Were you recently assaulted in Port St. Lucie, Florida? You don’t have to struggle with the consequences alone. Call Kibbey Wagner Injury & Car Accident Lawyers at (772) 247-3374 today to schedule a free consultation. Our experienced Port St. Lucie assault injury lawyers can help you fight for the compensation you deserve.
Since our opening, our team has been a voice for victims of serious accidents and acts of violence in Florida. Drawing on 80 years of combined experience, our award-winning litigators have helped clients win over $500 million in personal injury settlements and verdicts at trial.
Don’t let your attacker off the hook without paying what you deserve after an assault. Call today and count on us to help you maximize your recovery. Your first consultation is free.
Why Choose Kibbey Wagner Injury & Car Accident Lawyers for Help if You’ve Been Assaulted in Port St. Lucie, FL?
Assault isn’t just illegal in Florida; it’s also an infringement of a person’s rights. As a victim in Port St. Lucie, FL, you have the right to file a personal injury lawsuit against your attacker and, in some cases, other parties to pursue compensation for medical care, lost income, and other damages. Your choice of attorney matters, which is why victims of assault trust Kibbey Wagner Injury & Car Accident Lawyers.
Led by a Board Certified Civil Trial Attorney and former insurance defense attorney, we’re known for our smart legal strategies, aggressive negotiation tactics, and determined advocacy in the courtroom.
Members of our team are recognized as:
- Avvo “Superb” rated attorneys
- The National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40
- The National Trial Lawyers Top 100
- Members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum
Our case results, including hundreds of millions of dollars in monetary awards, speak volumes about our ability to win, while hundreds of reviews are a testament to our compassionate, individualized representation.
Your first consultation with a Port St. Lucie personal injury attorney is always free.
Do I Have an Assault Injury Lawsuit?
In Florida, assault charges can be pursued by the state when a person makes an “intentional, unlawful threat by word or act to do violence to the person of another, coupled with an apparent ability to do so, and doing some act which creates a well-founded fear in such other person that such violence is imminent.”
Assault can give rise to civil consequences, too. You might have an assault injury lawsuit if you’ve been threatened with violence or physically harmed by another person.
Assault is an intentional tort, which means that you need to prove that you were harmed because of another person’s intentional actions. In an assault case, you have to show that the defendant wanted to make you reasonably fearful for your safety and succeeded.
You don’t have to prove that you’ve actually suffered a bodily injury. If they make harmful or offensive bodily contact with you, you can pursue a civil battery claim for damages, too.
Types of Assault Injury Cases We Handle
You might have an assault injury lawsuit if someone threatened you with their fists or a weapon. You’d have a battery injury lawsuit if they followed through on the threat and struck you. Often, assault and battery cases are pursued together.
Our Port St. Lucie personal injury lawyers represent clients in assault cases involving:
- Domestic violence
- Robberies
- Bar fights
- Fights between friends
- Bullying
- Institutional sexual assault
- Sexual assault
- Police misconduct
If you’ve been threatened or physically harmed by another person in a fight, call Kibbey Wagner Injury & Car Accident Lawyers to discuss your rights and options. We’ll listen to your story, provide an overview of your potential legal options, and help you figure out the best path forward.
How Much Is My Assault Injury Case Worth?
It depends. Everyone’s story is different. Your assault injury claim’s value is going to depend largely on:
- Whether you were physically harmed by your attacker
- The types of injuries you’ve sustained and their severity
- Lost wages and income during your recovery
- Changes in your earning capacity
- Whether you’re being accused of provoking the aggressor
- Your age and life expectancy
- Available insurance coverage and policy limits
- How the assault and/or battery affects your quality of life
The more the assault shapes your life and causes financial distress, the more compensation you can potentially recover when it’s resolved through a settlement or verdict at trial.
Who’s Liable for My Assault Injuries?
You can pursue a civil assault claim against your attacker. However, going after the person who hurt you directly might not offer the best path to recovering compensation. You could win your case, but they might not have the money to make you whole.
Fortunately, assault injury cases can also be pursued against other parties if they bear legal responsibility for your injuries and suffering.
Employers
If you were assaulted by someone who was working at the time, their employer might be vicariously liable for your injuries if the employee was acting within the scope of their employment.
For instance, depending on the circumstances, if you were assaulted by a caretaker at a nursing home, the nursing facility could be held accountable for your injuries. Similarly, if you were assaulted by a medical professional, the hospital where they were employed could potentially be on the hook for the consequences, as well.
Employers are responsible for screening applicants, hiring qualified and appropriate employees, and supervising as necessary. If an employer was negligent in any of these regards, they can be liable if an employee assaults someone.
Property Owners
Property owners in Port St. Lucie have a duty to protect visitors from reasonably foreseeable harm, including acts of violence. If an owner ignores threats of violence or crime on their premises, they can potentially be liable if someone is assaulted or attacked on the property.
What Types of Damages Can Be Awarded to Port St. Lucie Assault Victims?
Assault victims in Port St. Lucie can pursue two types of compensatory damages in a civil lawsuit: economic and non-economic.
Economic damages are intended to help with the financial stress you experience because you’ve been assaulted, including:
- Emergency room visits, hospitalization, surgery, and other current medical bills
- Follow-up treatment, specialist consultations, and other reasonably necessary future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Disability
- Diminished earning capacity
- Rehabilitation
- Therapy
- Out-of-pocket expenses
Non-economic damages are designed to acknowledge the quiet trauma and suffering that you experience when you’ve been attacked:
- Disfigurement
- Scarring
- Emotional distress
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Embarrassment
- Pain and suffering
- Chronic pain
- Loss of consortium
Since assault is an intentional act, punitive damages can also be sought if your lawsuit gets to trial. There, a jury can award additional compensation to punish your attacker if there’s clear and convincing evidence that they acted maliciously.
How Much Does It Cost To Hire an Assault Injury Lawyer?
There’s no up-front cost. There’s no out-of-pocket expense. Since we represent clients on a contingency fee basis, you pay nothing until we’ve won compensation for your assault injury case. Our fees are deducted from your financial recovery, so there’s no added stress during your recovery.
If we don’t win, you’ll pay nothing at all.
Does Florida Have a Statute of Limitations on Civil Assault Lawsuits?
Yes, you’ll face strict deadlines for filing a civil assault lawsuit in the state of Florida. Unless an exception applies, an assault lawsuit must be filed within four years of the date you were threatened or attacked. Different or extended filing periods may apply in certain circumstances, including some claims involving sexual abuse.
Don’t treat the filing deadline like a starting point. Evidence in an assault case can disappear quickly, while witness memories can fade and become less reliable over time. Winning your assault injury lawsuit for maximum compensation requires prompt action, so it’s important to call Kibbey Wagner Injury & Car Accident Lawyers for help as soon as you can.
Call Our Experienced Port St. Lucie Assault Injury Lawyers for a Free Case Review
Someone else was violent. Their threats and actions have changed your life as you know it. Whether you’re struggling with severe physical injuries or crippling emotional distress, you deserve to be compensated. Our experienced Port St. Lucie assault injury attorneys are ready to fight for the justice you deserve.
Kibbey Wagner Injury & Car Accident Lawyers provides passionate and powerful legal representation to injury victims in Port St. Lucie, Florida. We’ve recovered hundreds of millions of dollars in hard-fought settlements and jury awards for our clients, and now we’re ready to fight for your future, too.
We offer a free consultation, so call our law office to discuss your assault injury case with our team today.