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If you’re filing a car accident claim in Panama City Beach, you already know that the road can be a dangerous place. From minor fender-benders to major collisions, the combination of potential occurrences on the road can be truly daunting.
If you or someone you love is concerned about whether the wronged party will receive the compensation they need to put this incident behind them, a professional lawyer may be the best way to settle the matter.
A car accident lawyer is trained to do more than understand the letter of the law. The right lawyer has the experience, know-how, and determination to fight for you in court.
If you’re new to the system in Florida, you should know that your case will be determined by more than what happened on the road. Florin|Roebig wants to help you understand what you need to successfully file a claim and remain on your side throughout the claims process.
Common Causes Of Car Accidents In Panama City Beach
As a popular tourist location, Panama City Beach is the site of numerous car accidents each year.
Car accidents typically occur due to one of the following reasons:
- speeding: Speeding is one of the top causes of car accidents, largely because a driver will take longer to stop if they’re going over the limit.
- distracted driving: Our smartphones tell us everything from where to meet our friends to how to get to the destination. It’s no wonder that so many car accidents are caused because someone is looking elsewhere at the time of the impact.
- weather: Summer showers, windy nights, fierce storms: natural forces at play can lead to hazardous road conditions.
- impaired driving: Alcohol is by no means the only way for a driver to drive impaired. A driver who has recently been given a prescription may not realize that they shouldn’t be driving while on the medication.
- tired driving: There have been a number of studies that suggest exhausted drivers are as dangerous as those who drive under the influence.
- vision: As the human eye ages, it processes light and objects differently. Older drivers may not be able to see light and objects as well as younger drivers can, and this can lead to an accident.
If you’ve experienced an accident due to one or more of these causes, you may be able to file a car accident claim. A lawyer can help you understand more about how these events will influence both how your claim is processed and the amount of compensation you deserve.
Reasons To File A Car Accident Claim
Regardless of whether you or someone you know was involved in the accident, you have your own personal reasons for wanting to file a claim. Maybe you want compensation for medical care and at-home assistance during your recovery. Or, maybe you want to make sure that what happened on the road never occurs again.
While no driver is ever perfect, there are some people who will continue to endanger other people’s lives if they’re not stopped. Many victims file a claim in court because they feel they have a responsibility to the larger community to hold the at-fault party responsible.
A car insurance company isn’t responsible for prosecuting the other party — only you can make that happen if they were responsible for causing you harm.
Factors That Affect Car Accident Claims
Your car accident claim will come down to the following details, as well as others, depending on the details surrounding your case:
- injuries: The extent of your injuries will influence how the courts view the situation and determine compensation.
- life events: Car accidents can severely affect your life plans. If you’re unable to continue your schooling or career due to the accident, this will be weighed heavily by the court.
- relationships: Your injuries can gravely interfere with the relationships you have with your friends, family, children, and colleagues.
- claim type: Car accident attorneys will typically file your claim under either property damage or personal injury. This will affect how your claim is processed.
- statutes: In Florida, you’re given up to four years to file your claim. If you file later than this because it took years for your injuries to manifest (which is technically allowed), this can impact how the courts process the claim.
How Much Compensation Can You Win?
There is no way for a lawyer to tell you exactly how much compensation you’ll be given. However, an experienced lawyer may be able to give you a ballpark figure based on previous cases like yours. Those who receive the most compensation are those who can prove that their life was drastically changed from the moment the car accident happened.
Permanent disability and wrongful death are usually the most severe types of accidents. There’s no amount of compensation that can make the situation right in the most drastic cases, but financial aid can at least ease some of the burden for the victims.
Types Of Damages Awarded In Car Accident Claims
You can file for any of the following, depending on the circumstances of the accident:
- medical care: This can include any necessary medical care from a qualified professional, including (but not limited to) a live-in nurse, physical therapist, chiropractor, surgeon, or doctor.
- aftercare: If you need additional assistance from a non-medical professional, such as a nanny, cleaner, or at-home aide, you can also file for these costs.
- property damage: You can file for the repairs or replacement costs of property damaged lost during the accident.
- lost wages: Lost wages includes both those you would have made at the time of the accident as well as after the accident occurred. So if you were in line for a promotion and the accident caused you to miss out on this opportunity, you can claim the wages you would have made.
- loss of consortium: This type of damage cannot be filed by the person in the accident. It can only be filed by the person’s partner or spouse. These damages are meant to account for the stress and/or monetary loss of the partner due to the accident.
- pain and suffering: Pain and suffering is a type of compensation that addresses the mental anguish that a person feels after the accident occurred.
- punitive: Punitive damages are a way to punish the at-fault driver. They are generally not given unless the other driver was intentionally trying to cause an accident.
Car (Auto) Accident Rates In Panama City Beach
Panama City Beach and Bay County have reported the following statistics:
- In 2017, there were 6 vehicles involved in fatal accidents and 4 fatalities in Panama City Beach. US-98, SR-
- 392, and CR-30 were the most dangerous places in the city.
- In 2017, there were 4,051 total crashes and 29 fatalities in Bay County.
- In 2017, there were 2,614 total property damage crashes in Bay County
List Of Car Accident Attorneys Serving Panama City Beach
When you’re ready to file your car accident claim, you need skill and experience on your side. Florin|Roebig car accident lawyers have more than three decades of experience in representing clients in Florida, and we are ready to put our resources to work for you.
If you’re looking for car accident lawyers serving Panama City Beach, Florin|Roebig can help.
Our team includes the following esteemed lawyers, as well as many others:
- Wil H. Florin, B.C.S.
- Tommy D. Roebig, B.C.S.
- Chad K. Florin, M.B.A., LL.M.
- Michael L. Walker, B.C.S.
- Nicholas S. Costantino
Find Help Filing A Car Accident Claim
Filing a claim on your own can be intimidating at best and frustrating at worst. Those who try to do it alone may quickly find themselves discouraged by the number of steps involved. In addition, the court system isn’t always understanding to those who aren’t sure of the rules or who don’t know the nuances behind the rhythm of the court.
If you want to give yourself the best possible chance of getting the compensation you deserve, Florin|Roebig has a team of lawyers who can help you navigate a complex system so that you can come out ahead. When you call us for help with filing your claim, you give yourself a head start that can make all the difference to the outcome of your case. Contact us today to get started.