Were you or a loved one injured in an accident caused by a distracted driver in St. Petersburg, Florida? You may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost earnings, and your pain and suffering. Contact a skilled St. Petersburg distracted driving accident lawyer at Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers for help getting the compensation that’s rightfully yours.
Since 1955, accident victims across the Tampa Bay area have trusted our lawyers to protect their legal rights. We’ve recovered over $675 million in compensation to honor their trust.
Do you have questions about your legal options after a distracted driving car accident? Contact our law offices in St. Petersburg, Florida, at (727) 796-8282 to schedule a free consultation today.
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How Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Distracted Driving Accident in St. Petersburg, FL
Distracted driving puts everyone on the roads in danger. The risk of driver distraction is well known–but that doesn’t mean it’ll be easy to recover compensation if you were hurt because another driver wasn’t paying attention.
Insurance companies often try to downplay a victim’s injuries. They might even try to scare you into dropping your case by blaming you for the crash. It’s not always easy to prove your case or locate the types of evidence insurance companies want to see.
Our experienced St. Petersburg personal injury lawyers can help. Collectively, we have over 300 years of experience. We’ve been recognized by Super Lawyers, Best Attorneys of America, and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. Most importantly, we’ve helped countless clients recover the maximum compensation they deserve.
When you choose Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers, you’ll have someone in your corner to:
- Conduct a comprehensive investigation
- Gather the evidence to support a strong negligence claim
- Accurately calculate the fair value of your damages claim
- Identify all responsible parties
- Hire leading experts and specialists
- Handle all communications and negotiations with the insurance companies
Our number one goal is making sure you walk away with everything you deserve. We’re ready to get started today.
Call our trusted St. Petersburg personal injury attorneys to schedule your free case review today.
How Common Are Distracted Driving Accidents in St. Petersburg?
Driver distraction is one of the most common causes of motor vehicle accidents across the U.S. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) data, 3,142 people were killed in distracted driving accidents in 2019. Over 400,000 people were injured.
In other words, more than eight people are killed and 1,095 people hurt in distracted driving accidents across the United States every single day.
According to the statistics, in the state of Florida alone, 308 distracted driving crash fatalities were reported in 2020. Over 2,750 suffered serious bodily injury because of distracted drivers. Thousands more sustained moderate or mild injuries.
That’s true even though the Florida ban on texting while driving has been in effect since July 2019.
What is My St. Petersburg Distracted Driving Accident Case Worth?
It’s impossible to estimate the value of your case without carefully reviewing the facts. Some damages such as financial losses are relatively easy to calculate. Future financial losses and non-economic damages can be more difficult to estimate–especially without expert advice.
Some of the factors that might impact your case value in Pinellas County include:
- The type, severity, and permanence of your injury
- The cost of your medical treatment and your long-term medical needs
- Your emotional suffering and damage to your quality of life
- Your lost income
- Damage to your future earning prospects
- Whether you contributed to the accident
- Available insurance coverage
Our lawyers will often bring in expert witnesses to help calculate your hard-to-value losses.
Do you have questions about how much your personal injury case is worth? Reach out to our lawyers in St. Petersburg for a free case review today.
What Types of Damages Are Available to Distracted Driving Accident Victims?
If you can prove that another driver caused you to suffer serious injuries in an auto accident, you can seek compensatory damages under Florida no-fault insurance laws. Under Florida personal injury laws, damages are classified based on whether they represent a financial loss or a non-financial loss.
Examples of your financial losses, or economic damages, include:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages and income
- Lost earning potential if you suffer a long-term disability
- Physical therapy
- Rehabilitation
- Property damage
Examples of common non-economic damages include:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Diminished quality of life
- Disfigurement
- Scarring
- Anxiety, depression, and PTSD
- Loss of consortium
In rare cases, courts may award punitive damages. Punitive damages are available if the defendant’s actions were intentional or malicious.
Can I Recover Damages If I’m Being Blamed for a Distracted Driving Accident in Florida?
Distracted driving is a common cause of car accidents in Florida. However, it’s not the only way accidents can happen. Often, multiple factors play a role in an accident. Insurance companies often try to find a way to blame the victim. You can receive benefits from your PIP insurance policy regardless of whether the accident was your fault. If you are eligible to file a claim against the at-fault driver, Florida’s comparative fault doctrine will come into play.
Under Florida’s modified comparative fault laws, all responsible parties are liable for their role in the accident. Liability will be divided between everyone who was partly responsible for the crash. If you share part of the blame, your damages award will be reduced in proportion to your percentage of fault. And there is also a 51% rule in place, so you will be barred from recovering damages if you share most of the blame.
We’ll Fight to Recover Compensation for All of Your Distracted Driving Accident Injuries
At Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers, we’ll fight to recover fair compensation for all of your injuries. Common distracted driving accident injuries include:
- Neck injuries and whiplash
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Concussions
- Back injuries
- Chest injuries
- Broken bones
- Nerve damage
- Soft tissue damage
- Burns
- Amputation injuries
- Paralysis
- Catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death of a loved one
Serious injuries can have a devastating impact on your life. Even if you’re expected to recover, the cost of medical care can leave you struggling with medical bills for years to come. If someone else was responsible, our car accident lawyers can help you fight to hold them accountable.
What Causes Most Distracted Driving Accidents in St. Petersburg, Florida?
Distracted driving is extremely dangerous. When driving at 55 mph, research shows that taking a driver’s attention off the road for even 5 seconds is like driving across an entire football field with your eyes closed.
There are three primary categories of driver distraction:
- Manual distraction
- Visual distraction
- Cognitive distraction
Sending a text message while driving is especially alarming because it involves all three types of distractions. However, it’s not the only type of distraction that causes accidents.
Some of the most common forms of driver distraction in St. Petersburg include:
- Using GPS navigation devices
- Talking on a cell phone, even if it’s hands-free
- Reaching for objects
- Talking with passengers
- Eating or drinking
- Using the vehicle’s entertainment system
- Adjusting climate controls
- Smoking
- Paying attention to something outside the vehicle, such as the scenery
- Daydreaming and being unaware of your car’s speed
Millions of tourists visit St. Petersburg every year. While those visitors are great for the economy, they can also be distracted by GPS navigation systems and views of the city and beaches.
Were you injured because of distracted driving in St. Petersburg? Our lawyers offer a free case evaluation so that you can learn more about your legal right to compensation. Just call our law firm to schedule yours today.
How Do I Prove Negligence After a Distracted Driving Accident in St. Petersburg, FL?
Driver distraction is a type of negligence. Under Florida law, you’ll have to offer proof that the at-fault party’s distraction caused your accident.
In legal terms, you have the burden of proving:
- The at-fault driver owed you a legal duty of care
- A breach of duty or the type of distraction involved
- The distraction caused your accident
- You suffered damages
Our legal team at Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers will conduct a full investigation to locate the evidence you’ll need.
That evidence might include:
- Police and accident reports
- Video surveillance footage
- Dash cam footage
- Cell phone records
- A citation issued to the other driver for texting while driving
- Eyewitness statements
- Testimony from experts and specialists in accident reconstruction
Proving driver distraction isn’t always easy. You may suspect that the other driver wasn’t paying attention–but it can be tough to locate the evidence to back up your claim.
Our St. Petersburg distracted driving accident attorneys have been handling personal injury claims like yours for decades. We have the knowledge and resources to help you prove what happened.
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Distracted Driving Accident in St. Petersburg, Florida?
The Florida statute of limitations was recently changed for the majority of personal injury cases. There’s a four-year deadline for accidents on or before 3/23/2023, and a two-year deadline for accidents occurring after that date. If you miss the deadline, you’ll lose your right to sue for damages entirely.
There are exceptions to the statute of limitations, so it is best to contact a personal injury lawyer to determine the time limit for your particular case.
Contact Our St. Petersburg Car Accident Law Firm for a Free Consultation
At Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers, we offer a free initial consultation so that we can discuss your case in detail. To learn more about how we can help, call an experienced St. Petersburg distracted driving accident lawyer for a free consultation today.
Other Common Auto Accidents in St. Petersburg
Our legal team can help you recover financial compensation if you’ve been recently injured in any type of car accident in St. Petersburg, including:
- Head-on collisions
- Rear-end collisions
- Hit and run accidents
- Lane change crashes
- Intersection crashes
- And more.
Call us today to discuss your case.
