Car Accidents
A car crash can be a jarring, scary experience. Most people will experience a serious car crash, at most, once in their lives. Injured car accident victims may suddenly find themselves unable to work and struggling to recover while facing mounting medical bills and other expenses. Families of victims killed in an accident may be dealing with the loss of a loved one in addition to weighty financial hurdles. If you or a loved one has been hurt or killed in a Florida car accident, Mark H. Wright is here to help.
You have the right to seek justice and compensation for the harm you and your family suffered. Seasoned personal injury lawyer Mark H. Wright has spent more than thirty years helping accident victims recover damages from negligent drivers, insurance companies, employers, and other parties. Mr. Wright prides himself on his dedicated service to his clients, providing personal attention and care that bigger law firms cannot and will not offer. At Mark H. Wright, PLLC, our number one priority is the welfare of our clients. We do not consider our job done until our clients have secured the maximum damages available.
Causes of Car Accidents
Car crashes happen for a variety of reasons. Many accidents would have been preventable if everyone involved had been acting responsibly and appropriately at all stages. If someone’s negligence led to your car accident, you have the right to seek damages for the harm you have suffered.
Tampa Bay car crash lawyer Mark H. Wright has spent decades helping car accident victims recover after accidents caused by, for example:
- Distracted drivers
- Drunk or drugged drivers
- Auto manufacturing defects
- Aggressive and unsafe driving behaviors, such as speeding or passing on the shoulder
- Failure to properly adjust for dangerous weather and road conditions
- Failure to stop at stoplights or stop signs
- Drowsy driving
Our Florida car accident legal team will investigate the circumstances of your car accident to determine whether your crash was caused by a reckless driver, a faulty auto part, or some other cause. We will help you build the strongest case for recovery against all parties liable for causing you harm.
Damages Available After a Car Accident
Car crashes can cause many injuries – some temporary and some permanent. Injured accident victims have the right to recover for any injuries they suffer as a result of a traffic accident, whether they happen at the moment of impact, develop over time, or are aggravations of existing injuries. Some of the more common injuries that result from Florida car crashes include the following:
- Traumatic brain injury, including concussions
- Whiplash syndrome
- Broken or fractured bones
- Internal bleeding
- Organ damage
- Coma
- Bruises, cuts, and scrapes
- Head injury
- Death
- Broken ribs
- Herniated disc
- Knee or shoulder trauma
- Psychological damage such as post-traumatic stress disorder
Florida car crash attorney Mark H. Wright will help you recover lost wages, medical expenses, and other economic damages caused by your car crash. In Florida, you are also entitled to recover for your noneconomic damages such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of companionship. Call Mark H. Wright, PLLC, to discuss your case and learn what damages may be available after your Florida traffic crash.
Florida Car Accident FAQs
Florida personal injury lawyer Mark H. Wright has more than three decades of experience recovering damages for clients injured in car crashes and other accidents across Central Florida. Below, Mr. Wright addresses some of the more common questions he has received from injured accident victims and their families. If you have additional questions, or if you need assistance with a car accident claim in Florida, reach out to the seasoned Tampa Bay car accident legal team at Mark H. Wright, PLLC, for help.
What Do I Do After a Car Accident?
If you have been in a car accident, there are a few steps to take as soon as possible:
- Stop at the scene and exchange contact information, including insurance information, with the other driver(s).
- If you are seriously injured, get emergency medical treatment. If not, see a doctor as soon as possible after leaving the scene.
- Report the accident to the authorities.
- Take photos of the vehicles, the surrounding area, and your injuries.
- Collect contact information from any witnesses.
- Report the accident to your insurance company.
- Keep copies of any documents generated, including police and accident reports, medical bills, medical records, communications with insurance providers, and communications with your employer.
- Do not talk about the case to anyone besides the police and your lawyer. Do not say you are sorry or otherwise admit any fault.
- Call a lawyer.
How Much is My Car Accident Claim Worth?
Car accident victims can seek to recover their medical costs, lost wages, and lost future earning capacity that result from a car accident. Additionally, if the victim is able to get outside of the no-fault insurance system, injured parties can seek noneconomic damages such as pain and suffering. If the at-fault driver was especially reckless, such as if they were driving drunk, the injured party might be able to seek punitive damages. The value of a car accident claim thus depends on the severity of the injury, the conduct of the defendant, and the expenses generated as a result of a crash.
Do I Need a Lawyer After a Car Accident?
Yes, a seasoned car accident lawyer will understand the applicable law, know how to communicate effectively with insurance companies, know what evidence to collect and arguments to make, and be much better prepared to deal with court proceedings. While you can go it alone, you are likely to recover much more in damages, if you get any recovery at all, and do so much more quickly with the help of an attorney.
What is No-Fault Insurance?
Florida is a “no-fault” insurance state, which means that each party to a car crash will file a claim with their own insurance company in the majority of cases, regardless of who was at fault. Insurance coverage is typically limited to 80 percent of medical costs and 60 percent of lost wages, and it does not cover noneconomic damages such as pain and suffering. In order to bring a claim against an at-fault driver, a victim must satisfy certain criteria, such as proving that they suffered a sufficiently “serious” injury. Speak with a knowledgeable Florida car accident attorney to determine if you can get out of Florida’s no-fault insurance system.
How Much Does a Car Accident Lawyer Cost?
Car accident lawyers typically charge a percentage of your ultimate recovery, also known as a contingency fee. Discuss fee structure with any attorney you are considering retaining in your initial consultation.
Can I Bring a Wrongful Death Claim on Behalf of a Deceased Relative?
If your family member was killed by a negligent driver, you might be eligible to bring a wrongful death claim. A wrongful death claim is available when a person who was killed would have had a personal injury lawsuit had they survived; therefore, it offers many of the same types of damages. In Florida, a wrongful death claim can be brought by the following parties:
- Spouse of a decedent
- Children of a decedent
- Parent of a decedent
- Certain dependent blood relatives
- A representative of the decedent’s estate
Help from an Experienced & Compassionate Attorney
If you or a loved one has been injured by a negligent driver in the Tampa Bay area, you might have a claim for damages. The attorney at Mark H. Wright, PLLC, is ready to hear your case. We are focused on giving seasoned, effective, and dedicated service to our injured clients. If you were hurt in a traffic crash in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Plant City, or anywhere in Central Florida, call us today for a free consultation.
