Automobile wrecks cause hundreds of injuries every day across the state of Florida, and many of them stem entirely from just one other person’s reckless or careless conduct. Unfortunately, pursuing financial recovery through a civil claim for this kind of accident can be deceptively challenging, especially on your own.
Fortunately, there is assistance available in scenarios like this from capable personal injury attorneys with a track record of achieving successful settlements and court verdicts for people just like you. Representation from a Gibsonton car accident lawyer from Distasio Law Firm who has the expertise and resolve to fight on your behalf could make all the difference in how your case ultimately plays out and whether you get the compensation you need.
No-Fault Car Crash Claims in Gibsonton
As opposed to the “fault” systems followed in many other states that impose fairly few restrictions on a car accident victim’s right to file suit afterwards, Florida adheres to a “no-fault” system that generally requires crash victims to go through their own insurance coverage first. It is worth noting that this system does have some benefits in certain situations—for example, rather than having to prove someone else was specifically at fault for your wreck, you should be able to get repaid for out-of-pocket losses like medical expenses and car repair costs through your personal injury protection (PIP) insurance coverage no matter who bears the blame for the accident.
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However, this system will generally restrict you from filing third-party litigation over other losses unless you sustain a “serious injury,” which generally means an injury with permanent and debilitating/disfiguring consequences. In such a situation, a skilled Gibsonton car accident attorney could help you demand civil restitution—in addition to whatever compensation your insurance carrier provides—for damages such as future medical expenses, lost working capacity, physical pain, and psychological/emotional trauma.
Possible Obstacles to Effective Civil Recovery
If your injuries from a car wreck caused by a negligent driver are severe enough to make civil litigation a possibility, you will have to contend with all the same rules and restrictions that state law sets out for other personal injury claims. Unfortunately, this means any amount of fault a court assigns to you for contributing to the crash through your own negligence could be held against you as a proportional reduction from your final damage award’s value, in accordance with Florida Statutes §768.81.
Furthermore, Fla. Stat. §95.11(3) grants most prospective personal injury plaintiffs—even those with irreversible and life-altering injuries—two years maximum after they suffer injuries to pursue legal action. Without support from a auto collision lawyer in Gibsonton, you may have a prohibitively difficult time collecting evidence and building a strong claim inside of this strict time limit.
A Gibsonton Car Accident Attorney Could Help You Seek Justice
Even if you are fortunate enough to escape without any serious injuries, being involved in a traffic collision can still be a uniquely traumatizing experience. If your wreck leaves you severely hurt, that trauma may manifest as extensive financial, physical, and personal losses—all of which you might have no choice but to bear the burden of yourself if you fail to proactively demand compensation from the person responsible.
Working with a proactive Gibsonton car accident lawyer, like Scott Distasio, could tip the odds of securing a favorable case result in your favor. Learn more by calling one of the diligent attorneys at Distasio Law Firm today.
