Were you recently involved in a car accident in Pensacola, FL? If you’ve been injured, Gross & Schuster Injury Lawyers will pursue compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, pain, suffering, and more. An experienced Pensacola car accident lawyer can help you stand up to the insurance companies and maximize your financial recovery.
Our attorneys have over 75 years of combined experience. Since we opened our law firm, we’ve helped countless injury victims like you recover the compensation they need and deserve.
It’s never too early to get legal advice after an accident. In fact, the sooner you call a lawyer, the better your chances are of recovering full compensation. To learn more about your legal options after a car crash, contact our law offices in Pensacola, Florida, to schedule a free consultation at (850) 434-3333.
How Can Gross & Schuster Injury Lawyers Help Me Recover Compensation After a Car Crash in Pensacola, FL?
A car accident can quickly turn your life upside down. Many victims find themselves dealing with unexpected loss of income. At the same time, you may be watching your savings dwindle as the medical bills pile up. If someone else was responsible, they’re the ones who should be covering your costs.
Many victims don’t know the best way to make that happen. You have enough going on right now, and standing up to the insurance company might seem impossible.
Hiring an experienced Pensacola personal injury attorney is the best way to protect yourself. Clients across the panhandle have trusted Gross & Schuster Injury Lawyers for high-quality legal services since we opened our doors back in 1981.
When you hire us, you can focus on your recovery while we:
- Launch an investigation and locate the evidence to prove your case
- Analyze all evidence to pinpoint the accident cause and determine who is liable
- Evaluate your losses and calculate the value of your insurance claim
- Handle all insurance paperwork and legal filings
- Defend you if the insurance company tries to pin the blame on you
- Hire experts in medicine, economics, forensics, and other relevant specialties
- Negotiate with the insurance companies for the compensation you deserve
- File a lawsuit and fight before a judge and jury if necessary
If you’d like more information about the legal process and how we can help, we’re always available. Call our Pensacola personal injury lawyers or use our online contact form to arrange your free consultation today.
Why Should I Hire a Car Accident Lawyer?
Car accident victims without legal representation tend to take home less than those who hire experienced lawyers. The insurance claims process can be frustrating. Many victims give up and simply accept what the insurance company is willing to hand over without a fight.
Your lawyer can help by:
- Leveling the playing field: The insurance company has the resources to drag claims out. They’ll bring in defense teams and experts in complex cases. Your lawyer will have the resources to push back against tactics designed to undermine your case.
- Bringing in experts: Testimony from respected experts can be the key to resolving complicated issues. Experienced lawyers have networks of experts they can draw upon to help prove your case.
- Stopping insurance scare tactics: Insurance companies love to blame victims. Whether they’re claiming you caused the crash or failed to mitigate your losses, it’s important to have a lawyer on your team who knows how to fight back.
- Giving you time to recover: In serious injury cases, it can take time to build a strong case and convince the insurance company to hand over a full settlement. Fighting the insurer and going to trial takes effort, and you deserve to spend this time focused on your physical recovery.
At a minimum, it’s worth your time to discuss your claim with a lawyer who offers free case reviews. You can learn more about your legal rights and options for recovering compensation without any obligation to hire them.
How Much Money Can I Recover By Filing a Car Accident Claim?
Any case value can vary significantly depending on the facts. Cases involving the most serious injuries that dramatically impact the victim’s life tend to be worth the most. That said, many different factors are relevant when determining how much compensation a victim deserves.
Some of those factors include:
- The victim’s medical expenses, vehicle repair costs, and other financial losses
- The strength of the evidence to prove liability
- The terms of available insurance policies
- Whether the injury prevents the victim from working
- The value of lost wages, both during recovery and after reaching maximum medical improvement
- Whether any long-term disability is involved
- The victim’s age
- How the injury damages the victim’s quality of life
- Physical pain and mental trauma
As the victim, it can be really difficult to understand how much you deserve. You know the value of your current financial losses. However, assessing the monetary value of your personal, non-economic losses can be incredibly complex. It’s also tough to estimate your future costs without expert assistance.
Working with an experienced personal injury attorney is the best way to ensure you’ll get everything you deserve. Most personal injury law firms offer free consultations, so there’s really no risk getting legal advice.
How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit After a Car Accident in Florida?
Time is always limited. In Florida, the statute of limitations generally gives you two years to file a lawsuit. The two-year clock starts running on the date of your accident.
While it can be paused in certain situations, those scenarios are rare. For example, you may have more time to take legal action if the defendant is also facing criminal charges because of the same accident. On the other hand, you could have less time if the defendant is a government agency.
Calling a lawyer soon after an accident is always a good idea. Your lawyer can start the insurance claims process well in advance of the deadline. That way, you’ll have time to file a lawsuit if insurance negotiations don’t produce a fair settlement.
What Types of Damages Can I Recover in a Pensacola Car Accident Case?
In Florida, you can potentially recover compensation for economic and non-economic damages. Any losses you’ve suffered due to the accident should be accounted for. When a defendant’s acts are particularly shocking, you can also seek punitive damages.
What Types of Economic Damages Can I Recover in Florida?
Your economic damages should cover all of your expenses. That includes current bills and future costs that you’re reasonably likely to incur.
Examples include:
- Current medical bills
- Anticipated future medical expenses
- The cost of rehabilitation and specialized therapies
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning potential
- Medications and medical devices
- Nursing care
- In-home assistance
- Property damage and vehicle damage
It’s important to keep track of any money you’ve spent because of the accident and injury. Your receipts and records will be essential when negotiating with the insurance adjusters.
What Types of Non-Economic Damages Can I Recover in Florida?
In serious injury cases, you’re also likely to suffer significant personal losses.
Examples of those non-economic damages include:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Inconvenience
- Mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Diminished quality of life
- Loss of companionship
You won’t have receipts to back up your claim for non-economic damages. Often, the value of these losses is tied, at least in part, to the value of your economic damages. However, it’s not an exact science. That makes having an experienced attorney vital.
How Do I Know Whether I Deserve Punitive Damages?
Before awarding punitive damages, judges and juries require clear and convincing evidence that the defendant’s acts were intentional, malicious, or extremely reckless.
For example, if you were severely injured by a drunk driver, punitive damages may be awarded. They are awarded to punish defendants and deter others from committing similar acts.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Car Accident Lawyer in Pensacola, FL?
Most personal injury law firms work on a contingency fee basis. That means there are no attorney’s fees if your lawyer fails to recover compensation in your case. When your lawyer does recover compensation, they’ll take a percentage. That percentage tends to be around 33%, depending on the complexity of your case.
What Happens to My Compensation Award If I’m Partially Responsible for Causing a Car Accident in Florida?
Your case can still succeed if you share some blame for your injuries. Florida has adopted a modified comparative negligence law. You can recover some compensation if your share of the blame is less than 51%. You lose your right to damages if your percentage of fault is greater than 50%.
If you’re partly but not mostly responsible, your compensation will be reduced by your percent of fault. For example, if you’re assigned 30% of the blame and your award is $100,000, your compensation is reduced to $70,000.
Will My Car Accident Case Go to Trial?
Most cases are settled through insurance negotiations before they get to trial. That said, the threat of a lawsuit should always be on the table. The possibility of an uncertain trial is often what motivates the insurance companies to negotiate in good faith for a full settlement.
When complex issues can’t be resolved through negotiations, a trial may become necessary. Trials are often used to resolve serious disputes over who was responsible or how much a victim deserves. Some victims want a trial so they can hold the at-fault party accountable in a public forum.
What Should I Do After a Car Accident in Pensacola?
Taking certain actions can make life easier if you eventually file a personal injury claim.
If your injuries are serious, getting medical attention should always be your first step. When you call 911, the police can dispatch an ambulance to the scene.
After emergency care has been requested, important steps include:
- Remain at the scene and wait for officials to complete a police report. Under Florida law, you must report any accident that results in injury, death, or property damage of $500 or more. The accident report can also offer evidence in a future personal injury case.
- Exchange contact and insurance information with the other driver.
- Gather evidence. If you can, take photos and video of the accident scene with your phone. Obtain the contact information of any eyewitnesses who stopped to offer assistance.
- Receive medical attention. Even if you aren’t sure about the severity of your injuries, it’s always smart to see a doctor right away. Your medical records will be critical to proving that you deserve compensation at a later date. Of course, prompt medical care can also be essential to protecting your health.
- Avoid apologies. While it may seem natural to apologize, an apology can be construed as an admission of fault. That can hurt your chances of recovering compensation later. You shouldn’t have to accept blame before you really understand why the accident occurred.
- Call an attorney. Lawyers offer free case reviews for a reason. When you call us, we’ll help you understand whether you have grounds to seek compensation. Hiring a lawyer also gives you the best chance of recovering a full settlement.
Our car accident attorneys in Pensacola are always available to discuss your case. We’re prepared to do everything possible to help you get the maximum compensation you deserve, so call Gross & Schuster Injury Lawyers for a free case evaluation today.
We Handle All Types of Car Accident Claims in Pensacola
At Gross & Schuster Injury Lawyers, we have decades of experience successfully fighting for injury victims in the Florida Panhandle. Over the years, we’ve handled virtually every type of car accident case you can imagine.
Some examples of our practice areas include:
Rear-End Crashes
Rear-end collisions are extremely common. Whether another driver was tailgating, speeding, or simply wasn’t paying attention, you shouldn’t have to carry the financial burden. If you were injured in a rear-end collision, contact our Pensacola car accident attorneys to arrange your free case evaluation.
Drunk Driving Accidents
Even a relatively small amount of alcohol can seriously impair a driver’s abilities. Despite efforts to catch and punish drunk drivers, driving under the influence remains a serious problem. If you or a family member were injured in a DUI accident, our lawyers are here to fight for justice.
Speeding Accidents
Speeding puts everyone on the roads at risk. It reduces the driver’s reaction time to prevent a crash and simultaneously increases the vehicle’s stopping distance. If you’re in an accident, high speeds leave you vulnerable to more serious injuries.
If you were injured in an accident and the other driver was speeding, our lawyers are ready to launch a fight for full and fair compensation.
Hit-and-Run Accidents
Leaving the scene of an accident is a crime in the state of Florida. Unfortunately, it’s much more common than you might think. 1,496 hit-and-run accidents were reported across Escambia County in 2023. Establishing liability after a hit-and-run is, of course, difficult–after all, you don’t know who the other driver is.
Our lawyers in Pensacola have the tools to conduct an investigation to locate the at-fault driver. Even if they aren’t found, we’re here to evaluate all of your options for recovering compensation.
Rollovers
SUVs and recreational vehicles are particularly susceptible to rollovers. If you were injured in a rollover accident, the vehicle manufacturer may be liable. Our attorneys are here to identify all parties who caused your crash, so give us a call today.
Fatal Accidents
Losing a loved one in a fatal collision is always devastating. Most of these accidents are entirely preventable. If you’re suffering due to someone else’s negligence, a lawyer can help you hold the at-fault party accountable.
Other Auto Accidents
We also handle car accident cases involving:
- Sideswipe accidents
- Head-on collisions
- T-bone accidents
- Multiple vehicle crashes and pile-ups
- Single-vehicle accidents
- Red and yellow light accidents
- Left-turn accidents
- Highway accidents
- Truck accidents
- Commercial vehicle accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Distracted driving accidents
- Intersection accidents
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist accidents
- Accidents involving pedestrians and bicyclists
- Rideshare accidents involving Uber or Lyft drivers
All car accident cases are different. It’s important to hire a lawyer who has the skills to maximize your financial recovery regardless of the circumstances. Gross & Schuster Injury Lawyers has both the experience and resources you need in your corner.
Who Can Be Held Liable for My Car Accident Injuries?
Florida is a no-fault insurance state. Car accident victims start the process by filing a claim for compensation with their own insurance company. However, personal injury protection (PIP) policies rarely cover everything. Policy coverage limits often make it impossible to recover full compensation from your own insurer.
When your injuries are serious, Florida law gives you the right to pursue compensation from anyone who caused those injuries.
Examples of responsible parties might include:
- Negligent drivers
- Manufacturers of defective safety equipment
- Government agencies and transit authorities
- Negligent passengers
- Pedestrians or bicyclists
- The employer of an at-fault driver who was on the job when the crash occurred
Multiple parties can share blame for the same auto accident. If you were involved in an accident, we can help you identify the responsible parties. Give us a call to get started today.
Common Types of Car Accident Injuries
Vehicle safety standards are always improving. Still, even the most advanced safety features can’t prevent all injuries in a serious crash.
Car accident victims are vulnerable to sustaining:
- Facial injuries
- Broken bones and crushing injuries
- Nerve injuries
- Whiplash injuries
- Soft tissue damage
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Head and neck injuries
- Concussions
- Back injuries
- Organ damage
- Chest injuries
- Burns
- Amputations
- Paralysis
- Catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death of a loved one
If you were injured in an accident, don’t wait to seek medical attention. Even if your injuries aren’t critical, a doctor may prevent them from getting worse.
What Are the Most Common Causes of Car Accidents in Pensacola?
Car accidents in Pensacola happen for many different reasons. Some causes are much more frequent than others.
Some of the most common causes of motor vehicle accidents include:
- Speeding
- Distracted driving
- Failure to yield the right-of-way
- Tailgating
- Dangerous or illegal turns
- Aggressive driving
- Road rage
- Unsafe passing
- Illegal lane changes
- Racing through intersections
- Running a red light or stop sign
- Drunk driving or drug use
- Hazardous road conditions
- Bad weather and poor visibility
Regardless of how you were injured, our lawyers in Pensacola can help you fight to recover the fair compensation you deserve. If the accident wasn’t your fault, we’re here to pinpoint the cause.
Statistics on Car Accidents in Pensacola
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) publishes data on motor vehicle accidents. In 2023, 394,910 car crashes were reported statewide. At least 252,278 people were injured, and 3,377 people were killed.
In Escambia County alone, 4,879 people were hurt in car wrecks in 2023. Unfortunately, 62 people lost their lives.
Of course, some areas are more dangerous than others.
In Pensacola, some of the most dangerous intersections include:
- Ninth Avenue and Airport Boulevard
- Ninth Avenue and Bayou Boulevard
- Davis Highway and Fairfield Drive
- N. Ninth Ave. and Creighton Road
- N. 12th Ave. and Bayou Blvd.
If you’re driving through these intersections, it’s important to take extra safety precautions to prevent accidents and protect yourself. Unfortunately, you can’t control the actions of others. If you’re struggling with painful injuries, call our law firm for assistance.
Call an Experienced Pensacola Car Accident Lawyer for a Free Initial Consultation
Were you injured in a car accident in Pensacola, FL? You shouldn’t have to spend your time fighting with an insurance company. While you’re focused on your physical recovery, contact a Pensacola car accident lawyer to help you recover the compensation you deserve.
At Gross & Schuster Injury Lawyers we’re proud to offer the high-quality legal representation accident victims deserve. You can count on us to stand by your side, providing personal attention and support at every turn. All you have to do is call for your free consultation today.