When you get hurt in a car crash, it leaves you with a range of expenses, plus pain and suffering.  The damages for these expenses should be paid in full, and you should not be left to cover a dollar of the harm out of your own pocket.

Medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering damages can be quite high in a serious crash.  Working with a lawyer, you can get the help you need to claim damages from your own insurance and the defendant’s insurance.  Then, if they refuse to settle for the full value, we can even take the case to court.

After a car accident, call Graves Injury Law Firm’s car accident lawyers right away at (305) 614-2767.

What to Do After a Car Accident in Tampa

After your crash, take the following steps.  If you are already past the point where you could have taken these steps, talk to a lawyer about how to recover information you may have missed at the scene, e.g., by getting a copy of the police report.

Call 911

Report the accident to the police right away by calling 911.

Get Medical Care

Also request an ambulance and get medical care.  If this means going to the hospital right away, do so.

Collect Evidence

If you can remain at the scene, then you should take photos, get the names and contact info of anyone involved (and witnesses), exchange insurance info, and note the locations of any security cameras that might have caught the accident on video.  Essentially, try to get as much evidence as you can.

Call a Lawyer

Contact our car accident lawyers for help dealing with the aftermath and talking to insurance.  Do not try to handle claims on your own.

File Insurance Claims

Our lawyers can help you seek insurance payments to cover the damages in full.  We can also go back and forth in negotiations to try to get a fair settlement instead of accepting whatever the insurance company decides to offer.

Consider a Lawsuit

If their offers are insufficient, we can take the case before a judge and jury.

No-Fault Rules for Tampa Car Accidents

In Florida, we use a no-fault insurance system.  This means that you typically use your own insurance for coverage, but you can go after the defendant for extra payments when certain conditions are met.

What Your Insurance Covers

Your insurance covers up to $10,000, paying for a portion of medical bills and lost wages.  These benefits will never fully cover your needs; you will need to pay a deductible and can only get partial coverage.

Limits

Your insurance does not pay for property damage unless you have added collision coverage to your policy.

Your insurance will not pay your non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering.  You need to file a case against the defendant to get these damages covered.

Serious Injury Rules

To file a claim against the other driver or to sue them in court, you need to have “serious injuries.”  This generally covers any permanent injuries or serious scarring.

What the Defendant’s Insurance Covers?

Florida law does not require drivers to have liability insurance for injuries, but it is an optional policy add-on that many drivers will have.  If they do not have coverage, you can still demand damages paid out of pocket or win a judgment against them in court, backed by a court order saying they must pay you.

If you have uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, this can help you out if the defendant cannot afford your damages.

Getting Full Damages

This is the only way to get pain and suffering damages paid.  That makes this a vital part of a full recovery.

Additionally, if the defendant cannot cover your damages in full, you may have uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage that can help cover the rest of your damages.  Talk to a lawyer and check your policy for more information.

You may also be able to sue multiple drivers or the employers of commercial drivers involved in the crash, potentially meaning you can split the damages among multiple payors.

How Long Do You Have to Sue?

Florida law gives you 2 years to sue for a car accident.  This was shortened from 4 years in 2023.

What Damages Can You Claim?

You can claim any damages that resulted from your accident, including medical bills, lost wages, vehicle repair bills, and other expenses.  However, to claim pain and suffering damages, you need to prove you have “serious injuries” that meet the definitions under Florida law.

What is a Car Accident Case Worth?

Every case is different.  Your case should be worth whatever it costs to pay back your expenses from the crash and to compensate you for the intangible harms (pain, emotional distress, etc.).

Never rely on the defendant’s valuation; always work with a lawyer to personally calculate the damages in your specific case.

When Should You Call a Lawyer?

You should really call a lawyer as soon as you can.  You can call us as early as the first day of the crash, and we can start tracking your medical bills, following up leads on security camera footage of the crash, and perhaps taking photos of the crash scene.

If you want to focus on your recovery before calling us, do not delay too long.  We can always focus on the case for you while you worry about your medical treatment and healing.

Can You File for Workers’ Comp if Your Car Accident Happened While Working?

If your crash happened while you were driving for work, you may be entitled to Workers’ Comp benefits for your injuries.  This is a no-fault system that covers employees injured out of the course and scope of their jobs.

Even if your injury happened on the road and not at a set workplace, as long as the driving was work-related, your crash may be covered.  Overlapping benefits from insurance, damages from a lawsuit, and benefits from Workers’ Comp can all potentially be claimed in the same case, when available.

Call Our Car Accident Lawyers in Tampa Today

Call Graves Injury Law Firm’s car accident lawyers at (305) 614-2767 for a free review of your potential case.