In the typical car accident scenario, a driver causes the accident due to distracted driving, speeding, or other negligent conduct. However, our St. Petersburg passenger negligence attorneys know car occupants can also contribute to a car accident.
When a car accident is caused by a passenger, difficult issues regarding liability can arise. Our St. Petersburg personal injury attorneys have the skill and experience to get to the bottom of a car crash and determine its root cause.
Sometimes, car passengers can create such a distraction that it puts not only the driver at risk, but also everyone with whom they’re sharing the road. No matter who caused your St. Petersburg, Florida, car accident, you shouldn’t have to bear the financial costs of your recovery.
Contact Lopez Accident Injury Attorneys at (727) 933 0015 for a free case evaluation if you’ve been hurt in a car accident involving passenger negligence. You have rights under the law, and we can help you assert them.
Lopez Accident Injury Attorneys Can Help if You Were Hurt in a Car Accident Caused by Passenger Negligence
Our St. Petersburg car accident lawyers understand how a car accident can alter your life. Aside from the physical and emotional pain that may require grueling treatment, an accident can quickly strain your finances.
Lopez Accident Injury Attorneys have been at the leading edge of advocating for accident victims for more than a quarter of a century. You don’t have to navigate the complex insurance claims process on your own. We’ll be with you every step of the way, ensuring that the insurance company treats you fairly.
When we take your St. Petersburg car accident injury case, we meticulously prepare by:
- Conducting our own independent analysis of the accident scene
- Gathering critical evidence such as police reports, medical records, photos, and video, if available
- Conducting depositions of key witnesses
- Collaborating with top experts to help strengthen your claim
- Filing a lawsuit on your behalf if necessary
Trying to negotiate a settlement on your own when you’re also contending with serious injuries isn’t a recipe for success. That’s why we’ll handle all aspects of settlement negotiations on your behalf. We’ll protect you against insurance companies that use bad faith tactics to either reduce your financial recovery or deny it entirely.
How a Passenger’s Negligence Can Cause a St. Petersburg, FL Car Accident
There are innumerable things that can draw a driver’s attention away from their job.
All too often, drivers can become distracted by their own passengers engaging in the following conduct:
- Having excessive conversations with the driver
- Taking hold of the steering wheel
- Engaging in acts of road rage with other vehicles
- Impeding the driver’s view
- Playing loud music
Ordinary rules of negligence apply to car passengers. They owe a duty to those around them to act prudently so as not to pose an unreasonable risk of harm. If they breach that duty and cause an accident, they could be liable for the ensuing injuries.
St. Petersburg car accidents that involve passenger negligence can complicate your ability to get fully and fairly compensated for your injuries. That’s why it’s so important to have an experienced firm like Lopez Accident Injury Attorneys in your corner. We’ll leave no stone unturned in getting to the truth and seeking justice for you.
Damages You Can Recover for Injuries Sustained in a St. Petersburg Passenger Negligence Car Accident
Florida is a “no-fault” state for car insurance. After an accident, you can file a claim against your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) policy for compensation, regardless of whose fault the crash was. However, these benefits are limited. If you’ve sustained a “serious injury” in the crash as per state law, you can file a claim against the negligent passenger for additional damages.
If you can file that type of claim, proving that a passenger’s careless conduct caused the accident that resulted in your injuries is only part of the equation. You also have the burden of proving your damages.
Injuries from car accidents can cause both physical and emotional harm. Recognizing this, Florida law allows you to recover two basic categories of damages: economic damages and non-economic damages.
Economic damages compensate you for your actual financial losses. This could include your past and future medical expenses, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, property damage, and other out-of-pocket losses you incurred as a result of the accident.
Non-economic damages provide for your non-pecuniary losses. They may include compensation for your pain and suffering, mental anguish, loss of consortium, loss of enjoyment of life, and other intangible injuries you suffered.
Talk to a St. Petersburg Passenger Negligence Car Accident Attorney about Your Injuries
You can only protect yourself so much against hazards you face on St. Petersburg roads and highways. Car passengers can divert a driver’s focus as much as any other form of distraction, and there’s very little you can do to control that behavior.
No matter the source of distraction, the end result of any car accident can be devastating. We can’t undo the accident, but we can get justice for you by holding the negligent parties financially accountable.
You don’t have to go through the insurance claims process on your own. Trust Lopez Accident Injury Attorneys to work relentlessly to get you the compensation you need to cover your mounting medical bills or your lost income.
Car accidents can happen anytime of the day, so we’re available to take your call around the clock. Call us today to arrange for your free case assessment and learn more about your legal rights and options.
