Personal Injury Representation in Apollo Beach and Tampa Bay

Types of injury matters

How Radke Law handles an injury claim

Every claim is different, but the work usually follows the same priorities: understand what happened, protect the evidence, find the insurance, and document what the injury has cost you.

• InvestigationCollecting reports, photographs, witness information, and records that show how the injury happened.
• Evidence preservationActing early on video, physical evidence, and records that can be lost or overwritten.
• Insurance reviewIdentifying which policies may apply and what each requires of you.
• Documentation of lossesOrganizing medical records, bills, lost income, and the effect on daily life.
• NegotiationPresenting the claim and evaluating whether an offer fairly reflects your losses.
• Litigation when appropriateFiling suit when a claim cannot be resolved through negotiation or a deadline requires it.

Many claims never need a lawsuit, but preparing as if one may be needed is part of handling a claim well. No result is guaranteed.

Slip and fall and other premises injuries

Property owners and businesses have responsibilities to keep their premises reasonably safe. When a spill, broken stair, poor lighting, or another hazard causes an injury, the question is usually whether the owner or occupant knew, or should have known, about the hazard and failed to deal with it.

For falls caused by a transitory foreign substance, such as a spill, in a business establishment, Florida law requires the injured person to show the business had actual or constructive knowledge of the dangerous condition and did not address it. Evidence about how long a hazard was present, who inspected the area, and what the property’s own records show can matter a great deal.

What to preserve right away

• Photographs or video of the hazard, the surrounding area, and your injuries
• The names and contact details of witnesses and employees
• The incident report, if one was made, and a copy if you can get it
• The shoes and clothing you wore, unwashed and unaltered
• Medical records, bills, and notes about missed work

Surveillance video is often overwritten on a schedule, so prompt action can matter. Be careful about giving a recorded statement to the property’s insurer before you understand your rights.

Assault and other intentional injury claims

When someone deliberately injures another person, the injured person may have a civil claim for the harm caused, separate from any criminal case. The civil claim is about your losses: medical expenses, lost income, and the physical and emotional impact of what happened.

These claims raise practical questions that are worth examining early:

• Who may be responsible. The person who caused the harm is the starting point. In some situations, a property owner or business may also have responsibility, depending on the facts.
• Insurance and collectability. Liability policies often limit or exclude coverage for intentional acts, so identifying realistic sources of recovery is part of evaluating a claim.
• The criminal case. A criminal case can run alongside a civil claim and can affect timing and evidence. Radke Law’s role is the civil claim for your injuries and losses.

Other injury claims

If your injury does not fit neatly into the categories above, call and describe what happened. Radke Law will tell you whether it is a matter the firm handles.

Deadlines matter

Florida sets time limits for filing injury lawsuits, and they differ by type of claim. For many negligence claims that arose after March 24, 2023, the general limit is two years. Some intentional-tort claims have different limits, and claims involving government entities, wrongful death, or other special situations can have shorter or different rules and notice requirements.

Separately, Florida’s PIP system generally requires qualifying initial medical care within 14 days of a car accident to obtain PIP medical benefits.

First steps after an injury

1. Get medical care

   Your health comes first, and treatment records document your injuries.

2. Preserve evidence

   Photograph the scene and injuries, keep clothing and receipts, and collect witness details.

3. Be careful with insurers

   Be truthful, but understand your obligations before agreeing to recorded statements or signing releases.

4. Talk with an attorney early

   An early review can identify deadlines and issues while there is still time to address them.

Frequently asked questions

This page is general legal information, not legal advice. Each case depends on its own facts and Florida law. No particular result is guaranteed.