Have you suffered an injury after a car accident in St. Petersburg, FL? If so, the St. Petersburg car accident lawyers at Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers can help you fight to get the compensation you deserve. If other parties are responsible for your crash, we’ll work hard to get you money to cover the costs of your medical care, make up for lost income, and compensate for your pain and suffering.
Contact our law firm to arrange a free consultation at (727) 787-2500. We’ll go over your case, review possible options available to you, and offer some initial advice. All at no charge. In fact, you pay nothing unless we win.
How Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Crash in St. Petersburg
Being in a car accident can have a devastating effect on your physical and emotional health, as well as your finances. You may be entitled to recover insurance money that can help you address these issues and let you get back to your life.
This isn’t something you should try to address on your own, however. The legal process can often be complicated and overwhelming. That’s why it’s so important to hire an experienced personal injury law firm like Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers. We have a reputation for winning and for providing our clients with excellent legal representation.
Since 1996, our Board Certified civil trial specialists have won more than $100 million for accident victims just like you. You can rest assured we will do everything we can to add you to our list of winning clients by getting you the compensation you need to cover your losses.
When you hire our firm, here’s what you can expect us to do for you:
- Investigate the accident to determine what happened and how.
- Gather evidence from the accident site, any surveillance footage, crash reports, and eyewitness statements.
- Bring in experts like accident reconstructionists and other specialists who can help us understand technical matters.
- Provide you with our recommendation on legal strategy and options to consider.
- Handle discussions with the insurance company and negotiate for the best possible settlement.
With over 75 years of combined legal experience, Mark Roman and Morgan Gaynor are certified civil trial lawyers and are among the best in the business.
If the insurance company lowballs you on a settlement offer, you can rest easy knowing you have St. Petersburg personal injury lawyers who know their way around the courtroom and have a reputation for winning.
Contact us at our St. Petersburg law office to discuss your accident with our accomplished legal team. We’re ready to advocate for you.
How Common Are Car Accidents in St. Petersburg, Florida?
Unfortunately, Florida is notorious for its high rate of traffic accidents and fatalities. Of the top ten deadliest roadways in the entire country, Florida is home to six of them.
In 2020 alone, there were 330,753 motor vehicle accidents across the state. This number is even more staggering considering the state was locked down for the better part of the year due to the pandemic.
In St. Petersburg, the most recent fatal car accident data shows the following from 2016-2019:
- Total fatal crashes: 153
- Fatalities from crashes: 156 (multiple fatalities from single crashes)
Data available for Pinellas County for 2020 alone shows the following:
- Total crashes: 14,291
- Total fatal crashes: 106
- Fatalities from crashes: 114
- Injuries from crashes: 8,398
Car accidents can happen anywhere, but knowing that Florida has a higher rate should prompt you to be extra cautious.
Where Do Most Car Accidents Happen in St. Petersburg and Pinellas County?
Depending on road conditions, volume of traffic, speed limit, and other factors, certain highways or stretches of road in St. Petersburg and the Pinellas County area can be particularly prone to accidents. In fact, Pinellas County ranks first in Florida for number of deaths per mile.
The following highways and local roads are considered especially deadly due to the number of crashes and fatalities:
- US 19 and Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard in Clearwater
- US 19 and Tampa Road in Palm Harbor
- Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard and South Belcher Road in Clearwater
- US 19 and Curlew Road in Dunedin
- Park Boulevard and Starkey Road
- 66th Street and Ulmerton Road
Known for its tourism, Pinellas County also attracts a large number of visitors who may not know the area well and who may make driving errors as they navigate unfamiliar roadways.
What Is My West Central Florida Car Accident Case Worth?
Without first understanding the facts and assessing losses, it is difficult to say how much your case may be worth.
There are a number of variables that need to be considered in determining the value of your case and the damages you may receive.
The following are among the many things that can have an impact on the compensation award:
- Was there a mechanical malfunction such as the airbag not deploying, or the brakes not operating properly?
- What injuries you sustained, their severity, and the associated medical costs.
- If the other driver was drunk, punitive damages may be on the table.
- Were you forced to miss significant time off work, resulting in a loss of income?
- How much damage was done to your vehicle? This can indicate the severity of the accident.
- Did you do your part to mitigate injury by wearing a seatbelt?
The car accident lawyers at Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers will go over these and other variables in determining the worth of your case. With our strong experience in handling personal injury cases, we know what to look for in maximizing your financial award.
What Kind of Damages Are Available to Car Accident Victims?
There are two kinds of financial awards available in a car accident case: economic damages and non-economic damages.
Economic damages refer to financial losses directly associated with your accident.
These could include:
- Medical expenses
- Physical therapy
- Lost income
- Disability
- Equipment such as wheelchairs
- Household services
- Damage to property
- In-home nursing care
Non-economic damages are for injuries and losses that are personal in nature and difficult to calculate. These could include:
- Loss of limbs
- Emotional distress
- Loss of mobility
- Disfigurement
- Scarring
- Loss of one or more senses
- Mental anguish
- Humiliation
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of companionship
- Impairment of cognitive abilities
- Loss of Consortium
Our personal injury attorneys in St. Pete have seen it all. We recognize the immense toll that car accidents can take on your physical, emotional, and financial well-being.
Call our law office today to speak with our experienced and understanding car accident lawyers. The first consultation is free and can get you started on the path to recovery.
Can I Recover Compensation If I’m Being Blamed For a Car Accident in St. Petersburg, Florida?
Florida is what’s known as a modified comparative fault state that implements a 51% bar to financial recovery. This means that any compensation you receive must reflect your level of contribution or responsibility for the accident.
If you were 50% responsible, your compensation will be reduced by 50%. You’ll end up with only half the value of your damages. However, if you were 51% or more responsible, you will not receive any compensation for your injuries.
The insurance company will try to lay as much of the blame as possible on you.
At Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers, we know all their tricks. Nothing gets by us, and we will push back at the insurance company. We know how to argue down your level of responsibility so we can maximize your net award.
We’ll Fight to Recover Maximum Compensation For All Of Your Crash-Related Injuries
Car accidents can result in countless injuries depending on the type of accident and its severity.
Common injuries we often see in car accident cases include:
- Whiplash: Violent whip of your neck and back caused by the force of the crash. Can result in ligament and muscle strain.
- Bruising/Contusions: Even with a minor accident, bruises are among the most common injuries. While they typically do not require medical care, they can be painful and inconvenient.
- Spinal Cord Injuries: Herniations and ruptured discs in the spinal cord can not only be painful, but they can also limit mobility and possibly even result in paralysis.
- Head Injuries: Closed head injuries, even if minor, may require stitches or other immediate treatment.
- Traumatic Brain Injuries: Life-altering and severe, brain injuries can significantly affect your ability to function.
- Broken bones: Depending on the severity of the break, bones can take an inordinate amount of time to heal, keeping you from work and resulting in lost wages.
- Internal Bleeding: Organ damage may result in internal bleeding—a dangerous situation that calls for emergency medical attention.
- Wrongful Death
Depending on the injury you suffered in your accident, the medical bills for healing and recovery may be enormous and overwhelming. The lawyers at Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers can help you fight for the financial resources you need to cover your bills during this traumatic time.
You can trust us to be there for you.
What Causes Most Car Accidents in St. Petersburg, Florida?
The causes of car accidents are often the same no matter where they occur, but here are some of the causes we typically see in car accident cases in St. Petersburg:
- Drunk driving or under the influence of other substances
- Speeding
- Lane changes
- Distracted driving
- Tailgating and driving too close to surrounding cars
- Inexperienced drivers
- Texting while driving
- Mechanical malfunctions
- Inadequate vehicle maintenance
- Road conditions
- Weather
Our Florida personal injury law firm has handled enough car accidents to know what to look for in determining the cause of an accident. We also conduct our investigations thoroughly so we know who may be most to blame for what happened. Call us to get started with a free case evaluation today.
Fighting For Clients Injured in All Types of Car Accidents
With over six decades of combined experience, our lawyers at Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers are familiar with all types of auto accidents.
The types we most often see are:
- Rear-end accidents
- Head-on collisions
- Sideswipe accidents
- T-Bone Wrecks
- Multi-vehicle accidents
- Single-vehicle accidents
- Hit and run accidents
- Collisions involving uninsured or underinsured motorists
- Accidents involving trucks, buses, motorcycles, bicyclists, and pedestrians
- And more
Sometimes accidents can be of several types at once, involving multiple vehicles, multiple fatalities, and multiple causes—all resulting in catastrophic injuries. Our car accident lawyers have fought for injured victims who were involved in these and other types of car accidents. We have the experience to handle any and all possible scenarios.
What Does Florida’s No-Fault Insurance Mean For Me After A Car Wreck in St. Petersburg?
No-Fault insurance means that who is at fault for the accident doesn’t matter in terms of the process for recovering damages. Even if the other driver caused the accident, you have to file a claim with your provider first.
According to Florida law, minimum car insurance coverage must include personal injury protection (PIP). The combination of No-fault/PIP coverage includes a payout for economic losses as listed above, but doesn’t cover non-economic losses such as pain and suffering.
One way to recover for non-economic losses, however, is if the injuries you sustained pass a severity threshold as determined by certain criteria. In such a case, you can file a third-party insurance claim against the other driver and recover for losses that aren’t available through PIP.
The severity threshold is based on the seriousness of your injuries and can be characterized by:
- Disfigurement
- Significant bone breaks
- Loss or permanent limitation of a body organ or member
- Significant limitation of a bodily function or system
- Full disability that lasts for at least 90 days
If your injuries do not rise to this level but your expenses total more than the usual PIP coverage of $10,000, you can still bring a personal injury claim to recover for the amount of losses not paid out by PIP.
Additionally, Florida does not require that the damage to your vehicle be limited by recovery through PIP. You can move for such damages from the other driver if applicable.
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Car Wreck in Florida?
The law limits the amount of time you have to file a lawsuit. In the state of Florida, this “statute of limitations” is two years from the accident date. The law used to provide four years to file a Florida car accident claim, but it was updated on March 24, 2023. If your St. Petersburg collision happened after that time, you must take legal action within two years of the accident date.
Keep in mind that it can take significant time to build a strong, persuasive case, so starting the process sooner than later is a smart idea.
If your accident occurred while you were on the road for job-related work, you may have a claim for workers’ compensation benefits. Workers’ compensation is an insurance system your employer might carry and which can pay out for your losses. The workers’ compensation process is a different legal process with different rules and limits, which makes reaching out to our St. Petersburg car accident lawyers even more critical.
What Should I Do After a Car Accident in St. Petersburg?
Although it can be difficult after a car accident to keep your mind alert to what needs to be done, it is important to do your best to focus.
Below are a few things we recommend to our clients in the event they’re in a car accident:
- Stay out of harm’s way but stay relatively near the accident site
- Check in with others involved in the accident and administer assistance if you can
- Contact local law enforcement
- Provide other drivers with your contact and insurance information and make sure you get theirs in return
- If there are any witnesses at the scene, get their contact information
- Don’t discuss details with others and avoid admitting any fault until you’ve spoken with an attorney
- Call your insurance company
- If it’s safe and you’re in a condition to do so, take photos of the site, including damage to vehicles
- Seek medical care and document your treatment
- Hire a car accident lawyer to represent you
These actions are helpful especially if you choose to initiate legal proceedings at some point following the accident. Preserving physical evidence as well as witness testimony can be critical for a positive outcome in a car accident case.
Contact Our St. Petersburg Car Accident Lawyers For a Free Consultation
At Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers, our St. Petersburg car accident lawyers are experienced and aggressive in taking on the insurance companies on behalf of our clients.
We have a winning track record because we know the law inside and out and we don’t back down until we’ve done everything we can to get our clients what they deserve.
Contact our car accident attorneys in St. Petersburg today for a free case evaluation. We’ll sit down with you to go over your case and help you understand the options available to you, as well as the legal strategies we recommend.
We know this is an incredibly difficult time for you. The trauma of being in a car accident is painful both physically and emotionally. You can expect and trust that we will treat you with the patience and understanding you need.
You can feel comfortable sharing your experience with us, knowing we’re here to help.
Call us to learn more about our firm and what we can do for you to help you get your life back to normal.
