Hit and run drivers often cause devastating accidents before fleeing the scene. Victims must deal with the aftermath of the crash, including traumatic injuries, property damage, and financial loss. In addition, many families have to bury their loved ones due to wrongful death.
The Clearwater hit and run accident lawyers at Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers have over 300 years of collective experience handling car accident claims, including hit and run accidents. We have assisted the residents and families of Clearwater, Florida since 1955.
If you’ve been injured in a hit and run accident, contact our law offices in Clearwater, FL today to schedule your free consultation with a car accident attorney at (727) 796-8282. We want to help you get full compensation for the injuries you suffered in a motor vehicle accident.
Table of Contents
How Our ClearwaterCar Accident Lawyers Can Help If You’ve Been Hurt In a Hit & Run Accident
At Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers, we understand that you have been through a challenging and traumatic experience. The last thing you need or want is to be bothered by insurance companies and claims adjusters.
However, you need to recover money for your damages so that you can rebuild your life and put this hit-and-run crash behind you. Therefore, when you hire our award-winning Clearwater car accident lawyers, you can expect us to:
- Handle every aspect of your personal injury case and insurance claim
- Investigate the hit and run accident, including monitoring the investigation by the police
- Work with expert witnesses and accident reconstructionists to gather evidence that the hit and run driver caused the collision
- Document your damages to determine the value of your personal injury claim
- Identify all parties who could be liable for your damages and file claims against all parties
- Negotiate a fair settlement or proceed to court to fight for your best interests
Recovering compensation for accident injuries should not be difficult. But unfortunately, insurance companies make it difficult by being more concerned about their profits than the rights of injured parties.
If you’ve suffered injuries in an accident, call now for your free case evaluation with an experienced hit and run crash lawyer in Clearwater, FL.
How Common Are Hit-and-Run Accidents in Pinellas County?
Unfortunately, hit-and-run accidents are common in Florida. According to auto accident statistics, the FLHSMV reported an average of 100,441 statewide hit-and-run crashes per year from 2018 through 2020. An average of 226 people died each year due to hit-and-run drivers between 2018 and 2020. About 25 percent of all traffic accidents in Florida involve a hit-and-run driver.
In 2021, there were 4,844 hit and run accidents in Pinellas County, including 11 deaths.
What Are the Causes of Hit and Run Accidents in Clearwater, FL?
Florida laws require drivers to stop at the scene of an accident. However, some drivers refuse to stop.
Reasons why a driver may leave the scene of a car accident include:
- Driving with an expired or suspended license
- The driver or a passenger is in the United States illegally
- The driver or a passenger has an outstanding warrant
- The vehicle is a company car
- There are illegal drugs in the vehicle
- The driver is under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- The person does not have Florida’s required no-fault insurance (Personal Injury Protection – PIP)
Our legal team aggressively pursues the hit and run driver. We do not stop until we exhaust all means of identifying the driver so we can pursue a personal injury case. However, if we never identify the driver, there are other ways we can help you recover money for your hit and run accident injuries.
Filing Claims Against Your Uninsured Motorist Insurance Coverage In Florida
Your PIP insurance coverage pays up to $10,000 in lost wages and medical bills. However, this amount may not cover all damages caused by the hit-and-run accident. If not, you may have a claim against your uninsured motorist insurance coverage (if you have this coverage). Uninsured motorist coverage is optional in Florida.
Hit-and-run crashes are generally covered by your uninsured motorist coverage. Filing a claim could entitle you to compensation for your:
- Medical bills and expenses
- Loss of income
- Pain and suffering, including mental, physical, and emotional suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Decrease in earning potential
- Permanent disabilities and impairments
- Reduced quality of life
- Long-term care
Even though you file your claim with your insurance provider, your agent does not handle the claim. Instead, a claims adjuster handles the claim. The adjuster is looking out for the company, not for you.
Therefore, you need evidence proving that the hit and run driver caused the crash. Our legal team uses the evidence we gathered seeking the hit and run driver for your uninsured motorist claim. Evidence might include videos of the collision, police reports, eyewitness statements, and opinions from expert witnesses. We negotiate to get you the most money for your claim.
Schedule a Free Consultation At Our Car Crash Lawyer in Clearwater, FL
Let’s get to work to recover the money you need and deserve after a reckless driver leaves the scene of an accident. Call us today to schedule a free consultation with one of our Clearwater car accident attorneys. We are here for you when you need trusted legal counsel and guidance.
Our law firm handles all types of car accident cases involving:
- Head-on Crashes
- Highway Crashes
- Lane change crashes
- Left-turn Crashes
- Multi-vehicle Collisions
- Single Vehicle Accidents
- Speeding Accidents
- Intersection Accidents
- Parking Lot Accidents
- Rear-end Crashes
- Red and Yellow Light Accidents
- Road Defects Accidents
- Rollover Accidents
- U-turn Accidents
