If you or someone you love has suffered a car accident in St. Petersburg, FL, knowing what to do can be overwhelming. You may be able to recover damages to help pay for medical bills, lost wages, and more.
A personal injury lawyer from Chalik & Chalik Injury Lawyers can handle your case from start to finish. Take advantage of our risk-free consultation. We want to help your family by reviewing your case and identifying what options you have available for recovering damages.
Potential Compensation You Can Collect After a Car Wreck
The amount of compensation you can receive from your claim or suit cannot be estimated, but as a victim of a car accident, you have the right to pursue damages. Along with seeking recovery for current medical bills and lost wages, your injuries may also qualify for compensation addressing future losses.
Damages you may be entitled to include:
- Current and future medical expenses
- Personal property damages
- Pain and suffering
- Lost wages if you had to miss work while recuperating from your injuries
- Reduced earning capacity if you are unable to return to work
- Disfigurement and scarring
- Loss of quality of life
Every case is different, but we can help calculate your damages to determine what a fair settlement would look like in your case.
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Filing a Wrongful Death Claim After a Car Accident in St. Petersburg, FL
If you lost a family member because of someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to recover damages from a wrongful death claim or suit. Some damages you may be entitled to include:
- Funeral costs
- Medical expenses from your loved one’s injuries
- Loss of wages and benefits
- Loss of consortium, which addresses the support your loved one provided around the household
To learn more, you can discuss your case with a car accident lawyer in St. Petersburg, FL. Our team can give you an estimate of what your losses may be worth and tell you what one of our lawyers can do to recover the damages to which you may be entitled.
A car accident lawyer from our team will handle all the legal aspects so that you focus on healing after the loss of your family member.
Chalik & Chalik Car Accidents Lawyer Near Me (855) 529-0269
Our Auto Accident Attorneys Can Handle Your Case From the Initial Investigation to Trial
After an accident, you deserve to focus on your health and spend time with your family. We can take care of your insurance claim or lawsuit from start to finish. We will keep you updated on your case, but we believe your time should be spent on healing from your injuries, not on fighting for what you deserve. Our legal services include:
Investigating Your Case
Our car accident lawyers can investigate your accident and gather the necessary evidence to support your case. We can collect the police and medical reports, as well as eyewitness statements. This will help us to identify the liable party in your case and demonstrate negligence.
In some cases, we will call upon expert witnesses, such as accident reconstructionists, to counter an insurance adjuster’s determination of fault.
Dealing with the Insurance Companies for You
Your car accident lawyer will negotiate your claim with the insurance companies on your behalf and pursue fair compensation for your damages. We can prevent you from accepting an unfair initial settlement offer by communicating with your doctors to determine how your injuries will affect you in the future We can then accurately calculate your damages and present our evidence to the insurer.
When we take on your case, you will not have to speak directly to the liable party or their insurer. We can also handle all of the necessary paperwork involved with a claim.
Fighting for You in Court
If a fair settlement cannot be reached during negotiations with insurers, we will fight for your case in court. We can file a lawsuit within the state-mandated deadline and pursue a court-awarded offer.
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Examples of Negligence You Can Include in Your Claim
Car accidents can occur for a variety of reasons, but your case depends on proving the other party acted negligently, causing your injuries. Once we investigate your case, we may find that the following behaviors led to the collision:
- Distracted driving, which includes looking at a cell phone, talking to the passenger next to you or in the back seat, changing the radio station, or just admiring the scenery around you
- Driving under the influence, which involves having a blood-alcohol content level of 0.08 or above or being under the influence of substances
- Speeding, which reduces a motorist’s ability to react in time to avoid an accident and increases the likelihood of severe injury or fatality
- Reckless driving, including aggressive driving, tailgating, and running traffic lights
If you suspect the driver who hit you violated any laws or behaved negligently, you may have a case for compensation.
For a free legal consultation with a Chalik & Chalik lawyer serving St. Petersburg, call (855) 529-0269
Proving the Four Elements of Negligence
Making a case against a negligent driver involves proving four elements. First, you must establish that the other driver had a duty of care to keep you reasonably safe. This duty applies to anyone operating a vehicle.
You must prove the other driver breached this duty by acting negligently behind the wheel. Then, you must prove their negligence led or contributed to the accident that caused your injuries. Furthermore, you must demonstrate that you suffered losses due to those injuries, such as medical expenses and pain and suffering.
We offer a free, no-risk consultation so you can learn what your options are in pursuing damages after your accident.
Florida’s Statute of Limitations Could Impact Your Case
Florida Statutes §95.11(3)(a) places limits on the amount of time that victims have to pursue damages after a car accident. In most cases, you have four years for personal injury lawsuits. Under Florida Statutes §95.11(4)(d), you only have two years for wrongful death suits.
If you miss these deadlines, you may not be able to pursue compensation through legal action. A car accident attorney in St. Petersburg, FL, will make sure your paperwork is filed within the appropriate deadline.
How You Can Protect Your Rights and Your Case After a Car Accident
There are a few things you can do after an accident to help your case and protect your right to fair compensation.
Obtain a Police Report
Whenever an accident occurs, you should call the police to the scene. An official crash report can go a long way in providing evidence for your case. Even if you did not call the police to the scene, you should report your accident to the proper authorities.
Seek Medical Aid
Even if you believe your injuries to be minor, you should always seek medical attention after a car accident. Some injuries, such as whiplash, do not display symptoms immediately, but you could be feeling the effects of injuries months or years after a crash.
It is better to play it safe and see a doctor to prevent your injuries from worsening. Additionally, medical documentation can help your lawyer prove and calculate your damages.
Stay off Social Media
After an accident, do not post any information about the other driver on social media. Refrain from posting pictures, making any statements about fault, or going into detail about your legal case.
How Can You Afford a Car Accident Attorney From Our Firm?
Some accident victims worry about affording a lawyer and forgo seeking legal representation altogether. We advocate for victims of negligence, which is why we take our cases on a contingency-fee-basis.
When we handle your case, you will not have to pay any upfront fees. You will not owe us a dime unless we secure compensation. This arrangement allows us to get started on your case right away. Take advantage of our free consultation to determine your legal options.
Work with a Auto Accident Lawyer at Chalik & Chalik Injury Lawyers Today
A car accident in St. Petersburg, FL, can have long-term consequences that cost you months and years down the road. Our aim is for you to suffer no further losses as a result of your accident-related injuries. A car wreck lawyer on our team can fight for fair compensation and take legal action on your behalf if necessary.
Chalik & Chalik Injury Lawyers can handle your case from start to finish. Take advantage of our risk-free consultation. We want to help your family by reviewing your case and identifying what options you have available for recovering damages.
Contact Chalik & Chalik Injury Lawyers today for a free evaluation
Call or text Chalik & Chalik (855) 529-0269