Tampa Car Accident Lawyer

More than 300,000 people live in Tampa, and millions visit the area annually for vacations or to attend the region’s most popular events. All these residents and visitors often result in congested roadways and increased car accidents.

Being injured in a car accident can impact every facet of your life, including your finances and your ability to work and enjoy hobbies and activities with family members and friends. It can change your relationships with your loved ones and cause distress in many ways.

Florida’s claims process allows you to seek compensation for the profound impacts your injury caused. An experienced Tampa car accident attorney from Dolman Law Group Accident and Injury Lawyers, PA, can explain the process and obtain the compensation you deserve.

Why Choose Dolman Law Group Accident and Injury Lawyers, PA, to Help You With Your Car Accident Claim?

Dolman Law Group Accident and Injury Lawyers, PA, is a nationwide law firm with offices in several communities across Florida, including in Tampa. Our Tampa personal injury lawyers provide fierce advocacy for our clients, and we are not intimidated by complex cases. We have the resources to provide you with the services available from big law firms but the personal touches that are usually only experienced with small firms.

Some of the case results that we have garnered on behalf of our clients include:

• A $1.875 million award for a client in a car accident case with disputed liability. The client suffered a mild traumatic brain injury and a spinal injury.
• A $1.58 million award for a client who suffered two herniated discs impinging on their spinal cord.
• A $1 million award for the family of a father killed in an accident involving a rideshare vehicle.

Call for a free case evaluation for information about your claim and answers to your legal questions.

• Matthew Dolman is a lifetime member of both the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum for obtaining results over $1,000,000.00 and $2,000,000.00, respectively. He has also been selected by his colleagues as a Florida Legal Elite and Florida Super Lawyer on multiple occasions. Matt is a Tampa resident and experienced car accident lawyer.
• Stanley Gipe is a Florida board-certified civil trial lawyer, which deems him an expert in the discipline of trial law. Stan resides in South Tampa. Further, Stan runs the litigation department at Dolman Law Group, and he reviews every last personal injury lawsuit. He is highly regarded by both insurance adjusters and insurance defense lawyers.
• Julia Dolman has been selected by her colleagues as a Florida Super Lawyer Rising Star (top lawyers under the age of 40) five years in a row. Julia is a Tampa resident.

These awards, which are chosen by other Florida lawyers, illustrate the respect our law firm has garnered in the Tampa Bay community. Dolman Law Group is a nationally recognized personal injury law firm. Our auto accident attorneys have handled over 10,000 car accident cases. We have represented car accident victims throughout Florida and have handled practically every claim you can imagine, from herniated discs, spinal cord injuries, and traumatic brain injuries to a wide array of orthopedic injuries. Our team can assist you in obtaining competent medical care while pursuing your claim against the at-fault driver.

Top 4 Reasons to Choose the Tampa Car Accident Attorneys at Dolman Law Group

Here are the top four reasons to choose our law firm if you’re researching car accident attorneys in Tampa:

1. Other Car Accident Law Firms Refer Their Biggest or Most Complicated Cases to Us

Other firms trust us to maximize the compensation our clients will receive. Our Tampa car accident lawyers have handled numerous catastrophic injury claims and lawsuits over the past decade and have the financial resources to take on the biggest corporations or any insurance company. We have litigated lawsuits against:

• Walmart
• Walt Disney World
• Publix
• Winn-Dixie
• McDonald’s
• Amazon
• Uber
• State Farm
• Allstate
• Geico
• Practically every car insurance carrier you can think of

This firm has the necessary financial resources, experience, and expertise to handle any size auto accident case. Every prominent auto insurance company is aware of our track record of litigation success. We believe this results in better offers from the applicable insurance company in pre-suit (before a lawsuit is filed) following the filing of an insurance claim. Put our experienced trial attorneys to work for you.

2. We Will Negotiate All Your Outstanding Medical Expenses

Further, we will assist our clients with obtaining the proper medical treatment when requested or necessary to treat their accident-related injuries. Keep in mind that Florida is a no-fault state. In other words, if you have a Florida car insurance policy, there is $10,000.00 of personal injury protection coverage available for you to access for immediate treatment.

Personal injury protection is designed under Florida law to provide expeditious medical treatment without having to wait for a Court of Law to determine fault. Our goal is to ensure your claim or lawsuit covers all medical expenses incurred. 

3. We Have a Reputation for Taking Cases to Trial When the Insurance Company Refuses to Make a Reasonable Settlement Offer

An auto accident attorney or firm that does not regularly take cases to trial – or even litigate an insurance claim – is not going to maximize the potential value of your case. Every car insurance company keeps detailed notes on all the lawyers and law firms they have dealt with. The settlement offers provided by an insurance company are based on the risk they face if the victim refuses to settle and opts to pursue a trial.

Our litigation partner, Stan Gipe, is a Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer as designated by the Florida Bar. This means Stan is considered an expert in trial practice. Stan has successfully tried thousands of cases and helped recover millions of dollars for accident victims throughout Florida, and the insurance companies know and respect him.

Law firms that do not try cases pose zero risks to the insurance company. Our car accident lawyers have litigated over 2,500 lawsuits to date throughout Tampa and the state of Florida, and we have served as lead counsel on numerous jury trials.

​​4. We Are NOT an Auto Accident Settlement Mill

Many of the higher volume law firms you see advertised are little more than settlement mills. Further, high-volume law firms have difficulty providing personal attention to their clients and each insurance claim. A common complaint we receive from clients who retained Dolman Law Group after firing a high-volume law firm that relentlessly advertises on television is they never met nor spoke with their previous lawyer.

Every client of Dolman Law Group is provided with the cellphone number of the attorney handling their case, as well as the Managing Partner of Dolman Law Group. Take a look at the reviews of many of the high-volume Tampa car accident lawyers, and you will notice a disturbing trend. The lawyer in the television commercial is often impossible to reach for typical injury victims, and chances are good that they have never even tried a case despite claiming they are the best law firm in the area.

Dolman Law Group is a law firm committed to our clients. Our business has grown based on word-of-mouth referrals from very satisfied former and current clients. We have the financial resources necessary to take on any size corporate defendant and retain the best experts possible to illustrate the extent of your damages. Dolman Law Group has previously litigated against corporate giants such as Walmart, Wawa, Walt Disney World, Amazon, Publix, Winn Dixie, Outback (Bloomin Brands), Allstate, Geico, Progressive, USAA, State Farm, Monsanto, and others. Call us for a free consultation and free consultation and case evaluation.

How Much Is Your Tampa Car Accident Claim Worth?

Car accidents occur for many reasons, and injuries vary widely due to many specific factors. Because of these factors, there is no standard or even average amount of a car accident claim.

Due to Florida’s no-fault insurance requirement, drivers and passengers injured in car accidents must first seek compensation for their medical expenses and income loss through their personal injury protection policy. You can only file a claim against an at-fault driver’s auto liability policy when your injuries meet the state’s serious injury threshold or you’ve exceeded the limits of your personal injury protection policy.

Many factors can change the value of your claim, such as:

• The amount of insurance the at-fault driver has. Insurance is how most car accident claims are compensated, as most at-fault drivers do not have the money to pay for the expenses and impacts of the injuries they caused to another roadway user. However, according to the Insurance Information Institute (III), around one in five drivers in Florida does not have insurance. If you have been injured in an accident caused by an uninsured driver, you can still seek compensation directly from the driver in most cases, but it will be more challenging to collect.
• The severity of your injury. Suffering a traumatic brain injury that causes permanent deficits and impairs your future earning capacity will likely be valued much higher than an accident resulting in a broken arm that heals within weeks. This is because there are many more financial and psychological impacts associated with serious injuries, including more medical costs, more services that must be provided for the injured person, and a lifetime of medical treatment and financial impacts caused by the permanence of the injury.

Your patience with the personal injury claims process. Most car accident claims are resolved by an out-of-court settlement for less than the established value of the claim. Your attorney will negotiate with the insurance claims adjuster to get them to increase the value of their offer as much as possible. However, some claimants simply want to resolve the claim as quickly as possible. Those who wait and allow their lawyer to negotiate often see higher awards than those who were willing to accept the first offer that came their way.

What Will A Tampa Auto Accident Attorney Do for My Car Wreck Claim?

We immediately commence an investigation of the motor vehicle accident once our client signs a contract. Time is of the essence, as witnesses forget facts, and evidence often disappears. Our team will attempt to obtain the following:

• The police report
• Pictures of the vehicles involved and the accident scene surrounding the car crash
• Medical records
• Employment records
• Cellular phone records
• The black box or EDR (event data recorder)
• Statements from any eyewitnesses
• Employment records to document lost wages

Our investigation is extremely thorough to help us create the best chance of obtaining the highest compensation possible on your behalf.

How Much is My Tampa Auto Accident and Injury Case Worth?

After a car wreck, injured accident victims often want to know how much their car accident case is worth. While no two cases are ever the same, in general, auto accident victims can seek money to help them pay for the following damages:

• Medical bills
• Lost wages
• Loss of future earnings
• Future medical expenses and care
• Long-term care
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of consortium
• Emotional distress

We work quickly to locate all liable parties and build a case that is designed to collect maximum compensation. We then negotiate aggressively with insurance companies to be sure that the award or settlement you receive is what you deserve – and nothing less.

Filing a Tampa Car Accident Lawsuit

When the insurance company denies your claim or refuses to reach a settlement, you may need to file a lawsuit to collect the money you deserve. To do this, you will need an aggressive and persistent attorney on your side. At Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA, each car accident lawyer will work quickly to build your case. To do this, we need to gather solid evidence of your car accident and your injuries, which may include:

• Medical records
• Police reports
• Photographs from the accident scene
• Eyewitness testimony
• Expert testimony
• Accident reconstruction reports
• Traffic camera footage of the car crash
• 911 call recordings
• Cell phone records
• Toxicology reports

This evidence is used to clearly establish liability and show how your injuries have adversely affected your life. In some cases, multiple parties may share the blame for the accident and your injuries. This can include the government entity responsible for maintaining the roads, the bar that served the drunk driver, or even the car manufacturer who produced a defective product. Unfortunately, insurance companies will want to reduce the amount of money they pay you and will use numerous tactics to do this. We work to combat those tactics from the start.

How Long Do You Have to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit After a Car Accident in Tampa?

In Florida, you only have four years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit in Tampa. This is known as a statute of limitations. If you miss this deadline, you will not be able to file a future claim to collect compensation. We can help you through this difficult time and ensure you do not miss any critical deadlines. If you’re not sure how to find the best Tampa car accident lawyer, you can ask friends and family for references. Be sure to request a free case review from the lawyer you select to make sure you find the one who is right for you.

Types of Tampa Car Accidents Our Law Firm Handles

Of the many factors that contribute to a car accident, a significant number relate to driver error of one form or another. Drivers who engage in risky behavior behind the wheel put innocent lives at risk. Some of the most common causes of auto accidents that result in injury include:

Head-On Collisions

Head-on collisions are typically caused by an impaired or drowsy driver crossing the center median into oncoming traffic. We have also handled cases wherein a careless driver recklessly attempts to pass a vehicle on a two-lane road.

T-Bone Collisions

Also known as a side-impact accident, T-bone collisions often result in serious injuries due to the sides being the most vulnerable section of a vehicle. They typically occur at an intersection as a result of failing to adhere to a stop sign or traffic light.

Rear-End Car Accidents

According to the Department of Transportation (DOT), rear-end accidents are by far the most common type of car wreck. These collisions are often a result of one motorist following too closely to the vehicle immediately in front of them, which will result in their liability. Keep in mind that the back vehicle must maintain a proper distance from the car in front. In the event of a rear-end accident, the trailing vehicle is presumed to be at fault. This is a presumption that can be rebutted by an independent eyewitness.

Drunk or Drugged Driving

Data from the NHTSA shows that approximately 30 people die every day in drunk driving-related auto accidents. Although Florida law sets a legal limit of 0.08 percent blood alcohol concentration (BAC), the truth is that impairment starts with the very first drink.

DUI is not just limited to alcohol, either. Of the 671 people killed in Florida crashes in a recent year, 31% involved drug-impaired drivers. There is no roadside test for marijuana, and chemical testing for the drug in blood and urine is not always reliable. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)—the chemical responsible for producing the psychological effect of marijuana—can stay in a person’s system for days or even weeks.

Recreational marijuana is still illegal in Florida, but medical marijuana is legal for permanent or seasonal residents with a qualifying medical condition. More than 300,000 Florida residents have met the requirements needed for a medical marijuana card, increasing the risk of an accident caused by driving high. Our lawyers have represented hundreds of DUI accident victims.

Uber and Lyft Rideshare Accidents

We have handled over 500 claims collectively against rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft, with many of them resulting in lawsuits. If the rideshare driver is at fault, the insurance coverage from Uber/ Lyft should kick in.

Distracted Driving/ Texting and Driving

We have witnessed a growing number of serious car accidents related to distracted drivers playing with their phones, radio, stereo systems, etc. Although cell phone use has garnered the most attention as a dangerously distracting driving behavior, the CDC notes that distracted driving constitutes any behavior that:

• Takes your eyes off the road (visual distraction)
• Takes your hands off the wheel (manual distraction)
• Takes your mind off of safe vehicle operation (cognitive distraction)

Texting is so dangerous because it involves all three types of distraction. At 55 mph, in the time it takes to send or read a single text, a car can travel more than the length of a football field. Other behaviors that result in dangerous distractions at the wheel include:

• Reaching for items
• Eating
• Applying makeup
• Using an app
• Programming a GPS

A car accident lawyer in Tampa can subpoena phone records to illustrate what the negligent party was doing at the time or within seconds of the car wreck.

Speeding

Motorists traveling more than the speed limit or driving too fast in relation to weather conditions can cause devastating collisions.

Truck Accidents

These are often horrific accidents attributable to the driver of a semi-truck who has driven for far too many hours without a break. Many truckers and trucking companies fail to adhere to the federal statute governing allowable hours of operation. These accidents are often complicated, sometimes with multiple victims and liable parties. A truck accident lawyer will help you identify all possible liable parties in your claim if you were injured in an accident with a commercial truck.

Pedestrian Accidents

A motorist is required to exercise due caution for the safety of other motorists and pedestrians. Pedestrian accidents are typically caused by drivers who are simply not paying proper attention to their surroundings or rushing.

Driving While Tired

Most Americans do not get enough sleep. The CDC reports that more than one-third of adults in the Sunshine State sleep less than the 7 to 8 hours the vast majority of us need to wake up refreshed. Chronic sleep deprivation leads to serious risks of car accidents in Tampa. Driving fatigued is as dangerous as driving drunk. Fatigue likely contributes to the cause of far more car accidents than we even know, considering how many people drive while tired. Driver fatigue puts lives at risk, and a competent car accident lawyer in Tampa will research the driving logs of truck drivers to determine whether they had enough rest time.

Aggressive Driving

According to research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, nearly 80% of drivers admitted to expressing anger through their driving behaviors. Additional research found that throughout a four-year period, more than half of all traffic fatalities involved an aggressive driver. Examples of aggressive driving include:

• Tailgating
• Changing lanes without signaling
• Blocking cars from changing lanes
• Cutting in front of a car, then slowing down
• Weaving in and out of traffic
• Running red lights
• Speeding in heavy traffic

Road Rage

Aggressive driving can escalate into road rage. Other drivers are at risk for serious harm when aggressive drivers start honking unnecessarily, passing dangerously, throwing objects, or even forcing another driver off the road. How common is road rage? AAA found that over one year, 51% of drivers admitted to tailgating, and 47% admitted to yelling at another driver.

Additional Dangers for Tampa Drivers

In addition to dangerous driving behaviors, Tampa drivers also encounter risky situations on the road because of:

Semi-Trucks

When fully loaded, a semi-truck needs 20-40% more distance to stop compared to a passenger vehicle. A semi-truck also weighs many times more than other cars and trucks on the road, which translates into catastrophic damage in a crash. Semi-trucks are also taller and have greater ground clearance than other vehicles, so they pose a constant risk of rolling over or pinning a smaller vehicle under their trailers.

Many passenger car drivers do not appreciate these risks when sharing the road with semi-trucks, which can lead them to make unsafe decisions about when to pass a semi and how to avoid unnecessary accident risks. Truckers, in contrast, may understand the dangers their vehicles pose to everyone else on the road, but they face their own wide array of challenges. As a group, truckers suffer from excessive fatigue, and their irregular working hours and relatively poor health often prevent them from getting the sleep they need – even when they obey regulations that limit their time behind the wheel.

Not every car accident attorney in Tampa is experienced in handling truck accident injury claims. Further, many law firms lack the financial resources to effectively prosecute these cases. Truck accident cases are expert-intensive, and it costs significant money to retain the best experts to illustrate liability, negligent retention and hiring, and the failure to adequately maintain the truck.

Teen Drivers

The first 18 months of a newly licensed teen are the most dangerous not only for them but also for their passengers and other drivers. During this time, teens are four times more likely to crash due to their inexperience and because of distractions. Teens driving with teen passengers are more likely to drive distracted. Smartphones, apps, and GPS systems also add additional distractions that take their eyes and mind off the road and their hands off the wheel. Alcohol is an especially dangerous combination for inexperienced teen drivers. Peer pressure often leads teens to make bad decisions. Despite Florida’s law of zero tolerance for underage drinking, teens continue to participate in this reckless behavior.

Rideshare Drivers

Rideshare companies have revolutionized how many Tampa residents get around town. Unfortunately, the convenience of hailing a ride through Uber or Lyft comes with downsides.

Rideshare drivers have no special training, and they find rides by using an app that can easily distract them as much as sending a text or programming a GPS. Rideshare passengers and anyone who shares the road with a rideshare driver may well face a higher-than-average risk that the driver will make a mistake and cause a rideshare accident in Tampa.

Our lawyers handle a significant number of rideshare car accident cases. We have successfully resolved numerous Uber and Lyft accident claims, with twenty cases resolved for over $500,000.00. Each car accident lawyer at Dolman Law Group is actively handling car accident cases and lawsuits against ridesharing entities.

Types of Serious Injuries You Can Sue For

According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV), more than 400,000 motor vehicle accidents occurred throughout Florida in one recent year. These crashes included 3,741 fatalities and 16,800 victims with incapacitating injuries—severe and disabling injuries such as broken bones or severed limbs, requiring immediate transport to a hospital.

Other types of possible serious injuries from a car accident that you can sue for include:

• Traumatic brain injury (TBI): The CDC defines a TBI as a bump, blow, or jolt to the head that interrupts normal brain function. A severe TBI can result in long-term effects on a person’s cognitive and motor function, vision and hearing, and behavior.
• Spinal cord injury: An injury to the spinal cord can interrupt signals between the brain and the body, causing weakness, numbness, or paralysis. A severe spinal cord injury resulting in partial or total paralysis can cost over one million dollars to treat in the first year after an injury and millions more over a lifetime.
• Broken bones: Tampa car accidents frequently leave victims with broken bones. Even a minor fracture, such as a broken collarbone, can cause debilitating pain, but major fractures (such as those that happen when a crash collapses the passenger compartment) can lead to the diminished use of a limb or loss of the limb altogether.
• Neck and back injuries: Serious injuries to your neck and back can require surgeries, neck and back braces, and physical therapy – all of which can quickly deplete a victim’s insurance coverage, leaving massive out-of-pocket medical expenses in their wake.

Any injury can lead to severe financial strain for victims and their families. Medical expenses represent a leading cause of personal bankruptcy in the U.S. No car wreck victim should have to face financial ruin because of someone else’s careless, reckless, or intentionally harmful conduct. Victims deserve compensation, and with the help of an experienced Tampa car accident law firm, they can get it.

Contact a Tampa Car Accident Lawyer at Dolman Law Group Today

With offices across both Florida coasts, you can easily reach Dolman Law Group at 833-552-7274 (833-55-CRASH), or you can write to us via our online contact page. Discuss your legal options with a Tampa car accident lawyer during a free, confidential, no-obligation case consultation. We represent Tampa car accident clients on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay nothing upfront, and we only get paid if we recover compensation for your injuries and losses. But do not delay—the clock is ticking on your legal right to pursue the responsible parties for your injuries and losses.

Our Tampa Auto Accident Attorneys Help Injury Victims in Many Local Areas

We represent car accident injury victims in the following areas; Old Seminole Park, East Tampa (Belmont Heights and Jackson Heights), East Ybor, Ybor City, Beach Park, Historic Hyde Park, Town & Country, University Square, Harbour Island, South Nebraska, Sunset Park, Carrollwood, Golf View, Grant Park, Palma Ceia, North Tampa, Westchase, Culbreath Isles, Davis Island, Temple Crest, Tampa Palms, and all surrounding areas.