Car Accident Lawyer in Pensacola, Florida

What Are Common Types of Car Accidents in Florida?

While no two motor vehicle accidents are alike, many share certain characteristics. The types of car accidents include:

• Head-On Collisions
  These occur when two vehicles crash in front of each other. These are rare, but they tend to have catastrophic consequences, such as traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord injuries, and numerous medical expenses.
• Rear-End Collisions
  These happen when the front end of one car crashes into the rear end of the vehicle in front of it. These are among the most common car accidents and usually stem from distraction, impairment, or other forms of driver negligence.
• T-Bone Accidents
  These will occur when the front end of one vehicle crashes into the side of another. They often happen when a driver confuses or ignores the right of way at intersections, leading to serious injuries and a lot of medical expenses.
• Sideswipe Accidents
  These happen when the side of one vehicle collides or swipes against the side of another vehicle. Common causes include unsafe lane changes and failure to check blind spots.
• Rollover Accidents
  These involve a vehicle tipping over to the side or rolling over to its roof during an auto wreck. These crashes occur when a driver attempts to turn the vehicle at a high speed, or the friction between the road and the tires causes the vehicle to tip and roll over.
• Multi-Vehicle Accidents
  Also called pile-ups or chain-reaction collisions, these are accidents in which several motorists are involved. As a result, there can be conflicting reports about what occurred, and the issue of responsibility can become complex.
• Single-Vehicle Crashes
  These involve one vehicle colliding with a fixed object, such as a ditch, pole, or building. Although the vehicle’s driver is typically at fault, there could be other factors, such as improperly maintained roads or defective vehicle parts.
• Low-Speed Accidents
  These collisions are often referred to as “fender benders,” because they usually result in minor vehicle damage. Yet low-speed accidents can still cause injuries such as whiplash or complications that might not manifest until much later.
• Hit-and-Run Accidents
  In these accidents, a driver flees the scene instead of staying to check on who they hit or provide contact information. An attorney can help you file a car accident claim through your own uninsured motorist (UM) policy and serve as a liaison between you and police officials investigating the crash.
• Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Accidents
  Sometimes, the driver who caused the crash doesn’t have insurance or enough coverage to pay for everything. This is where optional uninsured and underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage comes in. It’s covered under your insurer, but because you might encounter challenges getting them to pay it, you may need an attorney.
• Uber/Lyft Accidents
  Accidents that involve rideshare drivers bring complex liability issues. It can be challenging to determine who is at fault and whether the rideshare driver’s insurance company or the insurance that Uber or Lyft provides should pay compensation. This is why your best bet is to have a lawyer review your car accident case.

Compensation Available for Car Accident Victims in Florida

At Cardoso Law, our Pensacola car accident attorneys will work with you to seek damages. In a car accident injury claim, the term “damages” refers to the money you may recover for accident-related personal and financial losses. These include:

• Medical bills – These are for treating car accident-related injuries, such as hospital stays, doctor visits, prescription medications, and physical therapy.
• Lost wages – These account for the reduction in your work wages from the time you missed on the job while recovering from accident-related injuries. You also could be compensated for being forced to use vacation or sick time due to your serious injuries.
• Future losses – These are projected values of losses you will probably incur because of the auto wreck. When our attorneys work on your car accident case, we will factor in the costs of medical care you will need and projected losses in your lifetime earning capacity.
• Pain and suffering – These factor in the intangible costs of the physical pain, mental anguish, and emotional suffering you have and will endure.
• Lost quality of life – These are intangible losses due to any injuries, disfigurement, disabilities, or psychological trauma that the accident caused. They account for a diminished overall quality or enjoyment of life.
• Incidental expenses – These are out-of-pocket expenses you would incur for goods and services you would need because of the motor vehicle accident. They include the costs of in-home assistance and traveling to and from medical appointments.
• Vehicle repair costs – These cover repair or replacement for your vehicle and other personal property or items if they sustained damage in the crash.

Is There a Time Limit for Filing a Car Accident Injury Lawsuit in Florida?

Florida law imposes a time limit for filing a car accident lawsuit, called the statute of limitations. It dictates that car accident victims have just two years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit or settle a claim.

If a car accident kills someone, their loved ones have only two years from the date of their death to file a lawsuit seeking compensation (this is known as a wrongful death claim).

The court will dismiss your case if you fail to file a lawsuit within these time limitations. However, the statute of limitations contains some narrow exceptions on car accident claims that could benefit your particular situation. It’s best to contact a Pensacola car accident attorney immediately to learn whether your car accident claim could qualify for these conditions.