Did you recently suffer injuries or lose a loved one in a car accident in Melbourne, Florida? Contact the award-winning Melbourne car accident lawyers at Norden Leacox Car Accident And Personal Injury Lawyers by calling 321-450-7134. As a crash victim, you have rights. Through a legal claim, you can pursue compensation for your lost wages, medical bills, and other damages. We can help you maximize your recovery.
Norden Leacox Car Accident And Personal Injury Lawyers is a leader in car accident litigation. Our top-rated Florida trial attorneys have a combined 75 years of experience and a demonstrated ability to win big. Through determination and hard work, we’ve forced insurance companies and other powerful adversaries to pay our clients tens of millions of dollars in compensation.
Don’t settle for less than you deserve, and don’t give the insurance company the upper hand. Give yourself the edge you need to win by putting our acclaimed litigators in your corner. Contact our Melbourne, FL, law office today. Your initial case evaluation is free.
How Norden Leacox Car Accident And Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help You After a Car Accident in Melbourne, FL
You got hurt in a car accident because someone else was negligent. While you may have the right to pursue compensation for your losses, getting money in your hands can be a challenge. After all, insurance companies are powerful entities with considerable resources at their disposal.
That’s where our Melbourne personal injury lawyers can help.
At Norden Leacox Car Accident And Personal Injury Lawyers, we’re passionate about the work we do. Our attorneys are fearless litigators who’ve dedicated their careers to making a difference in the lives of accident victims like you. Our results speak for themselves, with tens of millions in damages recovered.
When you turn to our car accident attorneys in Melbourne for help, you become family.
Count on us to:
- Help you navigate this stressful time in your life and give you the opportunity you need to get better
- Coordinate a timely investigation into your car accident
- Evaluate medical records, the accident report, property damage, photographs of your injuries, pictures of the scene of the crash, video footage, witness statements, cell phone records, and other evidence we get through discovery
- Consult car accident reconstructionists, vocational rehabilitation specialists, medical professionals, and other expert witnesses
- Anticipate strategies designed to shift liability and hurt your ability to recover the full value of your car accident claim
- Represent your best interests during settlement negotiations with the insurance carrier and other parties
If you don’t receive a settlement offer that covers the full extent of your losses, our award-winning Florida trial attorneys won’t hesitate to bring your case to a Brevard County jury. We’re known for our winning reputation in the courtroom, which can be a huge asset for you as you fight for compensation.
We represent car accident victims on contingency. You’ll pay nothing unless we win compensation for your car accident case.
Reach out to our legal team in Melbourne or connect with us online to get started with a free consultation.
Why Should I Hire a Car Accident Attorney?
It can be tough to recover the compensation you deserve after a car accident, especially if you decide to handle your insurance claim or lawsuit on your own. Hiring an experienced personal injury attorney to represent you can make a huge difference.
In fact, the Insurance Research Council found that plaintiffs who hired attorneys were more likely to win their car accident claims and recover up to 3.5 times more in compensation than those who didn’t.
Here’s why:
- You level the playing field against tough insurance companies and prevent them from dictating the terms of your case
- You benefit from the law firm’s valuable resources and connections with trusted experts
- You’ll know what your car accident case is worth and won’t be manipulated into accepting a lowball deal
- You have someone to help you fight back against claims of comparative negligence
Hiring an attorney is one of the best decisions you can make after you’re involved in a Melbourne car accident. When you choose Norden Leacox Car Accident And Personal Injury Lawyers, you’ll put a respected team of litigators in your corner and set yourself up for a substantial monetary recovery.
Contact us to learn more about why you’ll want us fighting for you after your crash.
How Much Is My Car Accident Case Worth?
If you’re considering filing an insurance claim or lawsuit after a car accident in Melbourne, you’re probably wondering what your case is worth. In truth, there’s no standard settlement or payout in these types of cases.
Every victim’s situation is different, and it’s the things that make your case unique that will ultimately dictate its value.
One primary factor will be whether you’re eligible to file a personal injury lawsuit or third-party insurance claim for additional compensation above what your “no-fault” Personal Injury Protection (PIP) policy covers. Our legal team can help you determine whether you have this option during your free consultation.
Several other things must be considered when assessing how much money you might be able to get after a car accident:
- What injuries have you suffered?
- Are those injuries catastrophic?
- Will you need long-term medical treatment or nursing care?
- Have you been forced to miss time at work?
- Are you temporarily or permanently disabled?
- What out-of-pocket costs have you had?
- What insurance benefits are available? What are the policy limits?
- How old are you?
- Did you take appropriate steps to mitigate your damages?
- Are you getting blamed for the crash?
- How has your quality of life changed since the accident?
According to the National Safety Council (NSC), the average comprehensive cost of a car accident in 2021 ranged from $17,000 to $12.47 million, depending on how serious the victim’s injuries were. The more serious your injuries, the more of an impact they’ll have on your life – from your finances, to your ability to work, to how you’re able to spend your time.
The best way to get a sense of what your car accident case might be worth is by reaching out to an experienced personal injury lawyer near you in Melbourne, FL. Get in touch with the award-winning team at Norden Leacox Car Accident And Personal Injury Lawyers to discuss the details of your car accident. We offer a free consultation, so call our Melbourne law office today.
How Long Do I Have To Sue After a Car Accident in Florida?
When you’ve suffered an injury or experienced the wrongful death of a family member because of a Melbourne, FL, car accident, you will have two years to file a legal claim for damages.
There are some exceptions to the statute of limitations. These tend to involve government tort claims, which are subject to their own rules and regulations, and accidents where children are injured.
You do not want to miss the deadline that applies to your car accident case. You’ll lose the right to seek compensation if your claim isn’t filed before time runs out.
Protect yourself by contacting our Melbourne car accident attorneys for help right away.
What Damages Can I Get if I’ve Been Hurt in a Car Accident?
Whether you submit a claim to insurance or file a car accident lawsuit, you’ll be able to seek compensatory damages after a Melbourne car accident. Compensatory damages fall into two categories: economic and non-economic.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are intended to offset the financial costs and losses resulting from your car accident, such as:
- Current medical expenses
- Future medical bills
- Rehabilitation and therapy
- Property damage
- Out-of-pocket costs
- Lost wages
- Diminished earning capacity
- Temporary and/or permanent disability
- Funeral expenses
Recovering economic damages should make you whole and cover all of your verified expenses.
Non-Economic Damages
Sometimes, the consequences of being in a car accident don’t come with a price tag. Instead, they are very personal and, as such, the value can depend on the person and the situation. Non-economic damages are intended to help you cope with these losses.
Examples include:
- Disfigurement
- Physical scarring
- Embarrassment
- Inconvenience
- Loss of consortium
- Reduced quality of life
- Emotional distress
- Chronic physical pain
- Pain and suffering
The value of non-economic awards is often at the center of settlement negotiations. Don’t be surprised when the defense tries to downplay your trauma and how the crash has changed your life. Trust that our car accident lawyers in Melbourne will be prepared to counter these tactics and leverage a meaningful financial recovery on your behalf.
How Much Does It Cost To Hire a Car Accident Lawyer?
Getting into a car accident can be stressful. Hiring an attorney shouldn’t be. That’s why our Melbourne car accident lawyers work on contingency.
There are no out-of-pocket costs to hire our law firm. We’ll cover your case-related costs and invest the resources needed to challenge a powerful insurance company.
You’ll only pay when we win money for you through a settlement or jury award. Our fees, which are a pre-determined percentage of your recovery, come right out of your monetary award.
Don’t hesitate to reach out to our Melbourne, FL, law office to discuss our fees and discover the considerable benefits of having our award-winning legal team fighting for you.
I’m Being Blamed for My Melbourne Car Accident, Can I Still Recover Compensation?
It’s possible. However, it’s important to know that sharing responsibility for a Florida car accident will affect your ability to recover compensation.
Florida operates under a system of modified comparative negligence. There’s a 51 percent bar to recovery.
This means:
- You cannot recover damages from a third party if you’re 51 percent or more responsible for your car accident, and
- You’re entitled to a reduced monetary award when your share of the blame is equal to or less than half.
The more blame you share for the accident, the less money you’ll be able to get when your car accident claim is resolved. Sharing most of the blame is a total bar to compensation.
Let’s say you’re injured in a car accident at a busy intersection in Melbourne. Your case is valued at $100,000. However, you’re also assigned 25 percent fault for the crash. As a result, your maximum financial recovery would be limited to $75,000.
Expect the defense to blame you for the accident. Shifting liability, even just a little bit, can significantly reduce how much they’ll be required to pay for your injuries. Our car accident attorneys in Melbourne will be prepared to fight these tactics and work to maximize your recovery.
Will My Car Accident Case Go to Trial?
The vast majority of car accident cases are settled, which saves the parties the time and expense of going to trial. Roughly 4 to 5 percent of plaintiffs end up in front of a jury.
Several things can influence whether or not a case goes to trial:
- Has the insurance company offered a fair settlement?
- Is liability contested?
- Do you have compelling evidence to support your claim?
- How far apart are the parties on the valuation of damages?
Whether or not your case goes to trial is up to you. You have the power to reject or accept any settlement offers you receive. You can increase the likelihood of avoiding trial and getting a life-changing settlement by hiring an experienced Melbourne car accident lawyer to represent you.
When you hire an attorney, you show the insurance company that you’re not going to be pushed around or manipulated into accepting a lowball offer. Instead, you’re ready and willing to do what it takes to get every cent you deserve.
At Norden Leacox Car Accident And Personal Injury Lawyers, our Florida trial attorneys are feared and respected for tenacity and determination. Our results are a testament to the work we do, with tens of millions of dollars recovered.
What Should I Do After a Car Accident in Melbourne?
Getting into a car accident can be a shock. However, it’s important to keep your composure and take certain steps after you’ve been in a wreck. Your choices and decisions can have a huge impact on your health and any legal claims you decide to file.
- Report your accident to the local police immediately – you’ll want a formal record of the crash.
- Remain at or near the scene of the crash until an officer responds to your call for help.
- Don’t apologize or accept responsibility for the car accident – fault can only be established after a thorough investigation is completed.
- Take pictures of your injuries, property damage, and the scene of the accident.
- Exchange contact and insurance information with other parties.
- Get the names and numbers of any witnesses to the accident.
- Seek medical attention immediately if you’re not transported from the scene by emergency medical professionals.
- Reach out to an experienced car accident attorney near you in Melbourne to discuss your situation.
- Refuse to provide a recorded statement for the insurance company – direct all questions to your attorney, instead.
- Get a copy of your accident report from the City of Melbourne.
Don’t hesitate to contact our Melbourne law office after your car accident. Members of our team are always available to help – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The sooner you call, the sooner our car accident lawyers can begin to help you move forward.
Types of Car Accident Claims We Handle
There’s a lot riding on your car accident injury claim. When you file a claim, you’ll want to make sure that you work with an attorney who has extensive experience handling all types of car accident injury claims. After all, no two crashes are the same. You’ll want an attorney who understands how to approach your specific situation and devise a strategy to get you the best results.
At Norden Leacox Car Accident And Personal Injury Lawyers, our attorneys can represent clients who’ve been injured in:
Rear-end collisions
Rear-end collisions account for a significant percentage of all traffic accidents nationwide. While very few rear-end crashes are fatal, victims can still suffer a wide range of catastrophic injuries, like whiplash, in these types of accidents.
Head-on collisions
Every year, thousands of people are killed in head-on collisions across the United States. In fact, frontal collisions account for roughly 10 percent of all traffic accident fatalities annually. These accidents can happen when drivers get distracted, lose control of their vehicles, or get confused and drive the wrong way down a one-way road.
Rollovers
Rollover accidents are more likely to be fatal than any other type of traffic accident. In fact, rollovers are responsible for 33 percent of all fatal traffic accidents annually. These types of accidents tend to involve SUVs, light trucks, and other vehicles with a high center of gravity. Most rollovers are single-vehicle accidents that occur when a driver makes a sharp turn at high speeds or “trips” on a hazard on the roadway.
Side-impact accidents
Side-impact accidents, which include T-Bone accidents and sideswipes, occur when a car suffers impact to the driver’s side or passenger’s side. Quite often, these accidents occur at or near intersections when a motorist runs a red light or miscalculates the amount of time they have to execute a turn safely.
Single-vehicle accidents
About half of all fatal car accidents are single-vehicle crashes. Many times, single-vehicle accidents occur when drivers lose control of their vehicles because they’re drunk or distracted. In these types of accidents, the vehicle tends to strike a fixed object at high speeds or run off the road.
Intersection accidents
Intersections are inherently dangerous. So, it’s no surprise that more than half of all traffic accidents happen at or near an intersection of two or more roads. In Melbourne, the intersection of U.S. 1 and Eau Gallie Blvd is home to dozens of collisions every year.
Accidents with uninsured drivers
Research suggests that more than 20 percent of Florida’s drivers are uninsured. When there’s an accident involving one of these uninsured motorists, it can be a nightmare for other parties. Fortunately, there are ways to recover compensation after a crash with an uninsured driver, including uninsured motorist coverage benefits and/or seeking damages in a lawsuit.
Hit-and-run accidents
In 2023, more than 2,000 hit-and-run accidents were reported in Brevard County, Florida. When a driver leaves the scene of an accident, it can make getting compensation quite challenging. In these situations, it’s often imperative to enlist the services of a qualified car accident attorney near you in Melbourne.
Who’s Liable for My Car Accident?
In Florida, anyone who directly or indirectly causes a car accident can be financially responsible, or liable, for resulting damages. This is true assuming you’re able to escape the state’s “no-fault” car insurance rules as discussed above.
At the conclusion of an in-depth investigation into your car crash, our legal might find that one or more of the following parties are liable:
- The driver of another passenger vehicle
- Truck driver
- Motorcyclist
- Bicyclist
- Pedestrian
- Uber or Lyft rideshare driver
- Transit company
- Government agency
- Property owner
- Vehicle manufacturer
- Vehicle passenger
- Negligent party’s employer
Once our Melbourne car accident attorneys have established fault, we’ll devise a legal strategy that holds them fully accountable for your injuries and suffering.
Common Car Accident Injuries
At Norden Leacox Car Accident And Personal Injury Lawyers, we’re here to help you seek compensation for all of your crash-related injuries, including:
- Soft tissue injury
- Whiplash
- Concussion
- Back injury
- Neck injury
- Nerve damage
- Brain injury
- Amputation
- Degloving injury
- Chest injury
- Burn injury
- Crush injury
- Eye injury
- Catastrophic injury
- Wrongful death of someone you love
You have one opportunity to seek compensation for your debilitating car accident injuries. Make the most of it by enlisting the help of our award-winning Florida litigators. Reach out today to set up a time for a free case evaluation.
What Are the Leading Causes of Car Accidents?
Negligence – or a lack of reasonable care – is the primary reason for car accidents in Melbourne, Florida.
Specifically, some of the top causes include:
- Speeding
- Distracted driving
- Drunk driving
- Fatigued driving
- Unsafe passing
- Illegal turns
- Rolling stops
- Running red lights
- Tailgating
- Reckless driving
- Failing to yield the right of way
- Negligent vehicle maintenance
Other factors, including road defects, vehicle defects, and bad weather also contribute to some traffic accidents in Melbourne.
Melbourne Car Accident Statistics
Melbourne, FL, is home to more than 85,000 people. Every year, thousands more visit the Harbor City to explore its beaches and local attractions. Not surprisingly, traffic accidents are quite common in and around the city.
According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV), there were a total of 8,976 car accidents in Melbourne and surrounding cities in Brevard County in 2023.
That’s roughly 25 traffic accidents every day.
Overall, 49 percent of these accidents resulted in at least one injury or death. In total, 6,578 people were injured, and 92 people were killed in Melbourne-area car accidents in 2023.
Call Our Melbourne Car Accident Lawyers for a Free Case Review Today
Getting into a car accident can change your life. When someone else is responsible for the wreck, they have to be held accountable for the harm they’ve caused. Norden Leacox Car Accident And Personal Injury Lawyers can help you assert your legal rights and fight for the compensation you need and deserve.
When you turn to our Melbourne car accident lawyers for help, you benefit from a team with 75+ years of combined experience that’s won tens of millions of dollars in damages.
Set yourself up for success by reaching out to our Melbourne, FL, law office today. Your initial case assessment is free.
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