Summerfield Car Accident Lawyer
If you are confused about the steps you need to take after an accident, the legal team at Meldon Law can help. Having our Summerfield personal injury attorneys in your corner can allow you to focus on getting your health and life back on track after a car accident. Whether you were injured in a wreck or you lost a loved one, we can help you file a claim to get compensation.
The Summerfield car accident lawyers at Meldon Law guide victims and families through the insurance claim and lawsuit process. We know Florida accident law inside and out when it comes to recovering damages against negligent drivers.
Trust our team to handle every aspect of proving fault, documenting your losses, negotiating fiercely with insurers, and taking legal action when suitable settlements cannot be reached. With compassion and dedication, we lift the legal burden so you can concentrate on healing. Call us today to get started: (352) 373-8000.
What Is the Average Car Accident Settlement in Florida?
It’s difficult to pinpoint an average or typical settlement amount for Florida car accident injury claims. Every collision and degree of harm is unique, shaping individual payout results. We have had cases settle for $250,000, $500,000, and $1.5 million.
Major contributing factors that can determine the amount of your settlement include:
Case specifics: In some cases, several parties may share liability for your accident which can increase your potential payout. For example, if a truck driver causes your accident, the trucking company may share liability. This could increase the policy limits and allow you to recover a higher amount from insurance.
Injury severity: Traumatic brain injuries, paralysis, and fatalities warrant substantially higher values than less catastrophic harm.
Ongoing needs: Extensive, lifelong medical treatment and lost income abilities add significantly to case values.
Shared fault: If you shared responsibility for the wreck, your compensation can be reduced by your percentage of fault.
Our Summerfield car accident lawyers will analyze all aspects of liability and damages to develop reasonable compensation estimates and a demand for compensation.
Compensation You Can Get in a Car Accident Claim in Summerfield
Suffering injuries and vehicle damage in a car crash is stressful enough without financial worries worsening matters. Pursuing rightful compensation through an injury claim ensures the negligent driver covers all your damages, including:
- Medical expenses: All costs tied to injury treatments, from the ambulance ride to medications, surgeries, therapies and assistive devices should be included. We gather documentation and project future expenses.
- Lost income: Any wages you missed during recovery and any potential long-term reduced earning capacity from crash-related disabilities. Documenting pay records helps justify these damages.
- Vehicle repairs/replacement: The at-fault motorist should pay for your vehicle loss whether that means covering repair bills or total loss.
- Pain and suffering: The physical discomfort and emotional trauma stemming from crash injuries deserve financial compensation as well.
- Other damages: Things like childcare expenses while recovering or property losses may also be recoverable.
Our injury lawyers will thoroughly investigate your unique car accident circumstances then aggressively pursue the compensation warranted. Let us handle battling insurers while you focus on healing. Schedule a free case review now.
How Long You Have to File a Car Accident Lawsuit in Florida
Florida sets strict deadlines to take legal action or you lose the right to seek compensation. According to Florida Statutes § 95.11, you have two years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit. You also have two years from the date of a fatal accident to file a wrongful death lawsuit.
There are some exceptions to these rules, such as in the case where a minor is injured. Your Summerfield car accident attorney will explain the statute of limitations as it applies to your claim.
Can You File a Claim for Compensation if You Are Partly at Fault in a Car Accident in Florida?
Even if you were partly to blame for a Florida car crash, you could still get money for medical bills, lost pay and more. Florida has a “modified comparative fault” law. This means when both drivers share fault for a wreck, the person suing for damages still recovers money. But their award gets reduced by their percent of fault. You can recover compensation as long as you are not more than 50% responsible for the crash.
Also, Florida has “no-fault” auto insurance laws. After a crash, you file a Personal Injury Protection (PIP) claim through your own policy, no matter who caused it. This covers medical costs and additional losses. Depending on the circumstances of your case, you may also be able to file a claim against the other driver.
Who Do You Sue if You Are Hit By an Uninsured Driver in Summerfield?
If the driver who injured you did not have insurance, you can file a claim with your own insurer. You may have several options, depending on your policy:
- Your PIP coverage
- Your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (You have to reject this coverage in writing. If you did not reject it, you likely have this coverage.)
How a Summerfield Car Accident Lawyer Can Help You
Getting hurt in a Summerfield car wreck can derail your life. Our injury law firm has helped many people after crashes. We get clients money for bills, missed work, pain and suffering.
How our injury law firm helps after car crashes:
- Individualized attention – We tailor our approach case-by-case. Each client gets personalized service that addresses your specific accident needs.
- Seasoned courtroom experience – We litigate stubborn cases and get results. If insurers do not offer fair settlements, we take them to court and use our decades of proven litigation success to fight for you.
- Caring guidance – Compassion plus experience advances your interests. We balance empathy for your struggles with legal skill to deliver positive case outcomes.
- Thorough investigation – We collect all evidence to establish fault and damages. Our lawyers leave no stone unturned when investigating accidents to prove responsibility.
- Documents injuries & losses – We calculate all bills and future impacts to claim. We account for both current expenses and lifelong collision impacts.
- Identify liable parties – Pinpoint all potential sources for compensation. Our attorneys identify every negligent party to demand accountability from multiple parties.
- Handle insurance claims – Deal directly with insurers and press for payouts. We manage the entire claim process to ensure satisfied clients, not quick insurer payouts.
- Fight for settlements – Leverage skills and evidence to optimize pre-trial offers. Our firm crafts well-supported demands that corner insurers into issuing fair settlements.
- File lawsuits when required – We take defiant insurers to court if needed. Uncooperative insurance providers find themselves facing our litigation team in court when settlement attempts fail.
- Decades of trial advocacy – Our litigation experience gets clients justice. If courtroom action becomes necessary, our trial lawyers have the talent to prevail.
Trust our dedicated team to handle the legal complexities while you focus on recovering from your crash injuries. You can read our client testimonials to learn more about how we can help.
Filing a Claim After a Loved One Dies in a Fatal Car Accident in Summerfield, NC
Losing a loved one to another driver’s negligence is one of the most painful experiences you can endure. After a loss, families can pursue a wrongful death claim. This legal action seeks damages to help surviving members going forward. Money can help replace the income you are now missing. It offers the security to safely heal and move ahead despite this hardship.
Our Summerfield car accident attorneys have successfully handled many wrongful death cases from car wrecks. We can advise grieving families on all of your legal options in Florida. We will fight to get compensation you are owed under the law after a preventable tragedy.
In a wrongful death case, we gather evidence of the financial and emotional losses you now face. We can also get money for income the deceased would have earned were it not for the collision cutting their life short. This compensation can bring your family stability and prevent financial insecurity after a sudden loss.
Mistakes to Avoid in a Car Accident Case in Summerfield
Pursuing fair compensation after a car accident injury requires strategic legal navigation. Certain missteps could compromise your claim value or even your eligibility to recover damages. Here are key mistakes to avoid:
Failing to Report the Collision
Leaving the scene without proper documentation or not promptly informing your insurer opens questions around validity and makes investigating liability difficult. You need to file a police report with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office so your lawyer can use it as evidence.
Neglecting to Get Medical Care
Gaps between an accident and treatment fuel insurer arguments that your injuries resulted from other causes. Seek documented medical opinions immediately after a wreck. This is not only important to your health—the medical record your doctor visits create can prove the extent of your injuries and that you’ve been following your treatment plan.
Not Photographing Evidence
Without images capturing damage, roads, sightlines and more, reconstructing how the crash unfolded can become a one-sided debate. For your best chance at proving fault in a wreck, take photos and videos of the scene, the vehicles, and any injuries.
Providing an Overly Detailed Statement
Anything you say to insurers can and will be used against your Summerfield car accident claim. Limit your statements to the insurance company or any other parties until your attorney prepares specifics. It is also important to remember not to apologize for the accident, even if you believe you may have been at fault. Any admissions of liability will also be used against you.
Accepting an Early Settlement Offer
Insurers commonly make low initial offers hoping injured parties will take fast cash in lieu of full damages. Consult a car accident lawyer from our firm before you accept any settlement offer. It can protect the value of your claim and your future.
How Negligence Causes Car Accidents in Summerfield
Driver negligence is the biggest cause of car accidents in Florida. When a driver gets behind the wheel, they have a duty of care to keep others who are sharing the road safe by following the rules and laws. When they fail to do so, the following types of accidents can occur:
- Rear-end collisions: These occur when drivers fail to stop in time and slam into the vehicle in front of them. This often is tied to tailgating, distraction, intoxication, or speeding.
- Head-on crashes: Drivers straying into oncoming traffic lanes or passing on blind corners can spark dangerous head-on impacts.
- Sideswipe accidents: Improper, unsafe lane changes and merges can cause sideswipe collisions and spinouts.
- Intersection collisions: Running red lights, stop signs, failure to yield right of way, and turning without looking properly can lead to severe t-bone crashes.
- Pedestrian and bicycle accidents: Inattentive or reckless driving proves dangerous for vulnerable road users in crosswalks, on sidewalks, and in bike lanes.
- Rollover wrecks: Vehicles prone to tipping or drivers taking turns/ramps too sharply at speed can easily roll with severe consequences.
If any form of driver negligence contributed to your car accident injuries, a Florida car accident lawyer can help prove fault and demand accountability.
Get a Free Consultation With a Summerfield Car Accident Attorney
Suffering injuries in a preventable car accident is emotionally and financially devastating. Pursuing fair compensation while you’re coping with so much stress is extremely challenging without an attorney guiding you through the complex legal process.
That’s why the accident injury attorneys at our firm provide free, no-obligation consultations to collision victims and families. Sit down with us for an honest assessment of what happened, a review of your options, and straight-forward advice on obtaining accountability.
Schedule a free consultation now to get caring legal assistance aimed at helping you heal, rebuild, and cover your bills.
