Were you injured in a car accident in Brandon, Florida? The Brandon car accident lawyers at Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers can help you fight to secure a financial award to cover your losses.
Our Board Certified civil law specialists will aggressively pursue compensation from all parties responsible for your crash. The money we recover on your behalf can be instrumental in covering the costs of your medical care, making up for lost income, and compensating for the suffering you’ve endured.
Give our Brandon legal team a call today to schedule a free consultation at (813) 686-7588. We will review your case and lay out possible options and offer some initial legal advice.
How Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Crash in Brandon, Florida
If you’ve been in a car accident, you’re likely going through a difficult time that’s taking a toll on your overall well-being. Recovering from a physical injury as well as emotional trauma is painful enough without having to worry about legal issues. That’s why it’s so important to hire a personal injury law firm with attorneys who have the experience and knowledge to take the legal matters off your hands.
Our Brandon personal injury lawyers have 65+ years of experience handling complex legal cases like yours. And, our two founding attorneys are Board Certified in civil trial law by the Florida Bar Association. That means we’re experts in car accident cases – and having us on your side can tip the odds of a win in your favor. Trust the legal professionals at Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers to handle this for you.
Hiring our Brandon personal injury attorneys means you’re getting a firm that has:
- Board Certified civil trial lawyers
- Combined legal experience of over 65 years
- A contingency fee plan that means you don’t pay unless we win
- Spanish-speaking staff
Over the last 25 years, our firm has fought hard for our injured clients and won more than $100 million on their behalf. We’re tireless in doing everything we can to get justice for accident victims in Brandon, FL. You can count on us to do the same for you.
Call our law office to speak to a Tampa car accident lawyer in Brandon, Florida today. We’ll discuss your case with you, suggest some possible options, and answer any questions or concerns you may have about your case or about engaging our firm. We know this is a sensitive time for you and we will do whatever we can to help you feel comfortable and safe as you share the details of the accident.
How Common Are Car Accidents in Brandon, Florida?
Florida is infamous for its high volume of traffic accidents. In fact, the state lays claim to six of the top ten most dangerous roadways across the country.
In 2020, despite the state being largely shut down due to Covid 19, there were still 339,905 motor vehicle accidents across the state. Hillsborough County, where Brandon, FL is located, saw a total of 24,120 crashes that year.
That included:
- 196 fatal crashes, resulting in 211 deaths, and
- 10,802 non-fatal injury crashes, affecting 16,448 victims
The latest fatal car accident data shows the following for the city of Brandon, FL, from 2016-2019:
- Total fatal crashes: 44
- Fatalities from crashes: 49 (multiple fatalities from single crashes)
Car accidents happen, and they happen all over the country. However, knowing that Florida is so prone to them can help drivers stay hypervigilant as they navigate the state’s roadways.
Where Do Most Car Accidents Happen in Brandon and Hillsborough County?
A number of variables come into play in determining what makes certain stretches of highways and roads so dangerous. Traffic levels, conditions of the road, speed limits, and other factors all contribute.
The following highways and local roads in Brandon and the Hillsborough County area are considered especially deadly:
- Brandon Boulevard, from Falkenburg Road to Dover Road
- Gibsonton Drive, Boyette Road, Interstate 75 to Balm Riverview Road
- Hillsborough Avenue, Longboat Boulevard to Florida Avenue
- Fletcher Avenue, Armenia Avenue to 50th Street
- Dale Mabry Highway, Hillsborough Avenue to Bearss Avenue
- Lynn Turner Road, Gunn Highway to Ehrlich Road
- Meridian Avenue, Channelside Drive to Twiggs Street
- Bruce B. Downs, Fowler Avenue to Bearss Avenue
- 50th Street and 56th Street, Martin Luther King Boulevard to Hillsborough Avenue
- 15th Street, Fowler Avenue to Fletcher Avenue
These locations were ranked by number of severe crashes per mile of roadway and were slated to undergo road-safety improvements.
What Is My Brandon, Florida Car Accident Case Worth?
Placing a value on the worth of your case is difficult without knowing all the details and performing an investigation. At Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers, we know what to look for and will be thorough in our review.
As part of that review, we will:
- Investigate to understand what led to the accident and how it played out.
- Collect evidence from surveillance footage, police reports, witness statements, road conditions, and weather reports.
- Consult with key experts in reconstructing the accident.
Based on these factors, we will handle discussions with the insurance company and negotiate for the best possible settlement offer.
The following will be a part of calculating the amount you may receive:
- Did any parts of the vehicle malfunction, such as the airbag, seatbelts, or brakes?
- The severity of your injuries, as well as the medical expenses you will likely incur
- If the other driver was drunk, we may be able to seek punitive damages
- How much time you were forced to take off from work
- Vehicle damage involved
Our car accident attorneys in Hillsborough County will cover all these issues and do everything possible to maximize your financial recovery.
What Kind of Damages Are Available to Car Accident Victims?
In personal injury cases, damages normally fall into one of two buckets: economic damages and non-economic damages.
Economic damages refer to financial losses directly related to the accident, such as:
- Medical costs
- Therapy, both physical and emotional
- Income loss
- Medical assistance equipment such as wheelchairs
- Household services
- In-home nursing care
Non-economic damages are for personal losses that are more difficult to calculate and assign a dollar number:
- Losing an arm or leg
- Emotional distress
- Limitation in mobility
- Disfigurement
- Loss of consortium
- Visible scarring
- Loss of one or more senses
- Mental distress
- Embarrassment
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of companionship
- Cognitive impairment
We know what damages we can seek based on the specifics of your case, and we’ll fight to get you as much as possible to ensure your financial stability and return you to life before the accident.
Call our law office at Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers today to speak with our Brandon car accident lawyers at no charge.
Can I Recover Compensation If I’m Being Blamed For a Car Accident in Florida?
As a modified comparative fault state, Florida mandates that the financial award you receive takes into account your level of responsibility for the accident. If you were even 10% responsible, your award will be reduced by 10%. However, if your share of fault exceeds 50%, you’re barred from recovering any compensation.
Since the insurance company can limit (or eliminate) its payout to you based on your level of blame, they may try to argue that your responsibility for the accident was more significant than it was. We know their usual tactics and we’re not afraid to push back until they make a fair settlement offer.
We’ll Fight to Recover Compensation For All Of Your Crash-Related Injuries
Common injuries following a car accident include:
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Whiplash resulting in muscle strain
- Bruising/Contusions
- Herniations and ruptured discs possibly leading to paralysis
- Closed head injuries
- Traumatic Brain Injuries
- Broken bones
- Organ damage leading to internal bleeding
Based on the nature and severity of your injury, your medical bills will be significant and overwhelming. Our Brandon car accident lawyers at Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers can help you get the resources you need to cover your costs and bring some peace of mind.
What Causes Most Car Accidents in Brandon, Florida?
The reasons car accidents happen are numerous and varied. Accidents in Brandon are caused by many of the same culprits that cause accidents across the country.
Cause we most often see are:
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Going over the speed limit
- Aggressive lane changes
- Distracted driving
- Not maintaining a safe distance between cars (tailgating)
- New or inexperienced drivers
- Texting or using the phone while driving
- Mechanical failure
- Insufficient vehicle care
- Road construction and detours
- Weather conditions
At Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers, we’re familiar with the typical causes of car accidents and we know what to look for in understanding who or what was to blame for the accident.
Representing Clients in All Types of Car Accident Cases
As established veterans of personal injury law, our car accident lawyers at Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers have represented injured clients in countless cases involving different types of collisions.
For example:
- Sideswipe accidents
- Rear-end collisions
- T-Bone crashes
- Head-on collisions
- Crashes involving multiple vehicles
- Single-vehicle accidents
- Hit and run accidents
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Accidents involving uninsured drivers
- Fatal crashes
- And more
Our experienced legal team at Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers knows how to handle any and all possible scenarios.
What Does Florida’s No-Fault Insurance Mean For Me After A Car Wreck in Brandon?
The no-fault insurance system removes the issue of who was at fault for an accident and instead requires drivers to turn to their own insurance. Florida law requires that minimum coverage must include what is called personal injury protection or PIP. This coverage includes a payout for economic damages such as medical expenses but does not cover non-economic losses such as emotional distress.
However, if the injuries are particularly severe and meet a serious injury threshold, you can file a third-party claim against the other driver and recover for non-economic losses that are not available through PIP.
The criteria for the serious injury threshold is as follows:
- Significant and permanent loss of an important bodily function
- Permanent injury within a reasonable degree of medical probability, other than scarring or disfigurement
- Significant and permanent scarring or disfigurement
- Death
Additionally, if your injuries do not qualify under this threshold but your overall expenses surpass the $10,000 PIP coverage, you can still file a third-party claim to recover what you could not through PIP. Damage to your vehicle is not required to be recovered through PIP either, so you can also file against the other driver for property damage.
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Car Wreck in Florida?
The statute of limitations is a time limit mandated by Florida state law. It restricts the amount of time you have to file a claim. For personal injury cases involving car accidents, Florida now limits the filing time to two years from the date of the accident.
Historically, the statute of limitations for these cases was four years. However, on March 24, 2023, the law was updated, shortening the time limit to two years. That means car accidents happening after that date are subject to the two-year deadline.
Starting early on your case is critical. Car accident cases can get complex and particularly involved because of the number of different factors to be considered. The sooner you contact us to get started on your case, the more time we will have to gather and review evidence.
When you are prepared with a strong case, you have leverage when negotiating for a settlement. Insurance companies are more eager to make a strong financial offer if they realize you have a solid case and are prepared to take your case to court if an agreement cannot be reached. They will do anything to avoid the risk of losing in court, so it puts you at a strong advantage if you can demonstrate that you are not afraid to push back and demand a better offer.
There are additional issues that may come into play if your accident occurred during the course of your job. In that situation, your accident may qualify for workers’ compensation.
Workers’ compensation is an insurance system subscribed to by employers to cover employee injuries while on the job. The process has its own rules and requirements, which means you could incur delays in payout if you wait too long.
What Should I Do After a Car Accident in Brandon, FL?
After you’ve been in a car accident, you may feel disoriented in addition to other physical injuries. However, it will be helpful to you, in the long run, to make sure you take certain steps to ensure you have what you need to file a strong claim.
Here are a few steps we recommend you take following a car accident in Brandon:
- Stay clear of traffic and other danger, but remain near the accident site
- Contact the police
- If there are others involved, check to be sure they don’t need any immediate assistance
- Be sure to exchange contact and insurance information with other drivers
- Get contact info from anyone in the vicinity who may have seen what happened
- Do not admit fault or discuss too many details with anyone until you have consulted a personal injury attorney
- Let your insurance company know what happened
- If possible, take photos of the site and vehicle damage
- Note any weather conditions
- Seek medical care and track your treatment
As soon as possible after the accident, give us a call at Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers. We will immediately get the legal process moving so you can get the financial resources you need.
Contact Our Brandon Car Accident Lawyers For a Free Consultation
Our dedicated Brandon car accident lawyers have successfully represented countless injured clients and helped them get the compensation they deserve. We will fight to get you the same. You’ve been through a traumatizing experience and you should not have to worry about finances when you’re trying to heal and recover from the accident.
At Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers, the attorney-client relationship is important to us. That’s why we treat every client as a priority and strive to offer each one exceptional client service. When you hire us, we make ourselves available to you 24/7 and take steps to keep you informed on the progress of your case as we proceed.
We always welcome your input and questions and want you to feel confident about the direction of your case. You can trust that we will be unyielding and persistent in advocating for you. We have an excellent track record and a reputation for winning for our clients.
Our goal is to help you put this accident behind you and get your life back on track. Give us a call to schedule a free consultation with our Brandon car accident lawyers today. You’ll be glad you did.
