Tampa Car Accident Attorney
Auto accidents in America were decreasing year after year for nearly fifty years until they started going up again just a few years ago. In 2018, over 400,000 crashes occurred in the state of Florida alone. Over seven percent of those crashes happened in Hillsborough County, causing over 20,000 injuries and 176 deaths. According to Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, the leading causes of these crashes were:
- Careless or negligent operation
- Failure to yield right of way
- Failure to keep in the proper lane
- Running a red light or stop sign
- Speeding
- Driving too fast for conditions
- Erratic, reckless or aggressive driving
- Driving on the wrong side of the road
In other words, just about all of the 28,000+ car accidents that occur in Tampa and surrounding areas every year could be prevented if people would simply drive with more care and attention, obeying traffic laws and driving safely. The word “accident” to some people implies an event that couldn’t be helped or was nobody’s fault, but when it comes to auto accidents, this is hardly ever the case.
Florida auto insurance and personal injury laws provide different ways for injured drivers to recover compensation to help them with the damages and costs that follow a crash. Getting the full value of your claim can be an uphill battle, though, especially when fighting a large or sophisticated insurance company that spends every day “adjusting” car accident claims to pay as little as possible. With Moore Law, you have an experienced Tampa car accident attorney on your side who doesn’t settle for less but instead puts in the time and effort to get the most he can for his injured clients. We know you are suffering physically, emotionally, and financially, and it’s our job to get you the best result we can because it’s what you deserve. Injured in an auto accident in Tampa? Don’t settle for less. Get Moore.
Florida No-Fault Benefits and Car Accident Claims
Florida has a no-fault insurance system that can limit the available damages you can claim after an auto accident while providing an easier way to get financial help. After a crash, you file a claim for benefits from your insurance company under your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage. Since these benefits are no-fault, you don’t have to prove that the other driver was negligent, and you don’t have to worry that someone will say the accident was your fault and you shouldn’t get benefits. That’s good, but no-fault benefits only offer a fraction of financial assistance and don’t fully cover your damages, which doesn’t seem fair when the accident wasn’t your fault. Specifically, PIP benefits cover:
- 80% of your medical expenses related to the wreck
- 60% of your lost wages if you miss work due to injury, hospitalization or doctor visits
These benefits only pay up to $10,000 on a basic policy, and that’s only if you sought treatment for an emergency medical condition within 14 days of the accident. If your injury is not considered an emergency medical condition, you are limited to only $2,500 in PIP, and if your first medical treatment is more than 14 days after of the accident, your PIP benefits will likely not be extended to you at all.
In addition to no-fault PIP benefits, Florida law allows you to file a claim directly against the at-fault driver for the medical expenses and wage loss damages not paid for by your PIP. More importantly, if you suffered a “serious injury”, you are entitled to also seek payment for pain and suffering damages which, under Florida’s no-fault system, are not available for more minor injuries.
A “serious injury” under Florida law includes any of the following:
- Significant and permanent loss of an important bodily function
- Significant and permanent scarring or disfigurement
- Permanent injury within a reasonable degree of medical probability
- Death
Once a claim is made against the at-fault party, you’ll either negotiate a settlement that covers your damages, or you can take them to court for a jury trial. It’s your job to prove the driver was negligent and caused your injuries, and you’ll need a lawyer to help you. If successful, though, you can recover 100% of your medical expenses and 100% of your lost wages, as well as compensation for your pain and suffering. If you are seriously injured in a crash, it is well worth it to speak with an attorney about your options for seeking maximum compensation.
If you suffered a serious injury in a Tampa auto accident, Moore Law can help you pursue a claim against the negligent driver. The insurance company might say your own negligence is to blame or that you were at least partially at fault, or they might say your injuries are exaggerated or were caused by some other reason. With over 25 years of experience on both sides of personal injury cases, attorney Eric Moore knows the tricks the insurance companies use as well as the strategies needed to overcome them. Insurance companies are staffed with professional claims adjusters and lawyers who under pay or fight claims every day; Moore Law fights back with an attorney who spends every day striving to get the most for his clients, as he has done year after year. You can trust your case to the experience and dedication at Moore Law.
Get the Help You Need After a Tampa Car Accident Injury
If you have been injured in an auto accident, call Moore Law for a free case analysis at 813-510-5400. Our Tampa car accident attorneys only charge a fee after we are successful in getting compensation for you. Don’t settle for less. Get Moore.
