Pasco County, FL Car Accident Lawyer

There are few things worse than being injured in a car accident. Unfortunately, virtually every car accident is avoidable, but accidents often occur when people fail to exercise caution on the roads. If you are someone who has been hurt in such an accident due to no fault of your own, contact a dedicated Pasco County, FL car accident lawyer from The Law Offices of Matthew J. Jowanna, P.A. so we can start fighting for the compensation you deserve and need to heal.

Do I Need to Hire a Car Accident Lawyer for My Injury Case?

Car accidents can be more complicated than they seem. There is far more to know and discover than simply who had the right of way. Litigating car accident cases can involve knowledge of medical treatments and conditions, toxicology, physics, accident reconstruction, and biomechanics. Wesley Chapel, FL, personal injury lawyer Matthew J. Jowanna has prosecuted and defended car accident cases involving these issues and many more.

Common Types of Car Accidents

As you may know, car accidents can take various forms. Some of the most common types of car accidents that our firm sees are as follows:

• Sideswipe accidents
• Rear-end collisions
• T-bone accidents
• Low-speed impacts
• Rollover accidents
• Head-on collisions

Common Causes of Car Accidents

Car accidents can occur for a number of reasons. Sometimes, factors that are out of a driver’s control (at least to some degree) may contribute, such as inclement weather conditions, defective car parts, and more. However, in most cases, driver negligence is the number one cause of car accidents in Florida. Just some of the most common examples of driver negligence that we see are as follows:

• Distracted driving, such as texting, applying makeup, or eating while driving
• Driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• Traveling at excessive speeds
• Running red lights (or otherwise ignoring traffic lights or signs)
• Improper passing
• Failure to yield the right of way
• Unsafe lane changes
• Tailing other drivers too closely (or failing to allow sufficient stopping distance)
• Crossing center lines
• Failing to check blind spots before changing lanes
• Aggressive driving behavior, such as road rage
• Driving while fatigued

If you were injured in a car accident because another driver was exhibiting any of the aforementioned behaviors, there is a strong chance you will qualify for compensation in a personal injury claim.

Take Action Immediately

After sustaining an injury in a car accident, the first thing you should do is call the police to the scene. They will send emergency medical services and write up an accident report once they arrive. After you’ve called the police, if you can, you should try and take the following steps:

• Check to ensure everyone is okay and get the other driver’s insurance information. Be polite, but never apologize. This may be twisted as an admission of guilt, even if it isn’t.
• Take pictures of the accident scene (such as of damage to your vehicle or the other driver’s vehicle) as long as you deem it safe to do so.
• Ensure you receive immediate medical attention, even if you don’t think you need it. Some injuries take days or even weeks to reveal themselves, so it’s best you are proactive and receive treatment at once.
• Speak with witnesses and get their contact information so they may corroborate your car accident claim at a later date.
• Hire a dedicated car accident lawyer to help gather and present all other evidence needed to satisfy the burden of proof on your behalf.

As long as you and your attorney can prove you were hurt as a direct result of another driver’s negligence, you should receive compensation to help recuperate from the economic and non-economic damages you’ve incurred. These can include lost wages, medical bills, pain and suffering, emotional trauma, and more.

PIP in Florida

Personal Injury Protection insurance, also known simply as “PIP,” is a type of no-fault auto insurance. In Florida, all motorists are required to carry at least $10,000 in PIP insurance. When someone is hurt in an auto accident (regardless of who caused it), the injured person should have up to 80% of their medical bills and 60% of their lost wages (up to $10,00) covered by PIP insurance. In some cases, however, if the injury doesn’t meet the standard of an “emergency,” PIP may only cover up to $2,500 of the injuries you’ve sustained.

As you can see, PIP seldom covers the full cost of an auto accident, and if you’re hurt in a crash due to another party’s negligence, the best route to recover the compensation you need is likely through a personal injury claim. There is no pre-determined cap on the amount of damages a person can recover via a personal injury claim here in the state of Florida, and a dedicated car accident lawyer from our firm can fight for the full compensation to which you are entitled.

Statute of Limitations for Car Accident Injury Claims in FL

In the state of Florida, the statute of limitations for most personal injury claims is two years, which gives accident victims two years from the date of their accident to file a personal injury claim. However, you should note that it is never wise to wait this long to file a claim. Instead, the best course of action is to simply file a claim as soon after an accident as possible. You should also note that in some cases, the statute of limitations is shorter than two years, so the sooner you file, the better off you will be.

Contact a Pasco County Car Accident Lawyer

The bottom line is that if you’ve been hurt in a car accident due to no fault of your own, the time to act is now, and our firm is here to help. Contact a seasoned personal injury attorney from The Law Offices of Matthew J. Jowanna today. Our consultations are free, and you don’t pay us a dime unless we win compensation on your behalf.