Melbourne Car Accident Lawyers
When you’ve been injured in a car accident in Brevard County, you may be entitled to recover compensation for your medical bills, missed work, pain, and suffering. Insurance companies often use their vast resources to avoid paying the damages you deserve. Our Melbourne car accident lawyers can help you overcome their tactics and fight to receive fair compensation.
Driving a motor vehicle is a privilege that comes with a legal duty to follow traffic laws and avoid jeopardizing the safety of other roadway users. Drivers who injure others by failing to use reasonable care are financially liable for the harm they cause.Â
If you have been injured by a negligent driver in Melbourne or the surrounding area, don’t risk leaving money on the table. Contact us today online or call our office at (321) 306-0104 to schedule a free case evaluation.
Why You Can Trust Our Award-Winning Lawyers To Handle Your Car Accident Claim
The lawyer you choose can significantly impact the compensation you recover after a car accident. When you need a personal injury law firm in Melbourne, choose a legal team with experience, a successful track record, and lawyers who care about you and your outcome. These qualities define who we are at Farah & Farah.
Our Successful Track Record Shows Our Passion For Getting the Results You Need
We have won more than $2 billion in settlements and verdicts on behalf of our car accident clients, and these results are no accident. They come about because we are willing to work hard to get the results you need, even if it means going to trial. Below are a few examples of our recent results for car accident clients:
- $2.5 million recovery after a pickup collided with a car
- $2.4 million verdict for an injured driver who could not return to work
- $1.8 million recovery for a father disabled by a low-impact crash
- $1.4 million recovery for an Army veteran injured in a car accident on I-95
- $1.2 million for an electrician who suffered spinal cord injuries in a car crash
- $1.1 million for a client with neck injuries after a driver failed to yield
Our Experience Makes All the Difference
Our nationally recognized attorneys at Farah & Farah have been helping car accident victims since 1979, and we know what it takes to stand up to large insurance companies. Over more than four decades, we have built a strong network of forensic scientists, medical experts, and life care planners who help us get the best outcomes for our clients.
We help people who have been in nearly every type of car accident imaginable, including the following:
- Big-truck accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Collisions with uninsured/underinsured drivers
- Rear-endings
- Low-impact collisions
- Hit-and-run collisions
- Drunk driving accidents
- Distracted driver accidents
- Head-on collisions
- T-bone accidents
- Chain reaction accidents
- Sideswipes
Every accident is unique, so don’t hesitate to call us if yours is not listed here.
We Care About The Communities We Serve
Winning substantial compensation is more than a job for us. We care deeply about each of our clients. That is what drives our results. Our skilled attorneys will work as a team to ensure you get the best possible outcome. We will put your needs first, meeting with you on your schedule and maintaining an open-door policy so you can always reach your team.
We also show we care by giving back to the community. We are proud to play an active role in multiple charities throughout the state, including the following:
- Empowering Greatness – We donate two full years of college tuition to five Florida high school seniors annually.
- Rethreaded – We actively support this organization, which provides hope and employment opportunities to victims of human trafficking.
- Keeping Kids Safe – We provide free bicycle helmets to children in need.
We Help Clients Anywhere in the Region
Whether you are injured in Melbourne, Palm Bay, Titusville, Merritt Island, Cocoa, Rockledge, or anywhere else in the Brevard County area, our experienced car accident lawyers in Melbourne are here for you when you need us. Call us today at (321) 306-0104.
What You Can Expect When You Have Team Farah on Your Side
When you hire our experienced and hard-working car accident lawyers in Melbourne, you can expect us to treat you with respect, dignity, and honesty from day one. We will offer caring support while we relieve you of the stress of worrying about your legal case. You can count on us to take care of the following:
- Handle all correspondence with the insurance company
- Conduct an independent forensic accident investigation to determine fault
- Calculate your case value with the help of medical and financial experts
- Skillfully negotiate for the settlement you deserve
- Take your case to trial if required
- Negotiate with your health care providers to reduce your medical bills so you can keep more of your settlement in your pocket
We are pleased to do all of this at no upfront cost to you. We collect our fees as a percentage of your compensation. If we don’t win, you don’t pay.
Compensation May Be Substantial in a Car Accident Claim
When you’ve been injured in a car accident, you may experience significant financial losses, which may pale in comparison to the decline in your quality of life. You can pursue damages for all of these losses in a car accident lawsuit, which may include the following:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Past and future lost wages
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Disfigurement
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Inconvenience
- Loss of consortium
- Disability
- Loss of bodily functions
These damages are known as compensatory damages because they compensate you for what was lost. You may also be entitled to seek punitive damages if you can show clear and convincing evidence of intentional misconduct or gross negligence.
Punitive damages are considered non-compensatory damages because they do not compensate you for a loss but punish the defendant and deter future misconduct. Punitive damages are limited to $500,000 or three times the compensatory damages, whichever is greater.
Compensation After the Untimely Death of a Family Member in a Car Accident
If your loved one passed away in a car accident, our experienced Florida wrongful death lawyers can help you with a wrongful death lawsuit. In this type of lawsuit, you can pursue damages for the financial and intangible losses the death brings upon your family and for the pain and suffering of your loved one.
The financial losses you can recover include burial expenses, your loved one’s medical expenses, and the lost income of your loved one. This may include a lost inheritance and your loved one’s wages that likely would have been earned over a lifetime if the accident hadn’t occurred.
Recoverable intangible damages in a wrongful death lawsuit, known as non-economic damages, include loss of companionship, guidance, support, comfort, and similar losses.
You Are Not Restricted to No-Fault Insurance When Seriously Injured in a Florida Car Accident
Compensation for car accident injuries typically comes from insurance. Before you can file a claim against the at-fault party’s insurance, you must file a claim with your own personal injury protection, or PIP, policy. This policy pays 80 percent of your medical bills up to your coverage limit—usually $10,000 unless you purchased more.
PIP does not cover non-economic damages like pain and suffering. However, if your injuries are severe, you can file a claim against the at-fault driver’s liability insurance for non-economic damages. You can also recover medical expenses that exceed your PIP coverage.
Florida’s Serious Injury Threshold Requirements
Under Florida’s no-fault insurance law, you can only file a claim against the at-fault driver’s liability insurance if your injuries meet the statutory definition of serious injuries. The law defines serious injuries as the following:
- Permanent loss of bodily functions, such as bladder or bowel control.
- Permanent injuries, such as traumatic brain injuries or spinal cord injuries.
- Scarring and disfigurement from such injuries as burns and amputation.
- The wrongful death of a loved one.
The insurance company may claim that your injuries are not serious enough to meet these thresholds to avoid paying the compensation you deserve. Our skilled car accident lawyers in Melbourne work with some of the nation’s most respected medical experts who can credibly refute such claims.
Identifying All the Liable Parties Is Critical for Recovering the Compensation You Deserve
If the only liable party in your accident is the other driver, the compensation you recover may be limited to the total of your PIP coverage and the driver’s liability insurance, which could have a coverage limit as low as $10,000. This total may fall short of covering all of your damages.
Our caring and resourceful car accident attorneys in Melbourne will work hard to identify all the parties who contributed to your accident. In addition to the driver, this may include one or more of the following:
- The owner of the vehicle, if not the driver
- Employers of at-fault drivers who were on duty when the accident occurred
- Manufacturers of defective vehicles or vehicle parts, such as tires or airbags
- Negligent automobile mechanics who performed inadequate repairs
- Government entities that failed to maintain safe roads and provide adequate signage
How Do Most Car Accidents Happen in Melbourne?
While car accidents occasionally result from poorly maintained roads and defective car parts, most car accidents result from driver error.
Drunk Driving
In 2021, drunk drivers caused 13,384 deaths nationwide, including 13 in Brevard County from 161 alcohol-confirmed crashes. When a drunk driver injures you, our hard-working Melbourne personal injury lawyers may be able to pursue punitive damages.
Speeding
According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, speeding is responsible for nearly a third of all motor vehicle fatalities. Speeding increases the stopping distance of a vehicle, the impact of a crash, and the likelihood of losing control of a vehicle.
Distracted Driving
In 2022 alone, distracted drivers caused 54,680 crashes in Florida, resulting in 2,651 serious injuries and 272 fatalities. Distracted driving includes any activity preventing a driver from giving the road 100 percent attention.Â
- Talking on a cell phoneÂ
- Sending or reading a text messageÂ
- Adjusting the radioÂ
- EatingÂ
- Talking to passengersÂ
- DaydreamingÂ
Texting and driving is the most dangerous form of distracted driving, and it is illegal in Florida. According to the NHTSA, a driver that spends just five seconds looking at a text message while traveling at 55 miles per hour travels the full length of a football field during the period of inattention.
Aggressive Driving
Aggressive driving occurs when a driver uses the vehicle to express anger or frustration. It is also known as road rage. Although no laws in Florida specifically address road rage, there are laws prohibiting these risky behaviors, such as speeding and following too closely. In some cases, it leads to physical assault.
Drowsy Driving
Drowsy drivers endanger everyone because they may fall asleep at the wheel. They also have slower reaction times and impaired judgment. They can swerve into an oncoming lane and may cause a head-on collision without braking.Â
Dangerous Roads and Intersections in Brevard County
According to Florida Today, the following roads and intersections in Melbourne and the surrounding areas have the highest incidence of car accidents:Â
- U.S. Highway 192 between Melbourne and West Melbourne from Wickham Road to Babcock StreetÂ
- North Courtenay Parkway on Merritt Island between State Roads 520 and 528Â
- Babcock Street between Melbourne and Palm Bay from Palm Bay Road to U.S. Highway 192Â
- Palm Bay Road between Melbourne and Palm Bay from Minton Road to Hollywood BoulevardÂ
- U.S. Highway 1 in Melbourne from Strawbridge Avenue to Sarno Road.  Â
- Babcock Street at Palm Bay Road in Palm BayÂ
- The roundabout at Wickham Road and Lake Andrew Drive in VieraÂ
- Malabar Road at Babcock Street in Palm BayÂ
- Eau Gallie Boulevard at South Patrick Drive in Indian Harbour Beach in MelbourneÂ
- State Road 520 at North Courtenay Parkway on Merritt IslandÂ
Additionally, Interstate 95 and U.S. Highway 192 are among the top 10 most dangerous highways in the United States.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Below are answers to common questions about car accident claims. If you have additional questions, please feel free to call us 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at (321) 306-0104.
How Long Do I Have To File a Car Accident Lawsuit?
The statute of limitations for most car accident injuries in Florida is two years from the accident date. However, you shouldn’t wait to contact an experienced car accident attorney in Melbourne. The evidence needed to prove your case may only be accessible for a short time after your accident.
How Long Does It Take To Settle a Car Accident Case in Florida?
In some cases, car accident claims can be resolved within a few weeks, while others take years. If your injuries are severe and significant compensation is expected, your case may take longer to resolve than a claim involving lesser compensation because insurance companies fight harder against larger claims.Â
If your case goes to trial, it could take a year or longer to resolve. If your compensation is delayed because your case must go to trial, we can often find pre-settlement funding to keep you afloat until your case resolves.
Where Does Compensation Come From When the At-Fault Driver Is Uninsured?
If you are seriously injured, and your injuries meet the state’s severe injury threshold, you can file a claim against your own uninsured motorist policy after you exhaust your PIP coverage in Florida. Our skilled and dedicated Melbourne car accident attorneys will also look for third parties who share liability for the accident.
How Can I Protect My Case After a Car Accident?
The most important step to protect your case after a car accident is to hire an experienced Melbourne car accident lawyer and allow your attorney to represent you in all matters relating to your accident, including all conversations with the insurance company. Until your case is resolved, do not discuss your accident on social media, and never admit fault to anyone.
When you hire our experienced car accident lawyers, your only job will be to complete all recommended medical treatments and promptly report new symptoms to your doctor. This is necessary to prove your injuries and their full extent. We will take care of everything else.
Contact Us Now To Start Your Claim
If you’ve been injured in a car accident, we will help you get through this difficult time. Call our experienced car accident lawyers today at (321) 306-0104 to schedule your free consultation.
Why You Can Trust Our Award-Winning Lawyers To Handle Your Car Accident Claim
What You Can Expect When You Have Team Farah on Your Side
Compensation May Be Substantial in a Car Accident Claim
You Are Not Restricted to No-Fault Insurance When Seriously Injured in a Florida Car Accident
Identifying All the Liable Parties Is Critical for Recovering the Compensation You Deserve
How Do Most Car Accidents Happen in Melbourne?
Dangerous Roads and Intersections in Brevard County
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