Tallahassee Car Accident Lawyer

If you have suffered injuries resulting from a car accident, you may be entitled to financial compensation. When choosing a Tallahassee car accident lawyer, experience in handling a complex car accident matters a lot.

An accomplished law firm will know what you’re up against when dealing with the other party.  Additionally, by hiring a personal injury lawyer in the Tallahassee area who specializes in these types of cases, the lawyer will know about the types of evidence that will help your car accident case.

Why You Should Hire a Tallahassee Car Accident Lawyer

A personal injury firm is not just another law office, the car accident lawyer will know what to expect when dealing with your case and how to win your case. The lawyers at a personal injury firm will do what is necessary in order for them to succeed in obtaining life-changing settlements or awards on behalf of their clients!

When you hire a Tallahassee personal injury lawyer, they will:

• Help support and guide you throughout this difficult time
• Intently listen to your explanation about the incident. They will then proceed to use your description of the accident as the basis of their accident investigation
• Carry out a comprehensive investigation into the events preceding and encompassing your car accident
• Collect and examine all relevant information and evidence related to the case – including police reports, traffic cam footage, medical records and statements from witnesses – to establish liability, causation and fault
• Choreograph all relevant communication between all the parties concerned, including insurance companies and lawyers
• Work day and night to invalidate any allegations that your are responsible for the crash
  
• Deliberate with accident reconstruction experts and injury experts to work out what your car accident case is worth

You deserve to be compensated for your injuries, auto accident attorneys won’t let the insurance companies harass and intimidate you into accepting less money that your car accident case is worth. The thing an insurer wants least, is to be in court against Tallahassee personal injury lawyers with years of experience, and that can work in your favor when it comes to your case. With Tallahassee car accident lawyers on your side, the insurance company will have to seriously consider, whether it is worth it to them, to offer your anything less than what you are owed.

What Are Some Causes of An Auto Accident in Florida?

Some of the causes of car accidents are:

Driving While Distracted

Driving distracted happens whenever the driver of a vehicle gets distracted and takes either their eyes or hands off of the steering wheel or lets other distractions to interfere with their concentration on the task of driving.

In Florida, distracted driving accounted for more than 48,500 collisions in 2020 based on the most recent statistics from from the State Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV). Consequently, distracted driving lead to 314 incidents where people were killed and 2,753 incidents resulted in people left with serious bodily injuries.

Tailgating / Following too Close

When there’s heavy traffic and the roads are clogged, it may be hard for drivers to maintain the proper distance between the cars. Even though it may be difficult to maintain proper distance, it can be accomplished. Consequently, tailgating was among the most common causes of accidents with 53,205 incidents in 2020.

Not Yielding to Traffic

While driving in the Tallahassee area you’ll have to be attentive and mindful of the local traffic patterns. If you are not aware of the local traffic patterns or simply choose to ignore them the the failure to yield will result in two cars possibly entering the same area, resulting in a crash.

Speeding

One of the top causes of accidents in Florida is speeding. When drivers choose not to follow the posted speed limit on a road, it is harder for the driver to safely negotiate corners and turns.

Drunk Driving

In 2021, there were 4,281 traffic accidents involving an alcohol-impaired driver in Florida, 218 of those crashes resulted in a death and 2,384 of those crashes resulted in an injury. In Leon County there were 71 alcohol related drunk driving accidents and of those 42 crashes resulted in an injury.

Passing Improperly In A Tallahassee Car

While passing other vehicles drivers tend to pass without thinking anything of it.  The lack of attention while passing another vehicle can result in a lane change crash.  In Florida, the lack of attention when passing other vehicles has caused 8,430 incidents in 2020 with 55 of those being fatal.

Road Defects

The way a road is designed or the conditions of the road may unfortunately play a part in collisions.

Some of the road defects that may lead to collisions include but are not limited to:

• Potholes
• Signage that is obscured
• Terrain that is uneven
• Sharp curves
• Poor drainage
• Overgrown vegetation blocking the view
• Faded or missing lane markers
• Broken or malfunction stoplights

Equipment or Vehicle Defects

When a vehicle has a broken or defective part every so often this defect can cause a vehicle to have an accident. Sometimes when there is a defect with the airbags, ignition switches, brakes or tires it may result in injuries that are serious. When this happens the vehicle manufacturer may be responsible for the damage that has occurred as a direct result of the defect.

If I Suffered a Personal Injury in a Car Crash – Who’s Responsible?

If you’ve been involved in a car accident, it is important that your rights are protected. You may be entitled to compensation for any damages done by the other driver or their negligence! There may be several different avenues through which the money owed can be obtained.

Florida Has No-Fault Insurance Rules

Turning to your own insurance provider is the first step in the process for getting compensated after a car crash in the Tallahassee area. Since Florida has “no-fault” rules, this means that you will have to look at your own insurance provider first for compensation.

You may not realize it, but your insurance provider is likely going to try and find a way of denying or minimizing the payout on any injury claim. If you let them do this without fighting back with an attorney, no matter how small their objections are, then they might just get away with not paying you all the money that you are owed.

Insurance companies are known for their efficiency, but they don’t want to be dealing with skilled personal injury lawyers. That’s where an auto accident lawyer in Tallahassee, Florida comes into play.

A Personal Injury Lawyer Will Identify All Liable Parties in an Tallahassee car Accident

If you’ve been injured in an accident and your injuries are severe enough, the total costs of your accident could exceed what insurance covers. If this happens, you should start considering whether to file a lawsuit against those responsible for causing it.

If you were injured in a car accident, it is possible to file a lawsuit against anybody who contributed or caused your injuries. Examples of this are:

• Drivers of other passenger vehicles
• Motorcyclists
• Bicyclists
• Pedestrians
• Mechanics
• Vehicle Manufacturers
• Trucking companies & Truck Drivers
• Commercial Vehicle Drivers
• Bus drivers

To determine who’s responsible for your car accident, it’s important to have an investigation by professional car accident attorneys.

Can Compensation be Recovered by me, If I Share Some of the Blame for a Car Crash in Florida?

Florida is a comparative negligence state.

This means:

Comparative negligence reduces the amount of compensation you will receive if you are partially at fault in causing the accident

Your percentage of fault reduces the amount of damages awarded to you.

Whether you’re entirely at fault or completely innocent, the rule of comparative negligence will allow for some compensation to be awarded.

The law is a tricky thing, but with the right amount of damages you could get compensated for your injuries. For example if you suffered $100K worth of damage and were 80% at fault in causing it, then you still might be able to recover up to $20k.

What Happens in Florida When the Other Driver Is Uninsured?

All drivers of cars and vehicles on the road in Tallahassee and Florida are required by law to be insured. However, all drivers on the road may not have insurance, some may not have insurance because the policy lapsed. According to reports issued by the Florida Insurance Council, Florida has among the highest rate of uninsured motorists anywhere in the US.

If you’ve been in an accident with an uninsured driver, that will complicate your situation once all of you benefits from you own policy have been exhausted. When another individual is uninsured the only option to recover damages is to sue.

One issue that may come up when suing for damages from an uninsured driver, is that they have no money to pay for the damages. However, the uninsured driver can be put on a payment plan until the damages have been paid

In Florida, the Defendant is Considered a Debtor

If the defendant does not pay the settlement or is non-compliant, there are several remedies to collect on the claim. These include:

• Having the defendant’s wages garnished
• Having a lien put on their non-homestead real estate
• Using a levy to seize personal property
• Having a defendant’s bank account garnished

If none of these options work, then the other option that may be considered is to have the uninsured drivers license suspended until the debt is paid in full.

If I get Injured in a Car Accident in the Tallahassee Area, What Damages are Available?

In Tallahassee, your compensation can take two forms, non-economic damages and economic damages. Some personal injury cases will also result in punitive damages also being awarded.

What Does Economic Damages Mean?

The court awards economic damages to the accident victim to reimburse for financial costs, losses & expenses associated with the car accident.

Economic Damages Can Include:

• Current & Future medical bills and expenses
• Physical therapy & rehabilitation
• Skilled Nursing care
• Costs involved with the replacement of damaged property
• Permanent disability
• Temporary disability
• Lost of income & wages and/or reduced earnings capacity

What Does Non-Economic Damages Mean?

The consequences of an auto accident can be more devastating than the pain you feel or the emotional distress you might experience. You may not have control over your life or ability to do what is important for yourself anymore, but these things aren’t less serious simply because they don’t have a set financial value.

Some examples of non-economic damages are:

• Pain & Suffering
• Emotional distress & PTSD
• Depression, & Anxiety
• Disfigurement & Scarring

The victims that suffer unbearable physical pain and excruciating emotional suffering will never receive justice unless there are non-economic damages awarded. The invisible scars left behind after a car crash need attention too.

What Does Punitive Damages Mean?

Punitive damages are a way for the court to punish someone who has done wrong. They’re only awarded in situations where there’s been particularly reprehensible conduct, and it takes an intentional or negligent action on behalf of your opponent (the defendant). The victim of a crash has the responsibility of proving that there was willful or wanton negligence by the defendant, in order to be awarded punitive damages. Simply being careless is not enough to be awarded punitive damages.

How Much is a Car Accident Case Worth?

If you’ve ever been in an accident and suffered damages, it can be difficult to estimate how much money is needed. By hiring an experienced car accident lawyer, they can help you recover damages for lost wages, medical bills and pain & suffering. In addition, by hiring a personal injury lawyer who specializes on these types of cases they will know all about what types of evidence will help your case.

When discussing the valuation of your case with the lawyers here are some things to keep in the back of your mind:

• How badly are you hurt in the car accident?
• How will the injury affect you now or in the future?
• Will the injury also affect your ability to work and make money?
• Did your injury leave you unable to use your arms or legs or did your injuries make you look different?

Types of Car Accident Cases in the Tallahassee Area That Lawyers Handle

A Tallahassee car accident attorney will represent you in:

• Highway & Interstate crashes
• Single vehicle or Multiple vehicle crashes
• Accidents involving speed
• Accidents involving Intersections
• Traffic control light accidents
• Front-end collisions
• Rear-end collisions
• Sideswipes
• T-Bone accidents
• Rollovers
• Uber & Lyft accidents
• Commercial vehicle accidents & Truck accidents

An Accomplished Car Accident Lawyer Will Strive to Recover Compensation For All Injuries Suffered

A personal injury lawyer will handle cases where their clients have suffered:

• Injuries to the Back, Neck and/or Shoulders
• Whiplash
• Head injuries
• Spinal cord injuries & Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
• Paralysis
• Crushing injuries
• Damage to soft tissue
• Broken bones & fractures
• Burns
• Chest injury
• Eye injury
• Degloving
• Amputations
• Catastrophic injuries

In Conclusion

When you’re interviewing personal injury attorneys, be sure to ask about their experience with cases like yours, how long they anticipate your case will take, and what their contingency fee is. An accomplished law firm will know what you’re up against when dealing with the other party.  Additionally, by hiring a personal injury lawyer who specializes in these types of cases, the lawyer will know about the types of evidence that will help your car accident case.  You should also ask about their experience in court and whether they’re comfortable going to trial if necessary.