Getting into a car accident is a terrifying experience. Even minor fender benders can cause drivers and passengers a tremendous amount of fear and worry. If your accident is more severe, you may also find yourself facing serious injury and disability. As you struggle to recover, you may realize that you are unable to work and provide for your family. As medical bills and monthly expenses rise, creditors may start circling.noc
When this happens, what can you do? How will you put your life back together again?
Fortunately, there is hope. You deserve to have a legal team on your side who can fight for your rights to compensation and ensure that you have the money you need after a serious car accident.
If you suffered an injury in a Port Richey car accident, we want to help you. At Nicoletti Accident Injury Lawyers, we offer free initial consultations and review all your legal options. We want to meet with you to discuss your case and how we can help.
To learn more about your rights after an accident, contact our experienced Port Richey car accident lawyers.
Experience Matters in Port Richey Car Accidents
After a car accident in Port Richey, we know that you have many options for legal representation. However, when choosing the right law firm to represent you, it is important to evaluate their experience. At Nicoletti Accident Injury Lawyers, we successfully represented numerous car accident survivors in Port Richey and helped them obtain the money they needed after a devastating accident.
Founder and managing partner Nicolette Nicoletti understands the needs of Port Richey car accident survivors because she was born and raised right here in Port Richey. Her dedication to the community and to the residents of Port Richey allows her to tackle these cases with precision and efficiency.
Our track record of success in Port Richey car accidents speaks for itself.
Here are just a few of the injured Port Richey car accident survivors we helped.
- $2 million for a rear-end car accident that required surgery and reflex sympathetic dystrophy
- $1.7 million for a car accident that caused a traumatic brain injury
- $1.05 million for a car accident that caused eye loss
- $1 million for a car accident that caused a brain injury.
- $900,000 for a car accident that caused a brain injury
While past success does not guarantee future results, we are confident we can help you collect significantly more compensation after your car accident. We know how to handle insurance companies and we use our experience and knowledge to build the best case for you after a car accident. There is a reason so many Port Richey residents choose Nicoletti Accident Injury Lawyers to represent them after a serious car accident.
Types of Car Wrecks
Accidents in Port Richey can occur anywhere and at any time. At Nicoletti Accident Injury Lawyers, our Port Richey car accident attorneys have represented numerous drivers, passengers, pedestrians and cyclists who suffered injuries in a variety of car accidents, including:
- Rear-end car accidents. According to the NHTSA, rear-end car accidents are the most common types of car accidents in the country. These crashes most commonly occur at stop signs and intersections and account for 30 percent of all accidents. While not as deadly as other types of accidents, they can still result in serious injury, disability, and suffering.
- Head-on collisions. Head-on collisions are the most deadly types of car accidents. While head-on collisions make up only two percent of all crashes, they result in ten percent of all fatalities.
- Side-impact accidents. Also known as T-bone accidents, side-impact crashes occur at intersections when one vehicle hits the side of another vehicle. Side-impact accidents are three times more likely to cause serious traumatic brain injuries than other collisions.
- Hit and run accidents. In Florida, hit and run accidents account for 103,000 injuries every single year. These accidents often result in serious injury and fatalities because drivers do not stop to lend aid or call 911.
Common Causes of Car Crashes
At Nicoletti Accident Injury Lawyers, we understand how the cause of your accident might affect your case and the money you may obtain. We use this knowledge to help our injured clients recover the maximum amount of compensation after an injury accident.
Some of the most common causes of car accidents include:
- Speeding. All highways, roads, and interstates in Florida have designated speed limits. These speed limits help keep everyone safe. When drivers drive too fast, they can cause serious and deadly accidents. Speeding is the cause of 27 percent of all car accident fatalities in the United States.
- Distracted driving. Distracted driving is a serious problem in the United States. In the last year, distracted driving resulted in 391,000 injury accidents. Drivers who talk on their phones, text, surf the internet, and answer emails are more likely to cause serious and horrific accidents.
- Impaired driving. Drunk drivers and drivers who drive under the influence of drugs cause 29 fatal accidents every day in the U.S., according to the CDC. These accidents are often catastrophic and can be complex to handle because they also involve a criminal aspect.
- Fatigued driving. Driving while you are sleepy is not a crime, but it is deadly. The NSC says that fatigued driving is similar to drunk driving. When a driver operates a vehicle while fatigued, they can fall asleep at the wheel or fail to respond quickly in emergencies.
- Tailgating. When a driver follows too closely behind another vehicle, they increase the risk of getting into a serious rear-end collision. Tailgating is a sign of aggressive driving or road rage as well. Drivers who drive aggressively are more likely to cause serious and deadly accidents.
Common Car Accident Injuries
When a car accident occurs, the forces of the crash can cause serious injury to all occupants. Even collisions that occur at relatively low speeds can cause soft tissue injury, whiplash, or harm. That is why it is important to see a medical professional after a car accident. Prompt medical attention is the key to avoiding serious injury complications.
At Nicoletti Accident Injury Lawyers, our Port Richey car accident attorneys have helped survivors who suffered injuries, including:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Concussions
- Whiplash
- Spinal cord injuries
- Burns
- Fractures
- Disfigurement
- Amputation
- Soft tissue injuries
- Back and neck injuries
- Internal organ damage
- PTSD
When you suffer an injury, you need a law firm on your side that understands your injury and the complications you may face. At Nicoletti Accident Injury Lawyers, our lawyers work collaboratively with your medical team to determine the full extent of your injuries.
That way we can project how those injuries might affect your future. Any compensation you receive from the insurance company should reflect all of your expenses, as well as future expenses you may encounter.
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) in Collision Cases
Florida is a no-fault state. That means that injured car accident survivors in Port Richey can turn to their insurance policy to collect money after a crash. Every insured driver must carry PIP insurance for this very reason. After an accident, injured drivers and passengers can turn to their PIP insurance policy to receive up to $10,000 in immediate medical coverage. You can receive this money without the need for establishing fault.
The goal of PIP is to reduce payment delay for injured drivers and free up the court systems. However, many injured Florida accident survivors find that they encounter difficulty even when trying to access their PIP policies. We can help you collect from your PIP policy after a serious accident and reduce any unnecessary delays.
Unfortunately, even with PIP, many drivers find that they do not have enough money to pay all of their expenses and damages after a car crash. After you exhaust your PIP limits, you can file a personal injury claim against the “at fault” driver to collect the money you need.
Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit After a Car Accident
After you reach your PIP limits, the lawyers at Nicoletti Accident Injury Lawyers can help you file a personal injury lawsuit against the “at fault” driver. In Florida, you must file your car accident lawsuit within four years. This is the statute of limitations and if you miss this deadline you cannot file a claim to collect compensation.
When filing a personal injury lawsuit, it is important to know that Florida is a comparative negligence state. That means that if you caused part of the accident, the courts reduce your damages by your percentage of fault. For example, if the courts determine that you are 20 percent responsible for your accident and award $100,000 in damages, you would receive $80,000 of the total damages awarded.
As you can imagine, it is extremely important to establish fault after an accident. That is why you need an experienced and aggressive law firm on your side from the start. Insurance companies will look for any way to pin some of the blame back on you to reduce their liabilities. At Nicoletti Accident Injury Lawyers, we do not let this happen. We work tirelessly to investigate your car accident and identify all negligent parties.
We then use this to build a solid case for you by:
- Examining police report
- Reviewing medical records
- Meeting with physicians and medical experts
- Examining the crash site and vehicle damages
- Preserving evidence
- Interviewing eyewitnesses
- Employing accident reconstruction teams
- Using technical experts
- Negotiating with insurance companies
Every car accident case in Port Richey is different. That is why we take an individualized approach to representing you. It starts by meeting with you in a free initial consultation to learn more about your accident, your injuries, and your fears. We then work with credible experts and teams to identify how to help you obtain the money you need to put your life back together again.
Port Richey Car Accident FAQ
You might not know what to do after a car accident. After a traumatic situation that threatened your life, you have injuries and feel confused. The scene can involve bystanders, law enforcement, emergency medical workers, and other people who add to the chaos of an accident scene.
In the coming days and weeks, you might need to make decisions about your injuries, healthcare, and job. The last thing you need is to worry about your legal rights and seeking compensation.
Nicoletti Accident Injury Lawyers wants you to know how to protect your legal rights so that something you say or do at the accident scene after a crash does not later go against you by the other driver’s insurance company. Learn more about car accidents with the answers to some of the most frequent questions our lawyers hear.
Are there dangerous areas of Port Richey that are known for car accidents?
In general, auto accidents are more likely to occur when there is more traffic. This means that some areas of Port Richey are more likely to have auto accidents. This includes popular bayfront recreational areas, such as Oelsner Park, Waterfront Park, and the boat ramp at Nick’s Park.
Bars, restaurants, and shopping areas also attract more traffic, so use caution in these areas, as well. Finally, beware in surrounding towns as well. New Port Richey has a popular Main Street with shopping, dining, historical monuments, and many other attractions. This results in heavy traffic and confusing patterns of pedestrian walkways. Use caution in heavily-trafficked areas such as this.
What should I do after a Port Richey car accident?
Your first priority after an accident should always be your immediate health and safety. This means that you want to get medical attention if you suffered injuries. Even if you are not sure if you need an ambulance, it is still important to let emergency medical technicians come to the scene and evaluate your injuries.
It is not possible to know all of your injuries right after an accident without medical equipment. You might also need transportation with backboards, head blocks, and other equipment that emergency medical workers know how to use properly to avoid making car accident injuries any worse. Even if you do not end up needing to go to the emergency room in an ambulance, it is still important to let trained medical workers evaluate your injuries on the scene.
Your medical needs are the priority on any accident scene. But there are also important things you need to do to address your legal needs. You should not discuss the accident with other drivers or passengers involved. You can ask about injuries and whether anyone called 911, but do not talk about what happened or how the accident occurred. If it is safe to do so, you might also try to take photos and videos at the accident scene as possible evidence in a future claim.
Where will I receive medical treatment after my Port Richey car accident?
There are many options for medical treatment. If you need transportation by ambulance, the medical workers will take you to the nearest available hospital. If you decide to leave the scene on your own, there are many options for emergency departments and urgent care facilities in and around Port Richey.
These include:
- The Oak Hill Hospital Emergency Room
- Bayfront Health Brooksville
- Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point
- Morton Plant North Bay Hospital Emergency Center
- Advent Health Central Pasco Emergency Room
- Advent Health North Pinellas Emergency Room
- Advent Health Palm Harbor Emergency Room
- ER 24/7 in Palm Harbor
- ER 24/7 in Citrus Park
- ER 24/7 Clearwater
- Mease Dunedin Hospital - Harris Emergency Room
- Mease Countryside Hospital - Jacobsen Emergency Center
Even if you do not feel hurt at the accident scene, it is still important to get an evaluation by a qualified medical professional. Only a doctor, physician’s assistant, or nurse practitioner can determine whether you suffered injuries in the auto accident.
You might have internal injuries that are not obvious to the naked eye. You could also have latent injuries that do not show up right away. In any event, it is important to let a qualified medical professional determine whether you have injuries. This will protect both your health and your legal right to receive compensation for any medical bills that you accrue due to your injuries.
Do I need to call my insurance company after a Port Richey car accident?
Florida is a no-fault insurance state. This means that even if another driver is at fault, you must first exhaust your own auto insurance coverage that will offer compensation for the accident. Personal injury protection (PIP) coverage should pay for at least a portion of your medical bills and other losses.
You want to make certain that you prepare your claim properly, accurately calculate all of your damages, and file supporting documentation with your claim. This can seem overwhelming, but the good news is that your Port Richey car accident lawyer can handle this task for you.
In fact, your attorney should initiate the claim for you so that you do not accidentally say something that could hurt your claim. Even though you are seeking help from your own insurance company, getting the full compensation you deserve can be tricky. Once your insurance company learns that you have counsel, they may no longer contact you about the accident. All communications must go through your attorney’s office.
If your injuries are severe, it is common for your losses to exceed your PIP policy limits. In this case, if you meet certain requirements, you can file a claim against the at-fault driver’s insurance policy for your remaining losses. You also might file a Port Richey car accident lawsuit against the at-fault driver.
The other driver might be liable for your losses if you suffered serious and permanent injuries, such as:
- Traumatic brain injury
- Spinal cord injury and paralysis
- Amputations
- Disfigurement or permanent scarring
- Crush injuries or shattered bones
- Internal injuries
You want your attorney to explore all of your options for compensation to ensure that you recover financially for all of your losses.
You can be sure that insurance companies—whether your own or another driver’s—will try to minimize your payout.
They do this in many different ways, including:
- Challenging the severity of your injuries
- Questioning the need for certain medical treatment
- Challenging the cause of your injuries
- Denying liability for the crash (for the at-fault driver)
Insurance companies can also make settlement offers that are far lower than you deserve. They are hoping that you will accept a low offer to resolve your claim and receive payment as soon as possible. In this situation, however, it is always best to hold off until you have a lawyer review the settlement offer. If you accept an offer that does not cover your losses, you will be responsible for any remaining costs.
Do not risk losing out on the compensation you deserve and need for your expenses. Instead, contact our Port Richey car accident attorneys right away for help.
What are other sources of compensation available to Port Richey car accident injury victims?
Auto insurance may not be the only source of compensation that is available to you. If you were working at the time of the accident, you may be eligible to receive workers’ compensation benefits. For example, this applies if you were a delivery driver or otherwise driving as part of your work duties. It can even apply if you were running a work errand in your personal vehicle. Workers’ compensation depends on the facts of your particular case, so be sure to consult with your Port Richey car accident lawyer about the possibility of this coverage.
As we discussed, there are also provisions in your own auto insurance policy that can apply in an auto accident. Florida law requires all drivers to carry personal injury protection (PIP) coverage. This coverage pays for medical bills sustained in a car accident—regardless of who was at fault (liable) for the accident.
Because there is no investigation of liability, drivers have faster access to compensation for their necessary medical bills. There are other types of insurance coverage that might apply as well, so it is important to get a Port Richey car accident lawyer’s opinion about your particular case. This is the best way to access all the sources of compensation that are available to you.
What about bicycle and pedestrian accidents in Port Richey?
Of course, drivers and passengers are not the only road users who can suffer injuries in an auto accident. You can sustain serious injuries on the road while riding a bicycle or electric scooter or simply walking in a designated crosswalk.
The fact is that bicyclists and pedestrians are often injured more seriously than vehicle occupants. This is because they do not have the benefit of the many safety features that undergo safety testing before being sold in consumer vehicles. Airbags, seatbelts, and even the metal frame of the vehicle itself all work together to greatly reduce the risk and severity of auto accident injuries to vehicle occupants.
Bicycle riders and pedestrians have no such protection. Often, a bicyclist only has protection from a helmet. Pedestrians do not even have this protection. They are vulnerable to the full brute force of a collision with a heavy vehicle. This is why pedestrian accidents are often fatal.
So what can injured bicyclists and pedestrians do to protect their legal rights? Like vehicle occupants, you must start by getting medical attention as soon as possible. Even if you choose not to leave the scene of the accident in an ambulance, you should still undergo an examination at an emergency department or urgent care facility as soon as possible. Remember, you are more likely to suffer injuries in an accident, so it is important to get medical care as soon as possible.
Get legal advice as soon as possible. The experienced Port Richey accident lawyers at Nicoletti Accident Injury Lawyers know how to handle the specific issues that arise from injuries to bicycle riders or pedestrians hit by cars. Be sure to consult with our lawyers about your legal right to compensation. Remember, the other driver’s insurance company is not on your side, and your own insurer might try to deny you compensation. You should never take legal advice from a company that is actively working to reduce the amount of your compensation.
What if a Lyft or Uber driver hits me in Port Richey?
Rideshare companies (such as Uber and Lyft) have become wildly popular throughout the country. But as always, more traffic leads to more accidents, so the number of accidents will inevitably increase as rideshare use continues to increase.
Uber and Lyft both require their drivers to carry their own personal insurance policies. But these large companies also supplement their drivers’ personal insurance policies with large corporate policies. Victims who suffer injuries due to an on-duty driver can seek compensation through the driver’s personal insurance policy. If this coverage is not sufficient to pay the full value of their injuries and losses, the victim can then file a claim with the large corporate insurance policy. These policies have high limits, and victims can access up to a million dollars of supplemental insurance coverage to pay for their injuries and losses.
Because Uber and Lyft are newer industries, there are still many unresolved legal questions about accidents involving their drivers. It is important to work with an auto accident lawyer who understands these issues. Your injury attorney must also coordinate injury claims with the driver’s personal coverage, the company’s supplemental coverage, and any other insurance policies that apply (such as a workers’ compensation policy or your own PIP coverage).
No matter what the circumstances of your car accident are, Nicoletti Accident Injury Lawyers can assess your rights and determine what the best course of action is for your case. Our experienced legal team helps people who suffered injuries in a wide range of crashes, and we can help you. Call us now for your free consultation.
Nicoletti Law Firm Car Accident Case Results
- $2,000,000 - Car Accident with Surgery & RSD
- $1,700,000 - Car Accident with Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
- $1,050,000 - Car Accident with Eye Loss
- $1,000,000 - Car Accident with Brain Injury & Insurance Bad Faith
- $875,000 - Car Accident Resulting In Catastrophic Injuries
- $600,000 - Car Accident Resulting In Catastrophic Injuries
Contact Our Port Richey Personal Injury Law Firm
If you suffered an injury in a car accident in Port Richey, we can help. Our Port Richey personal injury lawyers offer compassionate legal assistance every step of the way. We have a long history of helping injured car accident survivors in Port Richey put their lives back together after a devastating crash.
Call us at (727) 845-5972 or fill out our confidential contact form. We offer free consultations to help you explore all your legal options.
Let us help you through this difficult time. Call us now!