Auto Accident Lawyers in Tampa, FL
Car accidents are a leading cause of preventable injury in Tampa. Crashes on highways and in-town streets can leave victims struggling with severe trauma, crushing expenses, and lifelong disability. In many cases, people injured in Tampa-area car accidents can seek compensation to help them pay for care and return to living their lives. Reach out to a Tampa car accident lawyer.
The Holliday Karatinos Law Firm represents Tampa car accident victims in securing that compensation. We have years of experience fighting to get our clients the maximum payment from insurance companies and at-fault parties. Let us help you explore your options after a Tampa crash harms you or someone you love.
About Our Experienced Car Accident Team
At the Holliday Karatinos Law Firm, we have more than 65 years of combined experience securing compensation for Florida car accident victims. Since 2006, our award-winning trial lawyers have obtained more than $125 million in recoveries for injured clients. Many of those settlements and court victories came in car accident cases.
Clients of the Holliday Karatinos Law Firm give our team high marks for our compassion, professionalism, and total commitment to serving their interests. They know from working with us that we have the resources and know-how to get results no matter how big their case or complex their car accident claim.
Our Car Accident Legal Services
We are a seasoned team of car accident lawyers that has the resources and ability to handle even the most complicated cases. But we’re also a tight-knit group of legal professionals who put a premium on providing personalized, compassionate client service. We want our clients to know we have their backs through the entire process of physically, emotionally, and financially recovering from a Tampa car accident.
The steps to get our clients the compensation they need to rebound after an accident can vary.
In any given case, we may:
- Quickly evaluate a new client’s rights and take action to preserve them;
- Investigate the evidence of a car accident with the help of forensic experts when necessary;
- Evaluate the scope of our client’s damages, with the assistance of medical and financial experts if appropriate;
- Take over all communications with insurance companies and accident investigators on our client’s behalf;
- Promptly answer our client’s questions and patiently explain their options in clear, simple terms;
- Submit claims to insurance companies that may have liability for our client’s damages;
- Prepare and file lawsuits against at-fault parties and their insurers;
- Negotiate settlements of our client’s claims with insurance adjusters and defense lawyers;
- Take our client’s case to trial in a Tampa-area courtroom;
- Collect and distribute the funds owed to our client under the terms of a settlement, judgment, or insurance policy.
Clients of the Holliday Karatinos Law Firm do not need to lose sleep over how they will pay for our services. We virtually always take car accident cases on contingency. That means we do not charge upfront or hourly fees. Instead, we collect our fee only from any money we secure for our client. If we don't get results, our client owes us nothing.
Protecting Your Rights After a Tampa Car Accident
We encourage you to contact the Holliday Karatinos team immediately after a Tampa-area car accident. Our team is standing by to help you understand your rights. But until we can connect in a free consultation, following these tips can protect your rights.
Always Seek Medical Attention After a Crash
The worst mistake you can make after a Tampa car accident is to ignore your aches and pains or assume you escaped a crash without injury simply because you feel okay. Some car accident injuries are obvious, but many aren't. Our years of experience have repeatedly confirmed that crash victims cannot reliably diagnose their conditions.
So, ask a qualified medical professional to examine you as soon as possible after getting into a crash, even if you feel okay. A quick visit to your primary care doctor, a walk-in urgent care center, or the emergency room can identify your injuries and treat them before they worsen. It can also protect your legal rights by generating ironclad evidence of your injuries and how they happened.
Never Agree to a Quick Settlement Offer Made Directly to You
Insurance companies know that as a Tampa car accident victim, you may face significant financial strain from medical bills and missing time at work. They may try to take advantage of your difficulty by directly offering you a quick but low-value settlement of your claim. It may feel tempting to take the money, but it’s virtually always a mistake.
A settlement is a binding contract to resolve your car accident claim. Agreeing to a settlement that pays you too little for your injuries can leave you without the funds you need to pay for the costs of your injury and lets the insurer and at-fault party off the hook for a fraction of what they should pay for the harm you suffered.
Do not gamble with your future by agreeing to a quick settlement of your claim. Instead, let a skilled Tampa car accident attorney negotiate with insurers and defense lawyers on your behalf. At the Holliday Karatinos Law Firm, we can virtually always secure a better result for our client than the amount of any quick settlement an insurer offers.
Do Not Wait to Pursue Your Rights
Florida law affords you only a limited amount of time to take legal action for a Tampa car accident. In most cases, you have at most four years from the date of your crash to file a claim for damages against at-fault parties and their insurance companies. However, that window can shrink to just a few months in some cases, such as if a government entity has liability for your injuries.
If you miss a deadline for pursuing a claim, you could lose your rights and end up with nothing.
We strongly urge you not to let the grass grow under your legal rights. Connecting with an experienced lawyer as soon as possible after getting hurt protects you from making a costly and needless mistake.
Seeking Compensation for a Tampa Car Accident
Florida law generally entitles victims of Tampa car accidents to seek damages from anyone whose wrongful actions caused the crash. The Holliday Karatinos Law Firm team puts its years of experience to work in making sure our injured car accident clients take full advantage of their rights to compensation. We identify all parties who may owe money for our clients’ injuries and strive to secure every last dollar available to help them pay their bills and move on with their lives.
Who owes damages for a Tampa crash?
Our seasoned attorneys know it's not always obvious who caused a Tampa car accident. That's why we always dig into the details of a crash that injured our client. We aim to identify every party whose poor decisions or dangerous actions contributed to what happened.
Every car accident case differs, but we may find that one or more of the following parties have liability for a Tampa crash:
- A careless driver who caused an accident by, for example, speeding or failing to yield at an intersection;
- A driver who crashed while impaired by drugs or alcohol;
- A party that serves alcohol to an underage or habitually addicted driver who subsequently crashes;
- A manufacturer of defective automotive parts that contribute to a loss of control behind the wheel; or
- A government agency or contractor at fault for causing unreasonably hazardous road conditions at the crash site.
These are just a few examples, of course. Your Tampa car accident has unique facts and circumstances. So, to find out who might owe you damages for the injuries you suffered, contact our team today for a free consultation.
What damages can you obtain for Tampa car accident injuries?
At the Holliday Karatinos Law Firm, we also put our know-how to work in evaluating the damages our client has suffered. Our mission is to be able to prove the maximum amount of money our client has the legal right to demand from the parties at-fault for a crash (and their insurance companies).
As we’ve said, every case differs, but in general, our team can often seek payment for your Tampa car accident-related:
- Medical expenses, past and future;
- Out-of-pocket costs for vehicle repairs, replacement services, and other necessities resulting from the crash or your injuries;
- Lost wages from missing work while hospitalized or at home healing;
- Vacation and sick days used while out of work;
- Lost earning ability if injuries leave you temporarily or permanently unable to work;
- Physical pain and emotional suffering;
- Inconvenience and life disruption;
- Loss of enjoyment of relationships and activities.
If an at-fault party causes an accident through extreme or intentional misconduct, our team can sometimes secure punitive damages for our client. We invite you to connect with our team today to discuss the potential compensation you might demand for your Tampa car accident injuries.
Car Accident Wrongful Deaths
Some Tampa car accidents tragically inflict fatal injuries. In those cases, the Holliday Karatinos Law Firm team can often represent a deceased victim’s surviving spouse or family member in pursuing damages against the at-fault party for wrongful death.
We know that money cannot replace a life senselessly cut short. But the funds we can often recover—which may include payment for the loss of the victim’s income, support, guidance, and companionship—can provide a measure of justice and the financial support you and your family need to rebuild after your loss.
We invite you to contact our compassionate lawyers today if you recently lost a loved one in a Tampa-area car accident.
Tampa Car Accidents Take a Heavy Toll
Tens of thousands of car accidents happen in Tampa annually, according to Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) data. They occur on major thoroughfares like I-4 and I-275, in-town intersections, neighborhood streets, and shopping center parking lots. And they happen at all hours, on weekdays and weekends alike.
No matter where and when crashes in Tampa happen, they consistently result in hundreds of fatalities and thousands of injuries every calendar year.
Many crash victims sustain severe or catastrophic trauma that alters the course of their lives, such as:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) that cause lasting motor, emotional, or cognitive impairment;
- Spinal cord injuries (SCIs) that leave victims paralyzed;
- Facial injuries that result in blindness or disfiguring scars;
- Crushed or amputated limbs and appendages;
- Neck, shoulder, and back injuries that cause chronic pain and disability;
- Painful and debilitating bone fractures or orthopedic injuries;
- Internal organ damage and life-threatening bleeding;
- Lacerations, abrasions, burns, and other injuries that risk infection and scarring;
- The emotional trauma that triggers lasting anxiety, depression, PTSD, or substance abuse.
This isn't even a complete list—at the Holliday Karatinos Law Firm, we have represented clients who suffered from various injuries caused by car accidents. We understand that every crash is a unique event that takes a highly personal toll on its victims. Our team listens to our clients and works tirelessly to seek justice and compensation for our clients.
Contact Our Experienced Tampa Car Accident Lawyers Today
A Tampa car accident can throw your life into disarray. But with the help of our experienced car accident attorneys, you can secure financial support to piece things back together. If, that is, you act quickly to protect your rights.
The experienced car accident lawyers at the Holliday Karatinos law firm want to help you explore your options for pursuing damages after a Tampa car accident. Our team understands your difficulties and knows how to plot a path forward. Contact Holliday Karatinos Law Firm today at (813) 868-1887 for a free consultation with a knowledgeable legal professional who can answer any questions you may have.
