Violent Crime Injury Attorney

The actions you take after experiencing any violent crime is critical. Getting help from an experienced violent crime injury attorney should be among the first things you do after an incident.

Being involved in a violent incident can be very traumatizing. We’re not talking about your average car accident or a workplace mishap. This is injury or harm that occurs due to violent intent. The crime itself is not negligent, it is intentional.  That causes a completely different injury than something that was accidental.

A violent crime usually leaves victims shaken and with a distrust of people or places. The veneer of normal life is ripped off and people are hurt as a result.

Violent crimes happen more than you think. They’re often related to opportunistic crimes like robbery or sexual assault, business transactions gone wrong, road rage incidents after accidents, and other situations that take a turn for the worse.

You never know what people are capable of doing. Situations can escalate quickly, and violence happens fast. For example, crimes of opportunity regularly result in violence. Someone tries to grab a purse, and the person’s instinct is to hold on. The criminal reacts by punching the victim or, even worse, using a weapon.  Some criminals use violence first as a means of control and to disorient the victim.  Some rapists use violence to overpower and stun their victims and as a means of gratification.

If you or someone you know was injured in a violent crime, you need an experienced lawyer to ensure you get the justice you deserve.

What Constitutes Violent Crime Injury

So, what is a violent crime? A violent crime generally covers any incident in which there is malicious intent. Here are some of the types of violent crime you see most often:

• Assault & Battery-Any intentional, unlawful threat is defined as assault. That threat can be an action or even words if the threat involves some sort of verbalized intent to harm someone, use a weapon on someone, or something similar.
• Aggravated assault is a threat or an act involving a weapon (gun, knife, stick, car, etc.) or rises to the level of a felony, that’s aggravated assault. Whether a violent crime is labeled a misdemeanor assault or a felony aggravated assault depends on the circumstances of the crime and several other factors.
• Battery is when there is any offensive physical contact.
• Manslaughter-Manslaughter involves the killing of another person without legal justification or culpable negligence. This usually when someone kills another person, whether intentional or not.
• Think about a situation in which two people get into a fight on a Friday night out. One person punches the other, and that person falls, breaks their neck, and dies. They didn’t intend to kill them, in all likelihood, so that the offender will likely face manslaughter charges.
• Murder-This is the deliberate taking of another person’s life against the law. There are degrees to murder charges related to whether the act was planned or unintentional.
• Robbery-When someone’s property is taken from another person via force, assault, intimidation, or fear, this type of violent crime is called robbery. If a weapon, like a gun, is brandished or even the intimation that a weapon is involved in a robbery, the crime is treated more seriously.
• Rape & Sexual Battery-Any type of forced sexual contact is a violent crime. Sometimes sexual battery is not even done with force, such as when a child is subject to a sexual assault.  They may be coerced or threatened.

These are just some of the types of violent crimes that occur. A good attorney will discuss the details of your case and its classification.

The Impact of a Violent Crime Injury

Violent crimes happen more often than we’d prefer, and far more frequently than most people can believe. Any violent crime is abhorrent. When violent crime injuries occur, it’s worse.

It’s impossible to overstate the severity of violent crime injuries and the impact they can have on an individual, their family, and the community.

Florida residents like to believe it’s safe where we live and that we can pursue our interests freely. We want to live somewhere that our children can go to school without worry and where there is some overriding sense of duty to justice and peace.

That, however, is not always the case. Floridians are victims of violent crimes that impact them for the rest of their lives. They experience mental and emotional trauma related to the event. Certain situations can trigger strong emotional reactions like anxiety, nausea, and fear.

Besides emotional damage, people who are victims of violent crimes can sustain life-altering injuries. Think about someone struck during a strong-arm robbery at an ATM or while walking in a mall parking lot. Often, they have to endure multiple surgeries and years of physical therapy to walk again. Depending on the nature and extent of the violence, the injuries can be catastrophic or even involved death.

In some cases, violent crime injuries make it impossible for victims to work or function in the same capacity. Their injuries prevent them from pursing lifelong hobbies and other avocations.

How a Violent Crime Injury Attorney Can Help

In the aftermath of a violent crime, victims and their families often don’t know where to turn. Where do you start dealing with the legal situation when your loved one is in the hospital, and you’re dealing with medical appointments?

With the right legal team, victims get the advice and guidance they need to navigate what is undoubtedly a stressful time. Not only will they start building a case against whoever perpetrated the crime, but they’ll look at the circumstances surrounding the incident and whether any other factors contributed to your injury.

Pro Tip:  Hiring an attorney as soon as possible can even help you get great medical attention for your injury.

Here are some of the benefits that a violent crime injury attorney provide:

Benefit 1 – They Have Resource Networks to Help Victims Recover

Where can you go to find the best counselors, doctors, physical therapists, grief therapists, and other professionals that will understand what you’re going through? An expert attorney with an established track record has the resources you need to get the proper care.

Benefit 2 – They Know Expert Witnesses Who Will Help Your Case

When you need to build a case, a qualified violent crime injury attorney will have access to criminal profilers, private investigators, and security experts who can lend credibility to your case. They’ll also know media representatives who can help draw attention to your case if necessary.

Benefit 3 – They Can Determine Who Is At Fault

Violent crime injury lawyers can examine how other factors may have contributed to your injury. For example, when a violent crime occurs inside a business, did that business have adequate measures in place to guarantee the safety and security of their customers? Was there a case of security negligence? Are they liable in any way for what happened? A seasoned injury attorney will know what to look for.

Benefit 4 – They Are Your Advocate

In most cases, police get involved anytime there are allegations that a violent crime occurred. Removing a violent offender off of the streets is important. However, the results of a criminal case don’t help victims with damages and their long-term recovery.

That’s why having a violent crime injury attorney representing victims of violent crime is so important. You need an advocate to work for you to get the financial support you need for what happened. They’re working hard to win you justice while you recover.

Benefit 5 – They Will Know What to Say

What you say and the things you do after a violent crime injury are critical. They can affect the outcome of your personal injury case and how much you win in a settlement or court.

A high-quality lawyer will know how to deal with insurance companies, medical professionals, law enforcement, and other parties to your case. They’ll guide you in what you should say and do, as well as things you should avoid saying to protect your case.

Benefit 6 – Good Attorneys Know What to Expect

Finding a qualified attorney with an established track record is critical. They’ll know what to expect related to things like settlements, dealing with insurance companies, and how long getting payment for your injuries will take.

Finding the Right Violent Crime Injury Attorney

We know you’ve got a lot on your plate in the wake of a violent crime injury. However, as soon as possible, find a good lawyer. They can help you know what to do and what to say to protect you and win the damages you deserve.

The best attorney you can find will have experience working on similar cases with proven outcomes. Here are some questions to ask when you’re talking to potential law firms.

• What type of similar cases have you handled?
• What were the outcomes?
• How much in financial damages were you able to win for your clients?
• How long did it take?
• What sort of resources can you bring to help my case?

These are just starter questions that can help you form a baseline for who you eventually hire. The right attorney will be open and attentive to your needs.

Insider Tip:  Most law firms will offer you a free initial consultation to discuss your case. People worry about even talking to a lawyer because they aren’t familiar with the costs. Find someone who will speak to you with no obligation.

At Leighton Panoff Law, we represent victims of violent crime aggressively to win you justice. For years, we’ve won our clients some of the most substantial recoveries in the nation. Our managing partner, John Leighton, is President of the National Crime Victim Bar Association and the author of the leading textbook in the field of violent crime litigation.  Talk to us today if you or someone you love needs help with a violent crime injury!