Car Accident Lawyer Boca Raton
If you have recently been injured in a car crash, you may be dealing with serious injury, financial hardships, and stress about your predicament. Our Boca Raton, FL car accident lawyer has been representing injured Floridians for over 20 years. At Warner & Fitzmartin Personal Injury Lawyers, we handle the legal aspects so you can focus on your health at this time. If you’ve been hurt and aren’t sure what your case is worth, reach out to us for a free consultation.
Why Choose Warner & Fitzmartin Personal Injury Lawyers for Car Accidents in Boca Raton, FL?
Deep Roots in Florida’s Legal System
Aaron Warner is a civil litigation attorney who has been fighting for injury victims across South Florida throughout his career. He earned his B.S. in Legal Studies from the University of Central Florida and his J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law. He is admitted to practice in the State of Florida, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, and the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida.
Elissa Fitzmartin is a trial attorney who graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Miami School of Law, where she was a member of Law Review, Moot Court, and the Federal Appellate Clinic. She is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, an organization limited to attorneys who have obtained verdicts or settlements of $1,000,000 or more. She was recognized by the Boca Raton Observer as “Top Lawyer” and Best Lawyers as “Ones to Watch” for Plaintiff’s Personal Injury Litigation.
Aaron has been recognized as a Super Lawyers Rising Star since 2019 and named to Florida Trend’s Legal Elite. Elissa serves on the Board of Directors of the South Palm Beach County Bar Association, where she is a past President of the Young Lawyers Section. As a personal injury lawyer in Boca Raton, FL, our firm handles car accident cases at every stage. From early investigation and insurance negotiations to trial, we are willing to do whatever it takes to get our clients what they need.
A Proven Record for Injured Clients
Our attorneys have recovered millions of dollars for injury victims across South Florida. Car accident recoveries, premises liability verdicts, and wrongful death settlements are all instances of the meaningful results we have achieved across a variety of personal injury cases.
No Fees Unless We Win
We take car accident cases on a contingency basis. What this means is that you pay nothing upfront. We don’t get paid unless you recover. For most people dealing with accident bills and lost income, this structure allows them to get legal support.
What Our Clients Say
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“I had an excellent experience working with Elissa after my car accident. From the very beginning, she was informative, professional, responsive, and genuinely cared about my care and my case. She explained everything clearly, kept me informed throughout the process, and handled all communication with the insurance companies so I didn’t have to stress. Thanks to her hard work and dedication, my case was resolved successfully. I highly recommend her to anyone who needs a knowledgeable and trustworthy personal injury attorney.” — Lynn Kelley
Read more reviews on our Google Business Profile.
Types of Car Accident Cases We Handle in Boca Raton
Car accidents in South Florida can happen due to many different contributing factors, and the facts behind each crash affect how we build your case. Here are examples of what we case we can handle:
- Rear-end collisions. These are the most common crashes on Florida roads, and still cause serious neck, back, and spinal injuries. Insurance companies are often resistant to compensating for soft tissue claims, but we know how to counter their approach. If you’re dealing with delayed pain after a crash, please don’t assume you don’t have a case.
- T-bone accidents. Side-impact crashes at intersections cause some of the most severe injuries. Door panels offer minimal protection, and the occupant on the struck side often absorbs the full force of the collision.
- Sideswipe accidents. Lane changes, merges, and highway driving all create sideswipe risks. These crashes can spin vehicles, push them into other lanes, or cause rollovers.
- Multi-vehicle accidents. When three or more vehicles are involved, liability gets complicated fast. Multiple insurance policies, shifting fault among drivers, and filing claims in multi-car accidents require a careful legal strategy.
- Drunk and impaired driving crashes. When a driver was under the influence, we investigate every avenue, including how a car accident lawyer proves impairment, and pursue the full damages available under Florida law.
- Distracted driving accidents. Phone use behind the wheel is now one of the leading causes of crashes statewide. Cell phone records, app data, and cell phone evidence in auto cases can be critical to proving negligence.
Florida Legal Requirements for Car Accident Claims
Florida operates under a no-fault insurance system. Under Florida Statute § 627.736, every driver is required to carry Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage of at least $10,000. After an accident, your own PIP policy pays first, covering 80% of reasonable medical expenses and 60% of lost wages, up to your policy limits and regardless of who caused the crash.
To step outside the no-fault system and pursue a claim against the at-fault driver, Florida requires that your injuries meet the serious injury threshold defined under Florida Statute § 627.737. That threshold includes significant and permanent loss of an important bodily function, permanent injury within a reasonable degree of medical probability, significant and permanent scarring or disfigurement, or death. If your injuries meet that threshold, you can pursue the at-fault driver’s bodily injury liability coverage for damages beyond what PIP covers.
Florida also applies a modified comparative fault rule under Florida Statute § 768.81. As of March 2023, Florida shifted from pure comparative fault to a modified model. So if you are found to be more than 50% at fault for the accident, you cannot recover any damages. If you are 50% or less at fault, your recovery is reduced proportionally. This makes it essential to have an attorney building the strongest possible case on liability from the start.
Finally, Florida’s statute of limitations for personal injury claims is two years from the date of the accident under Florida Statute § 95.11. Be forewarned, that if you miss this deadline, it almost always means losing your right to recover. Knowing Florida’s time limits for personal injury lawsuits is critical if you’ve been hurt.
What Damages Are Recoverable in a Boca Raton Car Accident?
Car accident victims in Florida can pursue several categories of compensation, depending on the severity of the injuries and the facts of the case. This can include economic damages, non-economic damages, and punitive damages if the offender was exhibiting particularly reckless or intentionally harmful conduct.
Economic damages cover your measurable financial losses. These can be medical bills, such as emergency care, surgery, hospitalization, physical therapy, and follow-up appointments. Lost wages, both past and future, are also recoverable if your injuries kept you from working or affected your earning capacity. Property damage, including the cost to repair or replace your vehicle, falls under this category.
Non-economic damages most often entail pain and suffering, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of consortium. These are harder to quantify, and insurance companies use that to their advantage by presenting lowball formulas that don’t account for what the injury actually costs you on a daily basis. An experienced auto accident attorney in Boca Raton can do a calculation and pursue maximum payment for your non-economic damages.
Punitive damages are available in limited circumstances, typically where the at-fault driver’s conduct was especially egregious. This can be situations where drunk driving, street racing, or fleeing the scene were factors. Under Florida Statute § 768.72, punitive damages require a showing of intentional misconduct or gross negligence. They are not available in every case, but when the facts support them, they can significantly increase recovery.
One thing to watch out for is accepting a settlement before you know what the full extent of your case is worth. By having Attorney Warner and Attorney Fitzmartin represent you, you can avoid accidentally committing common mistakes after accidents. We can discuss this further with you during a consultation.
Contact Warner & Fitzmartin Personal Injury Lawyers
If you were hurt in a car crash in Boca Raton, FL, please don’t navigate the insurance process alone. We offer free consultations and take cases on contingency, which means no fees for you unless we win. We recommend letting our team at Warner & Fitzmartin Personal Injury Lawyers protect you from the start. Contact us today to reserve your complimentary consultation appointment.