Zephyrhills Car Accident Lawyer

Florida law can split fault between two (or more) parties, meaning that two other drivers could each be 50 percent at fault for a car accident. A court can also assign fault to a party that was not even at the accident scene, such as an auto manufacturer that sold a vehicle with defective brakes.

Some parties that might be at fault—whether directly or vicariously—include:

• Distracted drivers
• Aggressive drivers
• Intoxicated drivers
• Drivers who speed or violate other traffic laws
• Truck drivers
• Employers of negligent drivers on the job
• Auto manufacturers
• Construction crews or transportation agencies that allow road hazards
• Uber or Lyft
• Bus or taxi companies

Often, it requires legal knowledge of the injury claim process to identify all the parties who share responsibility.

An insurance adjuster or opposing attorney can use anything you say to the other driver’s insurance company against you, which is why the insurance company is not allowed to contact you about the accident once they receive notification that you have an attorney.

You should hire an accident lawyer as soon as possible to protect yourself from hurting your own claim. You do not have to discuss the accident, give a recorded statement, or say anything else that could reduce your compensation. Simply provide them with your attorney’s contact information and explain that all communications must go through your attorney’s office.

Insurance companies can also use things that you post on social media against you. In the past, insurance companies had to hire private investigators to follow you around, but now this information is largely online. Insurance companies are very good at finding your social media accounts. They can twist your words or use your pictures against you.

No. Eventually, the other driver’s insurance company will need to see medical records to prove your injuries and what your medical bills cost.

Sometimes, an insurance company will ask you to sign a release that allows them to obtain your medical records. You should never sign anything before consulting with your own attorney, but especially when it comes to medical records.

Your Zephyrhills car accident lawyer will request any necessary medical records and review them before submitting them to the insurance company, protecting both your legal rights and your right to privacy.

Consumer products sold in the United States, including cars, are subject to rules of strict liability, helping to ensure that products—such as cars—are safe for their intended use. If they are not, an injury victim could have a products liability claim against the manufacturer and receive compensation for injuries caused by the defective product.

You might have an injury claim against a negligent driver in a car accident case, or you might have a product liability claim against the auto manufacturer. You could also have both claims, depending on the circumstances of the accident.

Consult an experienced Zephyrhills car accident lawyer about your case to ensure that someone investigates all of your potential legal claims thoroughly. If they are not, you could miss out on the compensation you deserve for your injuries.

It is a common misconception that, in a rear-end accident, the driver in the rear position is always automatically at fault. While liability is on the driver in the rear position in most cases, this isn’t true 100 percent of the time. But there is no guarantee that the rear position driver will automatically be at fault for any rear-end accident.

Perhaps the vehicle’s brakes failed. In this case, the injury victim might have a claim against the auto manufacturer and not against the driver’s liability insurance. Perhaps the driver was the victim of a crime. If the vehicle rear-ended you because a carjacking was taking place at the time, you would have a hard time proving that the driver was negligent.

These situations are rare. It is often the case that the rear-position driver will be found negligent in a rear-end collision, but understand that there is no guarantee. That is why it is so important to have an injury lawyer advise you about your particular case.

You don’t have to be inside a vehicle to suffer injuries from a negligent driver. Bicyclists, pedestrians, scooter riders, and others also deserve compensation when they get hit and hurt by a negligent driver. These road users need to consult an attorney about their legal rights.

Just because you were not a driver does not mean that the insurance company will accept your claim. The insurance company might try to claim that you were partly at fault because you failed to wear a helmet, or were riding outside the bike lane, or crossed against a signal.

Never accept partial liability simply because the driver’s insurance company tells you to. Remember that they are on the other guy’s side. They want to pay you as little as possible. It would be best if you only accepted legal advice from your attorney, who is fighting on your side.

You can receive workers’ compensation coverage for any injuries that occur while you are on the job. So if, for example, if a negligent driver hit you while you were running a work errand, you can file a workers’ compensation claim. Workers’ compensation will pay for your medical bills and a set portion of your lost wages.

You also have a car accident claim against the negligent driver. In a Zephyrhills car accident claim, you can receive compensation for your medical bills, as well as all your lost wages and pain and suffering, making it clear why you need to pursue both claims.

In such a case, it is often possible that the driver’s insurance company will pay for medical bills that workers’ compensation already covered. In this case, the worker’s compensation carrier might seek reimbursement, but only for those medical bills that you actually recovered under your Zephyrhills car accident settlement. Your car accident lawyer will help ensure correct reimbursements for these costs and that you are not double-billed for any of your medical expenses.

It is difficult to say exactly what your claim is worth without having a lawyer review your specific circumstances. Insurance companies often use a very simple formula in which they multiply your medical bills by a set figure to determine the value of your pain and suffering. The company will then add these figures together to make a settlement offer.

However, the offer does not always fairly represent your actual pain and suffering. If, for example, you suffered from osteoporosis, it might be more difficult for you to recover from a broken bone. Your body might never produce the bone growth necessary for you to use the bone as normal. In this case, your pain and suffering could be greater than another person who suffered the same broken bone. The defendant is still liable for fair compensation for your pain and suffering and not what another person’s pain and suffering would be in the same circumstances.

Insurance companies like to tell injury victims that their claims aren’t worth very much or that they would not play well to a jury at trial. Never take legal advice from a company that is actively working against you to pay as little as possible. Only your own car accident lawyer can tell you what your injury claim is fairly worth.

If you suffered injuries in a car crash, always contact a Zephyrhills car accident lawyer for help.