A car accident on Fourth Street or along the Gandy Bridge corridor can upend everything you thought was settled in your life. Medical appointments pile up, your vehicle sits damaged, and the insurance company is already asking questions you're not sure how to answer.
If someone else caused your crash, a St. Petersburg car accident lawyer from Roman Austin Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers can step in early, protect your interests, and pursue every dollar you're owed. Call us now at (727)-335-1373 for a free consultation.
What You're Dealing With, and What Comes Next
After a car accident caused by someone else, you're likely dealing with medical bills, insurance calls, missed work, and injuries that may be worse than they first appeared. Knowing what the legal process looks like from the start helps you make better decisions.
Florida's Fault Rules Matter to Your Case
Florida follows a modified comparative fault system. In plain English, more than one party can share responsibility for a crash, and your compensation may be reduced by whatever percentage of fault is assigned to you.
If you're found more than 50 percent at fault, you lose the right to recover damages entirely. Insurance adjusters know this rule well and sometimes apply it aggressively to reduce what they offer.
Key Steps to Take After a Crash
- Seek medical attention immediately, even if your injuries seem minor
- Get a copy of the police report
- Photograph the scene, your vehicle, and any visible injuries
- Avoid giving recorded statements to any insurance adjuster before speaking with an attorney
- Keep records of every medical visit, expense, and day of work missed
Your Deadline to File
Florida law gives most injury victims two years from the date of the crash to file a lawsuit. Acting early preserves your options and protects the evidence your case depends on.
Why Insurance Companies Don't Work for You
The at-fault driver's insurance company has one primary goal after a crash: pay out as little as possible on your claim. Understanding how their process works puts you in a better position to protect yourself.
They Move Fast for a Reason
Adjusters often contact accident victims within hours of a crash, hoping to get a recorded statement before
you've had time to fully assess your injuries or understand your rights. Anything you say can be used to limit or deny your claim. A quick call that seems routine can quietly become the foundation for a lowball offer.
Common Tactics Used to Reduce Your Claim
- Pointing to gaps in medical treatment as evidence that injuries weren't serious
- Arguing that your injuries existed before the accident
- Using your own words from an early recorded statement against you
- Offering a fast settlement before the full extent of your injuries is known
- Applying comparative fault to shift a portion of responsibility onto you
What a Quick Settlement Actually Costs You
Accepting an early offer can feel like relief, especially when bills are piling up and income has stopped. But signing a settlement release typically ends your claim permanently, even if your condition worsens or new injuries surface later. Once you sign, there's no going back.
Our attorneys at Roman Austin Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers know how insurers build their cases, and we build ours to counter them. With over $200 million recovered for clients across Florida, our firm brings the kind of documented results that change how insurers approach a negotiation.
The Value of Having an Attorney in Your Corner
Having an attorney handle your car accident claim directly affects how much compensation you recover and how effectively your interests are protected throughout the process.
Insurance carriers have legal teams whose entire job is to minimize payouts, and going up against them without representation puts you at a real disadvantage from day one.
What Our Attorneys Actually Do for You
From the moment you hire us, we take over the work that would otherwise fall on you. That includes:
- Investigating the accident and gathering police reports, photos, and witness statements
- Obtaining and reviewing all medical records related to your injuries
- Communicating with every insurance company involved so you don't have to
- Identifying all available coverage sources, including underinsured motorist policies
- Calculating the full value of your claim, including future medical costs and lost earning capacity
- Negotiating aggressively for a settlement that reflects your actual losses
- Taking your case to trial if the insurer refuses to offer fair compensation
Our Reviews
We Don't Settle for Less Than Your Case Is Worth
Some firms push for quick resolutions because volume is their business model. That's not how we operate. Our attorneys stay directly involved in each case, and we don't recommend a settlement unless it genuinely accounts for everything you've been through and everything you still face.
One client, K.S., described the experience this way: "They have managed my case with professionalism and thoroughly explained any and all questions that have come up for me."
That level of engagement isn't incidental. It's how we work.
Ready to Talk Through Your Case?
If you were injured in a St. Petersburg car accident, call Roman Austin Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers at (727)-335-1373 for a free consultation. There's no fee unless we recover for you.
Injuries That Carry Long-Term Consequences
Some car accident injuries resolve in weeks, but others reshape the course of a person's life for months or years, and the difference matters enormously when calculating what your claim is actually worth.
Knowing which injuries tend to carry long-term consequences helps you understand why thorough medical documentation is so important from the start.
Injuries That Often Extend Beyond Initial Treatment
- Traumatic brain injuries, which can affect memory, concentration, mood, and the ability to work
- Spinal cord damage and herniated discs, which may require surgery, rehabilitation, or permanent lifestyle adjustments
- Nerve damage, which can cause chronic pain, numbness, or loss of function in affected areas
- Broken bones that involve joints or require surgical repair and extended physical therapy
- Soft tissue injuries, including whiplash, which are sometimes dismissed early but can produce lasting pain and limited mobility
Why Delayed Symptoms Create Real Legal Risk
Not every injury surfaces immediately after a crash. Traumatic brain injuries and spinal damage sometimes take days or weeks to produce noticeable symptoms. If you wait to seek treatment, insurers may argue the injury wasn't caused by the accident at all.
Prompt medical care, whether at Bayfront Health St. Petersburg, St. Anthony's Hospital, or another local provider, creates the documented timeline your case depends on.
What We Factor into Your Claim
When our attorneys assess damages in a serious injury case, we account for anticipated future treatment, not just current bills. A $4,356,000 verdict our firm secured for a traumatic brain injury victim in an interstate accident reflects what that kind of thorough, forward-looking case preparation can produce.
What Roman Austin Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers Brings to Your Case
Roman Austin Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers brings more than six decades of collective legal experience, a record of over $200 million recovered for clients, and a level of direct attorney involvement that sets us apart from firms that treat cases as inventory. When you hire us, you get attorneys who are genuinely engaged in your case from start to finish.
Credentials That Reflect a Serious Practice
- Founding partner Mark S. Roman is Board Certified in Civil Trial Law, a distinction held by a small percentage of Florida attorneys
- Super Lawyers designations across the firm
- Membership in the Million Dollar and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forums
- 10.0 Superb client rating on Avvo
- A+ rating and full accreditation from the Better Business Bureau
- More than 1,200 five-star Google reviews from clients across Florida
What That Means for Your Case
Board certification in civil trial law signals something specific: Mark S. Roman has met rigorous standards for trial experience, peer review, and demonstrated competence in the courtroom.
That matters because insurers respond differently when they know the attorney across the table has a genuine trial record and isn't bluffing about taking a case before a jury.
A client who came to us without knowing where to start, put it simply:
Roman Austin made the whole process feel manageable and honestly took a huge weight off my shoulders. – S.S.
Our Case Results
Compensation in a Car Accident Case
Car accident cases in Florida can involve multiple types of recoverable losses:
- Medical expenses, both current and anticipated future costs tied to your injuries
- Lost wages from time you've been unable to work
- Reduced earning capacity if your injuries affect your ability to work long-term
- Pain and suffering, including the ongoing physical discomfort and emotional distress that injuries cause
- Property damage to your vehicle and personal belongings
Florida requires drivers to carry personal injury protection (PIP) coverage, which pays a portion of medical expenses and lost wages regardless of fault. However, PIP coverage has limits, and in serious injury cases, it rarely covers the full extent of what someone loses.
Pursuing a claim against the at-fault driver's liability coverage, or in some cases an underinsured motorist policy, is often necessary to reach full recovery.
Understanding the difference between what PIP covers and what a liability claim can recover is one of the first things we walk clients through. Many people assume PIP will handle everything. It won't. Knowing that early can prevent you from accepting a settlement that leaves real losses unaddressed.
Frequently Asked Questions About Car Accident Claims in St. Petersburg, FL
Do I really need a lawyer if the other driver was clearly at fault?
Yes. Even when fault appears clear, the amount of compensation you can recover depends on how well your damages are documented and presented. Insurers routinely offer less than a claim is worth when a claimant is unrepresented.
An attorney builds the evidence behind your losses, handles negotiations, and pursues litigation if the offer doesn't reflect the real value of your case. Our car accident lawyers in St. Petersburg work on contingency, meaning you pay nothing unless we recover for you.
What if the at-fault driver has no insurance or not enough coverage?
Florida has a significant number of uninsured and underinsured drivers on the road. If the driver who hit you doesn't carry enough coverage to cover your losses, your own uninsured motorist (UM) policy, if you have one, may apply.
UM coverage is worth carrying in Florida precisely because of this risk. Our attorneys assess every available coverage source to make sure nothing is left on the table.
How long does a car accident case take to resolve?
It depends on the injuries, the clarity of liability, and whether the insurer is willing to settle fairly or requires litigation. Some cases resolve in a few months. Others, particularly those involving severe injuries or disputed liability, may take a year or more.
We don't push clients toward quick settlements that undervalue what they've lost. The goal is the right outcome, not the fastest one.
What should I do immediately after a crash?
Call 911, get a police report filed, and seek medical care even if you feel uninjured. Document the scene with photos if you're physically able. Don't give recorded statements to insurance adjusters before speaking with a St. Petersburg car accident attorney.
Contact our firm as soon as possible so we can advise you before any steps are taken that could affect your claim.
Take Your Next Step: Contact Roman Austin Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers Now
If you or someone you love was injured or killed in a car accident caused by another driver in St. Petersburg, the time to act is now. Medical costs accumulate. Evidence fades. Deadlines approach. Our attorneys are ready to review your situation, explain your options honestly, and tell you what we think your case is worth.
Call Roman Austin Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers today at (727)-335-1373 for a free case evaluation. There's no obligation, no cost to speak with us, and no fee unless we recover for you. You've already dealt with enough. Let us handle what comes next.
Roman Austin Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers 840 Beach Dr NE Suite 202, St. Petersburg, FL 33701
Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Each case is evaluated on its own facts and circumstances.