Clearwater Car Accident Lawyer

As the population of Clearwater and the Tampa Bay area has grown, so too has the traffic and congestion on our roads—leading to a rise in accidents that often require the help of an experienced Clearwater car accident lawyer. For example, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles reports that in 2019 there were 17,078 car accidents, 7,156 injuries, and 108 accident-related deaths in Pinellas County alone.

As the data for our county suggest, car accidents often cause injuries, many of them very serious and life-altering. Injured individuals and their families often face major challenges. These include extensive medical treatment and serious financial hardship.

If you or a family member suffered a serious car accident injury, you don’t have to face the challenges alone. The experienced Clearwater car accident attorneys at Dennis Hernandez Injury Attorneys have helped hundreds of crash victims across Florida. We’re ready to hold the at-fault party accountable and fight for the financial compensation you deserve.

When Should You Seek Help from a Clearwater Car Accident Lawyer?

If you were injured in a car accident, get medical attention right away. Your next step is usually contacting your auto insurer. In Florida, Personal Injury Protection (PIP) covers up to $10,000 in medical expenses. If your injuries are serious and costs exceed that amount, you’ll need to file a claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance company.

Insurance companies decide how much they’re willing to pay for your injuries—or they may deny your claim entirely. Faced with mounting medical bills, car repairs, and stress, many accident victims choose to settle with the at-fault driver’s insurance company. Unfortunately, however, they realize later that accepting the insurance company’s offer was a big mistake.

After a serious car accident injury, your medical needs and expenses can continue to increase, issues can occur at work, and daily life can become challenging. Some accident victims have chronic pain and mental distress. Their families may suffer because of decreased income and less emotional support and companionship. The settlement from the insurance company doesn’t begin to compensate them for their pain, suffering and losses.

What is The Mission of a Car Accident Lawyer?

Hiring an experienced car accident lawyer is important to prevent this from happening. In pursuing full and fair compensation for you, your Clearwater Car Accident Lawyer will:

• Collect all the evidence necessary to establish negligence on the at-fault driver’s part.
• Examine your medical records and other evidence to determine the full value of your claim.
• Negotiate knowledgeably and forcefully with insurance company representatives and attorneys for a satisfactory settlement.
• Prove that a satisfactory financial award is needed to compensate you for the injuries, harms and losses you suffered.
• Prepare a strong, winning case if it is necessary to go to trial.
• Not back down in the fight for full and fair compensation.

Insurance companies often try to pay as little as possible to protect their profits. Without a strong attorney fighting for your rights, you risk being left without the money you need. That includes coverage for medical expenses and the support needed to cope with physical and emotional pain after a car accident.

What Injuries Are Considered Serious Enough for a Car Accident Lawsuit?

Unfortunately, many Floridians injured in car accidents choose not to contact a lawyer because they believe they don’t have a case. Some don’t fully understand the Florida Motor Vehicle No-Fault Law. Others may have received bad advice about their rights. The reality is that under Florida’s no-fault law, you still can file a car accident lawsuit to obtain compensation, if you suffered serious injuries.

Florida’s no-fault law states that injured victims may recover damages for pain, suffering, and emotional distress. This includes cases involving permanent injury, significant loss of bodily function, serious disfigurement, or death. These legal terms may seem overwhelming. However, don’t assume your injury isn’t serious. Always consult a knowledgeable Florida car accident attorney before making any decisions.

Serious Car Accident Injuries

In many cases, filing a lawsuit is the only way for car accident victims to receive full compensation. This includes long-term medical expenses, lost income, pain, suffering, and other damages. Some of the serious car accident injuries that could cause these damages include:

• Burns: If your vehicle catches on fire after a collision, you could have serious burn injuries. These injuries are very painful and can also result in scarring and other physical problems.
• Neck and Back injuries– The sudden impact of a car crash can violently jerk your head, neck, and body in unnatural ways. This sudden movement can lead to permanent injuries of your discs that can degenerate and worsen over time, often leading to surgery later in life.
• Broken bones – Many bones can get broken in a car accident. Besides being painful and affecting your ability to do normal daily activities, serious breaks can require surgery and result in chronic pain, infection, and even loss of function of a limb.
• Brain injuries – Car accidents are one of the main causes of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) that can cause permanent, life-changing damage or death.
• Spinal cord injuries – Car crashes can cause spinal cord injuries that can result in paralysis or lack of sensation or functioning in some or all of your limbs.
• Loss of limbs: In catastrophic crashes, your arms or legs can be crushed or torn and damaged so severely that amputation is necessary.

A Florida car accident attorney will review your case and injuries. They’ll advise you on whether to file a lawsuit to recover damages.

What Compensation Can Injury Victims Get from a Car Accident Lawsuit?

If you were seriously injured in a car accident, you could be entitled to recover damages to compensate you for your injuries. With an automobile accident lawsuit, you could potentially pursue compensation for:

• Medical expenses, including hospital expenses, medication, medical equipment, diagnostic procedures, treatments, office visits, and transportation to appointments
• Salary lost because of time off work due to accident injuries
• Decreased earning potential
• Physical pain, emotional pain and suffering
• Diminished enjoyment of life
• Other damages recoverable under Florida law

In some cases, your family may receive compensation for loss of consortium. This applies if you can no longer provide the companionship, care, and support you offered before the accident. If you lost a loved one in a fatal car crash, you may also file a wrongful death lawsuit to seek compensation.

Get Expert Help in Clearwater with Your Florida Car Accident Claim

At Dennis Hernandez Injury Attorneys, our top priority is helping you achieve justice and fair compensation for your injuries. We use all our resources, experience, and legal knowledge to guide you through every step of the process. From start to finish, we fight to secure the full compensation you deserve.

Our team gathers all necessary evidence quickly to prove negligence. We also negotiate directly with insurance companies and opposing attorneys. To strengthen your claim, we build a compelling case that shows your need for compensation—whether for physical, emotional, or financial harm. If necessary, we’ll fight aggressively in court to win the compensation you deserve.

Many injury lawyers try to settle quickly to avoid going to trial. At Dennis Hernandez Injury Attorneys, we never back down or leave money on the table. We will leverage our trial experience to fight for and win the compensation you deserve.

Call us in Clearwater at 855.529.3366 or fill in the FREE CASE EVALUATION form on our website to get started on your case.