With the beautiful bays, amazing climate, and prosperous suburbs, Tampa is one of the nicest places to live in Florida. Home to some of the best theme parks in the world, the world’s longest sidewalk, and the world’s biggest pirate festival, it is easy to see why this gem is one of Florida’s most visited areas.
With this many locals and tourists on the road, Tampa is also one of the most dangerous places in the United States to be a pedestrian and a motorist. In a single year, the state saw over 400,000 accidents 200,000 hit and runs and over 3,000 fatalities as a result of the congested roads, according to The Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FHSMV). Florida is also host to the world’s largest car rental hub at Orlando Airport. More rental cars leave this hub than any other in the world. This only adds to the accident statistics, with many drivers coming from companies with different road laws.
If you have been involved in a car accident in Tampa, then contact The Law Place today for a free consultation with an experienced Tampa car accident lawyer. Our Tampa personal injury lawyers will offer free, no-obligation advice so that you can make an informed decision on how to proceed with your case, just call us on (941) 444-4444.
Causes of Car Accidents in Tampa
There are lots of different reasons for car accidents. In Tampa, these are the most common causes:
- Lapse of concentration – One of the biggest reasons for Tampa car accident incidents are people getting distracted while driving. According to the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 2,841 people were killed in distracted driving accidents across the United States in 2018.
- Mobile phones – People using their mobile phones while driving are one of the biggest causes of Tampa car accidents. When people are focusing on their phones, they are not focusing on the road, and this is where the worst car accidents happen. It’s not just mobile phones either, eating at the wheel contributes to a large number of car accidents too.
- DUI – Driving under the influence can lead to some serious and fatal crashes. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FHSMV) reported 5,125 alcohol-related crashes in the state in 2017 alone.
- Driving tired – Rolling down a window and blasting some loud music is not an effective way of staying alert on the road. Drivers who fall asleep can cause terrible damage and injury to other road users and pedestrians.
- Speeding – Driving faster than the posted speed limit or faster than the road conditions allow are guaranteed ways to risk a serious car accident.
Preventing Car Accidents in Tampa
Even if you are an extremely safe driver and follow all of the rules, you cannot control the actions of other drivers. Here are some simple and effective ways to ensure your safety and avoid a car accident on the Tampa roads:
- Check both ways are clear before proceeding through a green light or turning.
- Never tailgate, no matter what the other driver has done wrong.
- Never use your cell phone during a drive, put it out of sight out of mind.
- Make sure your vehicle is well maintained and serviced regularly.
- Follow speed limits, signs, and any temporary directions.
- Always scan the road for hazards, no matter how quiet it is.
- Check your mirrors regularly as you drive.
We’re here to serve you. Our phones are open 24 hours a day.
What to Do After a Tampa Car Accident
The first and most important thing you should do after a Tampa car accident is to call the emergency services and focus on your safety, as stated in Florida Statute 316.062. Move out of any obvious danger zones like oncoming traffic and try to ensure everyone else who is capable of moving does too.
We’re Florida’s top litigation team with over 75 years of combined experience
At the Scene of the Car Accident
- As soon as you are all safe and as soon as you are able, begin collecting evidence. Take pictures of everything, the crash scene, the cars, the injuries. Take the details down for everyone involved, get the phone numbers and names and addresses of all your witnesses and the other driver. When the police turn up, get their badge numbers and names for later records. If a first responder turns up and isn’t too busy, ask their name too. This information will help your attorney later on.
- Draw a sketch of how the accident happened, draw the road with two cars on, one labeled “A” one labeled “B,” then draw arrows to show the directions of travel.
- If you are going to use an accident attorney, which we highly recommend, call them before speaking to the insurance company. They will be in a much clearer headspace then you and will be able to give you the best advice on what to do next.
- If they have fled the car accident scene, try and take note of the color of your driver’s car, the condition, the Tampa, Fl registration number, the make, and model.
From the initial call to updates on your case status, we are here to get you answers.
After the Car Accident
After you have collected your evidence and spoken to your Tampa car accident attorneys, then your main priority is to recover and rest. Make sure you do everything your medical professional tells you to do, if they give you a treatment plan, make sure you follow it as failure to do so could affect your claim.
Ask your Tampa car accident lawyer to keep you in the loop and ignore all correspondence from the other insurance company. Your personal injury lawyer will deal with them. The weeks after an accident can be very stressful, and you should always focus on looking after your own health.
When you do speak to medical professionals, make sure you document everything that has been said and date it, these records are vital for compensation claims to be successful.
You should also take note of anything that has changed in your life as a result of the accident. If you cannot go to work, document your loss of earnings. Can’t play basketball anymore? Document it. Your Tampa car accident lawyer should be able to seek compensation for any changes to your everyday life.
What Will Your Attorney do for You?
When you hire a Tampa car accident lawyer for your personal injury case, they become your advocate. This basically means that they have a duty from here on out to protect your legal rights and interests and defend you from any other parties attempting to influence your decisions. Your attorney will, to the best of their ability, protect you.
This is especially important in cases where the other parties’ car insurance company contacts you to try and devalue your accident claim or deceive you. Often as an attempt to lower their liability or shift the blame, they will call you and record the call, asking you tricky deceiving questions to get you to lower their liability in the accident. They might also try to offer a quick and low-ball settlement without speaking to your attorney. They do this in the hopes that you accept quickly without listening to advice from your personal injury lawyer.
Tampa accident lawyers will deal with this for you. They will make it clear that all correspondence has to come through them and that you do not wish to be contacted directly. Your personal injury lawyer will advise you to decline these offers as they know what is really going down.
Not only does a personal injury lawyer protect you, but they also fight for you. Your attorney will be seeking compensation that is fair and reasonable, and if that means they have to aggressively seek it from the insurance company, then they will. With the knowledge of Florida law behind them, they will not be scared of the insurance company and their legal teams.
As you can probably guess, having a Tampa car accident lawyer fighting your personal injury case is a good idea. The sooner you contact one, the sooner they can build your case and defend you while you are vulnerable after your accident,
Is It Worth Hiring a Lawyer for a Tampa Car Accident?
We have already spoken about how important a personal injury lawyer can be for your accident case. In Tampa, FL, insurance companies like to throw their weight about and bully claimants. When your head is already jumbled from the crash, your attorney will use their clear head and knowledge to advise you about your accident case.
This is not to say that it is impossible to seek compensation for injury without a lawyer. Every year many people do. There is a common misconception that hiring a lawyer will result in a lower payout. Research has shown, however, that 90% of cases where a car accident lawyer is used result in a payout. In those cases, the payout is also, on average, 60% more than those who seek compensation without a lawyer. However, this varies from case to case.
It becomes even more important to use a Tampa car accident lawyer when there are serious injuries that have come about as a result of the accident. The best way to seek the maximum and full compensation available for these kinds of injuries is to use skilled and talented Tampa car accident lawyers. The medical bills alone for serious injuries can skyrocket, and it isn’t fair that you should have to pay for this. Accident lawyers will help you seek recompense for your medical bills in a hasty manner, meaning you are not out of pocket.
If you’ve lost a loved one due to another party’s negligence in Tampa, our experienced Tampa wrongful death lawyers are here to provide compassionate support and legal expertise to help you seek justice and compensation. We are dedicated to fighting for your rights and holding those responsible accountable for their actions.
What Is the Average Settlement for Car Accidents in Tampa, Fl?
The amount that can be awarded as a result of an accident can fluctuate massively depending on a range of different factors:
- The severity of the injuries.
- How costly medical bills are.
- The past and potential future medical expenses.
- The fault.
- The age of the injured victim.
- How much the accident has impacted your day-to-day life.
All of these factors are quantifiable and can be graded on a scale. The insurance company will input this data into their machine, and an algorithm will spit out a number. This will be what the insurance company initially offers as a settlement. This is usually very low, and we always advise turning the first offer down.
We will then use the case we have built for you to judge what we think is a fair settlement and then use this to negotiate a more agreeable settlement from the insurance company. If you find this new settlement figure agreeable, that’s that we take our fee, and you get paid.
If we cannot come to an agreement, we will use the case we have built you to take the other party to court in a lawsuit. We will use all the evidence we have collected to present a case that will convince the judge and jury that you are deserving of the compensation we are asking for.
Who Is the Best Car Accident Attorney?
Obviously, when people ask us this question, we will always say that we, The Law Place are the best accident attorneys, but if you decide you want your research, here is what we advise you to look for when deciding.
Try and avoid companies that have little to no reputation but a big advertising presence. Often companies that do not do that well in court will pump money into suave T.V ads or billboards. A good law firm will receive business from recommendations. For any potential law firm, ask for personal recommendations and examples of their wins.
A reputable law firm should be one that can prove they want what’s best for you. You do not want a firm that will roll over for an easy settlement just to get a quicker payment. When you have your free consultation, you should feel like your attorney is willing to stand and fight for the maximum compensation you are owed. They should be compassionate to your situation and should make you feel confident in their abilities and comfortable with their personality.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire Car Accident Lawyers?
If you are looking for lawyers that are skilled in car accidents and motoring incidents, you may be wondering what they cost to hire. With Tampa car accident lawyers and accident attorneys, they usually work on a contingency basis. This means that you pay nothing upfront and simply pay them a percentage of the settlement figure that they win for you.
The way these contingency fees work is monitored by the State Bar Associations, meaning it is illegal for them to deceive you with their fees. The costs must be upfront and laid out in a simple to understand manner.
Contact The Law Place Today!
The decision to hire a team of skilled Tampa car accident lawyers is an important one. It could affect the rest of your life. If you have received life-changing injuries, it is crucial that you seek compensation for your injuries and the future impact on your life.
Here at The Law Place, we have a skilled team of knowledgeable accident lawyers who are ready to fight for you. They will represent you to the best of their ability and will stand up to the other insurance company and make sure you are treated fairly. We have over 75 years of combined experience, dealing with cases just like yours across the state of Florida.
Our no-strings-attached free consultation is designed so that you can receive some free unbiased and honest advice on your case without having to commit to hiring a team of accident attorneys straight away.
Don’t deal with the stress alone; let us carry some of the weight. Contact The Law Place today on (941) 444-4444.
