Clearwater Car Accident Lawyer

I Was Injured in a Wreck: What’s My Car Accident 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 economic cost of a crash injury in 2024 ranged from $7,700 per person when no injury was observed to $174,000 for a disabling injury, before accounting for pain and suffering.

In general, the more serious your injuries, the higher your claim’s value.

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 is 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 talk through 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:

• Medical bills
• Rehabilitation
• Lost wages and income
• Temporary and/or permanent disability
• Costs associated with a funeral and burial or cremation.

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:

• Mental anguish
• PTSD
• Depression and anxiety
• Loss of consortium
• Loss of quality of life
• Disfigurement
• Loss of limb

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?

Often – yes. 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 are found more than 50% at fault.

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 found more than 50% at fault, you’ll walk away with no money from the other driver at all.

Our car accident attorneys in Clearwater know these tactics all too well. We’ve been challenging them since 1955. 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?

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:

• Distracted driving
• Drunk driving
• Speeding (or not going fast enough)
• Failing to yield the right of way
• Tailgating
• Aggressive driving behaviors, like sudden lane changes or slamming on the brakes
• Not paying attention to other drivers, bicyclists, or pedestrians
• Defective vehicles or safety equipment
• Faulty traffic signals or hidden signage

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

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 since 1955.

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:

• Airbag Injuries
• Distracted Driving Accidents
• Hit & Run Accidents
• Rear-End Crashes
• Truck Accidents
• DUI Accidents
• Uber and Lyft Accidents
• Self-Driving Car Accidents
• Accidents involving bicyclists, pedestrians, and motorcyclists
• Crashes involving uninsured and underinsured motorists

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.

Where Are the Most Dangerous Roads and Intersections in Clearwater, FL?

US-19 is a major corridor through Tampa Bay, and it has a reputation for being deadly. It’s no surprise that some of the most dangerous intersections involve this notorious road (a Clearwater police cruiser was hit there while responding to a crash).

Pinellas County has identified a “High Injury Network,” a map of roads where most fatal or injury collisions happen throughout the county. Forward Pinellas estimates that about 5% of the county’s roads account for 60% to 70% of fatal and serious injury crashes. Several intersections have had more than 500 accidents in a five-year period from 2015-2019.

Some of the roads and intersections in Clearwater where many accidents occur include:

• US-19 and Drew Street: there were 591 accidents here from 2015-2019
• US-19 and Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard: there were 660 crashes here from 2015-2019
• SR 60 and Belcher Road: there were 542 crashes here between 2015-2019
• Belcher Road: the intersection at Gulf-to-Bay is particularly dangerous for left-hand turns 

When you’re out and about, consider adjusting your route to avoid these high-crash areas during busy times. If that’s not possible, use extra care, stay alert, and be sure to buckle up.

What Makes a Road or Intersection Dangerous in Florida?

So, why are these roads or intersections more dangerous than others? Many factors can contribute to more accidents at a particular road/intersection.

Some reasons roads like US-19 are so dangerous include:

• Aggressive driving
• Drunk driving
• Poor signage
• Distracted driving
• Lack of medians or sidewalks
• Lack of crosswalks or refuge islands
• Making dangerous left-hand turns
• Failure to yield the right-of-way
• Following too closely
• Defective mechanical equipment

Our legal team will get to work on your case right away so that you can get your life back on track as soon as possible. We have decades of experience working with stubborn insurance companies and tough defendants. 

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

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.

PIP pays up to $10,000 per person for medical bills and lost income, and you generally must get medical treatment within 14 days of the crash to use it. If the driver who hit you has no bodily injury coverage, your own uninsured motorist coverage may pay for losses PIP does not cover.

Serious Injury Threshold Exception

There is one major exception to Florida’s no-fault insurance law: the serious injury threshold. If your accident causes a significant and permanent loss of an important bodily function, a permanent injury, significant and permanent scarring or disfigurement, or death, you’re permitted to file a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault party for pain and suffering.

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 seasoned 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?

In Florida, you generally have two years to file a car accident lawsuit if the crash happened on or after March 24, 2023. Crashes before that date have a four-year deadline. Learn more about Florida’s statute of limitations.

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, you must give the agency written notice of your claim before you can file suit, and special deadlines and damage limits apply.

In limited situations, Florida law pauses (tolls) the deadline, such as when the at-fault person leaves the state or hides to avoid being served.

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:

• Broken bones and fractures
• Whiplash
• Concussion
• Neck injury
• Back injury
• Traumatic brain injury
• Joint injury
• Burn injury
• Spinal cord damage
• Amputation
• Crushing injury
• Chest injury

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: Get the other driver’s name, address, vehicle registration, and insurance information. If they won’t share it, the crash report will have it. Here’s how to find out if someone has car insurance.
• DO: Seek medical attention as soon as you can, even if you don’t think your injuries are that serious. Waiting more than 14 days can cost you your PIP benefits.
• 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 at (727) 591-3354 to get 300+ years of combined experience on your side. We’re standing by to schedule your free consultation.