Have you been injured in a car accident in Orlando, Florida, because of someone’s negligence? 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.
Now, you can count on our award-winning litigators to fight to obtain a top-tier settlement or fight for you in court, too. We offer a complimentary case evaluation where we can answer your questions. Contact our Orlando law office to get started today.
Why Hire Norden Leacox Accident & Injury Law After a Car Accident in Orlando, FL
Orlando car accident 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 lawyer who will not hesitate to put the full force of our personal injury law firm behind your claim.
Some of the benefits of hiring Norden Leacox include:
- Over 100 years of combined experience
- Proven track record of success
- 550+ five-star reviews from satisfied clients
There’s no charge for an initial case evaluation, so contact an Orlando personal injury lawyer to discuss the details of your car accident case.
Why Should I Hire an Orlando Car Accident Lawyer?
Insurance companies handle claims like yours every day. They’re represented by professional 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 personal injury 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 recovery
- You’ll have the time you need to invest in your physical health and well-being
The personal injury lawyer you choose to hire can make a difference, so do not 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 bring a civil lawsuit, you’ll have the opportunity to request compensatory damages to help you move forward. 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 losses associated with your motor vehicle accident, such as:
- Current and future 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 the at-fault driver.
Non-economic damages are intended to compensate for trauma resulting from a car accident that’s more challenging 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 be difficult to determine and vary significantly from one car accident claim to the next.
Our Central Florida auto accident lawyers will consult with experts in order to assess the ways in which your life has been affected and provide the dedicated legal representation you need. A lawyer can work hard to make sure you’re compensated appropriately for your losses.
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 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 under Florida law.
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. Whether you need to bring a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit, do not hesitate to call a lawyer to discuss the details of your case and get the legal representation you deserve.
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, the following may be questions that will be relevant when assessing how much money should be awarded:
- What types of physical injuries have you sustained?
- Are you dealing with permanent injuries?
- 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?
- What is the extent of your injuries and losses?
- Have you lost income or benefits 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 losses?
- How has your ability to enjoy your life changed?
- 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 losses, 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?
The difficult choices and decisions you make in the wake of a traffic accident can have significant effects on your ability to recover and the strength of your legal claim.
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
- Obtain the names and information of any eyewitnesses
- Document the scene to the best of your ability by taking pictures and gathering information
- Seek medical attention at the closest emergency room to you for a timely evaluation by a healthcare professional
- Contact our Orlando auto accident lawyer
- Notify your car 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 personal injury lawyer
- Rely on your personal injury lawyer to help you get the best possible award from your insurer, the other driver’s insurance company, and/or other responsible parties
Call Norden Leacox for help and speak with a skilled lawyer who can answer your questions. Our attorneys are ready to invest the experience 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 bring a claim with your PIP car insurance.
This no-fault insurance system covers 80% of necessary medical expenses, up to the policy limits, regardless of who caused the accident. This insurance coverage will also pay for 60% of your lost wages. In addition to medical bills and lost income, it may also extend to other expenses, such as home care, rehabilitation, etc.
If the amount of your expenses after the accident exceeds your PIP coverage, a lawyer may be able to help you pursue additional compensation through a personal injury lawsuit.
What is Negligence and How Do I Prove it in a Car Accident Case?
Most auto wrecks happen because someone acted in a negligent manner. 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., future and current 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 compensating you for losses.
To prove that the other driver caused your car accident by acting in a negligent manner, you’ll need evidence, such as:
- Medical records
- A police report
- Citations stemming from the accident
- Photos or videos of the scene
- An accident report
- Financial information
- Cell phone data of the at-fault driver
- Security or dashcam footage
- Witness statements
- Expert testimony from accident reconstructionists
Our top-rated team can conduct an exhaustive investigation to gather proof and information related to your Orlando personal injury case.
A lawyer 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.
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, the amount of compensation is reduced based on your specific share of the blame. So, the amount you could expect to recover is 60 percent of the value of your claim if you were 40 percent at fault for the wreck.
You cannot receive compensation from a liable party when your shared liability exceeds half. So, it’s important to anticipate attempts to blame you during this difficult time 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 crashes 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 receive compensation for your loss.
In Florida, plaintiffs in a wrongful death case may recover damages for:
- Costs of the decedent’s funeral
- Medical bills incurred prior to death
- Financial support
- Pain and suffering related to the death of a spouse or parent
- Loss of companionship, care, and support
In addition to compensatory damages, 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. An Orlando personal injury lawyer can help you explore a number of options and seek the monetary justice you deserve.
Car Accident Claims We Handle in Orlando
At Norden Leacox, our Orlando car accident attorneys advocate for clients who’ve been injured or lost close family members in all types of collisions, including:
Rear-End Crashes
Rear-end crashes 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. An attorney can help you hold the at-fault driver accountable.
Highway Collisions
Highway accidents aren’t uncommon in Orlando, thanks to high-speed travel involving many out-of-state motorists and negligent drivers. When these serious crashes occur, a skilled attorney can help you navigate the claims process.
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. If you were injured at an intersection, seek medical attention and contact an attorney as soon as possible.
Multi-Vehicle Collisions
Multi-vehicle collisions involve three or more motor vehicles, often resulting in devastating injuries, such as spinal cord injuries and head injuries. These types of motor vehicle accident cases can be complex, but an experienced attorney can help make the process more manageable.
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. An attorney can conduct an investigation and seek to identify who could be liable for your injuries.
Accidents Involving Uninsured Motorists
Nearly 16 percent of Florida’s drivers are uninsured. When an accident involves an uninsured motorist, it can make it challenging for victims to recover fair compensation, especially when their injuries are catastrophic. A seasoned attorney can explain how to proceed.
We also work on cases involving:
At Norden Leacox, we handle all automobile accident cases with a clear, supportive process, making it easier to pursue fair compensation. Our goal is to help you feel confident every step of the way.
Common 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, as well as how severe they might be.
At Norden Leacox, an attorney here can help you seek fair compensation for all of your injuries, such as:
- Broken bones
- Nerve damage
- Soft tissue injury
- Chest injury
- Amputation
- Degloving injury
- Burn injury
- Eye injury
- Knee injuries
- Concussion
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Neck injuries
- Whiplash
- Spinal cord injuries
- Herniated disc
- Back injuries
- Paralysis
- Crushing injuries
- Catastrophic injuries
- 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 severe injuries, such as spinal and brain injuries, that, if left untreated, can interfere with your ability to work and live your life. If you have questions about any step in the legal process, the extent of your damages, or filing an insurance claim, contact a lawyer for a free consultation.
Orlando Car Accident Statistics
According to Florida state crash data, 26,260 car accidents were reported in Orange County last year. As a result, 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 crashes a day last year, in which an average of 53 people got hurt.
Of course, collisions 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 serious 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, there could be a number of potentially liable parties, including:
- 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
- At-fault party’s employer
- Local, county, or state government agency
An Orlando auto accident attorney can carefully evaluate the details and the extent of the harm you’ve suffered and work to understand precisely who’s at fault. When liability is clear, a lawyer can ensure you’re fully compensated for the full value of your personal injury 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 a lawyer to recover a financial award at the negotiation table or in court 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 careless. An attorney can 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 and professional 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 at (407) 801-3000 to begin and set a time for a free consultation with a dedicated lawyer.
Additional Resources and Recent Blog Posts
- What Does a Car Accident Lawyer Do?
- Is It Smart to Get a Minor Car Accident Lawyer?
- Car Accidents Caused by Brake Checking in Florida
- When Do You Need a Car Accident Lawyer?
- Car Accident FAQ’s
- Most Dangerous Roads/Intersections
Car Accident Infographic
