Highway crashes in Clearwater, Florida, can be extremely dangerous. High speeds, congested traffic, and large numbers of trucks can make Clearwater highways treacherous. If you are injured in a highway crash, you need an experienced accident attorney in Clearwater to help you with your claim.
Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers is the oldest personal injury firm in Tampa Bay. Our Clearwater personal injury attorneys have over 300 years of combined experience helping accident victims with their claims. We want to put our experience and resources to work for you.
Contact our Clearwater law firm at (727) 796-8282 to request your free consultation with one of our highway crash lawyers.
Table of Contents
How Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help You After a Highway Crash In Clearwater, FL
Highway crashes are often among the most serious car accidents. They involve high speeds and can even trigger multi-vehicle accidents. If someone caused your highway crash, you shouldn’t be on the hook for your medical bills and other damages. A Clearwater car accident lawyer can help you hold them responsible for your losses.
Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers has been working to protect the rights of accident victims in the State of Florida since 1955. Our firm handles all types of car accident cases, including interstate and highway crashes. We have the resources, time, and skills to fight large insurance companies and aggressive defense law firms.
When you hire our award-winning Clearwater highway accident lawyers, you can expect us to:
- Investigate the cause of your accident to identify all parties who may be liable for your damages
- Gather and preserve evidence to build a case of liability against the other party
- Filing insurance claims and handle all matters with the insurance company
- Work with you and your physicians to document the severity of your injuries and damages
- Calculate the maximum value for your personal injury claim
- Aggressively negotiate for a fair settlement
- Go to court, if necessary, to protect your best interests
Our Clearwater personal injury law firm is not afraid of taking on challenging cases. Let us help you get the money you deserve. Call us now to schedule your free case evaluation.
How Common Are Highway Accidents in Clearwater, FL?
According to statistics, the FLHSMV reported 341,326 traffic crashes in Florida in 2020. That included 3,101 fatal car crashes and 140,261 injury crashes. Pinellas County had 14,313 crashes in 2020, with 105 fatal crashes and 5,788 injury crashes.
Many of the crashes in Clearwater occur on the highways in and around the area. Highways are common accident sites for many reasons.
What Causes Clearwater, FL Highway Crashes?
Higher speed limits on highways is one reason for highway crashes. As vehicle speeds increase, the risk of having an accident increases. Furthermore, the risk of severe injuries and fatalities also increases.
Another common cause of highway accidents is distracted driving. Distracted driving includes texting while driving, talking on a cell phone, eating, drinking, grooming, and all other activities that take one’s attention away from the road. Because of the increased traffic and speed on highways, it takes just a second or two of distraction to cause an accident.
Other factors that could contribute to a highway crash include:
- weather conditions
- drowsy driving
- improper lane changes
- road conditions
- tailgating
- road rage
- improper left-turns
What Injuries and Damages Are Caused by Highway Accidents in Clearwater, Florida?
Highway accidents can result in severe injuries, including:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Broken bones
- Spinal cord injuries
- Internal organ damage
- Whiplash and neck injuries
- Paralysis
- Airbag injuries
- Back and head injuries
- Amputations
Economic damages like medical bills and lost wages could total hundreds of thousands of dollars after a highway crash. If you sustain a permanent impairment, the medical care and loss of income could total millions of dollars over a lifetime.
Highway accidents can also result in non-economic damages, also known as “pain and suffering” damages. You are entitled to compensation for your pain and suffering, which could be extensive if you sustain severe injuries.
Even if you did not sustain serious injuries, the accident could result in massive property damage to your vehicle. If you do not have insurance to cover the loss, you may find it difficult to replace or repair your automobile.
Who is Responsible for Damages Caused by a Highway Crash in Clearwater, FL?
The person who caused the accident can be liable for your damages after a highway crash. However, Florida is a no-fault insurance state. Under this system, drivers file claims with their own personal injury protection (PIP) insurance providers after their accidents, no matter who caused the crash. PIP covers up to 80 percent of your medical bills and 60 percent of your lost wages. However, it does not pay for any other damages caused by the car accident.
If you sustained serious injuries in a car accident, Florida law would allow you to sue the at-fault driver for your damages, including non-economic losses. However, you will have to prove the other driver was negligent. Negligence requires proof that the driver owed you a duty of care, breached their duty, and caused your accident. You must also prove the value of your damages to have a successful negligence claim.
Can I Recover Compensation if I’m Being Blamed for My Highway Crash In Clearwater, FL?
In Florida, you can recover compensation after a car accident as long as you weren’t mostly at fault, at least regarding claims against the at-fault driver (you can claim against your PIP policy even if you were responsible for the crash). Florida’s modified comparative fault rules will merely reduce your damages to account for your share of fault for the accident. For example, if you have $50,000 in damages but are 20% at fault, you could only recover 80% of your damages ($40,000). But if you are 51% or more at fault, you cannot recover any damages under Florida law.
Schedule a Free Consultation with Our Car Accident Law Firm in Clearwater, FL
If a highway accident caused your injuries, we are here to help. You should act now, as Florida’s statute of limitations gives you only four years to file a lawsuit after your accident.
Contact our office to schedule your free case review with one of our Clearwater auto injury lawyers. We will use the full weight of our experience and resources to get you the money you deserve.
Our law firm handles all types of car accident cases involving:
- Head-on Crashes
- Hit and run Accidents
- Lane change crashes
- Single Vehicle Accidents
- Intersection Accidents
- Parking Lot Accidents
- Rear-end Crashes
- Red and Yellow Light Accidents
- Rollover Accidents
- U-turn Accidents