Handle in Sarasota 

Our Sarasota injury lawyers with proven track records can handle a wide variety of cases, from vehicle accidents to medical malpractice and more. 

Car Accidents in Sarasota

Car accidents are among the most common types of personal injury claims. In Sarasota, they happen most often on highways such as I-75 and US-41 because of the high amount of traffic collected in these locations at any given moment. 

Everything from distracted driving to drunk driving can cause collisions. Of the 7,067 collisions that occurred in Sarasota in 2022, 150 crashes occurred as a result of alcohol intoxication. 

Truck Accident Injuries

Commercial trucks are a common sight on I-75. Because of their large size and significant weight, these trucks can be highly dangerous in a crash. They exert an overwhelming amount of force on impact, leading to catastrophic injuries that can affect you for the rest of your life. Crashes with these vehicles increase the potential for wrongful deaths. 

Motorcycle Accidents

Sarasota’s weather is warm, even in winter, making motorcycle riding possible throughout the entire year. 

Bikers are vulnerable road users who can’t depend on seat belts or airbags to protect them, which is why they often suffer catastrophic injuries if they’re in a collision. Even wearing a helmet can’t fully prevent them from suffering traumatic brain injuries that could leave them with lasting cognitive issues. 

Premises Liability Cases

Our personal injury attorneys in Sarasota, FL, also represent premises liability cases like slip-and-fall accidents, dog bites, and negligent security incidents. 

Property owners owe a duty of care to anyone who visits their premises, so if anyone suffers a preventable injury, the owners or managers can be held liable. In a tourist area like Sarasota, it is important for those staying at hotels and resorts to be aware of this. 

Medical Malpractice

If you have to receive care at Sarasota Memorial or Doctors Hospital, you expect to get treatment that meets the standard. If a medical professional fails in this and you experience complications, you can file a claim. 

Residents who suffer from a lack of care or outright abuse in nursing homes can also file lawsuits against the responsible parties. 

Medical malpractice has a statute of limitations of two years in Florida. This begins either at the moment the injury occurs or when you discover that you’re hurt. 

Florida Personal Injury Law: What You Need To Know in 2025

There have been significant changes to personal injury law recently as part of HB 837. It’s essential to act quickly and hire personal injury claim lawyers in Sarasota, Florida, if you’ve been hurt in an accident. 

The Two-Year Statute of Limitations 

Effective March 24, 2023, the statute of limitations for personal injury claims was reduced from four years to two years. There are exceptions if you don’t realize that you were hurt until later. This is the discovery rule, and it allows the clock to start running from when you learned that you had suffered harm. 

There are also exceptions for minors. If the plaintiff is underage, the statute of limitations is tolled until they turn 18. 

Modified Comparative Negligence in Florida

Florida has modified comparative negligence laws. These allow you to still recover losses if you were partly responsible for the accident, but only as long as your percentage of fault is 50% or less. 

As stated in FLA. STAT.  § 768.81, your level of liability will proportionally diminish your winnings. This is why it’s so essential to hire a top-rated personal injury attorney in Sarasota. With legal assistance, proving that the other party was negligent can be easier, and this increases your potential compensation. 

Understanding Insurance Companies and Your Personal Injury Claim

Insurance companies are always searching for ways to minimize your claim. They dispute fault, blaming you for the accident, and can downplay the severity of the losses you sustained. 

Additionally, insurance companies offer lowball offers to get you to accept a much smaller settlement than you deserve. Even filing a report for a minor car accident is complex, so ensure that you have representation. 

Florida has a no-fault system for traffic accidents. To receive compensation, you have to first file a claim with your personal injury protection (PIP) insurance. The problem is that PIP coverage from insurance companies doesn’t exceed $10,000. 

Florida’s No-Fault Insurance System

PIP coverage addresses 80% of your medical bills and 60% of your lost wages. This type of insurance doesn’t require proving fault. It’s mandatory coverage in Florida and can cover you if you’re a passenger in someone else’s car or if you are a pedestrian or cyclist who gets hit by a car. 

But what if your losses surpass the $10,000 total coverage that PIP offers? If your injuries are considered serious, then you step outside of no-fault laws and file against the other parties’ insurance companies. 

When You Can Sue Beyond PIP Coverage 

To pursue a claim against insurance companies other than your own, you must prove your injuries surpass the serious injury threshold. This has a specific meaning for insurance companies in Florida. 

It includes:

• Permanent and significant loss of a body function
• Significant or permanent scarring or disfigurement
• Permanent injury
• Death

Traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord injuries are seen as serious by insurance companies, along with burns, facial scarring, paralysis, and amputated body parts. In wrongful death cases, you can also file against insurance companies other than your own. 

Common Injuries in Sarasota Personal Injury Cases

If you have sustained injuries in an accident that led you to receive treatment at local hospitals like Sarasota Memorial Hospital, you’re likely facing medical expenses that you don’t know how to pay. 

An experienced personal injury lawyer in Sarasota can help you understand what your next steps should be, depending on the injuries you sustained. 

Catastrophic Injuries

Catastrophic injuries are those that cause long-term or permanent impairments and that might impact your cognitive or physical health. They make it difficult to live independently, maintain a high quality of life, or work. 

Typically, catastrophic injuries include spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries, but there could be others that fit into this category. These injuries require ongoing medical care, so aggressively negotiating with insurance companies is paramount to help you achieve maximum compensation. 

Brain Injuries and Spinal Cord Damage

Brain injuries and spinal cord damage can occur in severe accidents, especially rollover collisions and falls. Treatment is lengthy and can involve rehabilitation therapy that could last for months. In the most severe instances, it may be impossible to fully recover from the injury. 

Aside from the physical distress that brain and spinal cord injuries cause, they also impact you emotionally. They are life-changing injuries that keep you from working and doing the things that you love.

The Legal Process: How Our Personal Injury Attorneys Help

The process of how to file a personal injury claim begins with an assessment of the case and an investigation to gather evidence. Our affordable Sarasota personal injury lawyers then start negotiating with insurance companies. In instances when we can’t obtain a settlement, we can take your case to court. 

Initial Case Evaluation and Evidence Gathering

When considering what to do after an accident with injuries, scheduling a consultation with our team is the right choice. 

We’ll begin by evaluating the case and then proceed to gather evidence. Collecting evidence as quickly as possible after the accident is essential, and that is what the best personal injury lawyer in Sarasota will do on your behalf. 

Pertinent evidence includes:

• Medical records
• Police reports
• Photos
• Videos
• Witness statements

We’ll work fast to get copies of traffic camera footage and other recordings that can clearly show how the accident occurred. 

Negotiating With Insurance Companies

To maximize personal injury settlements in Sarasota, our team will aggressively negotiate with insurance companies. We know the various tactics these companies rely on, like blaming you for the accident or minimizing your injuries, so we know how to address these issues. 

Without an attorney, you may be encouraged to accept a smaller offer than you deserve, so you should never begin negotiations without assistance. Even with our help, however, insurance companies may still reject a fair offer, so what is the next step?

Trial Preparation and Court Proceedings

If we need to go to court, we have decades of experience not only with general litigation, but also with proceedings in the Sarasota County Courthouse at 2000 Main Street. We’ve argued many cases there and know what to expect. 

Our team knows how to prepare for jury trials, including what types of evidence can make the biggest difference. With our team by your side, you can focus on healing, while we manage the complexities of these cases. 

Compensation You May Recover in Sarasota Personal Injury Cases 

We are a trusted Sarasota personal injury law firm for fair compensation, and we strive to obtain the maximum damages possible. From economic damages, such as medical expenses, to non-economic damages like pain and suffering, we offer the support you need. 

Economic Damages

Economic damages cover medical expenses, including future care you may require. 

You can receive compensation for:

• Medication costs
• Hospital stays
• Emergency room bills
• Rehabilitation
• Psychological therapy
• Medical devices

As part of economic damages, you can also receive compensation for property damage and the wages you may have missed if you couldn’t work. If you won’t be able to return to work, your loss of earning capacity can also be covered. 

Non-Economic Damages

Suffering injuries can impact your quality of life. Serious wounds that cause scarring, disabilities, or disfigurement can make it impossible to live as you used to, allowing you to claim loss of enjoyment of life. You can also receive compensation for pain and suffering, which addresses the physical and emotional distress you have undergone. 

Punitive Damages

In the most egregious cases, punitive damages can also be available. These are only granted when gross negligence leads to your injuries, such as after a drunk driving accident or incidents that occur because of reckless conduct. In Florida, HB 837 places a cap of $2 million on punitive damages.