In Zephyrhills, accidents can happen at any time and in any place. Yet, no matter how your car accident occurred in Zephyrhills, one thing is for sure: if another person caused your accident and injuries, Florida law is on your side. You deserve compensation for the damages you suffered.
Car accidents in Zephyrhills and throughout Pasco County are serious and often cause debilitating injuries. These injuries may require a lifetime of care and can even result in permanent disabilities. In the days and weeks following the accident, you may have many questions running through your mind, such as:
- What happens if I can’t work for a long time?
- How will I pay for my car repairs?
- Who will pay my medical bills?
- What if I never recover fully?
These questions are natural after a devastating accident. The anxiety and worry you feel are only compounded by the long, uphill battle you may face in your recovery. When this happens, it may relieve much of your stress and anxiety to have a team of professional and experienced Zephyrhills car accident lawyers on your side.
At Nicoletti Law Firm, our Zephyrhills personal injury lawyers want to be on your team from the start. We believe in holding negligent drivers accountable for their mistakes and we fight aggressively for our injured clients. We know that no amount of compensation can undo the pain you endured, but we also know that you need money to pay for the damages you suffered. We can help you navigate through these challenging and unimaginable times.
- "Did you get rear-ended while waiting at the intersection of U.S. 301 and Chancey Road?"
- "Did you suffer an injury in a serious car crash on State Road 54 in Zephyrhills?"
- "Did someone side-swipe your car on the Paul S. Buchman Highway?"
The Experience You Need
Insurance companies have one main goal after a car accident: to pay you as little as possible. They have teams of adjusters and investigators looking for ways to reduce your claim. While they may claim to be on your side, their loyalty is to their shareholders. That is why you need a team of experienced injury lawyers in your corner. We can level the playing field and help you get the money you deserve after a serious car accident.
When life throws you a curveball, we can help. At Nicoletti Law Firm, our Zephyrhills car accident lawyers have the experience and resources needed to take on large insurance companies and win. We work tirelessly and efficiently to help injured accident survivors in Zephyrhills get the money they need to put their lives back together again.
We know that you have many choices when looking for a personal injury law firm to represent you. When choosing the right law firm after a car accident in Zephyrhills, it is important to look at experience and past results. While past success never guarantees future results, it can give you peace of mind knowing you have support and legal guidance through this difficult journey. At Nicoletti Law Firm, our past success is a big reason why so many injured car accident victims choose us time and time again.
Here are just some of our RESULTS with past car accident cases:
- $2 million after a rear-end car accident resulting in RSD
- $1.7 million after a car accident caused a mild traumatic brain injury
- $1.05 million after a car accident resulted in permanent eye loss
- $1 million after a car accident caused a brain injury
Car Accidents in Zephyrhills
Zephyrhills is a small community located in Pasco County and a suburb of Tampa Bay, Florida. This vibrant community is one of the best places to live in Southern Florida and more than 13,000 residents call Zephyrhills their home. It is also a stressful place to live according to BestPlaces. Zephyrhills and surrounding areas ranked #1 stressful city because of the commute, as well as a wide range of other factors.
Many residents here commute to and from work on a daily basis, sometimes over an hour in traffic. This increases the likelihood of getting into a serious car accident. In Zephyrhills and throughout Pasco County, more than 7,500 car accidents occur here on a yearly basis. These accidents result in over 6,200 injuries and 100 fatalities.
Where do these accidents occur? Some of the most dangerous roads in Zephyrhills include, but are not limited to:
- Coats Road
- State Road 54
- State Road 56
- U.S. 301 (also known as Gall Boulevard and Fort King Highway)
- State Road 39 (Paul S. Buchman Highway)
- Fifth Avenue
- County Road 579
One intersection, in particular, ranked as the most dangerous intersection in Zephyrhills. The intersection at U.S. 301 and Chancey Road sees tons of traffic every day. At various times of the year, the traffic on those roads increases drastically due to festivals, such as Livestock concerts and Festival Park shows. This makes car accidents in and around Zephyrhills more likely.
At Nicoletti Law Firm, we have experience with all types of car accidents in Zephyrhills, including:
- Rear-end collisions
- Side impact accidents
- Head-on crashes
- Drunk driving accidents
- Distracted driving crashes
- Rollover accidents
- Hit and run car accidents
Our car accident lawyers know that each type of accident requires different forms of investigation and preparation. They also result in differing levels of injuries and damages. Understanding those differences is just one of the ways we help our clients collect maximum compensation after a serious Zephyrhills accident.
Navigating Through Life After a Car Accident Injury
Car accidents can cause devastating and life-changing injuries. In less than a second, your entire life and future may change. You may find that you can no longer return to work, care for your family, or enjoy your active lifestyle. You may even need to learn to navigate life with a permanent disability or impairment. When this happens, you need someone on your side who understands your fears and concerns, as well as the injuries and issues you might face.
At Nicoletti Law Firm, we understand how profoundly different your life may look after a car accident. We recognize that your injuries may require extensive treatment, rehabilitation, and hospitalization. We also know that no two injuries are ever quite the same and injured accident survivors face unique challenges and obstacles. That is why we tailor our legal advice and support to you specifically and to helping you get the money you need to tackle your specific injuries.
Our Zephyrhills car accident lawyers can help survivors navigate their recovery and the legal process after suffering a variety of injuries, including:
- Concussions
- Whiplash
- Brain injuries or head injuries
- Neck and spinal cord injuries
- Back injuries
- Burns
- Fractures
- Amputation or disfigurement
- Knee and leg injuries
- Joint damage
- Soft tissue injuries
- Internal organ damage
We work to understand all facets of your injuries and how your injuries will affect your future. To do this, we often work collaboratively with your medical team. We want to be sure that any settlement you receive adequately covers your expenses and whatever you may need to tackle future complications or issues.
Collecting Damages After a Car Accident
Our attorneys know that injury expenses can quickly add up. In fact, just a one-night stay in the hospital costs accident victims $3,949 per day. In addition, the average stay in the hospital costs more than $15,000. That does not include the cost of rehabilitation, therapies, doctor visits, and long-term care. It also does not include the cost of lost wages or loss of future earnings. Even if you have exceptional health insurance, out-of-pocket accident expenses can quickly overwhelm accident survivors and their families.
To get the money you need to pay for all of the damages you suffered, we can help you collect from your own personal injury protection policy, as well as from the “at-fault” driver’s policy if necessary.
Collecting From Your PIP Insurance Policy
After a car accident in Zephyrhills, accident victims cannot file a personal injury lawsuit without first collecting from their insurance policies. In Florida, the law requires that all drivers purchase personal injury protection (PIP) auto insurance. This is no-fault insurance and it provides survivors with up to $10,000 in immediate medical coverage after an accident. The goal of PIP is to give accident survivors a way to collect money after an accident quickly and without needing to prove fault.
However, many injured survivors quickly realize that collecting from their PIP policy is not easy. As a result, many Zephyrhills car accident victims contact our law firm when their own insurance companies refuse to give them the money they deserve after a crash. Our lawyers will review your policy and work quickly with your insurance company to make sure you get the coverage you paid for.
In minor car accidents, PIP insurance payments may be enough to offset the costs of your medical expenses and damages. However, for the vast majority of car accidents, PIP insurance payments are not enough. When this happens, injured accident survivors may need to file explore other legal options.
Filing a Car Accident Claim
Once you exhaust your policy, Florida law allows you to seek further compensation from the “at-fault” driver’s insurance policy. At Nicoletti Law Firm, we will negotiate with the insurance company to obtain maximum compensation. To do this, we will need to clearly establish liability and build a solid case. We do this in multiple ways.
First, we investigate all aspects of your accident to determine who is truly to blame. In many cases, there are multiple parties to blame for the crash. For example, a drunk driver is liable for the accident they cause. However, the bar or tavern that served them may also share liability. Finding all responsible parties is critical and can significantly improve your case and the amount of money you are able to obtain.
Once we determine and locate all liable parties, we will build your case and begin negotiating with the insurance companies. During negotiations, the insurance companies may resist paying you what you need - and deserve. That is why we fight aggressively from the start. We know the tactics they will use to reduce the claim and we work efficiently to counteract those tactics. While we make every attempt to settle your injury case without going to trial, there are times when litigation is necessary. If your case goes to court, you can rest easy knowing you chose experienced litigators who can skillfully battle your case in the Zephyrhills courts.
Zephyrhills Car Accident FAQs
If you sustained an injury in a car accident in Zephyrhills, you have legal rights that require protection. Many different types of car accidents create many different legal claims. There are also many different potential defendants with many different insurance coverages. Hire an experienced Zephyrhills car accident attorney to protect your legal rights while they investigate these issues.
The auto injury attorneys at Nicoletti Accident Injury Lawyers are here to help. Call now to schedule your free consultation.
It is difficult to know what to expect after a car accident, especially if you have never been involved in one before. Our lawyers prepared this guide of the most common questions we hear concerning car accidents. Of course, we cannot answer all your questions here or give you advice about your specific case. Consult one of our experienced Zephyrhills car accident lawyers so we can provide the best service we can.
You need to determine who was legally at fault (“liable”) for causing an auto accident because the at-fault individual also has a legal obligation to compensate victims for the injuries that they caused.
However, 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.
Determining all parties that have liability is critical to ensure you receive the maximum amount of compensation you need to cover your losses.
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.
Even something as simple as a gym selfie could hurt your case. An insurance company might assert that if you participate in physical exercise, your injuries must not really be all that severe. It is important not to post anything about the accident on social media until your case is over. Even if your accounts have privacy settings, it is still possible for your information to get out. The best policy is to post as little as possible (or better yet, nothing at all) until your attorney resolves your car accident case.
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.
The insurance company does not have the right to learn all the information contained in these records. In some cases, you can and should redact account numbers, Social Security numbers, health insurance information, and notes about unrelated medical conditions.
If no one redacts this information, it could complicate your Zephyrhills car accident claim or even reduce the amount of compensation that the insurance company is willing to offer.
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.
Strict liability means that the injury victim does not even have to prove that the manufacturer was negligent. So long as the victim used the product as intended, the manufacturer is liable for injuries caused by its defects and resulting malfunctions.
Because defective vehicles can cause such serious injuries, auto manufacturers will often pay to recall vehicles so that they can repair the faulty motor vehicles before any cause injuries. The cost of these recalls is significant but not as much as personal injury and wrongful death claims that can arise from a line of defective vehicles. However, not all drivers know about or comply with such recalls.
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.
You may not know how to go about getting an auto accident attorney. There are many out there, and you don’t know who is the best. You can start with a search online for car accident lawyers near Zephyrhills. You will get many results, and it can still be difficult to know who is a good lawyer.
Checking the state and local bar association websites will provide you with more information about a particular attorney. The state bar association website will also tell you if an attorney faced discipline, an important step toward ensuring that you hired an experienced and qualified attorney to handle your case.
At Nicoletti Accident Injury Lawyers, our lawyers have years of experience handling Zephyrhills car accident cases. Injury victims in Zephyrhills and throughout Florida trust our team to protect their legal rights after any car accident. We fight hard to ensure that our clients get fair compensation for all the losses they suffered, and we will fight hard for you, too.
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.
Contact Our Zephyrhills Car Accident Attorneys
Getting into a car accident is scary. During this time, you need someone on your side who can fight for you and your future. You should not have to spend your time fighting insurance companies and negotiating with car repair shops. Instead, you should spend your time with your family and focus your energy on getting better. At Nicoletti Law Firm, our Zephyrhills car accident lawyers want to help you after a serious car accident. Our passion and dedication for our clients is one reason why so many injured accident survivors in Zephyrhills chose us when the unthinkable happens.
If you suffered an injury in a car accident in Zephyrhills, New Port Richey, or anywhere in Tampa Bay, we are here to help. Call us at (727) 845-5972 or CONTACT us with our confidential contact form. We offer free consultations so you can explore your legal options and make the choice that feels right to you. We want to support you and guide you through the process and are ready to talk today!