Have you been injured in a car accident in Orlando, Florida, because someone else was careless? Call Norden Leacox Accident & Injury Law at (407) 801-3000. You deserve compensation for your medical bills, loss of income, and distress. Our experienced Orlando car accident lawyers want to help you fight for maximum recovery.
We’re nationally recognized civil trial lawyers with over a century of combined experience fighting for injury victims and families. Standing up against powerful insurance companies, we’ve helped clients recover tens of millions of dollars in damages.
Now, you can count on our award-winning litigators to fight to get you a top-tier settlement, too. We offer a complimentary case evaluation. Contact our Orlando law office to get started today.
How Norden Leacox Accident & Injury Law Can Help After a Car Accident in Orlando, FL
As an accident victim, you have rights. However, getting an insurance company or another responsible party to make you whole can be more of a challenge than you might think. The Insurance company has considerable resources at its disposal, and it won’t hesitate to use them to find reasons to deny your claim or significantly limit the settlement you recover.
You can force a fair fight and better results by hiring an experienced Orlando personal injury lawyer.
Injured victims trust Norden Leacox because we’re top-rated Florida trial attorneys who’ve dedicated our careers to helping everyday people take on powerful corporations.
You can expect to work with a team of passionate legal advocates who will not hesitate to put the full force of our law firm’s resources behind your claim.
There’s no charge for an initial case evaluation, so contact our personal injury law office in Orlando to discuss the details of your car accident case today.
Why Should I Hire a Car Accident Lawyer?
Insurance companies handle claims like yours every day. They’re represented by skilled adjusters and savvy defense attorneys and have a playbook of strategies to get you to walk away with as little as possible.
Hiring an experienced car accident lawyer in Orlando, FL, is the best way to level the playing field and set the stage for a successful result. Insurance company research even shows that claimants represented by attorneys win their cases more often than others – and walk away with more money, too.
Here’s why:
- The insurance adjuster can’t rely on tactics of fear or manipulation but rather has to engage in good faith negotiations designed to make you whole
- You’ll be prepared to accept or reject settlement offers because you’ll know what your claim is worth
- Allegations of comparative negligence – especially those made without evidence – will be less likely to limit your financial recovery
- You’ll have the time you need to invest in your physical health and well-being
The law firm you choose to hire can make a difference, so don’t hesitate to call Norden Leacox to put an award-winning team of Florida’s finest litigators in your corner.
What Types of Compensation Are Available After an Orlando Auto Accident Case?
Whether you submit a claim to insurance or obtain damages through a civil lawsuit, you’ll have the opportunity to request compensatory damages to help you move forward after a crash. In Florida, compensatory damages can include two types of awards: economic and non-economic. Each helps you cope with different aspects of your recent traffic accident in Orlando.
Economic damages are awarded to cover current and future financial losses associated with your motor vehicle accident, such as:
- Medical bills
- Rehabilitation
- Therapy
- Nursing care
- Lost wages and earnings
- Diminished earning capacity
- Property damage
You should be made whole by receiving an award of economic damages from the insurance company or a negligent party.
Non-economic damages are intended to compensate for trauma resulting from a car accident that’s more difficult to value, such as:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Reduced quality of life
- Loss of companionship
- Disability
- Mental anguish
- PTSD
- Chronic physical pain
- Disfigurement
Since everyone experiences pain and suffering differently, the value of non-economic awards can vary significantly from one car accident claim to the next. Our Florida auto accident lawyers will work closely with experts as we assess the ways in which the crash has affected your life. We’ll work hard to make sure you’re compensated appropriately.
How Much Time Do I Have To File a Car Accident Lawsuit in Florida?
Florida generally applies a two-year statute of limitations to car accident claims. This means you’ll have until the second anniversary of your car accident or family member’s wrongful death to initiate a legal claim to recover compensation.
There are limited exceptions to the statute of limitations, most often applying when a child is injured in an Orlando crash or a government entity is involved in the case.
You cannot miss the deadline set by the statute of limitations. When time expires, you lose the right to pursue compensation for your crash-related costs and suffering.
At Norden Leacox, members of our legal team are available to provide assistance whenever you need it most – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Don’t hesitate to call us after a crash to discuss the details of your case and get a jumpstart on your fight for compensation.
How Much Is My Car Accident Claim Worth?
Your car accident, your experience, and your legal claim will be different from everyone else’s. So, it makes sense that there’s no set value for how much car accident victims recover when they take legal action.
However, there will always be certain questions that will be relevant when assessing how much money should be awarded, including:
- What types of physical injuries have you sustained?
- Are your injuries permanently debilitating?
- What medical care is warranted?
- How long will you require medical treatment until you’ve reached maximum medical improvement?
- Are you still able to work?
- Have you lost income, benefits, or wages during your recovery?
- Has your earning capacity changed?
- Are you partly responsible for the auto accident?
- What out-of-pocket costs have you had?
- What have you done to mitigate your damages?
- How has your ability to enjoy your life changed since the crash?
- How old are you?
The more your life changes – physically, emotionally, and monetary – the more you can typically expect to recover when your claim is settled or decided by a jury. However, it’s always important to acknowledge that some things, like shared responsibility or a failure to mitigate damages, can significantly reduce the value of your auto accident claim, if not prohibit a recovery altogether.
What Should I Do After a Car Accident in Orlando?
Your choices and decisions in the wake of a traffic accident can have significant effects on your ability to recover and the strength of your legal claim for damages.
Here’s what you should (and shouldn’t) do after a wreck:
- Call 911 to report the accident to the police and ask for first responders to be sent to the scene
- Move to a safe, nearby location out of harm’s way while you wait for the police to arrive
- Exchange insurance information with other parties
- Don’t admit fault or accept blame, even if you suspect that the accident is your fault
- Get the names of any eyewitnesses to the crash
- Document the scene to the best of your ability by taking pictures
- Get to the closest emergency room to you for a timely medical evaluation
- Contact our Orlando auto accident lawyer
- Notify your insurance company that you’ve been involved in an accident
- Refuse to provide the adjuster with a recorded statement unless expressly directed to do so by your attorney
- Rely on your attorney to help you seek the best possible financial award from the insurance company and/or other responsible parties
Call Norden Leacox for help today. Our attorneys are ready to invest the experience, resources, and passion necessary to get you top results.
What Does PIP Insurance Cover?
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance is a type of no-fault coverage that provides benefits in the event of an auto accident in Orlando. As a no-fault state, Florida requires its drivers to have a minimum of $10,000 in PIP coverage. If you get into a wreck, you will first claim your PIP car insurance to receive money for your medical bills and lost wages.
This covers 80% of necessary medical expenses, up to the policy limits, regardless of who caused the accident. This coverage will also pay for 60% of your lost wages. It may also extend to other expenses, such as home care, rehabilitation, etc.
If your expenses after the accident exceed your PIP coverage, you may be able to seek additional damages through a personal injury lawsuit.
Proving Negligence in a Car Accident Case
Most auto accidents happen because someone is negligent. So, most accident claims are based on the tort of negligence.
Whether you’re seeking benefits from an insurance company or damages from a responsible party through a lawsuit, you’ll have the burden of proving the elements of negligence.
You’ll have to establish:
- Duty: the defendant owed you a duty of care (e.g., a responsibility to follow local traffic laws and regulations)
- Breach: the defendant acted unreasonably under the circumstances, thereby breaching the duty owed to you (e.g., they were texting while driving)
- Causation: the defendant’s conduct was the direct and proximate cause of your car accident (e.g., they rear-ended you at a red light because they weren’t paying attention to the road)
- Damages: you’ve suffered damages (e.g., medical bills, a loss of income, and emotional distress)
If you can prove these elements by a preponderance of the evidence, the defense will have to make things right by paying for your damages.
What is Florida’s Comparative Negligence Law?
Sharing responsibility for a car accident can limit or bar a financial recovery, thanks to Florida’s modified comparative negligence statute.
Under the law, you can recover a monetary award from an at-fault party when your shared responsibility is less than 51 percent. In these situations, damages are reduced based on your specific share of the blame. So, you could expect to recover 60 percent of the value of your claim if you were 40 percent at fault for the wreck.
You cannot get compensation from a liable party when your shared liability exceeds half. So, it’s important to anticipate attempts to blame you and fight to protect your opportunity to recover a full monetary award.
You Could File a Wrongful Death Claim or Lawsuit
Every year, dozens of car accidents in and around Orlando are fatal. If you suffer the death of a family member in a crash, you may reserve the right to take legal action to obtain compensation for your loss.
In Florida, plaintiffs in a wrongful death case can seek damages for:
- Costs of the decedent’s funeral
- Medical bills incurred prior to death
- Lost wages and financial support
- Pain and suffering related to the death of a spouse or parent
- Loss of companionship, care, and support
Punitive damages may also be awarded if your wrongful death claim goes to trial in Orange County and a jury determines that the defendant’s actions were intentional or grossly negligent.
If you’ve lost a loved one in a fatal collision, call Norden Leacox. Our Florida car accident lawyers can help you explore your options and work to get you the monetary justice you deserve.
How Do I Prove Negligence in a Car Accident Case?
To prove another driver negligently caused your car accident, you’ll need evidence, such as:
- Medical records
- Police/accident reports
- Citations stemming from the accident
- Photos or videos of the scene
- Cell phone data of the at-fault driver
- Security or dashcam footage of the crash
- Witness statements
- Expert testimony from accident reconstructionists
Our top-rated team can conduct an exhaustive investigation to gather proof related to your case.
We can also consult experts in accident reconstruction, medicine, and finance if needed. We’ll build your case while you focus on your health, family, and recovery.
Types of Car Accident Claims We Handle in Orlando
At Norden Leacox, we advocate for clients who’ve been injured or lost close family members in all types of car accidents, including:
Rear-End Crashes
Rear-end collisions happen when the front end of a vehicle crashes into the rear of the vehicle in front of it, typically at intersections or in busy stop-and-go traffic.
Highway Collisions
Highway accidents aren’t uncommon in Orlando, thanks to high-speed travel involving many out-of-state motorists.
Intersection Accidents
Roughly half of all traffic accident injuries and one-quarter of all car accident fatalities occur in crashes at or near intersections. Intersection accidents are particularly catastrophic when motorists attempt to “beat” red lights or make illegal turns.
Multi-Vehicle Collisions
Multi-vehicle collisions, or chain reaction collisions, are accidents involving three or more motor vehicles.
Hit-and-Run Accidents
While Florida has strict requirements about remaining at the scene of an accident, not all motorists follow the rules. In fact, more than 6,000 hit-and-run accidents are reported in and around Orlando every year.
Accidents Involving Uninsured Motorists
Nearly 16 percent of Florida’s drivers are uninsured. When an accident involves an uninsured motorist, it can make it difficult for crash victims to recover necessary compensation, especially when their injuries are catastrophic and crash-related damages exceed their own Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage.
We also work on cases involving:
Type of Car Accident Injuries
What type of car accident were you involved in? Where were you sitting in the vehicle? Did the airbags deploy? Did you have your seat belt on? How fast was the vehicle traveling at the time of impact?
These and other factors will all influence the types of injuries you’re most likely to suffer in a crash, as well as how severe they might be.
At Norden Leacox, we’re here to help you seek compensation for all of your injuries, including:
- Broken bones
- Nerve damage
- Soft tissue injury
- Chest injury
- Amputation
- Degloving injury
- Burn injury
- Eye injury
- Knee injury
- Concussion
- Traumatic brain injury
- Neck injury
- Whiplash
- Spinal cord injury
- Herniated disc
- Back injury
- Paralysis
- Crushing injury
- Catastrophic injury
- Wrongful death of a family member
Do not put off seeking medical care after your accident, even if you don’t think you’ve been badly hurt. Even a low-impact collision can cause serious injuries that, left untreated, can interfere with your ability to work and live your life.
Car Accident Statistics
According to Florida state crash data, 26,260 car accidents were reported in Orange County last year. As a result of these collisions, 19,613 people were injured, and another 175 were killed.
To put that in perspective, Orlando and surrounding towns in Orange County averaged nearly 72 car accidents a day last year, in which an average of 53 people got hurt.
Of course, car accidents don’t always exclusively involve cars. Last Year, 534 bicycle accidents, 524 motorcycle accidents, and 656 pedestrian accidents were reported across Orange County.
So far in 2024, there have been 19,085 total crashes, 9,230 of which caused injuries and 109 of which were fatal. Read more about these statistics.
Car Accident FAQ
Who Could Be Liable For My Auto Accident Injuries?
Depending on how and why your car crash happened, potentially liable parties might include a/an:
- Driver of a passenger car
- Vehicle passenger
- Bus driver
- Public transportation agency
- Private transportation service
- Trucking company
- Truck driver
- Freight broker
- Cargo owner
- Property owner
- Motorcyclist
- Bicyclist
- Pedestrian
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Negligent party’s employer
- Local, county, or state government agency
Our car accident attorneys will carefully evaluate the details of your crash and work to understand precisely who’s at fault. When liability is clear, we’ll ensure you’re fully compensated for the full value of your claim.
What Are the Most Common Causes of Car Accidents?
While several factors can contribute to auto accidents, some of the most commonly cited causes include:
- Speeding
- Drunk driving
- Distracted driving
- Lane changes
- Driver fatigue
- Illegal turns
- Unsafe passing
- Blind spot errors
- Failing to yield the right of way
- Merging errors
- Braking errors
- Aggressive driving
- Road rage
- Running red lights
- Rolling stops
- Vehicle defects and malfunctions
- Road defects
Our Florida personal injury attorneys will carefully investigate the details of your auto accident and work hard to uncover precisely why it happened. Knowing the cause will be instrumental in allowing us to recover a financial award on your behalf successfully.
Call Our Orlando Car Accident Lawyers For Help
Don’t struggle with the consequences of an auto accident in Florida alone. Someone else caused the accident because they were negligent. We’re here to help you hold them accountable.
Our Orlando car accident attorneys have over 100 years of collective experience fighting for injury victims and families. As passionate advocates for our clients, we’ve secured tens of millions in settlements and jury awards.
Discover the kind of results we might be able to achieve for you, too. Contact Norden Leacox today at (407) 801-3000 to begin and set a time for a free consultation. Our firm is located near you. Our office is at 633 E Colonial Dr, Orlando, FL 32803. Find us with our GeoCoordinates: 28.5534238,-81.3692001.
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Recent Blog Posts
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Additional Resources
- Attorneys Answer: When Do You Need a Car Accident Lawyer?
- Car Accident FAQ’s
- Most Dangerous Roads/Intersections
Car Accident Infographic
