Mark Roman | September 8, 2021 | Car Accidents
The rate of car accidents in Tampa has been declining in recent years. However, accidents are still common on our congested roadways. These accidents can cause significant injuries and extensive financial losses.
Most Tampa motor vehicle accidents can be attributed to negligent drivers. If a careless driver caused your accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, lost income, and other damages.
Currently, Florida is a no-fault state for auto insurance. You must first seek compensation from your own (PIP) insurance after an accident — even if someone else caused your accident. Your insurer is responsible for compensating you for your medical bills and lost wages, up to your policy limits. You can file an additional claim or lawsuit against the insurer of the at-fault driver if you sustained “serious injuries.”
You may wonder how much to expect from your car accident settlement. There’s no way to determine how much you’ll settle for with absolute confidence. Some claims are worth a few thousand dollars. Others may be worth millions, which usually involve a victim sustaining a catastrophic injury.
Many factors can influence how much a claim is worth, including:
Your Injuries
An injury victim’s primary goal of filing a car accident claim is usually to collect compensation for their medical bills. A car accident can leave you with treatment expenses for which you were not prepared. Depending on the nature of your injuries, you may need medical treatment in the future.
A skilled attorney can help you estimate your damages related to your past and future medical bills. This will improve your odds of reaching a settlement that compensates you fairly.
Lost Wages
It’s not uncommon for injuries to interfere with a victim’s ability to return to work. Some victims must miss work for a brief period of time. Others may be unable to return to their same jobs or engage in any work at all.
Lost wages and income are other forms of economic damage that can result from a car accident. You deserve to be compensated for any wages you lost while recovering from your injuries and any diminishment in your earning capacity due to the same.
Non-Economic Damages
In some cases, Tampa car accident victims can also recover compensation for their non-economic losses.
They include the following:
- Pain
- Mental and/or emotional trauma
- Disfigurement
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Anxiety
- Depression
Determining the “dollar value” of such damages requires a thorough understanding of the law. Insurance companies don’t want you to know you may be eligible for compensation for non-economic damages. They certainly won’t be inclined to help you calculate how much money you deserve because your accident left you with chronic pain. You need help from an attorney to ensure you’re fighting for all your damages.
Negligence
Florida’s comparative negligence law may also affect your settlement. This law applies when a victim contributes to their car accident or injuries.
For example, suppose a distracted driver hits you. You file a claim seeking $10,000. However, you were driving five miles per hour over the speed limit before the accident. An insurance company or jury might determine that you share 20% to the blame for your accident due to speeding. In this case, Florida’s comparative negligence rule would reduce your compensation to account for your share of fault — you could only recover $8,000 (80% of your damages).
Contact the Tampa Car Accident Law Firm of Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers for Help Today
For more information, please contact the legal team of Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers for a free initial consultation with a car accident lawyer in Tampa. We have four convenient locations in Florida: Clearwater, New Port Richey, and Tampa.
We serve throughout Pinellas County, Hillsborough County, Pasco County, and its surrounding areas:
Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers – Clearwater Office
1811 N. Belcher Road, Suite I-1
Clearwater, FL 33765
(727) 787-2500
Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers – Congress Ave Office
2360 Congress Avenue
Clearwater, FL 33763
(727) 591-5610
Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers – Tampa Office
6601 Memorial Hwy Suite 202
Tampa, FL 33615
(813) 686-7588
Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers – New Port Richey Office
2515 Seven Springs Blvd.
New Port Richey, FL, 34655
(727) 815-8442