Distasio Law Firm understands how stressful the weeks after a motor vehicle collision can be. You may be feeling pressure from the insurance company to settleโand you might even be considering it just to get the whole thing over with.
A Bradenton car accident lawyer can help with your case. Our team of skilled injury attorneys is committed to offering hands-on legal service so you can rest easy knowing your interests are protected while we see that the wrongdoer is held liable.
How Distasio Law Firm Can Help After Your Bradenton Car Accident
When our firm was founded, we were focused on one ideaโthat every person involved in an accident has the right to fair, personalized legal service. You are not just another client to us. You are a real person who is suffering and has the legal right to hold the person responsible for the pain you endured.
Here is how an experienced car accident lawyer in Bradenton from Distasio Law Firm can help you after your accident.
Personal, Hands-On Legal Advice
Every client we take on gets personalized, hands-on legal attention. We take the time to truly understand the challenges you are facing and how your accident has impacted your life. If you have questions, we are always available to answer them and explain all available options.
We Build Your Car Accident Claim
Building a car accident claim is no easy task. It requires gathering evidence, including police reports and medical bills, working to understand the long-term impact of your injuries, and may even require working with accident reconstruction specialists to prove how the accident occurred. While time-consuming, this is a critical step in building a strong case for damages.
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Negotiate With the Insurance Companies
Insurance companies claim they are trying to fairly compensate people for the damages they have suffered. In reality, insurance companies are in the business of making money. The lower the settlement, the more money they make.
A diligent car crash attorney in Bradenton from Distasio Law Firm can ensure this does not happen to you. Our team takes over the negotiation process with the insurance companies so you can focus on getting better.
Fighting for You in a Bradenton Courtroom
Ideally, our team of proactive personal injury lawyers will be able to reach an agreement with your or the at-fault partyโs insurance company without going to court. However, we prepare for every case to go to court. If necessary, our team will take your case to court, where we will present your case to the judge or jury.
How to Prove Negligence for an Auto Wreck in Bradenton
Arguably the most important responsibility your motor vehicle collision lawyer helping Bradenton families will have is establishing liability. If you hope to recover compensation from the liable party, your attorney will need to show that the defendantโs negligence caused your injuries. To prove negligence, the following elements will need to be met:
- Duty of care
- Breach of duty
- Causation
- Damages
Throughout your attorneyโs investigation, we will gather the evidence needed to prove negligence. Some of the more common types of evidence used to support Bradenton car accident claims include:
- Accident reconstructionist reports
- Crash and police reports
- Cell phone records
- Chemical blood alcohol concentration (BAC) test results
- Video footage of the accident
- Photos of the injuries and accident scene
- Medical records
Our Firm Will Establish Fault for Your Bradenton Car Crash
As your car accident lawyer investigates the cause of the collision, they will uncover who is responsible for causing the accident. Multiple parties could share fault for your car accident injuries. In many Bradenton auto crash claims, negligent drivers are found to be primarily at fault. Some examples of negligent driving include:
- Cell phone use and distracted driving
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Failure to stop at a stop sign or traffic light
- Failure to yield the right-of-way
- Driving over the speed limit
- Operating a vehicle while fatigued
- Other types of traffic violations
However, you may be surprised to learn that negligent drivers are not the only party held accountable for causing motor vehicle accidents in Bradenton. Other parties who could share fault include:
- Government agencies and municipalities who fail to maintain safe roadways
- Auto parts manufacturers, maintenance technicians, safety inspectors, and others involved in ensuring the safety of motor vehicles
- Dram shop that over-served or sold alcohol to an individual who was already under the influence or impaired
Florida Comparative Negligence Laws Could Affect Your Compensation
Many car accidents and car accident injuries involve shared fault. Here, injury victims may be partially at fault for the injuries they sustained. Since Florida follows a pure comparative negligence system, if you are partially responsible for causing your car accident injuries, you could still collect compensation for your suffering.
However, you should expect to be held accountable for your portion of blame. The courts will reduce your injury settlement in proportion to your percentage of liability. This means if you share 25% of the fault for the accident, your injury settlement would be reduced by 25% as well.
If you have questions about how Floridaโs pure comparative negligence laws could affect your injury settlement, speak to your attorney to discuss your concerns in greater detail.
Damages Available After Your Bradenton Car Accident
After a motor vehicle wreck, the costs may add up quickly. You may no longer have a working vehicle, making getting to work difficult. Severe injuries can result in thousands of dollars in medical bills. It can be frightening to consider that your financial future may be at risk.
The good news is you may be eligible to recover all the costs associated with your Bradenton car accident. However, the exact amount will vary based on the details of your accident, as well as the limits of your insurance policy. Depending on these details, you may be eligible to recover the following damages:
Vehicle Repair or Replacement Costs
In many cases, your insurance or the other partyโs insurance will cover the cost of repair or replacement of your vehicle. They may also cover the cost of items in the car, such as a sound system or a GPS device.
Medical Expenses
You may also be eligible to recover the medical expenses you incurred due to your injuries. Covered expenses may include surgery, medical devices, hospitalization, medication, and physical or occupational therapies.
Lost Wages
If you miss time at work due to doctorโs appointments or injuries, you may be able to claim lost wages in your Bradenton car accident claim.
Pain and Suffering
Most damages are designed to reimburse you for expenses incurred in the past or expenses that will be incurred in the future. Pain and suffering damages, on the other hand, are compensated for having to live with the physical and emotional distress of an accident. They include compensation for disability, disfigurement, mental anguish, and the loss of enjoyment of life, and more.
You Have a Limited Time to Act
Florida Statutes ยง 95.11 limits the amount of time Bradenton car accident victims have to pursue their losses. In most situations, you can expect to have two years from the date of your Bradenton auto collision to file a claim. Once the statute of limitations has lapsed, you may be unable to pursue losses.
For this reason, we strongly recommend seeking legal advice as soon as possible after your car accident.
How a Car Accident Lawyer Could Help You After a Bradenton Accident
The weeks after a motor vehicle accident are likely to be stressful. You may be dealing with doctorโs appointments, getting your car repaired, and handling all the other tasks of your daily life.
However, we strongly recommend you do not wait to seek legal counsel. Our legal team is ready to take over the legal process and ensure your right to compensation is protected each step of the way.
We are committed to providing all Bradenton car crash victims with hands-on legal advice. Our firm will answer all your questions and guide you through the legal process, including negotiation with the insurance company.
Meet With a Bradenton Car Accident Attorney Today
Although the car accident claims process can be overwhelming, when you have a well-practiced Bradenton car accident lawyer at Distasio Law Firm advocating for your rights, you can feel confident in your decision to move forward with your case.
Call Distasio Law Firm now to discuss your legal options when you are ready to obtain your no-cost, risk-free consultation. Scott Distasio and his staff of experienced car accident attorneys are ready to lend a hand and get you the recovery you deserve.