You are a safe driver, but you still suffered a serious car accident because someone else was careless. It happens all the time in Palm Coast and throughout Flagler and Volusia County, as well as the rest of Florida.
You can’t do anything to prevent the recklessness of other drivers. But you can hold them accountable for the harm they cause. The experienced car accident lawyers at the law firm of Chiumento Law, PLLC, are ready to help you do just that.
Chiumento Law, PLLC was established in 1973. Our lawyers are known and respected by our legal peers. Our Palm Coast car accident lawyers have successfully represented car accident victims for more than 40 years. We help people in Flagler and Volusia County – including Daytona Beach – and throughout Florida recover compensation for their injuries and the devastating effects of automobile accidents caused by the negligence of others.
Why Hire a Palm Coast Car Accident Attorney?
You’re likely wondering if you really need to hire a lawyer to handle your car accident case. While some very simple claims may not require help from an attorney, most car accident victims benefit greatly from working with a lawyer.
In fact, studies have repeatedly shown that car accident victims end up with significantly more money when they work with a lawyer instead of going it alone.
But it’s more than just dollars and cents. When you hire a lawyer, you no longer have to deal with the insurance adjusters and others involved in the case. Your lawyer takes care of that for you.
Your attorney can ensure that all deadlines are met and all filings and forms are properly completed. Your attorney can fully calculate and document the extent of your losses, and then negotiate for an appropriate settlement.
If a settlement is impossible, your attorney will be prepared to pursue your claim in court.
Meanwhile, you can relax and focus on recovering from the crash, knowing that your best interests are in good hands. You don’t even have to worry about paying attorney’s fees upfront. In fact, if you don’t win, we don’t charge for our services.
How Our Flagler and Volusia Counties Car Crash Lawyers Can Help
We can start by investigating the facts of your case to determine who was really at fault.
Our lawyers frequently work with investigators and accident reconstruction experts to determine the true cause of serious crashes.
We also consult with medical and vocational experts to determine the total extent of your injuries and how they will affect the rest of your life.
Our attorneys seek out every potential source of insurance in order to maximize the amount of compensation our clients recover.
We will keep you updated about your case’s progress each step of the way.
Our experienced attorneys will give you the advice you need to make informed decisions about settlement offers and other important matters.
Compensation Available for Car Accident Victims in Florida
If your case falls into any of these categories – or your medical bills total more than $10,000 – you may be entitled to receive compensation for your losses such as:
Medical expenses not covered by PIP
Pain and suffering
Mental anguish
Lost wages
Lost future earning capacity
Loss of enjoyment of life
Loss of familial relationship
Common Car Accident Injuries
Common personal injuries suffered in car accidents include:
The injuries caused by a crash often go beyond just physical ones. Many car accident victims also experience severe pain and ongoing emotional trauma. You may be able to recover compensation for these injuries as well.
Causes of Car Accidents in Palm Coast, FL
Common types of car crashes include:
Distracted driving: Any type of distraction takes the driver’s attention away from the important task of operating a motor vehicle. Distractions involving cellphones and other electronic devices often result in accidents. However, even “low-tech” distractions can be dangerous. For example, eating behind the wheel, adjusting the radio or even just talking with passengers can cause a crash.
Texting while driving: Texting while driving is particularly alarming because it involves three different types of driver attention: visual, manual, and cognitive. Even though this form of distracted driving is illegal in Florida, many drivers continue to engage in a risky habit. Despite popular belief, it’s not just teenagers and young adults who text while driving.
Drowsy driving: According to the National Sleep Foundation, 70 million people in the U.S. are sleep deprived or have sleeping disorders, and fatigued driving is a major contributing factor to the incidence of traffic crashes.
Driving under the influence of alcohol: Alcohol consumption impairs a driver’s judgment, perception, and reaction time. Despite aggressive campaigns against drunk driving, far too many motorists hit the road after having had a few too many. While drunk drivers may face criminal consequences, they and their insurance companies can be held financially responsible.
Aggressive driving: Drivers who speed excessively, tailgate, make frequent erratic lane changes fail to yield the right-of-way, and disregard traffic signs and signals are a menace to other motorists on the road. These aggressive drivers can trigger serious crashes.
Drugged driving: The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that drug use can make driving a car unsafe. The Institute also states that NHTSA’s National Roadside Survey found that more than 22 percent of the drivers surveyed tested positive for over-the-counter, prescription, or illegal drugs.
Vehicle defects: In some cases, a problem with the vehicle itself causes the crash. In other situations, an automotive defect may make the crash victims’ injuries worse than they otherwise would have been. In cases such as these, an accident victim may have a claim against the company that designed, manufactured or distributed the defective vehicle or vehicle component.
Motorcycle accidents: Crashes involving motorcycles produce some of the most devastating injuries. Many times, the driver of the other vehicle will say that he or she simply didn’t see the motorcyclist. But that’s no excuse. All drivers must keep a proper lookout for all vehicles – including motorcycles.
Teen driving accidents: Statistics show that new drivers are more likely to be involved in serious car accidents – particularly young males. The combination of inexperience and a youthful feeling of invincibility can produce dangerous results on the road.
Uninsured/underinsured motorist accidents: Florida law requires all motorists to carry liability insurance, but thousands of drivers are on the road without coverage. Many others carry only the minimum level. If you are involved in a crash with a driver who has no insurance or not enough, you may be able to recover compensation under your own policy’s UM/UIM coverage. This can also apply in hit-and-run situations.
Sideswipe Accidents:A sideswipe accident occurs when two or more cars traveling parallel to one another collide. Sometimes the initial impact can cause one or both vehicles to spin out of control and collide with other vehicles or objects.
10 Key Steps After a Car Accident
1
Call 911. Try to stay as calm as possible. Take a deep breath and check yourself and any passengers for injuries before attempting to get out of your car. Call 911 from your cellphone immediately. If you believe anyone sustained something worse than minor injuries, do not move them unless it is necessary to get them out of harm’s way.
2
Move to safety. If you are able, move your car out of the way of oncoming traffic to reduce the chance of another crash that could cause more injuries. Using caution, get yourself and any passengers out of the vehicle and as far away from traffic as possible if remaining in the vehicle would be dangerous.
3
Exchange information. Secure as much information as you can from the other drivers involved in the accident. You should at least get their names, addresses, driver’s license numbers, license plate numbers, and auto insurance information.
4
Call the police and cooperate with law enforcement. Be sure to honestly answer questions from the law enforcement officers who respond to the accident and create the accident report. But you should not admit fault or provide more details than what you are asked. The time after of a crash is very chaotic, and you almost certainly do not have all of the information needed to make a proper determination of fault.
5
Talk to witnesses and get photos. Check to see if anyone witnessed the crash, if you are able to do so. Get names and contact information from any witnesses. Using your cell phone camera or any other available camera, take photos of the accident scene, the damage to the vehicles, your injuries, the road conditions and anything else that might be valuable. Take photos from different angles and get as many pictures as you can. Ask a friend or someone on the scene to take pictures for you if you are unable to do it yourself.
6
Get medical help. Now is not the time to act tough. Get the medical treatment you need, including transportation to the hospital by ambulance if necessary. If you are not transported directly from the scene of the accident to a hospital, go to an emergency room, urgent care center or your family doctor for a complete medical examination as soon as you can. Some injuries do not show signs or symptoms immediately but could become serious, even life threatening. Tell the doctor that you were involved in a car crash and list all of your symptoms, even the ones that may seem minor to you.
7
Notify your insurer. Report the crash to your insurance company and the companies that cover the other driver or drivers as soon as you are able. Be careful when you talk to the insurance companies – even your own. You should avoid giving any type of recorded or written account of the accident without the advice of a car accident lawyer.
8
Get help from a lawyer as soon as you can. If you were hurt in the crash, you should contact an experienced Florida car accident attorney as soon as possible after the accident. Beware that the other driver’s insurance company may try to settle your claim process quickly and cheaply before you have gotten help from an attorney. Don’t fall for this tactic. Even if the settlement offer looks good, it is almost certainly less than you deserve. Get advice from a qualified personal injury lawyer before signing any settlement agreement, otherwise you could sign away money that you are entitled to.
9
Follow through with all medical treatments. Make sure to follow up with all doctor’s appointments and medical treatments that your healthcare providers order for you. Failing to do so could cause your injuries to become more severe and could hurt your ability to recover fair compensation in a personal injury lawsuit.
10
Write a journal about your recovery. Be sure to write down how the accident has affected your daily life – including your pain and emotional struggles – by making notes each day. Not only is this therapeutic, but it can also go a long way toward proving the emotional impact that the accident had on you when it comes time to negotiate or litigate the pain and suffering portion of your settlement or verdict.
Call Our Palm Coast Car Accident Lawyers
If another driver caused your accident and injuries, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, property damage, pain and suffering, and other losses.
If you have been injured in a car accident caused by someone else’s negligence, our law firm is dedicated to protecting your rights and aggressively pursuing the maximum compensation you are entitled to receive.
Every motor vehicle accident case is different, and subsequently every motor vehicle accident recovery is different. Accident victims typically have a right to recover for expenses related to their medical bills, lost wages, severe injuries, and pain and suffering. Beware of any attorney who promises specific dollar amounts, or results.
Many different factors can have an impact on who is at fault in a motor vehicle accident and to what extent. That is why it is extremely important to follow the steps above and to contact an experienced attorney immediately to help prove your case. Even if you may be partially at fault, do not make any statements, and contact an attorney, you still may be entitled to a recovery.
Our attorneys have experience in many different areas of litigation that involve personal injury and property damage, including:
Car accidents
Truck accidents
Motorcycle accidents
Bicycle accidents
Pedestrian accidents
Boating accidents
Uninsured, or under insured accidents
DUI accidents
If you have been involved in any type of motor vehicle accident and feel that you may have a legitimate claim for a recovery, contact our office for a free consultation to discuss your case with one of our experienced attorneys.
We always offer a free consultation to discuss your case, and do not charge any fees unless we win you a recovery. Our fees will be based on a percentage of your recovery.
The litigation process is different for every auto accident case and can sometimes take 8-12 months to reach conclusion. Some cases go to trial, and some end in a settlement, and other factors relating to the specific details of the case determine to process and length of the case. One of our experienced attorneys will go over the likely course of action with you during your free consultation.
We’re Proud to be Involved in the Community
Chiumento Law, PLLC has contributed to schools and other organizations that have made a difference in the community and take pride in portraying an active role in our community. Flagler and Volusia Counties hosts an array of events and we are proud to be a part of many of them!