If you are recovering from injuries another driver caused, a Valrico car accident lawyer is the ideal resource to turn to for help in your recovery efforts. Car accidents may cause broken bones, brain injuries, spinal injuries, and damage to internal organs, and it is vital to know how to hold an at-fault driver accountable for these injuries and the associated economic damages.
Car accidents are a leading cause of accidental injuries and deaths in Florida each year, and resolving the aftermath of any car accident may be more challenging than the average person expects. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FHSMV) reports an average of 1,000 vehicle crashes per day throughout the state. While not all of these accidents result in serious injuries or death, many of them do.
The team at The Frank Santini Law Firm has years of personal injury experience in Valrico, and we have successfully helped many past clients recover from all types of car accidents. If you believe another party is responsible for your recent accident, the state’s no-fault rule does not necessarily prevent you from holding them accountable for your losses. Our team can help develop a strategy that aims for maximum recovery from your damages.
Our firm takes a client-focused approach to legal counsel in every case we accept, taking time to learn everything we can about our clients and how their accident has impacted their life. We believe in helping our clients recover as fully as possible as quickly as possible. You can rely on our firm to guide you through an initial auto insurance claim filing process and secure the settlement you deserve.
If you have grounds for further legal recourse beyond an auto insurance claim, we can assist with this as well. Our team has helped many past clients secure substantial case awards, and we will do everything we can to help you navigate your case proceedings with confidence. The sooner you connect with our team, the more time we have to develop your case.
Florida upholds the no-fault rule for accidents, meaning all drivers are required to have their own auto insurance and file claims against their own policies whenever accidents happen, regardless of fault. This may sound like it prevents you from filing a civil claim against the driver who caused your accident, but this isn’t true for all accidents. If your damages exceed what your insurance provides and/or you suffered a severe injury, you can file a personal injury claim.
When most people think of car accidents in Florida, they imagine high-speed collisions on highways like the US-301 or State Route 60. While the highways in Hillsborough County are certainly hotspots for accidents, most of the crashes reported in the area happen in residential areas and in busy metropolitan intersections. For example, Sheldon Road and Waters Avenue report a very high number of accidents in Hillsborough County each year.
Filing a claim against your own auto insurance policy will still be your first option for recovering from your accident, but if you have grounds for further legal recourse, you will need to firmly establish fault for the accident before you can recover compensation from the at-fault driver. Your Valrico car accident lawyer can be invaluable for the assistance they can provide in these efforts.
Car accidents commonly occur because of negligence behind the wheel or failure to exercise reasonable care. Examples of negligence most often cited as the causes of car accidents in the Valrico area include distracted driving, speeding, and moving violations like running red lights. Your Valrico car accident lawyer can help gather the evidence needed to prove exactly how your accident happened and identify the driver or driver responsible.
It is also possible for a driver to cause a serious accident through illegal misconduct. The most common example of this is driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or drugs. The at-fault driver in such a case not only faces liability for the civil damages they caused but also criminal prosecution from the state. If they caused severe bodily harm or death, they could face felony prosecution
The objective of any personal injury claim is to hold a defendant accountable for the damages they inflicted on the plaintiff. After recovering as much as possible from your auto insurance claim, an experienced Valrico car accident lawyer can help determine the full range of damages you can include in a personal injury suit against the at-fault driver.
Most personal injury claims enable plaintiffs to recover compensation for their economic losses, such as property damage, medical expenses, and lost income that they cannot recover through auto insurance. It’s important for the plaintiff to remember they can claim compensation for both immediate and future economic damages that a defendant caused.
For example, if you suffered a catastrophic injury, you may not only face a long and difficult medical recovery but could also be unable to return to work in the future. The defendant, in this case, would be liable for your immediate and future medical expenses as well as your lost income, and a good attorney can help you hold them accountable for your lost future earning capacity as well.
Beyond economic losses, a plaintiff may also seek compensation for the pain and suffering a defendant inflicted, and Florida’s personal injury laws do not limit this aspect of their recovery in a vehicle accident claim. You will have the right to seek as much pain and suffering compensation as you believe to be reasonable to reflect the severity of the harm done by the at-fault driver.
If you are unsure whether you have grounds for further legal recourse beyond your auto insurance claim after an accident, it is imperative that you speak with an experienced Valrico car accident lawyer as soon as possible to discuss your options. The team at The Frank Santini Law Firm can provide the guidance and support you need in this difficult situation and help determine your optimal path to recovering as fully as possible.
Most of the personal injury claims filed each year end in private settlement negotiations. This process allows all parties involved to avoid the stress and expense of litigation as long as they are willing to compromise. When you have an experienced Valrico car accident lawyer representing you, they can help you settle your case if possible, and you will be prepared to face litigation with confidence if necessary.
You have a limited time in which to pursue your recovery from a car accident in Valrico, and the sooner you connect with an experienced attorney, the better your chances are of recovering as fully as possible. The Frank Santini Law Firm has the experience and professional resources you want on your side in this challenging situation, and it’s vital that you reach out to our team as soon as possible so we can start working on your case.
If you are able to file a civil suit in response to your recent car accident, the time the case will take to conclude largely depends on whether the at-fault driver accepts liability for the accident and the resulting damages. Most civil claims arising from car accidents are resolved privately through settlement negotiations, and this may only take a few weeks. However, if your case must be litigated, it will take much longer, potentially several months or more.
When a car accident case satisfies the requirements for filing a personal injury claim, the victim filing the claim has the right to seek compensation for any damages that their insurance cannot cover. Your Valrico car accident lawyer can potentially help you recover compensation for medical expenses, lost income, lost earning capacity, and your pain and suffering after helping you recover as much as possible through the auto insurance claim filing process.
Florida follows a modified comparative negligence system in cases that involve shared fault among multiple parties. Each liable party will have a fault percentage assigned, which indicates their level of liability for the damages cited in the case. If a plaintiff bears shared fault, they can still recover compensation if they are less than 50% at fault. Their fault percentage is deducted from their case award as a penalty.
Hiring an experienced attorney significantly improves your chances of success with all the recovery efforts you attempt after a car accident. Your attorney can guide you through the auto insurance claim process and maximize your settlement. When your situation meets the criteria to file a personal injury claim, having a Valrico car accident lawyer represent you increases your chances of both winning your case and enhancing your case award as much as the law allows.
It’s natural to have concerns about the potential cost of hiring a Valrico car accident lawyer, but The Frank Santini Law Firm can provide the legal counsel you need without adding to your financial concerns after your accident. We take these cases on contingency, so you will only owe our firm a fee if and when we win your case. This contingency fee will be a percentage of the total amount recovered, and you owe nothing if we cannot obtain a recovery for you.
The right attorney on your side can make every aspect of your recovery efforts easier to manage and more likely to generate the result you hope to see. If you are ready to learn what a seasoned Valrico car accident lawyer can do for you, contact The Frank Santini Law Firm today and make an appointment for a free consultation with our team.
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