Can I Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer if I am an Undocumented Immigrant in Florida?
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CALL (800) 863-5312 for a free consultation with Florida immigrant injury lawyers today
It might be easy for some people to retain a personal injury lawyer for their case, but other people are unsure whether they can retain an attorney at all. Undocumented immigrants in particular might wonder whether doing so would be risky for themselves and their families. That’s why it’s important to call florida immigrant injury lawyers to learn your rights.
If you or a loved one is an undocumented immigrant in the US who suffered a personal injury, call Zinda Law Group at (800) 863-5312 for a 100% free consultation with a personal injury lawyer. Our attorneys can help you seek maximum compensation for your injuries.
What is an undocumented immigrant?
Many undocumented immigrants live in the United States. Some were invited to come here for work or an education, some filled out paperwork to gain permanent residence, and some entered the country on their own, without sponsorship. To be a United States citizen, a person must either be born in the United States or follow immigration procedures to become a citizen
Undocumented immigrants may also be people who obtained temporary visas, but then stayed in the country beyond the visa’s expiration date. A visa is a document that allows an immigrant to stay in the United States for a certain period of time; there are over 20 different kinds of visas. Which visa you need is determined by the purpose of your travel to the United States; for example, if you are traveling to the United States as a tourist, you can get a tourist visa.
Your visa will specify a period of time that you are permitted to stay in the country. If you stay beyond the specified time, you will be considered an undocumented immigrant.
Can undocumented immigrants hire attorneys?
If you are an undocumented immigrant who has been injured, you may want to hold the proper person responsible for your injuries. Before seeking legal advice, you might be wondering, “Can I hire an attorney? Better yet, can I hire a personal injury lawyer near me?”
If you are an undocumented immigrant, you can hire a personal injury lawyer who can help you seek compensation for your injuries. As an injured party, you have a right to seek compensation for the injuries you suffered. Contact a personal injury lawyer who can help you build a case to seek maximum compensation. Zinda Law Group has offices near you in who are experienced in helping undocumented immigrants seek damages for injuries they have suffered due to the actions or negligence of others.
You may be concerned that a lawyer will report your immigration status to the authorities, causing you to be deported from the country. However, immigration authorities cannot deport you solely because you filed a personal injury lawsuit. This means that you will be able to file a personal injury lawsuit without concern that you or your family will be deported.
how do i file a lawsuit in florida as an undocumented immigrant?
The process for filing a lawsuit is the same for U.S. citizens and undocumented immigrants. First, you should hire a Florida personal injury attorney. A Florida personal injury lawyer will evaluate your case and help you form a strategy to pursue maximum compensation.
Document the Injury
After you hire a lawyer, they will ask you questions about the incident or accident that caused your injury. Before meeting with your lawyer, you may want to gather evidence and write down everything you can remember about how you were injured. You will want to document:
- Location where the injury occurred
- What time the injury occurred
- Details about your injury
- Any treatment you needed because of your injury
- The names and contact information of any witnesses to your injury
This information helps your personal injury lawyer build your case. Your lawyer will also have follow-up questions about the incident and injury. For example, they will ask you detailed questions and may even contact the witnesses to your injury. It is important for you and any witnesses to be completely honest with your lawyer about your injury. This will enable your lawyer to build a strong case and help you seek the compensation you deserve.
Filing the Complaint
After your attorney gathers the facts about your injury, they will begin drafting the complaint. The complaint is the document that initiates the personal injury lawsuit. The complaint will outline what happened, what injury you suffered, and what kind of relief you are seeking.
The person you are suing is called the defendant. The defendant will respond to your complaint, and likely deny the allegations in it. Once the complaint is answered, your lawsuit will move to the next stage, called discovery.
Discovery
Discovery is the process during which both parties to the lawsuit obtain information from each other. Common documents that are requested during discovery are:
- Medical records
- Medical bills or other expenses related to treating the injury
- Photographs or videos of the incident
- Tax or other information related to the plaintiff’s income
- Plaintiff’s social media or other online presence
The information obtained during discovery can help both sides build their case and better understand what happened. It is also a time for the parties to start thinking about whether they should settle the case or go to trial.
It is important to remember that during the discovery phase, it could be discovered that you are an undocumented immigrant. However, this information does not prevent you from seeking compensation for your injuries. If you are concerned that this might affect your case, speak with your personal injury attorney who can thoroughly explain your rights.
Settlement
A settlement is an agreement that ends the lawsuit. During settlement, the defendant might pay the plaintiff a sum of money for their injuries.
Most cases settle before getting to trial; this is because settlement has many advantages for both parties.
First, they resolve the lawsuit quickly; a trial may not be scheduled for months or even years after your injury. Second, trials carry a lot of risk; a jury might not award you any money for your injuries, causing you to have spent a lot of time and money for no return. On the other hand, a jury could offer you a sum of money above or well below what you requested; a can help you decide whether it is best to settle your case or go to trial.
what kind of relief can i get?
Whether you go to trial or settle, you are still seeking relief in filing your lawsuit. In Florida, you can seek compensatory and punitive damages for your injuries. Compensatory damages are monetary damages; these come in two forms: economic and non-economic.
Economic damages are those that can be calculated. Examples of economic damages include costs for ambulance or medical bills, lost past or future earnings, or other calculable amounts. Non-economic damages refer to those that are awarded for emotional injuries; these cannot be calculated, but may still be awarded for any pain, suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, or other emotional injuries resulting from the incident.
You may also seek punitive damages from the defendant for your injuries; these are damages that aim to punish the defendant for particularly reckless or dangerous behavior. In Florida, you may seek a maximum of $500,000 in punitive damages or three times the amount of compensatory damages, whichever is greater. Speak with your personal injury attorney to determine how much you can seek in damages in your case.
how long do i have to bring my personal injury claim?
After an injury, you have a certain amount of time to file a lawsuit and seek compensation for that injury; this amount of time is set in the statute of limitations.
In Florida, a person generally has two to four years from the date of the incident to file a lawsuit. After the period of time named in the statute has passed, you will be unable to seek compensation for your injury. If more than two years has passed since your accident, contact a Florida personal injury lawyer to determine whether you can still bring a claim against those responsible for your injuries.
Call zinda law group today
At Zinda Law Group, we understand that undocumented immigrants face serious challenges daily. We recognize that filing a lawsuit can be scary and difficult, especially when you are concerned about deportation or other risks.
We believe that every person has a right to seek compensation for their injuries, regardless of their immigrant status and regardless of whether they have a lot of money or not; that is why we offer a “No Win, No Fee Guarantee,” so that you do not have to pay anything unless we receive a favorable verdict, judgment, or settlement in your case. If you or a loved one is an undocumented immigrant who has been injured, call Zinda Law Group at (800) 863-5312 for a 100% free consultation with a Florida personal injury attorney today.
Meetings with attorneys are available by appointment only.