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Brandon Car Accident Lawyer

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The Brandon car accident lawyers at Vanguard Attorneys are here to help you get compensation for your car accident injury. Our team is dedicated to winning the compensation you deserve to cover medical expenses, physical therapy, and other costs associated with your injuries.

Call our Brandon car accident lawyers at (813) 471-4444 for a free consultation if you or a loved one were injured in a car accident in Brandon.

Injured in a Car Accident in Brandon?

Navigating Florida’s no-fault insurance system is challenging without an experienced Brandon personal injury lawyer on your side. In these situations, trust our team of Brandon car accident attorneys. Our team of car accident lawyers can fight for your right to maximum compensation. No one expects to be involved in a car accident. Unfortunately, motor vehicle collisions in the state of Florida cause millions of dollars in property damage, medical expenses, and other losses.

Brandon car accident lawyers investigate car crash in Brandon, Florida

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Why Choose Our Brandon Car Accident Attorneys?

  • Our firm has decades of combined legal experience. We have the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to fight for your right to maximum compensation.
  • Our car crash attorneys have strong ties to the local community and fight diligently for the rights of our neighbors. We will leverage our network to craft a compelling case in your favor.
  • We represent clients on a contingency fee basis. If we do not secure a financial award in your case, you will not pay any legal fees.

Do I Need to Hire a Brandon Car Accident Lawyer?

The aftermath of a car accident can feel overwhelming and painful. You may have serious injuries that require extensive medical care and lengthy recovery periods. You may be unable to use your vehicle for a long time. The physical and emotional impact of the collision can be difficult to bear. Pursuing a claim during this time can feel very challenging.

Car Accident Attorneys in Brandon

In these situations, hiring an attorney can help. A Brandon car accident lawyer from Vanguard Attorneys can guide you through each stage of the claims process, helping you understand what to expect next. Your attorney will launch an in-depth investigation into your accident and gather the evidence you need to prove your car accident claim or rideshare accident claim. When you need someone on your side, a lawyer will advocate aggressively for your right to maximum recovery.

What Damages Can I Recover in a Car Accident Claim?

The damages, or financial compensation, that may be recoverable in a car accident claim will depend on the losses that you and your family suffered because of the crash. You may qualify for benefits for several past and future expenses. In Florida, state law permits crash victims to seek a monetary recovery for several types of losses. They fall under three categories:

Economic Damages

The costs of the car accident or the financial toll the crash took on the victim. These damages may include medical bills, disability, property damage repairs, a rental car, lost wages and lost future capacity to earn.

Noneconomic Damages

The emotional or intangible toll the car accident took, including distress, mental anguish, post-traumatic stress disorder, lost quality of life, physical pain and suffering, and loss of consortium.

Punitive Damages

An additional award that is sometimes given to car accident victims in Brandon if a defendant is guilty of intentional misconduct or gross negligence in causing the accident. This award is meant to punish the defendant.

At Vanguard Attorneys, we can help you understand your losses and determine the potential value of your car accident claim. Our lawyers will carefully review your case and explore all potential options for making a financial recovery. Then, we will advocate for just case results during conversations with claims adjusters to protect your best interests.

How Long Do I Have to File a Car Accident Claim in Florida?

In every state, a law known as the statute of limitations places a strict deadline on when a crash victim can file a car accident claim. This deadline is in place to keep things fair for both parties; otherwise, a crash victim could potentially hold the threat of a lawsuit over the other driver’s head indefinitely.

Under Florida law, the statute of limitations is four years from the date that the crash took place, with rare exceptions. This means you have no more than four years from your car accident in Brandon to file a related personal injury or property damage claim. However, you must file a car accident report within 10 days of the accident.

Your car accident report (the Florida Traffic Crash Report) must be filed with the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Department within 10 days, either online or by mail. Keep a copy of the report for your records. If the police visited the scene of your accident, they may file the report for you. Then, you should report the crash to your insurer and file an insurance claim as soon as possible.

Most insurance companies require prompt reporting to accept car accident claims. If an insurance settlement cannot be reached, you must file a personal injury claim within four years of the crash. There are limited exceptions to the statute of limitations. For one, if the injured minor is under the age of 18, a claim can be filed until four years from the date of the child’s 18th birthday.

Another exception tolls, or pauses, the filing deadline in cases involving delayed discovery. If a crash victim does not find his or her injuries right away, he or she will be given four years from the date of reasonable discovery. If you wish to file a wrongful death claim for the loss of a loved one’s life, you have two years from the date of death to do so.

When Should I Contact a Brandon Car Accident Lawyer?

The best way to protect your rights after a car accident is to contact a lawyer in Brandon right away for a free case consultation. You can explain what happened and discuss your case with a knowledgeable attorney who can advise you about your rights and what to do next. Your lawyer will tell you what steps to take and how to prevent a car insurance company from taking advantage of you along the way.

Your lawyer can represent you during insurance settlement negotiations to aggressively fight for the settlement that you deserve. The sooner you contact an attorney, the stronger your car accident case can become. For example, an attorney can return to the scene of your crash to collect and preserve evidence before anything becomes lost or destroyed. A lawyer can also prevent you from making harmful mistakes, such as missing your deadline to file.

Causes of Car Accidents

Car accidents in Brandon are caused most often by driver error or negligence. Drivers can make careless mistakes behind the wheel that place everyone else on the road in danger. If one driver does something that a reasonable and prudent driver would not have under similar circumstances, he or she is negligent and may bear liability for a related car accident. Common examples of driver errors include:

  • Drunk driving
  • Distracted driving or inattention
  • Texting and driving
  • Speeding
  • Driving while drowsy
  • Violating traffic laws
  • Following too closely
  • Failing to yield the right-of-way
  • Red-light running
  • Reckless driving or road rage

While negligent and dangerous drivers are behind most car accidents in Florida, some collisions are caused by environmental factors, such as road defects or bad weather. If a road in Brandon should have been better maintained, the city government could be held responsible. Other car accidents are caused by defective vehicle parts, such as bad brakes or a tire blowout. Vehicle manufacturers could be held liable in these cases.

Common Injuries From Car Accidents

When a vehicle crashes into another car or fixed object, the forces created by the collision can be too much for its occupants to withstand. The human body can only take so much before injuries arise. Virtually any part of the body could be injured in a motor vehicle accident. Possible physical injuries include:

  • Bone fractures
  • Muscle and ligament damage
  • Head trauma and concussions
  • Skull fractures
  • Traumatic brain injuries
  • Neck and back injuries
  • Whiplash
  • Spinal cord injuries
  • Crush injuries
  • Cuts and lacerations
  • Severe burns
  • Internal injuries
  • Wrongful death

In addition, crash survivors often struggle with psychological trauma and emotional distress, including post-traumatic stress disorder. They may experience flashbacks or a new fear of driving. Learning how to live with serious injuries can take an emotional toll on a victim, such as adapting to a permanent disability or coping with disfiguring scars.

Florida Is a No-Fault Car Accident State

If you are involved in a motor vehicle collision, you have the right to pursue compensation under Florida’s no-fault insurance system. All drivers are required to carry personal injury protection (PIP) coverage in the event of a collision. You can file a claim against your own policy and recover the financial expenses related to your accident, such as medical care or property damage.

In some cases, PIP coverage is not enough to meet your needs. Under Florida law, you are eligible to pursue a third-party insurance claim against an at-fault driver and recover additional compensation following the accident. However, your injuries will need to qualify as serious or involve any of the following effects.

  • Permanent injury
  • Significant and permanent scarring or disfigurement
  • Significant and permanent loss of a bodily function
  • Death

If your accident was caused by another driver, you could also pursue a lawsuit against him or her in Florida civil court. To secure compensation in a personal injury claim, you will need to show that his or her actions directly caused your collision and resulting injuries.

Contact a Brandon Car Accident Lawyer Today

If you or a loved one were injured in a car accident in Brandon, FL, the car accident lawyers at Vanguard Attorneys can help. Our attorneys will guide you and advocate for your interests to help secure the settlement that you deserve. Contact us today to schedule your free case consultation with a Brandon car accident attorney.