Have you been seriously injured in West Tampa, FL, due to someone else’s negligence? An experienced West Tampa personal injury lawyer can help you pursue compensation for your pain, medical care, and lost earnings.
Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers has more than 60 years of combined legal experience handling all types of personal injury cases. We are here to help with all aspects of your case, from filing your personal injury insurance claim to pursuing compensation in court. Call our law office at today(727) 787-2500 for a free case review to discuss your case.
How Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help You After an Accident in West Tampa, Florida
It can be an uphill battle to recover the compensation you need after an accident—even if your case seems straightforward. The at-fault party or their insurer may minimize your injuries, blame you for your accident, or undervalue your claim.
Proving the value of your damages can be complex as well. There is more to recovering compensation than simply showing the other party was at fault. You must justify a financial value for your injuries and losses, especially those you might incur in the future due to your injuries. An experienced West Tampa personal injury lawyer can help you through every step of your case.
Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers puts decades of experience, resources, and skill to work on your behalf. Our founding attorney, Mark S. Roman is a Board Certified Civil Trial specialist — a distinction shared by only 1.2% of Florida attorneys. Our firm has earned national recognition by recovering over $100 million on behalf of our clients.
Choose Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers to represent you in West Tampa, Florida, and count on us to:
- Give you the personal attention, resources, and legal advice you need
- Conduct an investigation to gather evidence and identify liable parties
- Work with South Florida’s leading experts to strengthen your case
- Negotiate with the insurance company by leveraging the evidence and testimony we have gathered
- Take your case before a jury if a settlement cannot be reached
After your accident, the insurance company may make a quick settlement offer to get you to go away. Remember the insurer is not on your side; this initial settlement will likely fail to compensate you fully. We understand that an accident can be devastating to your health and your financial security.
Contact Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers as soon as possible so we can protect you from the insurance company’s profit-driven tactics and help you seek the full compensation you need. Call our law office to schedule a free consultation with a personal injury lawyer in Tampa, FL.
Types of Personal Injury Cases We Handle in West Tampa
Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers represents injury victims in all types of personal injury cases.
If you or someone you love has been hurt in a traffic accident, on the job, or due to other negligence, we are here to help.
Contact our law office if you have been hurt in any of the following types of accidents:
- Car accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Boating accidents
- Uber and Lyft accidents
- Premises liability accidents
- Slip and fall accidents
- Product liability cases
- Medical malpractice
- Workplace accidents
- Construction accidents
- Wrongful death
The legal team at Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers is ready to help you explore your legal options and pursue fair compensation. Contact us today for a free consultation with a West Tampa personal injury lawyer to discuss your case.
What is My Personal Injury Case Worth?
It’s impossible to estimate the value of your personal injury case without carefully examining the circumstances of your accident. Every case is unique, but it is helpful to understand the factors we will consider to estimate your claim’s value.
Our attorneys will ask the following questions to understand your case:
- How serious were the injuries you sustained?
- Will you require ongoing or future medical care?
- Will you be able to return to your job or face limitations?
- Will the accident impact your earning capacity?
- Will you need help performing daily tasks or rely on medical devices or equipment?
- Will the accident impact your emotional and mental well-being and ability to participate in hobbies?
Generally, the more serious and long-lasting your injuries, the more your case is likely to be worth. Serious injuries typically have future costs, including reduced earning capacity and anticipated medical bills. These injuries also have higher non-economic losses, such as mental anguish, distress, and reduced quality of life.
The amount of insurance coverage available and your role in the accident may limit what you can recover.
Contact Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers today for a free consultation to discuss how much your case may be worth.
What Damages Can I Recover After an Accident in West Tampa, FL?
When someone else’s negligence or intentional misconduct injures you, you have the right to seek financial compensation for your losses. Damages in a West Tampa injury case usually include economic and non-economic damages. In rare cases, you may be entitled to punitive damages, too.
Economic damages are meant to compensate you for the financial damages you suffered due to your accident, including:
- Property damage
- Current medical bills
- Future medical expenses
- Skilled nursing care in a rehabilitation center or at home
- Lost wages
- Temporary or permanent disability to compensate for your diminished earning capacity
Non-economic damages compensate you for intangible, personal losses that have no financial value. When an accident results in catastrophic or serious injuries, non-economic damages can exceed the value of economic losses.
These losses include:
- Loss of consortium
- Pain and suffering
- Mental and emotional anguish and distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Disfigurement or scarring
Injury victims sometimes recover punitive damages. A jury may award these damages to punish the defendant for gross negligence, intentional wrongdoing, or wanton disregard for human life. However, Florida caps punitive damages at 3x your compensatory damages or $500,000.
What Happens if I Am Blamed for an Accident in Florida?
It is very common for more than one person to share blame for an accident. For example, in a car accident, one driver may be found mostly at fault for reckless driving and unsafe lane change. However, the other driver may be found partially at fault for speeding or inattention. In a slip and fall, an injury victim may be assigned some blame for failing to exercise reasonable caution or for neglecting to seek medical attention promptly.
If you are found partially at fault for your accident, you can still recover compensation for your losses as long as your allotted blame doesn’t exceed 50%. Florida uses a modified comparative negligence rule with a 51 percent bar to recovery. This rule assigns a percentage of liability to all parties who contributed to the accident.
If you’re held 50% or less responsible for the accident, your recovery will be reduced in proportion to your share of liability.
The insurance company may use this rule to limit or eliminate their financial responsibility for your injuries. For every share of blame they shift to you, they reduce the amount they need to pay. It’s crucial to consult an experienced West Tampa personal injury lawyer as soon as possible if you are being blamed for your injuries.
What is Negligence and How Does it Affect My Personal Injury Case?
Some personal injury cases in Florida involve strict liability Others may involve intentional torts or intentional criminal acts. However, most personal injury cases revolve around negligence.
To recover injury compensation from an at-fault party, you must show they were negligent. This means they failed to behave like a reasonable person and caused your injury.
Negligence comes in many forms. It can cover a property owner who fails to provide sufficient lighting and security. It may also involve distracted driving, drunk driving, or speeding.
To prove your negligence case, you must show:
- The defendant owed a duty of care. This is a legal duty to exercise a certain amount of caution and behave a certain way toward the other party. The duty of care depends on the relationship between the parties.
- The defendant breached their duty of care. You must show how they violated their duty or failed to exercise reasonable care.
- The breach of duty caused your accident. It isn’t enough that the defendant behaved recklessly or negligently. You must prove the defendant caused your accident.
- You suffered damages. If you didn’t suffer any harm, you could not recover compensation for your accident.
At Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers, we will leave no stone unturned in gathering the evidence necessary to build your negligence case.
How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit After an Accident in West Tampa, FL?
Because Florida is a no-fault insurance state, many car accident cases begin with a personal injury claim against your own insurance company. You generally must make a Personal Injury Protection (PIP) claim within 14 days of your accident.
Outside of PIP claims, you must generally submit your claim within a reasonable amount of time. Your insurance company and the other party’s insurance company must be put on notice of your claim.
There is a two-year statute of limitations on most personal injury lawsuits in Florida. You must file your lawsuit before this deadline, or you will lose your right to recover compensation.
Note that the state’s statutory deadline used to give you four years to file a lawsuit. However, Florida law was updated on March 24, 2023, giving less time to file a personal injury claim after an accident. If your accident in West Tampa occurred after 3/24/23, you have two years to pursue a legal claim.
Wrongful death claims and medical malpractice lawsuits also have a two-year statute of limitations. Claims against government entities have a much shorter deadline. In some cases, you may have a longer statute of limitations.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer in West Tampa, FL?
You may be unable to work after your accident; bills may be mounting. Do not let financial concerns prevent you from seeking experienced legal representation.
The West Tampa personal injury attorneys at Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers work on a contingency-fee basis. There are no upfront or out-of-pocket costs for the representation you deserve. We assume the risks and costs of building your case and litigating. You only pay attorney’s fees if we recover compensation for you.
If we win a jury verdict or negotiate a settlement on your behalf, we will recover a set percentage of your net award. You will know this contingency fee ahead of time.
Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers is ready to fight for the compensation you need to move forward with your life. Contact our law firm today to schedule your free case review to discuss how we can help.
Schedule a Free Consultation with a West Tampa Personal Injury Lawyer
Has your life been changed by a serious accident? Do not let the insurance company undervalue your claim or take advantage of you. Call Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers today for the skilled legal representation you deserve from a top-rated West Tampa personal injury lawyer.
Remember: you pay nothing out-of-pocket for our firm to see your case through from beginning to end.
