Car Accident Attorneys in Spring Hill, FL
The attorneys of Holliday Karatinos Law Firm, PLLC, fight for fair compensation for car accident victims and their families in Spring Hill and surrounding areas in Hernando County. We offer more than five decades of combined legal experience and record that includes more than $75 million recovered on behalf of our clients between 2006 and 2017. If you recently were hurt in an auto accident in Spring Hill, or if you lost a loved one due to another driver's negligence, we will be ready to go to work for you today.
Contact us now for a free consultation. We can review the facts of your case and help you to understand all of your legal options, which may include seeking compensation that goes beyond what your personal injury protection (PIP) benefits provide. Our Spring Hill personal injury lawyers will also answer any questions you may have about your case. We will charge nothing unless we secure compensation for you.
The Three Important Steps After a Car Accident in Spring Hill
If you have never been involved in a serious car accident before, you may not know what you should do next in order to protect your rights. Every case is different. However, based on our years of experience at Holliday Karatinos Law Firm with helping clients after Spring Hill car accidents, we believe that the three most important steps you should take are:
- Get medical attention. If you were not immediately taken to a hospital by EMTs, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible. In fact, if you fail to get medical care within 14 days after your accident, your insurance company can deny your no-fault insurance claim.
- Get copies of all crash-related documents. You should keep your medical bills, car repair and rental receipts and proof of all other accident-related expenses. You should also make sure to have an extra copy of your insurance policy and copies of all e-mails or letters from insurance companies. Finally, get a copy of your crash report. You can go to the Hernando County Sheriff's Office, which has a station at Forest Oaks Boulevard in Spring Hill, or you can learn more at the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
- Don't talk with the other driver's insurance company. If the insurance company for any other driver involved in your crash contacts you, then you should refer the insurer to Holliday Karatinos Law Firm. You should decline to give a statement or accept any settlement offer until we review your case with you first.
At Holliday Karatinos Law Firm, we will provide the legal guidance and advocacy that you need after a Spring Hill car accident and aggressively pursue the compensation that you deserve.
Your Legal Options After a Spring Hill Auto Accident
Florida is a no-fault car insurance state. So, if you are involved in a crash in Spring Hill or elsewhere in Hernando County, your first option will be to file a claim with your own insurance company for personal injury protection (PIP) benefits. You can receive these benefits regardless of who was at fault for the accident. The benefits can cover up to 80 percent of your medical costs and lost wages.
Still, PIP benefits are limited. For instance, they do not cover all of your economic losses. They also provide no coverage for non-economic damages such as pain and suffering. However, if your case meets the "serious injury" threshold, you may be eligible to file a claim against the at-fault driver. This claim may lead to compensation for all of your losses, including pain and suffering damages.
An injury meets the "serious injury" threshold if it involves:
- Significant and permanent loss of an important bodily function
- Permanent injury within a reasonable degree of medical probability (other than scarring and disfigurement)
- Significant and permanent scarring or disfigurement
- Death.
For instance, you may meet the serious injury threshold if you suffer:
- Traumatic brain injury
- Spinal cord injury
- Fractures that cause permanent impairment
- Burns
- Torn ligaments or other types of debilitating soft-tissue injury.
You will never know your options unless you get help from an experienced lawyer. Holliday Karatinos Law Firm will know how to carefully evaluate your case and explore every source of compensation available to you.
What are Common Causes of Car Accidents in Spring Hill?
If you pursue a claim against another driver after an auto accident in Spring Hill, you will need to establish that the driver was at fault, or negligent. As we have seen through the years, many drivers engage in careless or reckless driving that causes crashes. Some of the most common causes are:
- Speeding and aggressive driving (including tailgating)
- Distracted driving (including texting or talking on a phone behind the wheel)
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (including prescription drugs)
- Driving while overly fatigued (including falling asleep at the wheel).
Unfortunately, some drivers in Spring Hill are more prone to causing accidents than others. For instance, teen drivers often engage in risky behavior behind the wheel, while a high percentage of crashes involve elderly drivers. Additionally, you should work with a lawyer who can help you to navigate the complex issues that arise when you are involved in a crash that involves an uninsured, underinsured or hit-and-run driver.
Get Help from Our Spring Hill Car Accident Attorneys Today
Florida limits the amount of time that you have to file a car accident claim. Generally speaking, you must file a personal injury claim within four years after your crash occurs. If your loved one dies, you must file a wrongful death claim within two years from the date of his or her death. You don't want to wait too long to act and lose your right to recover the compensation that you deserve.
Get started today by calling Holliday Karatinos Law Firm or reaching us through our online contact form. Our Spring Hill personal injury lawyers are ready to provide a free consultation about your case, and we won't charge you any costs or fees unless you get paid.
