Clearwater Car Accident Lawyer

You may be entitled to compensation if you’ve recently been injured in a car accident in Clearwater, Florida. But, insurance companies will fight tooth and nail every step of the way. The experienced Clearwater car accident lawyers at Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers can level the playing field and help you up to get the financial win you deserve.

We’re the first and oldest personal injury law firm in Clearwater, FL. Our lawyers have more than 300 years of combined experience, and we’ve won $675 Million (and counting) for injured clients.  

We have the experience, resources, and passion you need to have in your corner. Contact our Clearwater law offices to get started with a free case evaluation at (727) 796-8282. Our legal team is always standing by to take your call.

How Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help You After a Car Accident in Clearwater

How Our Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help You After an Auto Accident in Clearwater

The consequences of an accident – financial, emotional, and physical – can be overwhelming. The fact that considerable time and energy will have to be invested into a personal injury case won’t make things any easier on you. Fortunately, you don’t have to fight for compensation on your own.

Hiring an experienced personal injury attorney from Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers to handle your case will not only set you up for a much-needed win, but also give you the time you need to focus on getting better.

Our Clearwater personal injury lawyers have been serving car accident clients in Clearwater, Florida for more than six decades. Our legal team includes Board Certified civil trial experts and has received some of the highest honors and awards in the legal field. 

When you look to us for help after a wreck, we will:

  • Make sure your case gets the time and attention it deserves
  • Coordinate an in-depth investigation into the circumstances involving your accident
  • Work closely with experts to identify important elements of your case – like causation, liability, and value
  • Handle all negotiations with insurance companies and other third parties to get a fair settlement
  • Have our accomplished trial attorneys bring your case to trial, if necessary.

Our goal is to not only win your case, but to make sure that you walk away with every last cent you deserve. For more information, call our Clearwater law office to book a free initial case consultation with an experienced lawyer from our legal team. 

Clearwater, Florida Car Accident Statistics (September 2023 Update)

Clearwater is one of the most popular places to live and visit in the Sunshine State. However, with popularity comes danger. Car collisions are anything but uncommon here and throughout the greater Tampa Bay area.

Pinellas County Stats

According to the latest information of crash stats published by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, there were 15,646 car collisions reported in Clearwater and surrounding towns in Pinellas County in 2022.

That’s between 40 and 43 wrecks every single day over the course of a year.

How does that compare to other years? This information shows us how the number of auto collisions has fluctuated significantly over the past decade:

  • 2013: 16,069
  • 2014: 9,758
  • 2015: 10,071
  • 2016: 19,098
  • 2017: 17,968
  • 2018: 17,875
  • 2019: 17,079
  • 2020: 14,313
  • 2021: 16,211
  • 2022: 15,646
  • 2023 (as of September): 10,072

According to the information, as of September 2023, there have been 10,072 crashes so far, resulting in 65 fatalities and 6,208 injured in Pinellas County.

How Serious Are Car Accidents in Clearwater?

How Serious Are Car Accidents in Clearwater?

Florida ranks as the third most dangerous state in the nation for drivers, based on the number of car-accident-related deaths. Statistics show that Pinellas County is home to a deadly accident about once every three or four days.

In 2022, there were 113 deadly auto collisions – resulting in 121 deaths – in and around Clearwater. Area wrecks also caused 9,210 non-fatal injuries that year.

While the total number of wrecks might have declined between 2019 and 2020, the same isn’t true for crashes and deaths. In 2019, there were 109 fatalities.

And 2023 already outpaces prior stats when it comes to collision severity. Through September, there have been 62 death-involved crashes and 65 deathly crashes across Clearwater and Pinellas County. That’s a 15% increase in car accident deaths from the year prior.

What Are Clearwater’s Most Dangerous Intersections?

Car crashes can happen anywhere, but most take place at or near an intersection

In Clearwater, these crossroads tend to be the most dangerous:

Can you always avoid these roads? Maybe not. But, you can use extra care when traveling these parts of Tampa Bay. If you got injured due to someone else’s negligence you should reach out to a lawyer to discuss your legal rights. Our attorneys will provide you with the legal advice you need and will help you choose the best course of action in your case.

I Was Injured in a Wreck: What’s My Car Accident Case Worth?

I Was Injured in a Wreck: What’s My Case Worth?

A lot of different things will influence what your car accident case is worth. Ultimately, the most telling factor is the seriousness of your injuries. According to the National Safety Council, the average cost of collisions in 2019 ranged anywhere between $12,500 (for no injury observed) to $98,400 (disabling injury sustained). 

The more serious your injuries, the higher its value (most likely).

Other factors that can affect the value of your case include things like:

  • How long you are unable to work after getting injured.
  • If you are able to return to the same job or have to shift gears and find a new line of work.
  • How much income you lose as a result of your accident and injury.
  • What it costs to replace or repair property damage.
  • How you’ve been affected emotionally and psychologically. 

Keep in mind that your case‘s value more than just what you have to spend out of pocket to get better. Its true value should also reflect the distress, anguish, and suffering you’ve had to endure because of your injuries. If you have any questions, it’s always a good idea to consult your case with a skilled attorney from our legal team.

What Damages Are Available After a Crash in Clearwater?

A car accident settlement and verdict typically include two distinct types of damage: economic and non-economic. These are paid (a) to make sure that injured victims are financially whole after an avoidable accident and (b) to help them recuperate from trauma that doesn’t have a fixed financial cost.

What Are Economic Damages?

They are paid to cover an accident victim’s related financial costs and losses. This includes those expenses you have right now and those you’re likely to incur in the future.

Examples:

Demands for these types of damages must be supported by documentation – like hospital bills, pay stubs or tax forms, and receipts.

What Are Non-Economic Damages?

They are awarded to compensate for the repercussions of a car accident that do not have one specific financial value. Rather, these are consequences that affect people in different ways and on different levels. They are often referred to as “pain and suffering” damages.

Examples:

Often, there’s a great dispute over pain and suffering damages. That’s why our attorneys bring in experts during the valuation process. We rely on medical professionals, forensic specialists, and other experts to help us understand the extent of trauma and suffering, future medical treatment, and to better project how it is likely to affect a client’s life. The more we know, the better prepared we can be to fully advocate for maximum compensation.

What About Punitive Damages?

There are times when punitive damages can also be awarded in a car accident lawsuit. However, these are only in cases where there’s clear and convincing evidence that a defendant’s behavior was grossly negligent or intentional. A drunk driving accident – particularly one that causes death – is a good example of a case where punitive damages might be applicable.

The Insurance Company is Blaming Me: Can I Still Recover Compensation?

Yes – most likely. Florida’s no-fault insurance system means that you can receive compensation from your PIP policy even if you are responsible for the crash. In the event that you’re eligible to file a claim against the at-fault driver, Florida’s contributory fault laws will come into play.

Florida operates under a modified comparative fault system with a 51% rule, which means:

  • Everyone who contributes to an accident shares liability, and
  • Your financial award will be reduced to reflect your contributing role, and
  • You cannot recover compensation if you were mostly to blame.
The Insurance Company is Blaming Me: Can I Still Recover Compensation?

It’s important to defend yourself against allegations that you are responsible for causing a car accident in Clearwater, Florida.

The insurer may try to blame you for an accident – it’s their preferred strategy for denying claims and minimizing payouts. The more blame that is assigned to you, the lower your take-home award. If you are assigned all of the blame, you’ll find yourself walking away with no money, at all.

Our car accident attorneys in Clearwater know these tactics all too well – we’ve been challenging them for more than 66 years. We know how to protect you – even if you do share some of the responsibility for causing an accident. We know the best practices to help you limit your liability and maximize your recovery.

What Causes Most Car Accidents in Pinellas County?

What Causes Most Car Accidents in Pinellas County?

Statistically speaking, there are between one and two car wrecks an hour in and around Clearwater. That’s a lot of crashes. What typically causes these motor vehicle accidents to happen?

Leading causes include:

Sometimes wrecks are the result of more than one of these things. Trust that our legal team will conduct an investigation to get to the bottom of what caused your car accident. When we know why it happened we can begin to seek compensation from anyone who shares blame. Give our law firm a call to book a free initial evaluation with an attorney.

Representing All Crash Victims in Clearwater

Representing All Crash Victims in Clearwater

No two car accidents are the same. You need an attorney who has extensive experience handling a wide range of car accident cases. The Clearwater personal injury attorneys at Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers have been representing accident clients for more than 66 years.

We’ve covered just about every type of collision you can imagine – and we are ready to put our experience and insights to work for your benefit.

Our attorneys handle all car accident cases including:

If you’ve been injured due to someone else’s negligence, contact our law offices to discuss your car accident case. Call us today to get a free initial case consultation with a lawyer from our legal team.

How Do I Get Compensation After a Car Accident in Clearwater, FL?

How Do I Get Compensation After a Car Accident in Florida?

After a collision, you’ll probably have two ways to get money for your injuries. The first involves submitting a claim to an insurance provider, and the second involves filing a personal injury lawsuit against at-fault parties.

Florida Car Insurance Laws

Florida currently has “no fault” car insurance laws. Drivers are required to purchase Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and Property Damage Liability (PDL) coverage before they can hit the road. If there’s an accident, the injured driver has to submit an insurance claim with their own provider to recover these benefits – regardless of who caused the accident.

Serious Injury Threshold Exception

There is one major exception to Florida’s no-fault insurance law: the serious injury threshold. If your accident-related injuries are so severe that they cause significant or permanent impairment, disability, or death, you’re permitted to file a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault party for your accident. 

Since the cost of a catastrophic injury tends to be much greater than insurance policy maximums, this helps to ensure that injured drivers have a path to get the compensation they need.

Personal Injury Lawsuit

There may be other instances when you have the right to file a lawsuit to seek compensation for your injuries – above and beyond what your insurance provider will pay. 

You could potentially seek damages from:

  • The negligent party’s employer (if the collision happened while they were working)
  • Companies responsible for designing, manufacturing, or selling defective products (like airbags or brakes that might have contributed to the collision)
  • Government agencies (if they knew or should have known about a hazardous condition and did nothing to fix it, and your accident happened as a result).

Knowing how to get money after an accident can be overwhelming. That’s why it’s smart to hire a seasons car accident lawyer to manage your case for you. After your accident, contact an experienced attorney at Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers for legal assistance – our legal team is here to take your call 24/7/365.

How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Motor Vehicle Accident in Clearwater?

How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Motor Vehicle Accident in Florida?

In Florida, the statute of limitations for most personal injury lawsuits was recently changed. There is now a two-year time limit for injuries taking place on or after March 24th, 2023, and a four-year time limit for injuries occurring before that date.

Keep in mind that there are exceptions to this general rule. If an accident is fatal, families will have just two years to file a wrongful death claim. If a government agency is involved, claims are subject to accelerated timetables – meaning a matter of months, not years.

There are also times when a person might have more time to pursue compensation after getting injured in a collision. The statute of limitations might be tolled – or paused – if a victim is a child or if the person responsible for causing the accident can’t be located.

What Are the Most Common Types of Car Accident Injuries?

Any car accident injury can flip your world upside down.

That’s why our attorneys will fight to get maximum compensation for all of your injuries, including:

Our wrongful death attorneys also represent families who have lost a loved one in a fatal Clearwater car accident. Give our compassionate legal team a call to see how we can help you.

What Should I Do After a Car Crash?

Here’s what you should (and shouldn’t) do after you’re involved in a motor vehicle accident.

  • DO: Stay at the scene of the accident. You’re legally required to stay if there was an injury, death, or property damage. Leaving can be considered a hit and run.
  • DON’T: Apologize or admit fault. Doing so could jeopardize your ability to recover compensation.
  • DO: Call the police to report the accident and request emergency medical responders, if necessary.
  • DO: Seek medical attention as soon as you can, even if you don’t think your injuries are that serious.
  • DON’T: Make a recorded statement for an insurance company or feel pressured to accept an early offer (it’s probably way less than you deserve). 
  • DO: Call a lawyer to learn about your rights and have them take the lead on all conversations with insurance providers and other parties.

It’s important to get in touch with an attorney as soon as you can after you’re involved in a wreck. That’s the best way to protect your rights and put yourself in the best position to secure the compensation you deserve. If you have any questions regarding your accident, contact a personal injury lawyer from Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers.

Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Clearwater Car Accident Lawyers Near You

You’ll have to act quickly and decisively to recover fair compensation after your car accident. That may be hard to do if you are also recovering from injuries. Our Clearwater car accident lawyers at Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers can take care of all aspects of your injury claim so you can focus on your rest and recovery.

Contact our law firm to get 300+ years of combined experience on your side. We’re standing by to schedule your free consultation.

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Local Auto Repair Shops

C Jay’s Auto Repair – 1890 N Hercules Ave # D, Clearwater, FL 33765
Coachman Automotive – 1717 Coachman Plaza Dr, Clearwater, FL 33759
Esquire Auto Repair – 1955 Calumet St, Clearwater, FL 33765

*Disclaimer – we do not endorse these companies or profit from having them listed on our website.

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