Pensacola is a city where, unfortunately, impaired drivers are zooming around. Drivers of this kind are a threat to motorists like you—good citizens taking pride in adhering to the laws governing our cities’ streets and highways. When these dangerous drivers cause crashes, resulting in catastrophic injuries, they should be held accountable for their careless behavior.
If you or a loved one has serious injuries after a collision with a negligent motorist, a seasoned car accident attorney at Emmanuel Sheppard & Condon could help you pursue financial recovery. Our team of legal professionals has experience seeking compensation for those involved in serious injury car accidents in Pensacola.
In Florida, under tort law, a serious injury is any injury that alters the use of an essential bodily function. For example, this could result in an accident in a person’s inability to use their right arm wholly or partly. Now, let’s say this person was a baseball player on the Pensacola Blue Wahoo’s, and while they were driving to practice one morning, someone texting while driving ran a red light and hit the vehicle driven by the player.
The player could enlist the help of a personal injury lawyer to represent him in a civil suit. In the lawsuit, they could ask for personal and reputation damages. Depending on the extent of his injury, he may never be able to play baseball again. This is just one example, but ordinary people are hurt in serious collisions every day.
These wrecks negatively impact the operation of organs, which could lead to uncontrollable bladder and liver issues. Persons who never had problems with walking may now have to use a cane or wheelchair. Whiplash could result in individuals being unable to remember as they once could, which likely would harm working and intimate relationships.
A dedicated attorney at our firm in Pensacola could get economic relief for those who suffer serious injuries in auto accidents caused by someone else’s reckless conduct.
Serious car accidents can occur for a whole host of reasons, yet across the state of Florida and in Pensacola specifically, crashes resulting in intense injuries are most often because of negligence. A driver breaking the speed limit is a common culprit. In some situations, the motorist exceeds the limit of 50 miles or more. Speeding motorists and drivers who do the following acts need to be held accountable:
After a serious wreck, the driver who is hurt should call 911 right away. Make sure to follow the treatment plan provided by the doctor, as defendant attorneys and insurance companies often accuse the injured person of trying to worsen their own injuries to collect more damages.
Once officers get to the scene, they must make an incident report. While some reports may detail which motorists were at fault, others will not. This report will remain with the police department, so getting a copy is not a top priority; health comes first.
At some point, a legal professional could work with the negligent driver’s insurer to collect under Florida’s personal injury protection (PIP) policy for the injured driver. This policy has a maximum of $10,000 for bodily harm and $10,000 for property damage. If, in some way, this is infeasible, the lawyer moves forward with the suit in court.
Once the suit commences, a proactive attorney will conduct a meticulous investigation to get all the evidence necessary to prove the other driver was to blame for the crash. In jury trials, the jury will issue a verdict; in situations where the judge hears the case, the judge will write a judgment. In the verdict or judgment will be the total damages award. This covers reimbursement for all injury costs, both present and future, as well as non-economic damages such as:
When ready, an injured driver or their family could call a personal injury attorney to file a lawsuit following a serious injury car crash in Pensacola.
A qualified attorney at our firm could help you pursue a legal claim and ease your financial troubles following a serious injury car accident in Pensacola. Call today to schedule a consultation and discuss your accident with a compassionate legal professional.