Have you been injured in a car accident in Palm Harbor, FL? If so, you could be entitled to compensation for your injuries and damages. Our experienced car accident attorneys can help you recover compensation for lost wages, medical expenses, pain, and suffering.
With more than 119 years of combined legal experience, you can trust our Palm Harbor car accident attorneys at Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers to help you hold the at-fault party liable for your damages. For more than 20 years, our Palm Harbor personal injury lawyers have worked with clients and their families to secure top-dollar settlements and jury verdicts. Since 2001, we have secured more than $36 million on behalf of our clients.
Our attorneys at Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers work on a contingency fee basis. You do not need to worry about paying upfront attorney’s fees to hire our top-rated car accident attorneys in Palm Harbor. You don’t pay any attorney’s fees unless we win or settle your case.
Contact our law firm online or call (813) 223-6200 today to discuss your case with a Palm Harbor car accident lawyer.
How Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help if You’ve Been Injured in a Palm Harbor Car Accident
Car accident claims can be overwhelming and complicated, especially if you try to go up against an insurance company without an attorney. Insurance adjusters work to protect the insurance company from liability for your claim. Therefore, dealing with an insurance adjuster without a lawyer could hurt your case.
Our Palm Harbor car accident attorneys at Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers are known as “The Aggressive Attorneys” in personal injury matters because we fiercely fight for the rights of their clients against large corporations, defense firms, and insurance companies. With decades of experience, we are unafraid to go up against any opposing party. Our lawyers have received numerous awards because of their work to protect victims of personal injury accidents.
When you hire our award-winning Palm Harbor personal injury lawyers to handle your case, we handle all matters related to your case, including:
- Explain your legal options for recovering compensation for a car accident by filing an insurance claim and through personal injury laws
- Investigate the car crash to determine the cause of the crash and identify all responsible parties
- Obtain accident reports and gather other evidence supporting your claim, including working with expert witnesses when needed
- Calculate the value of your damages
- Aggressively pursue settlement negotiations for the total amount that your case is worth
- Handle preparing and filing all documents and communication with all parties involved in your case
- File a lawsuit and take your case to court if necessary to pursue fair compensation for your case accident claim
We are available 24/7 to discuss your car accident with you. Call Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers, or contact us online to schedule a free case evaluation with an experienced car accident lawyer in Palm Harbor, Florida.
Our Palm Harbor Personal Injury Attorneys Handle All Types of Car Accident Claims in Pinellas County
In 2022, there were 15,680 car accidents reported in Pinellas County. That number included 123 traffic deaths and 9,225 injuries. As of July 2023, there were 8,171 traffic accidents reported in the county.
Some car crashes are more serious than other collisions. Our experienced attorneys handle all types of car accidents, including but not limited to:
- Single vehicle crashes
- Rollover accidents
- Multi-vehicle accidents
- Head-on collisions (i.e., front-end crashes)
- Rear-end wrecks
- Car accidents involving pedestrians, motorcyclists, and bicyclists
- DUI accidents
- Hit-and-run accidents
- Highway crashes
- Intersection accidents
- Speeding accidents
- Accidents involving uninsured and underinsured drivers
- Fatal car crashes
- T-bone or side-impact crashes
- Distracted driving accidents
- Interstate accidents
There are many more types of car crashes we handle. If you or a loved one is injured in a car accident, call us to discuss how we can help you obtain compensation for your injuries, financial losses, and other damages.
What Damages Can I Receive for a Car Accident Case in Palm Harbor, FL?
Filing a car accident claim may be the only way to recover compensation after a Palm Harbor car crash. Our legal team at Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers can help you seek compensation for your economic and non-economic damages.
Examples of damages for a car accident case include:
- Medical expenses and bills
- Lost income, including decreases in future earning capacity
- Property damage
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Physical therapy and rehabilitation costs
- Skilled care
- Emotional distress
- Mental anguish
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Physical pain and suffering
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Diminished quality of life
- Impairments and disabilities
The damages available in your case depend a great deal on the severity of your injuries, the strength of your evidence, the parties involved, and the insurance coverage applicable to your case. Generally, the value of damages increases as the severity of your injuries increases.
What Types of Injuries Are Common in Palm Harbor Car Accidents?
Every car accident has the potential to cause severe injuries. Our personal injury attorneys handle all types of injury cases, including:
- Catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death
- Traumatic brain injury
- Broken bones and fractures
- Soft tissue injuries
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Internal organ injuries
- Loss of limbs and amputations
- Nerve damage
- Back and neck injuries
- Whiplash
- Concussions
- Airbag and seatbelt injuries
Immediate medical treatment is vital after a car crash. In addition to improving your recovery chances, prompt medical care can help strengthen your personal injury case. Delays in medical care can make it more challenging to prove fault and liability.
What Happens if I Am Partially To Blame for Causing a Palm Harbor Car Accident?
Florida now, after a recent change, uses a modified comparative fault law for personal injury cases. Under this standard, you cannot recover compensation from the at-fault party (you may still utilize your PIP insurance) if you were mostly to blame for the crash.
However, if your blame is less than 51%, you can recover compensation based on your level of fault. For example, a jury finds you are 25% to blame for causing a car crash. In that case, instead of receiving 100% of the damages award, you would only receive 75% of the award.
Insurance companies are quick to shift blame to innocent accident victims to avoid paying the total value of damages. You should not be surprised if an insurance adjuster tells you that your actions contributed to the cause of the crash. Instead of talking with the insurance company, call Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers, and let us handle the insurance adjuster and any claims of contributory fault.
Common Cause of Car Crashes in Palm Harbor
Most car accidents occur because of negligence and carelessness. Sadly, many car crashes could be avoided if drivers paid attention and followed traffic laws.
Common reasons for car accidents include:
- Drunk driving
- Speeding
- Distracted driving
- Road defects and conditions
- Defective vehicles and parts
- Fatigued and drowsy driving
- Failing to follow traffic laws
- Inexperienced drivers
Distracted driving is one of the most common causes of car crashes in Palm Harbor. Any activity that takes a driver’s focus off the road or the task of driving is a potentially dangerous distraction. Even if a driver does not intend to cause an accident, they can be held liable for the damages caused by the crash.
Who Is Liable for My Damages After a Palm Harbor Car Accident?
Florida is a no-fault insurance state for car accidents. All drivers must have minimum Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance coverage.
If you are involved in a car accident, you file a claim with your insurance provider against your no-fault insurance policy. PIP covers a portion of your medical bills and lost wages. It does not pay other damages, including non-economic damages.
However, Florida insurance laws make an exception to the no-fault insurance laws. If you sustain severe injuries from a car accident, you can pursue a claim against the driver who caused the crash.
Filing a personal injury claim can result in much more compensation for damages than a PIP claim. Therefore, it is best to discuss your case with an experienced car accident lawyer as soon as you can to protect your legal rights and interests.
Another driver, government entity, car manufacturer, trucking company, or other party could be liable for your damages. We can help you sort out the details of the crash and hold the responsible parties liable for your damages.
How Long Do I Have To File a Car Accident Claim for a Crash in Palm Harbor, FL?
Florida recently changed the statute of limitations for most personal injury cases as of March 24, 2023. Instead of having four years to file a claim, you now have two years from the accident date to file a lawsuit. Accidents before March 24, 2023, should still have a four-year filing time limit.
As before, some exceptions could change the filing date in some situations. It is best to speak with our office to confirm the timeline for your case. The court can dismiss lawsuits filed after the statute of limitations expires.
Schedule a Free Initial Consultation With Our Palm Harbor Car Accident Attorneys
We want to get justice for you and your family after a negligent driver or another party caused your injuries. Call us today to request a free case review with one of our experienced Palm Harbor car accident lawyers. We never stop fighting until we exhaust all legal options to get you the money you deserve and need after a car crash.
