Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Why should I hire Dennis M. Janssen & Associates?

A.

• We are selective in the cases that we accept, which allows us to focus on your case. Central Florida has a number of big box law firms that try to be all things to all people, we decided it is better to serve the limited number of clients that we accept.
• We are small and have intimate knowledge of the Courts and Judges in the counties in which we primarily practice. This benefits the client because we know the terrain.
• Having a lawyer who has been a victim of catastrophic personal injury benefits the client.
  • It has been said, ‘you will never know me, until you walk a mile in my shoes.” How true that statement is for the person who has suffered from personal injuries. Mr. Janssen has experienced loss first hand, which allows him to be an effective advocate for his clients. When negotiating a case with an insurance adjuster or teaching a jury, he is able explain the pain and disability associated with injury because he has been there and done that.
• Having a lawyer who is also a doctor benefits the client in at least 4 ways.
  • Dr. DiMartino practiced chiropractic medicine for 15 + years and most likely treated or followed a patient with a condition similar to yours.
  • Knowing the anatomy, physiology, radiology and neurology of the human body allows Dr. DiMartino to be an effective advocate for the client because he understands the medicine behind the injury.
  • Dr. DiMartino is able to preliminary determine the medical issues associated with your case by reviewing your medical information.
  • Having a doctor-lawyer in most cases saves the client costs, which allows the client to keep a higher amount of settlement proceeds. The costs are saved in a number of ways:
    • The firm doesn’t have to hire a nurse consultant or physician’s assistant to review and summarize the client’s medical records, which can cost hundreds of dollars.
    • The firm doesn’t have to spend additional time with medical expert witnesses to get up to speed on the medical issues associated with the client’s claim, which can cost thousands of dollars.
• An experienced lawyer can make a difference in the settlement amount. Insurance companies are in the business of risk assessment. The yellow pages and internet are full of attorneys claiming to be trial attorneys. The facts are that most attorneys do not take cases to trial. The insurance companies know the attorneys that try cases as opposed to the attorneys who do not try cases. A majority of civil cases do not go to trial because of the risks to both sides. However, a civil trial attorney should be trying 1-2 cases per year. Generally, cases that are handled by law firms that do not try cases are settled for a smaller amount than law firms that do try cases.

Q. Do I need to go to Orlando or Tampa to find an attorney to handle my case?

A. No. Both Dennis Janssen & Guy DiMartino practiced in big cities before they decided to assist injured people in Central Florida. Dennis practiced for a number of years in the Washington, D.C. area and Guy practiced in Chicagoland and Orlando before relocating to Lake County. We are big city attorneys with hometown values.

Q. What type of personal injury claims do you handle?

A. We handle many types of personal injury claims including medical malpractice, car accidents, motorcycle accidents, trucking crashes, pedestrian/auto collisions, burn cases, slip and falls, premises liability and products liability.

Q. How soon after the personal injury should I call your office?

A. Call us at (800) 582-4407 or contact our office online for your FREE BOOK: FLORIDA AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT SURVIVAL GUIDE: THE FIVE MISTAKES THAT CAN DESTROY YOUR PERSONAL INJURY CLAIM. This book is free to you even though you may not need a lawyer or we are not the firm for you.

Q. Will I get to speak with a lawyer if I call?

A. Yes. Everyone who calls for a free consultation gets to talk to a lawyer. Many of the big box firms in Florida utilize case managers to screen and work-up the cases until the point a lawsuit is filed. At DMJ you will get to talk with a lawyer right away or later the same day, and your cases will be handled by an attorney not a paralegal or case manager.

Q. How much is my claim worth?

A. If a law firm says they can tell you how much your claim is worth without doing a full investigation – call another law firm. The value of a personal injury claim depends on a number of things, such as the facts of the accident, the nature, extent and permanency of the injuries, amount of lost income, and whether there is available insurance to pay the claim. If you contact our office, we will provide a free consultation, discuss the elements of your claim and give you an idea of potential recovery.

Q. I was recently in an accident and the other person’s insurance company wants to settle the case; should I settle?

A. Settling a case is a very important decision. At the time of settlement, the at fault person’s insurance company will require that you sign a release foreclosing any future claims. Call us at (800) 582-4407 or contact us online to request our FREE BOOK: FLORIDA AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT SURVIVAL GUIDE: THE FIVE MISTAKES THAT CAN DESTROY YOUR PERSONAL INJURY CLAIM, which will provide valuable information about insurance companies’ settlement tactics.

Q. Can I recover if the other driver has no insurance?

A. It depends upon whether you purchased Uninsured Motorist Coverage (UM) in your policy.

Q. Why is it important to hire an experienced trial lawyer to represent your interests?

A. A majority of personal injury claims settle before trial. The question then becomes, what is the settlement value? If you hire an attorney who has little or no trial experience, the attorney may dismiss you as a client if he/she is unable to settle the case before filing a lawsuit. This could make it difficult for the client to retain another attorney within the prescribed deadlines. Other attorneys may refuse to go to trial out of fear of losing or fronting the extra expenses needed for trial. Insurance companies know who these attorneys are, and will offer them considerably less money to settle than the case may be worth. At DMJ we work-up every case as if it is going to trial. This way, the case is prepared for trial if settlement negotiations break down.

Q. Do I need an attorney who focuses on personal injury law or can I use a general practice attorney?

A. In most professions the day of the general practitioner is gone. Why? The law, like medicine, has become much more complicated requiring attorneys to limit their practices. In order to settle or try your claim, you have to deal with insurance companies. To get the best outcome, you need to understand the insurance companies’ culture, management and negotiation tactics. The companies’ goal is pay the injured party the least amount possible while protecting their policyholder from liability. It is difficult for somebody who does not deal with personal injury claims on a day in day out basis to have a good sense of a claims worth. Additionally, attorneys who do not handle these cases on a regular basis do not have relationships with the insurance claims professionals. We can tell you from experience that the attorney handling your claim makes a significant difference in the settlement amount. In the past, when we defended insurance companies, there were times that the insurance companies paid the injured party more than the insurance benefit because of the attorney’s reputation.

Q. Lawsuits are expensive, will it cost me any money upfront for filing fees, court costs or expert witness fees?

A. Working a case up properly can be expensive. It is necessary to gather the client’s medical records, investigate the accident scene and hire experts. This is why we are selective in choosing the clients we represent. We know that most people cannot afford to pay the expenses up front, which is why we front all costs and only receive reimbursement if we are able to recover money for our client.

Q. In what parts of Florida do you handle cases?

A. Even though our main office is in Leesburg, our attorneys have handled cases from Miami to Lake City and most places in between. We predominately practice in the five counties that make up the Fifth Judicial District, which include Lake, Marion, Citrus, Sumter and Hernando. However, we handle serious injury cases throughout the entire state.

Counties that we service include: Lake, Marion, Citrus, Sumter, Hernando, Orange, Seminole, Volusia, Alachua, Gilchrist, Clay, Putnam, Pasco, Hillsborough, Polk, Osceola, Brevard, St. Lucie, Palm Beach, Okeechobee, Broward, Miami-Dade.

Cities that we service include: Leesburg, Eustis, Clermont, Groveland, Mascotte, Winter Garden, Howey-in-the-Hills, Bushnell, Inverness, Crystal River, Homassa, Ocala, Belleview, Villages, Gainesville, New Port Richey, Winter Haven, Lakeland, Orlando, Altamonte Springs, Maitland, Sanford, Deland, Deltona, and Dade City.