Orlando Car Accident Attorneys
You’re coming home from a stay-cation at Disney with your family but I-4 is gridlocked due to an accident near Sand Lake Boulevard. You have orchestra seats for a new touring Broadway show at the Dr. Philips Center but Orange Avenue is a parking lot—and it’s not even rush hour. You’re meeting your friends for a kayak trip at Wekiva Springs but 436 is shut down to one lane because of a massive construction project.
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Orlando's attractions are top in the country. But our roadways are among the worst.
In fact, Interstate 4, the main interstate cutting through our home city, was just named the most dangerous roadway in the country with 1.25 deaths per mile. Not Los Angeles. Not New York City. The worst interstate is here in Orlando. Between winding back roads, huge intersections, massive roadway construction and careless, distracted drivers, chances are you're likely to get in a car accident here in Orlando.
Car Accident Statistics
Last year alone, 686,590 Florida drivers were involved in car accidents, averaging 1,098 crashes each and every day. Even worse, there were 2,924 fatal accidents, according to the Florida Department of Transportation. That makes car accidents the third leading cause of death in our state, following only heart disease and cancer.But unlike many health conditions, car accidents are largely preventable. Even as defensive drivers, we're at the mercy of distracted drivers around us, texting, eating, tending to children in the back seat and even driving after a night of drinking alcohol.
On top of all that, we have massive roadway construction projects underway, like Orlando's I-4 Ultimate Project. Our normal routes to and from work can literally change overnight. Huge construction barricades and work vehicles are massively distracting and nerve wracking. Abrupt lane closures, the elimination of emergency lanes, unlevel roads—the list goes on—all exacerbate an already very dangerous situation.
Types of Car Accidents:
- Distracted Driving Accidents
- Drunk Driving Accidents
- Motorcycle Accidents
- Rollover Accidents
- Speeding Accidents
- Texting & Driving Accidents
- Trucking Accidents
Call 407-839-0866 For Your Free Auto Accident Consultation
With more than 50 years of experience, The Maher Law Firm is unlike any law practice in the country. Father and son attorneys Mike and Steve Maher approach each case with a client-first mentality, sparing no expense to bring the best outcome to each case. Our law partners and colleagues are no exception.Put succinctly, we're a close-knit, boutique firm that does huge cases. And that benefits you in every way possible. You won't find our faces on billboards lining I-4. But you will find us in history books, as the lead of one of the largest class action settlements in U.S. history—$11.3 billion.
While we like to let our verdicts and reputation speak for us, we are proud to say that we have more than 50 years of experience helping plaintiffs seek justice not only in our hometown of Orlando but around the country. Our group of attorneys is nationally recognized and have their fingers on the pulse of nation-wide cases.
ALL ABOUT CAR ACCIDENTS: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WITH OUR ATTORNEYS
Question: What should I do if I get in a car accident?
Answer: If you're in a car accident, the first thing to do is contact the police/EMS to address immediate concerns. Be sure to hold off on moving your vehicle unless you are in an unsafe area and are impeding traffic.
Next, if you're in pain, seek immediate medical care. That said, even if you are not in pain, it's still a good idea to seek medical attention because oftentimes injuries do not show up until days after a car crash. It's important to seek medical attention from medical professionals to help diagnose what happened to you.
Be sure to collect contact info at the scene of the car crash. This includes: license plates and insurance information of those involved in the incident. Additionally, always attempt to get any pertinent contact information of any witnesses.
Also part of collecting information is to photograph the incident scene. This includes: your car, any other cars involved in the accident, any potential skid marks and any additional damages. Pretend you're a detective solving a case. What evidence would you need?
Do not discuss anything with your insurance agency. This is vitally important. Please contact The Maher Law Firm prior to any discussions with insurance agencies. Whether or not you hire us, we can tell you your rights when you are an auto injury victim. Insurance companies will often try to settle these claims for a fraction of what they're worth.
Q: How do I know if I should file a car accident lawsuit?
A: The easy answer is to call us, and we'll counsel you. We will work with you through every step of the process. There are many avenues to resolve your case without the necessity of filing an actual lawsuit. But, unfortunately, insurance companies are often unreasonable with their assessment of your claim. When this happens, we will file your suit to let your community of peers decide the value of your claim. Ultimately, it is your choice whether or not to file a lawsuit, and we will guide you every step of the way so you feel comfortable making this decision.
After discussing your case with you, if we determine to move forward with your claim, we may send a demand letter to the responsible party or insurance company in an effort to resolve your claim without the need for court action. But, in the case we mutually decide to file suit, the process starts with filing a complaint in the proper court. From there, there will be depositions and discovery. Before trial, there will likely be a mandatory mediation where both sides will have an opportunity to potentially resolve the matter prior to trial.
Q: What do I do if I want to sue the driver that hit me?
A: Again, contact Maher law firm. We will guide you in the lawsuit process and be able to discuss possible resolutions that avoid a lawsuit.
Q: What happens if I get in an accident with someone who does not have car insurance? Or if I get hit by a hit-and-run motorist?
A: It is vitally important that, in addition to bodily injury coverage, you also carry uninsured motorist coverage. Bodily injury coverage covers you in the event you are at fault for hitting someone else and are sued.
Unfortunately, the reality in Florida is that there are many unsafe drivers on the road who are not carrying any bodily injury coverage, or, they carry only minimal $10,000 policies. When one of those drivers hits you and you are injured, it is important to carry uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. This coverage, which you pay for in your premiums, covers you in the event that the driver who negligently hit you either does not carry any insurance coverage or carries an insufficient amount of coverage to fully compensate you for your injuries. With uninsured motorist coverage, your own carrier steps in and pays you for the injuries caused by the driver that hit you.
Q: What happens if I decide to file a car accident lawsuit?
A: If you decide to file a lawsuit, we will seek to have your claim heard in front of a jury of your peers. After discussing your case with you, if we determine to move forward with your claim, we may send a demand letter to the responsible party or insurance company in an effort to resolve your claim without the need for court action. But, in the case we mutually decide to file suit, the process starts with filing a complaint in the proper court. From there, there will be depositions and discovery. Before trial, there will likely be a mandatory mediation where both sides will have an opportunity to potentially resolve the matter prior to trial. A jury trial consists
of the testimony of witnesses to the incident, medical providers who treated you for your injuries, medical experts who will give opinions about the cause of your injuries. Also, there will be presentations by lawyers from both sides—The Maher Law Firm, representing you, and defense counsel, likely on behalf of the insurance company representing the person that hit you.
Q: What is PIP coverage and how does it affect my lawsuit?
A: PIP stands for Personal Injury Protection, and is fairly unique to Florida, which is one of only 10 states that carry this type of protection.PIP coverage provides injured drivers with $10,000 in immediate medical coverage regardless of who was at fault for the incident.
Unfortunately, many medical providers will refuse to see you after an auto accident, and you'll find that if you have serious injuries, the $10,000 PIP coverage will go quickly and not cover all your medical costs. Contact The Maher Law Firm, and we can further advise you on the treatment process.
Q: What are the types of car insurances and how do they affect my lawsuit?
A: The two most important types of car insurances that affect your potential lawsuit are bodily injury and uninsured motorist. The amount of coverage and the particular insurance company you choose is a personal decision; however, it is recommended that you carry at least $250,000 in both bodily injury and uninsured motorist coverage. All too often victims of a serious auto accident are stuck with either no insurance coverage to seek compensation from, or very little coverage. You can protect yourself from the drivers who carry little or no coverage by carrying sufficient uninsured motorist coverage.
Get Help With Your Orlando Car Accident Injuries Today!
When you hire the Maher Law Firm to represent you after a car accident in Orlando, you can have the confidence and peace of mind knowing that you're hiring Mike, Steve, Jason, Matt or Geoff—all fathers, sons, brothers and friends. All caring, intelligent, hard-working people whose passions have aligned to help you. Since 1969, we've been staunch advocates for people who have been involved in auto accidents across Florida. So give us a call anytime at 407-839-0866