Dunedin's walkable downtown, busy stretches of Alternate 19, and the Pinellas Trail running right through Main Street put drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians close together every day. When someone's carelessness turns that closeness into a crash, a Dunedin personal injury lawyer can help you hold them accountable.
Whether you were hurt in a car accident in Dunedin, struck while riding the trail, or injured in a fall at a local business, our firm can review what happened and explain your options. Consultations are free, and our line at (727) 787-2500 is answered around the clock.
Is there a personal injury lawyer in Dunedin, FL?
Roman Austin serves Dunedin from two nearby offices in Clearwater: 2360 Congress Ave, Suite 100, Clearwater, FL 33763, and 1811 N Belcher Rd, Suite I-1, Clearwater, FL 33765. Both sit a short drive from downtown Dunedin.
A Dunedin accident attorney at our firm handles car, bicycle, pedestrian, and premises injury claims, including crashes on Alternate 19, Curlew Road, and the Pinellas Trail. Dunedin cases proceed in Pinellas County's Sixth Judicial Circuit, the same courts where our attorneys practice.
How Roman Austin Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help You Win Your Dunedin Personal Injury Claim
Why trust our firm with your Dunedin personal injury case? Our founder, Mark S. Roman, is a Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer, a certification held by fewer than 2% of Florida attorneys. Partner John C. Austin is a Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter who reads claim files the way insurers do.
We work on a contingency fee, so you pay no attorney fee unless we recover compensation for you.
Beyond the courtroom, we handle the insurance calls, the paperwork, and the evidence, so you can put your energy into recovery.
Our Dunedin personal injury lawyers can help you in the following ways and many, many more:
- Drafting and sending a demand package to the insurance company
- Negotiating with the defendant or the insurance company to secure a fair settlement
- Pulling data from a commercial truck’s event data recorder to prove the driver’s liability for the accident (in a truck accident)
- Investigating whether a bar or restaurant knowingly served an underage or habitually intoxicated driver, one of the narrow situations where Florida law allows a claim against the establishment
- Examining the text of your insurance policies to determine the scope of coverage and making sure the insurance company is not misleading you
- Filing a lawsuit if necessary, to gain access to the pretrial evidence discovery process (filing a lawsuit doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll go to court)
- Representing you in court if necessary
Our Dunedin personal injury attorneys are prepared to guide you throughout the personal injury claims process.
Types of Dunedin, Florida Personal Injury Cases We Handle
At our firm, we handle personal injury claims involving:
- Car accidents: Our most common claims, from rear-end crashes on Alternate 19 to intersection collisions downtown.
- Truck and commercial vehicle accidents: These claims often involve federal safety records and more than one insurance policy.
- Motorcycle accidents: Riders have little protection in a crash, and Florida PIP doesn't cover them, which changes how claims get paid.
- Bicycle accidents: Cyclists on the Pinellas Trail and Dunedin's streets face drivers who don't always look for them.
- Pedestrian accidents: These happen at crosswalks and midblock alike, and drivers owe people on foot due care in both places.
- Rideshare accidents: Uber and Lyft claims involve special insurance rules depending on whether the driver was on the app.
- E-bike, scooter, and golf cart accidents: These newer vehicles raise unique questions about classification and coverage.
- Slip and fall and premises injuries: Property owners must keep their premises reasonably safe for visitors.
- Brain and spinal cord injuries: These serious injuries often follow crashes and falls and require long-term care.
If you were injured and don't see your situation listed, contact us online or by phone.
Compensation for a Dunedin Personal Injury Claim
The personal injury law of every state allows victims to recover economic damages and non-economic damages. The personal injury law of almost every state allows victims to recover punitive damages. Florida allows you to recover all three under the right circumstances.
Economic Damages
Remember this much–if your loss is easy to count in dollars and cents, then you can probably classify it as economic damages. The most common forms of economic damages are medical expenses, lost earnings, and out-of-pocket expenses. Estimated future medical expenses and lost future earning capacity are also common claims.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages cover losses without a receipt, such as pain and suffering, mental anguish, disfigurement, and the loss of enjoyment of life. After a car crash, Florida's no-fault law requires your injury to meet the serious injury threshold before you can claim these damages from the at-fault driver.
Punitive Damages
A Florida court can award punitive damages if and only if the victim proves by “clear and convincing evidence” that the defendant acted intentionally or with gross negligence. Imagine a barroom beating (intentional) or a car accident during an illegal drag race (gross negligence).
Common Defenses to Personal Injury Claims
The following is a list of common defenses asserted by defendants in personal injury claims:
- Comparative negligence: You were partially at fault for the accident. This is often a partial defense, not a complete defense. It is a complete defense if you're found more than 50% at fault.
- Assumption of risk: You knew the risk and proceeded with the activity anyway. You can sue a bar bouncer for an unjust beating, but if you sign up for a boxing match you cannot sue the other fighter for knocking you out.
- Failure to meet the statute of limitations deadline: Florida gives you two years from the date of the injury to file most negligence lawsuits, and claims against a government agency require written notice within three years. Missing either deadline can end your claim.
- Pre-existing condition: The insurance company might claim that your injuries were caused by a previous accident, not the accident that gave rise to the claim.
- Release of liability waiver: If you voluntarily participate in a dangerous activity, signing a release of liability waiver will sometimes (but not always) prevent you from winning a personal injury lawsuit.
- Governmental Immunity is a defense used by government employees or by the government itself. In some but not all cases, a government agency can claim immunity for their otherwise wrongful acts.
Other defenses might be available as well, depending on the circumstances of your case.
Contact a Dunedin Personal Injury Lawyer for a Free Consultation
Attorney and Founder
Our firm works on a contingency fee, so there are no upfront costs and no attorney fee unless we recover compensation for you. Contact us online or call (727) 787-2500 to schedule a free consultation with a Dunedin personal injury lawyer.