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With over 30 years of combined experience, Jenkins Law P.L. is the #1 Tampa car accident lawyer boasting thousands of satisfied clients.
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Did you get into a car accident in Tampa? You may have been hit in the parking area of Raymond James Stadium, or another motorist ran a red light. No matter where the accident occurred, you deserve justice. From the beginning, you need to have a Tampa car accident lawyer on your side.
Tampa Bay is becoming increasingly crowded, with both tourists and residents on the rise. More people on the road inevitably lead to more accidents. Tourists often use rented vehicles on unfamiliar streets, leading to an exponential increase in the number and severity of accidents.
You or someone you love may have been seriously injured or even killed in Tampa due to the dangerous driving conditions. Accidents can happen anywhere, from the Channel District to I-75. Whether you’re injured while on your way to work, shopping, or taking the kids to the beaches, it’s crucial to seek help.
Jenkins Law’s Tampa office has experienced Tampa car accident lawyers who can assist you in building your case right from the start. Our goal is to relieve you of the burden of legal matters so that you can focus on your emotional and physical health.
Our Tampa car accident attorneys are proud to achieve significant results for their clients. They are experienced in fighting insurance companies and winning! Our Tampa Personal Injury Lawyers will fight for your rights and help you get the compensation you deserve while you concentrate on maintaining a healthy mental and physical state. Please contact us as soon as possible for a case evaluation.
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What Is the Process for Filing a Claim After a Car Accident in Tampa?
This can be done with your own insurance provider and, if the requirements are met, with the insurance of the at-fault driver as well. Whether you are filing a fault or no-fault car accident claim, it is advisable to have a Tampa car accident lawyer to handle your claim.
- You owe a duty of care to the Tampa, FL motorist who caused your injury. This duty is established as the driver accepted the responsibility when obtaining a license.
- To prevent accidents and injuries, all drivers are required to follow traffic laws and maintain attention on the road. This duty extends to all road users, including motorists, cyclists, motorcyclists, and pedestrians.
- The driver at fault has breached their duty of care by failing to drive safely. This breach may involve speeding, disregarding traffic signals or signs, making unsafe lane changes, driving under the influence, or ignoring adverse weather conditions. The breach signifies a lack of care.
- Your injury was a direct result of the driver’s breach of duty of care. This means that if the driver had not been careless, your injury would not have occurred. Additionally, the driver should have reasonably anticipated that their negligent actions could cause harm to you.
- The injury has caused compensable damages. You can seek damages for lost wages, medical expenses, and pain and suffering. In a negligence lawsuit, you may be entitled to financial compensation if your injuries warrant it.
It may seem simple, but it is not easy to prove negligence or liability.
A Tampa car accident can be far from simple. This is why you want Tampa auto accident attorneys to handle the process right from the start.
How Much Can My Tampa Car Accident Lawyer Recover?
Determining the value of your Tampa auto accident case is a common question among victims. After a collision, individuals are naturally curious about the compensation they may be entitled to recover. Many of these victims are burdened with substantial medical expenses and unpaid living costs, but they often lack knowledge about how to pursue their rightful compensation.
In a no-obligation evaluation with a Tampa attorney, you can discuss the specifics of your accident and gain an understanding of the potential value of your lawsuit. Generally, you can seek to recover all the damages you have suffered from your car accident. This can be done through either your own personal injury policy or by filing a claim with the insurance provider of the at-fault driver.
You can claim major damages for:
Medical Costs
This includes your doctor’s bills, hospital expenses, costs for healthcare staff, medications, medical treatments, rental equipment, physical therapy, and rehabilitation. Our legal team will take into consideration future medical costs if your injuries require ongoing treatment.
Damage to Property
If your injuries were severe, it is likely that your vehicle was also damaged. You can also claim for the costs associated with vehicle repairs or replacements.
Loss of Wages
You can claim damages if you’ve been forced to miss work due to an injury and lost money. To prove what you could have earned if you hadn’t missed work, you will need copies of your previous pay slips.
Lost of Earning Potential
You will likely experience a reduction of your income over the long term if your injury prevents you from returning to work or at least to your previous job. You can claim damages for the long-term reduction in income. It will likely take expert testimony to determine the loss you’ll experience.
Physical Pain and Suffering
If you have experienced physical pain and suffering due to injuries, you may be eligible to receive compensation to help alleviate the impact of your suffering and assist in your recovery. Seeking legal advice can help you understand your rights and options in pursuing the compensation you deserve.
Loss of Motor Function
Sometimes your accident does not paralyze you but can affect the motor skills that you’ve developed over your lifetime. The impact of a minor loss may be minimal if your occupation does not demand those skills. If you are a person who relies on fine motor abilities, such as working with computers or jewelry, even the slightest loss can have a devastating impact in the future. Expert testimony can confirm the severity of your injury.
Lost of Executive Function
High-level executive or professional jobs demand specific cognitive abilities that can be lost in an accident. Because positions requiring executive functions can bring in high salaries, it can have a devastating effect on your lifestyle.
Emotional Damages
Loss of mental or physical function may cause emotional harm to the victim. Scarring may affect the social and self-confidence of the victim. Loss of mental and physical abilities can reduce the victim’s ego, making them less able to earn the money they expect. Shame, depression, and a loss of enjoyment in life are possible outcomes.
Who Is Responsible for Your Injuries or Damages?
Many individuals can be held responsible for car accidents in Tampa. The primary culprits are often other drivers on the road. However, it is important to note that other drivers may not always be at fault and could also be involved in the accident.
Government Agencies
Some government agencies can be held responsible for car accidents in Tampa. You might be able to hold the government liable if, for example, an accident was caused by a badly designed road, traffic lights that were malfunctioning, or missing road signs.
Automobile or Auto Parts Manufacturers
It is the responsibility of companies that manufacture, design, and sell cars and auto parts to ensure their products are safe. If a manufacturing or design defect leads to an accident, you can hold the companies responsible for any damages. If, for example, the brake pads of a vehicle were defective and led to its driver hitting another car.
Employers
Many of the drivers who are on the roads do so as part of their job. Many drivers are on the road to deliver goods, such as flowers, gifts, and food. They may also be on their way to the construction site, or meeting a client. If a driver causes an accident while on duty, then the employer may also be responsible for the injuries.
Driver of Others’ Vehicle
You may be able to sue the owner of the vehicle if another driver has hit you, but they do not own it. Imagine, for example, that a teenager driver hits you while driving their parent’s car. You may have an additional claim against the registered owner of the car, as well as the teenager who struck you.
What Happens When Multiple Parties Are Liable?
Often, more than one party can be held responsible for a Tampa auto accident.
One driver may have rear-ended another driver and forced them into the intersection, causing them T-bone another vehicle. Imagine a driver of a delivery vehicle hitting you. The driver, as well as their employer, can be held liable in this case for the injuries you sustained from the accident.
Your accident may have been caused by a construction site that was poorly designed. In this case, both the driver of another vehicle and their employer could be held liable.
You should always have a personal injury attorney represent you, no matter who caused the accident. Why? You can’t depend on the insurance company to put your interests first. Accident investigators are hired to determine the liability in multi-car collisions. These investigators, however, are paid to gather evidence that someone else is at fault than the client of the insurance company.
A Tampa auto accident attorney will be your advocate and not that of the insurance companies or others. A car accident attorney will often begin the process by filing claims with all of the insurance companies for other drivers. They will then conduct an investigation in order to find out who was at fault. Your attorney will hire an accident reconstructionist or a private detective depending on the extent of your injuries and how complex the accident is.
Our Tampa car accident attorney can do many things.
- Get a sworn statement
- Use Subpoenas to find out all the insurance policies available and their coverage limits
- Check the assets of those at fault
Tampa Car Accident: How to Build Your Case
Each damage you claim requires evidence. For example, if you claim lost wages or loss of earning potential, it is important to have documentation showing how much money you earned previously and what amount has been missed.
Expert testimony is also required to establish that you could have made more money if you had not been injured. This includes what raises and promotions you might have received and the impact inflation may have on your savings and income.
Expert medical testimony is required for expenses such as long-term care and rehabilitation as well as assistance with caring. The testimony will determine how much care you’ll need and for how long.
The cost of rehabilitation is determined by how many sessions you attend. You may also be required to purchase certain equipment or modifications in order to make your house more accessible for those who have been injured.
Expert testimony from a psychiatric witness is required for emotional costs such as depression and other mood disorders. The cost of psychiatric treatment can be high and it may take many years for the therapy to have any effect.
It may take years to fully recover after a loss of executive functions. The damage may not go away, but it will require long-term rehabilitation. The impact of these injuries on your daily life may be just as devastating.
To build a Tampa car accident case, you must collect evidence and speak to eyewitnesses. This can be a time-consuming process! It is for this very reason that victims of car accidents should be represented by an attorney with experience. Experience is needed to gather evidence in automobile accidents.
Contact a Tampa Car Accident Attorney Today
You need someone by your side if you are trying to get back to normality after surviving a Florida auto accident.
Our Tampa car accident attorneys at Jenkins Law have handled these claims for years and know what it takes to win.
Jenkins Law’s Tampa car accident lawyers can help you win your case. Call us today to schedule a case evaluation and initial consultation. We will help you heal physically, emotionally, and financially.