
St. Petersburg is a beautiful Tampa Bay community that hosts thousands of visitors every year, and driving in the area can be challenging. Accidents may happen unexpectedly in various ways on busy highways like I-275 as well as on smaller local roads, and it’s vital to understand your legal options if you or a family member is injured in an accident. You will need to consult a St. Petersburg car accident lawyer as soon as possible to assist with your recovery.
Ronald Bone, P.A., has more than 30 years of experience representing injured clients in St. Petersburg and the surrounding communities of the Tampa Bay area. The aftermath of a car accident in St. Petersburg can be confusing, and it is important to find legal counsel you can trust to guide you through the legal proceedings that are likely to follow the incident. The right attorney can help you secure appropriate compensation for your damages.
According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV), there were 381,423 total accidents statewide in 2024. These accidents resulted in 3,098 deaths, 14,026 incapacitating injuries, and thousands more minor injuries. Of these accidents, 14,391 occurred in Pinellas County.
Florida enforces a no-fault system for resolving vehicle accident cases, and this may seem restrictive if another driver was clearly to blame for your recent accident, but a St. Petersburg car accident lawyer can help you understand all of your legal options. You may have grounds to pursue compensation from the at-fault driver if they caused a serious injury. The sooner you reach out to our firm, the sooner we can begin building your case.
Most of the car accident cases that arise in the St. Petersburg area result from driver negligence. Every driver has a duty of care to abide by posted speed limits and traffic signals and to operate their vehicle responsibly. A few of the most commonly reported causes of accidents in St. Petersburg include distracted driving, speeding, moving violations, and intoxicated driving.
Florida uses a no-fault system for resolving vehicle accidents, intended to reduce the number of civil claims filed for small crashes. However, this rule may seem restrictive or even unfair if another driver is clearly to blame for causing your recent accident. Under the no-fault system, every driver must have their own no-fault auto insurance policy that includes Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage.
Filing a no-fault insurance claim with your own insurer is usually your first recovery option after a vehicle accident in Florida, regardless of who caused the accident. Dealing with insurance company representatives can be challenging because they will almost always attempt to settle injury claims for as little as possible, but if you hire a car accident lawyer to assist you, the insurance carrier is more likely to offer a fair settlement.
While filing a no-fault insurance claim may appear to be your only option for recovering from a vehicle accident in Florida, this is not true if you have suffered a severe injury. If another driver caused your recent accident and you suffered any type of permanently disabling injury because of their negligence or misconduct, then you may have grounds to pursue compensation for the damages that insurance won’t cover with a personal injury case.
If another driver caused your recent accident, filing a no-fault insurance claim will still be your primary option for recovering compensation. It’s a good idea to hire a car accident lawyer who can help you file your claim, as they can verify that the insurance company handles the claim correctly and offers a fair settlement. When you have suffered a severe injury, your attorney may be able to help you recover additional compensation with a personal injury case.
Under Florida’s no-fault system for vehicle accident cases, an injured victim can only file a personal injury claim if they suffered some type of serious injury, which can usually be defined as any injury resulting in permanent disability, permanent disfigurement, or the loss of a bodily function. Your attorney can determine whether you meet these criteria and, if so, help you build a personal injury case against the driver who caused your accident.
If you can successfully prove liability for the accident, your St. Petersburg car accident lawyer can help you pursue compensation for the economic and non-economic damages the defendant caused. No-fault insurance in Florida may only cover a portion of your medical expenses and property damage, but a successful personal injury case could yield a far greater recovery.
Whether you were hurt in a recent accident or you are taking legal action on behalf of a critically injured family member, it is vital to hire a car accident lawyer you can trust to manage your case. You may have more options for recovering compensation than you initially expected, but you need experienced legal counsel representing you to have the greatest chance of success in the proceedings ahead of you.
Ronald Bone, P.A., has an extensive record of successfully resolving vehicle accident cases in St. Petersburg and the surrounding communities of Pinellas County. Many attorneys in the Tampa Bay area refer their cases to our firm because of our strong reputation for success in difficult litigation. You can trust our team to help you settle your case if possible, but we are fully confident in our ability to represent you in court if litigation is necessary.
Once you connect with our team after an accident, we will review the details of the accident and determine your most viable legal options for recovering compensation. If another driver caused a severe injury, we will immediately begin gathering and preserving the evidence you need to hold them accountable for your economic and non-economic damages. You can trust us to help with an auto insurance claim, but we can also help you build a personal injury case if you’re eligible.
Our goal in every case is to help our client secure as much compensation as possible for the damages they suffered. We have resolved many difficult car accident cases for clients in the St. Petersburg area, and we are ready to put this experience to work in your case. Reach out to our firm as soon as possible to learn more about our legal services and how we can assist with your recovery.
In St. Petersburg, you can only file a claim against an at-fault driver if they have caused a severe injury that available insurance cannot fully cover. If you are unsure whether you qualify to file a personal injury claim after your accident, it is crucial that you speak with an experienced St. Petersburg car accident attorney at your first opportunity. They can review the details of your injuries and explain your legal options.
If you share fault for your recent car accident, Florida’s modified comparative fault rule applies to your case, and you will be assigned a percentage of fault. If your fault exceeds the defendant’s, you will be barred from claiming compensation. However, if you are found less at fault, your fault percentage is deducted from the final compensation obtained from the defendant, and you keep the remainder.
The value of a car accident case in St. Petersburg largely depends on the severity of your injuries. You may be eligible to claim compensation for vehicle repair costs, medical expenses, lost wages, and the pain and suffering you experienced. If you are eligible to file a personal injury case against the driver who caused your accident, you are more likely to obtain a suitable amount of compensation with an experienced attorney representing you.
The time it takes to settle a car accident case in St. Petersburg depends on whether liability for the accident is contested, the severity of the victim’s damages, and whether they are eligible to file a personal injury case. If you are only able to file a no-fault insurance claim, then this process may only take a few weeks with an attorney’s help. Settling a personal injury claim will take longer, but it is typically much faster than litigation.
You should hire a car accident lawyer in St. Petersburg because working with an experienced attorney will dramatically improve your chances of recovering suitable compensation for your damages. Your attorney can help you file a no-fault insurance claim, and if you are eligible to file a personal injury claim for a serious injury, you are more likely to succeed with an attorney handling your case.
Ronald Bone, P.A., and his team have a strong record of successful representation in car accident cases in St. Petersburg and the surrounding communities of Pinellas County. We can help you pursue accountability and compensation when you or a family member has suffered a serious injury due to another driver’s negligence or misconduct. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation with an experienced St. Petersburg car accident lawyer.
Thoughtful, trial-ready personal injury representation in Tampa Bay.