Largo Car Accident Lawyer
As the Largo and Tampa Bay area population has increased, so too has the traffic, congestion and number of car accidents. As a matter of fact, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, the number of car crashes in Pinellas County each year typically tops 17,000, with approximately 7,200 injury crashes and approximately 130 fatalities.
The victims of these crashes are often seriously injured. They may need extensive medical treatment and suffer from chronic pain, emotional distress and other hardships. Their families may suffer too as they try to adapt to the loss of companionship, support and income.
If you or a family member has been injured in a car accident and experienced some of these issues, you don’t have to face all of the difficulties alone. Dennis Hernandez, the expert Largo car crash attorney, has helped hundreds of car accident victims throughout Florida and wants to help you hold the negligent driver accountable and obtain the financial compensation you deserve.
What Factors Contribute to Car Accidents?
Automobile accidents occur under a wide variety of circumstances. Some of the most common factors that contribute to car accidents around Largo are:
- Distracted driving – People have always found ways to be distracted while driving, but cell phones, other handheld electronic devices, and technology in vehicles have dramatically increased the number of accidents attributable to distracted drivers. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that in 2018 alone, distracted driving was a factor in 2,841 car accident fatalities in the U.S.
- Impaired driving – The number of injuries and deaths due to impaired driving has decreased over the past ten years, but data from NHTSA suggest that driver impairment due to alcohol is still a leading factor contributing to automobile accidents and crash injuries.
- Drowsy driving – Driving while tired is much more dangerous than most people realize. In fact, studies indicate that a drowsy driver can be just as dangerous on the roadway as a drunk driver. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety estimates that one in five fatal crashes involves a drowsy driver.
- Speed – NHTSA consistently tells us that speeding is a factor in about one-third of all motor vehicle fatalities.
- Hazardous road conditions – Conditions such as rain or fog should cause a motorist to slow down and use caution on the roadway; however, not all drivers make the necessary adjustment. The result can be a catastrophic collision.
What Serious Injuries Are Caused by Car Accidents?
A car accident can injure almost any part of the body, including the head, limbs and internal organs. Common serious injuries include:
- Broken bones – Broken bones can be very painful. They can also lead to loss of function in a limb, chronic pain, and infections, in some cases.
- Back and neck injuries– The sudden impact of a car crash can cause herniated and bulging discs, which are usually permanent injuries that degenerate and worsen, often leading to surgery later in life.
- Burns: If a vehicle catches on fire following an accident, serious burn injuries can occur. Burn injuries are very painful and can produce scarring and other physical problems.
- Brain injuries – Car accidents are one of the leading causes of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), which result from a sudden jolt or blow to the head. The brain injuries can result in permanent, life-altering injuries or death.
- Spinal cord injuries – Spinal cord injuries are life-changing and can leave victims paralyzed or with no sensation or function in all of their limbs.
- Loss of limbs: In serious crashes, an accident victim’s arms or legs can get crushed or torn and damaged so severely that amputation is necessary.
How Can an Expert Largo Car Accident Attorney Help?
All car accidents are stressful, but injury accidents are especially damaging because of the necessary medical treatment, pain and suffering involved. Sadly, these unfortunate circumstances can be exacerbated by mounting medical bills and insurance company processes.
If you’ve been injured in a car crash, an experienced Largo car accident attorney can help you handle some of these problems. Many car accident victims in Florida think that the Florida Motor Vehicle No-Fault Law prevents them from suing the at-fault driver, so they do not consult a lawyer before settling with an insurance company and signing a release form. As their expenses mount and hardships continue, many wish they had not settled early.
It is important to understand that Florida’s no-fault law does not prevent you from filing a car accident lawsuit to obtain compensation if you suffered serious injuries. The law clearly states that anyone injured in a motor vehicle accident can recover damages for pain, suffering, mental anguish and inconvenience if the injury or disease involves significant and permanent loss of an important bodily function, permanent injury, significant and permanent scarring or disfigurement or death.
While the description of serious injuries may seem to rule out many injuries, you should not assume your injuries would not be considered serious enough until you have consulted an experienced Florida car accident attorney. There are many times when filing a lawsuit is appropriate and necessary to obtain the compensation you need to pay for long-term medical expenses, lost income, pain, suffering, and other damages.
Dennis Hernandez, the expert Largo crash attorney, can help you understand how Florida law applies to your case. Hernandez is a skilled negotiator and litigator who knows how to handle insurance companies and fight for the compensation you deserve for your injuries, pain and suffering.
What Compensation Is Available for a Largo Car Accident Victim?
If you have been seriously injured in a car accident, you may be entitled to recover damages to help compensate you for your injuries. With an automobile accident lawsuit, you can pursue compensation for the following damages:
- Medical expenses
- Rehabilitation and other potential care costs
- Income lost because of time off work
- Diminished future earning potential
- Physical and emotional pain and suffering
- Diminished qualify of life
- Other damages recoverable under Florida law
In some cases, the injured victim’s family members can pursue compensation for loss of consortium because their spouse or parent can no longer provide the companionship, care and support they did before the accident. If you lost a family member in a fatal automobile accident, you may also be able to pursue compensation as the claimant in a wrongful death lawsuit.
Get Help in Largo from Dennis Hernandez Expert Car Crash Attorney
For Dennis Hernandez, the expert car crash attorney, making sure you achieve justice and are compensated fairly for your injuries is the main goal. To achieve this goal, he assures that all evidence is gathered in a timely manner to prove negligence on the part of the at-fault driver; he negotiates aggressively with insurance companies on your behalf; and he builds a strong case to demonstrate your need for compensation for physical, emotional, and financial damages caused by the car accident.
Many lawyers will do everything possible to settle with insurance companies and avoid going to trial, but not Dennis Hernandez. He will never back down. He will put his experience, skill and resources to work fighting for the compensation you deserve. Working with the Dennis Hernandez Expert Car Crash Attorney means being supported through the entire legal process.
Call us in Largo at 727.697.0000 or fill in the FREE CASE EVALUATION form on our website to get started on your case.