Car accidents are unfortunate, scary, and stressful experiences. You may be injured, your car damaged and confused about what to do next. You will need to seek medical assistance, give police statements, talk to insurance companies, get your car repaired, and wade through paperwork and legalities. Therefore, you should hand over as many responsibilities as you can to a Tampa car accident lawyer, who can give you the right advice.
Let us discuss the different situations that your car attorney can help you with.
Situation 1: Personal vehicle accidents
Accidents involving personal vehicles can get complicated. It is more so in Florida, which has comparative negligence statutes. If you are found to have contributed and are fully or partly responsible for the accident, you will not receive the full insurance claim settlement. An amount equal to the percentage by which you are at fault will be reduced from your settlement.
A determined car accident attorney will thoroughly investigate the crash so that the impact of such a statute being applied to you is reduced. He or she will ensure that you get the full compensation you are entitled to.
Situation 2: Large vehicle accidents
If a large vehicle is involved in the accident, the damages can be ruinous. You will suffer terrible injuries that can have a permanent effect on your quality of life. Moreover, the large vehicles (say, a semi-truck) may be owned by a giant corporation with in-house lawyers. They will do their best to put up barriers and drag out any settlements so that you are likely to accept a much smaller compensation. Your attorney will have the skills to negotiate with corporate lawyers and get you what is owed.
Situation 3: Emergency vehicle accidents
Emergency vehicles, by law, have the right to travel at very high speeds when they are on duty attending to an emergency. However, they are bound by a duty of care to look out for other motorists on the roads. An emergency vehicle that ignores applicable traffic laws and crashes into your car is liable for damages. It is, however, difficult to hold them accountable since state agencies own them. In Florida, filing a civil suit against a governmental agency is a complicated and difficult process. An experienced car accident lawyer will know how to deal with the red tape and regulations to get you a fair settlement.
Florida is a no-fault state. In an accident, both parties can make claims from their auto insurance policies without apportioning blame to either driver. All Florida drivers must have PIP insurance (Personal Injury Protection) with their car insurance policy. The laws are meant to make it easier for car accident victims to seek medical help and get the assistance they need to recover without much stress. But, if there are complications listed above, it would feel like the laws favor the insurance companies rather than the parties involved in the accident.
A good Tampa car accident lawyer will ensure that you get the best possible compensation with the least amount of anxiety.
