No One Tells You the Hardest Part Often Comes After the Car Accident
A car accident is never easy to handle. After the initial impact, some car accident victims may find themselves in a situation where they have no control over what happens next – regardless of how big or small the auto accident was.
The worst part about being in a car accident?
They often lead not just towards financial difficulties but emotional ones too, and car accident victims are rarely matched up with those who were actually driving at fault. Car accidents can also have an enormous impact on the lives of not just the people who are injured but on the lives of their family members.
Based on the high rate of auto accidents in Florida, your chances of being involved in at least one auto accident during your lifetime are quite high. Auto and motorcycle accidents are responsible for over 40,000 deaths in the United States each year, and car accident injuries multiply even more when also considering those who are victims of other people’s negligence.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident, we can help. Our Tampa car accident attorney team is here to help you get the compensation you deserve for your injuries and damages. With over 40 years of combined experience, the Ligori Law Tampa car accident lawyers have tried over 150 cases to verdict and are well known in the legal field as aggressive, highly intelligent, and highly experienced counsel.
You don’t have to go through this alone – let our car accident lawyers take care of everything so you can focus on recovering from your injuries and getting back on track with your life. Our experienced car accident lawyer team is here for you every step of the way, so contact us today!
Car Accident Numbers Speak for Themselves
We are several million drivers on the roads every day. Every year the Florida DMV issues 800,000 plus new drivers licenses. In addition, new residents to Florida with out-of-state licenses reach well over 400,000 annually.
In other words, every single day, we make our way through highways and roads rumbling with cars, other motor vehicles, and pedestrians. But, unfortunately, we have no control or personal injury protection over someone else’s mistakes or driving abilities.
Besides the whole range of physical injuries one can endure (like fractures, herniated discs, and other common traumatic injuries), car accidents can be the source of unspeakable stress. When facing such a challenging experience, the last thing you want to do is deal with paperwork or a complex car accident lawsuit process.
AND THAT’S WHEN THE LIGORI LAW TAMPA CAR ACCIDENT LAWYERS COME IN
You can trust that our Tampa auto accident attorney team will fight for your rights as if they were our own. We have the experience, knowledge, and resources necessary to get results on your behalf. Our team of experienced attorneys is committed to helping victims recover from their injuries so they can move forward with their lives.
When you work with our car accident attorneys, we will do everything possible to ensure that all of your needs are met throughout this difficult time in your life. From day one until the final resolution of your case, we will be there every step of the way by providing personalized attention and guidance through each stage of the litigation process.
And because we know how overwhelming these cases can be for victims and their families, our lawyers provide free consultations, so you don’t have any surprises when it comes time for us to go to work on your behalf!
Call us now at 877-444-2929 for a free consultation with one of our experienced Tampa auto accident attorneys.
6 THINGS TO REMEMBER IMMEDIATELY AFTER CAR ACCIDENTS
Stay Exactly Where You Are
The stress of an accident is something that every driver has to be aware of, and if they are not significantly injured and suffering minor damages, it’s so easy to just let the at-fault party go. Stop right there. Even if you are not injured during the impact, it could be detrimental to ignore these events until it is too late.
And if you are a witness to an accident, even if the accident looks insignificant, you should always stop and:
- make sure the other driver is ok,
- assist if needed (such as calling 911),
- report to law enforcement and stick around.
Remain Calm
It is easier said than done to remain calm but do your best to keep as composed as possible. By adopting a calm attitude, you can prevent acting impulsively (out of rage) and making misjudged statements.
Having said that, make sure to protect yourself as well: do not start apologizing and telling everyone it’s your mistake as it could be viewed as admitting liability.
Report The Accident
Call the police immediately, even if no one was injured, and file an accident report. Car and motorcycle accident reports are necessary to help determine fault and identify the names and addresses of witnesses and parties involved.
This is proof that might save you a lot of trouble down the line.
Do not count on the other driver’s honesty either: fake or expired insurances will be of no use for the procedure following your accident and as many as 1 in 7 drivers have no car insurance.
Gather Sufficient Information
Make sure that the accident report is thorough and complete. You might have to repeat the story several times to the law enforcement or your insurance company.
Our Tampa Car Accident Lawyers recommend that you immediately write down the following information and include interviews with all parties and witnesses as well as diagrams of the car accident scene:
- The driver’s name, address, insurance company name, and policy number
- The make, model, license plate number, and color of other driver’s vehicle
- Take as many pictures of the property damage as possible. This single step is crucial. Remember: a picture is worth a thousand words and won’t be altered by your being shaken up.
- Gather all witnesses’ names and phone numbers, as the police officer may not have time to do so.
Seek Medical Attention As Soon As Possible
Any claims you may have for medical expenses and damages resulting from your injuries depend on the medical records linking the auto accident to those injuries. The more time that lapses between the car crash and your treatment, the more difficult it is to prove a connection. Getting to a doctor within a week of the accident is standard but we recommend seeing one as soon as possible.
Injuries most commonly suffered in car accidents include:
- Whiplash
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Paralysis
- Neck and back pain
- Ruptured disks
- Injuries to the elbows, shoulders, wrists, ankles, and knees
This is not a complete list but reflects some of the most common types of injuries suffered in car accidents.
Pain and Suffering: Calculating the Intangible
Einstein’s theory of relativity has nothing on the complexity of calculating pain and suffering. How do you put a price on how a person feels? You can’t. Pain and Suffering is one of the most commonly misunderstood terms in law because it’s not based on how you feel – at least, not entirely.
For legal purposes, the words “pain and suffering” mean physical and emotional damage, as well as discomfort caused by medical treatment of the injuries (surgery, physical therapy, etc.), limitations on daily activities, depression, scarring and disfigurement, and post-traumatic stress disorder caused by the accident.
But judges, lawyers, and adjusters can’t base the amount of monetary compensation on how you say you feel. So instead, they look at:
- The severity of your injuries
- When you reported injuries to your doctor
- The tests and treatment you received
- Whether the medical treatment you received was reasonable for the types of injuries you have
- The pain associated with the medical treatment (ie. surgery is painful)
- Whether you’ve followed your doctor’s orders (for health and legal reasons, always do as your doctor says!)
- The types of medications that were prescribed to you
- Whether you had pre-existing injuries or conditions at the time of the accident
- Whether you have a history of filing personal injury claims
- Your sex, age, marital status, and occupation
- The likelihood of a full recovery, or whether your injuries will affect you for years to come
- The impact the injuries have had on your home life and work
- Your level of pain tolerance
- Whether your actions are consistent with your reported injuries
That last criterion is the one that gets the most press, and it’s a reality that insurance companies have been known to hire private investigators to check if you are living your life like an injured person, or whether you are carrying heavy grocery bags from your car to your home with a spring in your step.
So while you should never exaggerate your injuries – and definitely don’t walk around with a neck brace unless your doctor says you need it – you should take care not to push yourself before you are completely healed.
While those are the factors that influence the amount you’ll receive for pain and suffering, calculating the amount is not an exact science. The amount is usually discussed as a range. For example, the discussion might be around $30,000 – $40,000 instead of an exact number.
That amount is decided based on the circumstances of your case. So, for example, if you’ve had horrible injuries requiring surgery, the amount will be on the higher end. And if there were aggravating circumstances, like drunk driving, the amount would be even higher.
If you suffered some whiplash, moderate medical bills, and no loss of wages, your amount would be less. However, there are so many factors to this decision-making process that it’s impossible to predict how much money to expect.
Our Tampa car accident attorneys understand that pain, suffering, inconvenience, lost wages, and the time spent dealing with insurance companies cannot be repaired, or replaced. But, having a knowledgeable Tampa car accident lawyer on your side through this process may help you get the most possible compensation and protect you from further financial injury.
TALK TO YOUR TAMPA CAR ACCIDENT LAWYER
You may be eligible for compensation to cover your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, or even more if another party was at fault for your car accident injuries. But, make sure to contact a Tampa car accident lawyer before you speak to any insurance adjuster, even if it is your own insurance company. We know this too well: insurance companies often prioritize profit rather than people and might not be looking out for your best interests.
This advice also applies to interaction with the insurance provider of the party at fault. Your attorney will also answer your questions about how to get your medical bills paid and your vehicle repaired.
You can trust us with your case because we have over 40 years of experience helping people just like you get the compensation they deserve after an accident. Our team is dedicated to getting our clients the maximum amount of money possible for their injuries so that they can focus on recovering from their accidents instead of worrying about finances.
Call us today at 877-444-2929 or fill in our contact form to schedule your free consultation! We will fight for your rights and ensure that you receive everything you deserve as a victim of an accident caused by someone else’s negligence. Let us help give back some peace of mind during this difficult time in your life so that you can focus on healing from your injuries instead of stressing out about how much it will cost to pay them off later down the road.
