Companies testing fully autonomous vehicles hope to market them to the general public soon. However, testing driverless vehicles and putting thousands of vehicles on the roads in Tampa, Florida are two different things. Autonomous cars are not yet ready to navigate the heavy-traffic roads throughout South Florida.
Our Tampa self-driving car accident lawyers at Catania & Catania Injury Lawyers understand the challenges of filing a lawsuit related to self-driving car crashes. Our lawyers have over 120 years of combined experience handling personal injury cases. Our law firm has recovered millions of dollars in jury verdicts and settlements for our clients since 1992.
If you’ve been injured in a self-driving car accident, contact us now or call us at (813) 222-8656 to schedule a free consultation with one of our Tampa car accident attorneys. Our legal team is ready to fight for the money you deserve after a car accident in Tampa, FL.
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How Our Tampa Auto Accident Lawyers Can Help You After a Self-Driving Car Accident
Our legal team has decades of experience helping clients with car accident claims. We have developed extensive resources and skills to fiercely advocate for our clients. Our Tampa car accident attorneys exhaust every legal avenue to recover maximum compensation for your injuries and damages.
When you hire Catania & Catania Injury Lawyers to handle your case, you can expect our award-winning legal team to:
- Investigate the car accident to identify the parties responsible for causing the collision
- Consult with experts regarding self-driving vehicles to gather additional evidence
- Work with you and your physicians to document the severity of your injuries
- Document your damages to increase the value of your injury claim
- File insurance claims and handle all matters related to the claims
- Aggressively negotiate with the parties in your case for a fair settlement amount
- Advocate on your behalf in court if the other parties refuse to negotiate in good faith
Vehicles operating on Tampa, Florida roads must be safe. If self-driving vehicles cause an accident, we work to hold the manufacturer responsible for damages. Our lawyers also look to human drivers for damages when their negligence contributed to the cause of a self-driving car accident.
Contact our law office to speak with a member of our legal team. Our Tampa car accident lawyers provide free case evaluations for accident victims and their families.
Who Is Responsible for a Self-Driving Car Accident in Tampa?
Under Florida’s no-fault insurance laws, you must file a claim with your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance carrier if you are injured in a motor vehicle accident. However, you can also sue a third party if you sustain serious injuries.
If you file a personal injury lawsuit, you have the burden of proving that the other party:
- Owed you a duty of care;
- Breached that duty of care;
- The breach of duty caused your injuries; and
- You incurred damages because of the breach of duty.
Manufacturers and designers claim that an autonomous vehicle can prevent car accidents. However, that may not be the case. Cars on the road that have driver-assisted technology sometimes contribute to the cause of a traffic accident.
Accidents might include, but are not limited to:
- Rear-end crashes
- Highway accidents
- Lane change crashes
- Intersection accidents
- Head-on crashes
- Pedestrian accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Single vehicle or multi-vehicle accidents
So-called “smart cars” can lull a driver into believing that they do not need to pay attention to the road. Unfortunately, the result can be a tragic accident.
Vehicle crashes involving self-driving cars are complicated personal injury cases. Accidents involving vehicles with driver assistance technology could involve defective products and human error. As a result, sorting out liability can be difficult.
We strongly recommend contacting our office as soon as possible so our legal team can begin working on your case. We pursue every party who contributed to the cause of the accident, including drivers, software and vehicle manufacturers, designers, and testing facilities.
What Damages Can I Recover After a Self-Driving Car Accident?
A car crash can result in catastrophic injuries and wrongful deaths. The parties responsible for causing the accident may be financially liable for your damages. The types of damages you may recover depend on the facts of your case.
However, injured parties are generally entitled to receive compensation for their:
- Medical bills and expenses
- Future cost of ongoing medical treatment and nursing care
- Loss of income and benefits
- Permanent impairments and disabilities
- Future lost wages and diminished earning capacity if they cannot work because of an impairment
- Loss of enjoyment of life and quality of life
- Pain and suffering caused by their physical injuries, emotional distress, and mental anguish
The amount you receive for a personal injury claim depends on the unique facts of your case. Our legal team diligently works to recover the maximum value of all damages. We want to put as much money in your pocket as we can.
Do Self-Driving Vehicles on the Roads Pose a Danger?
Many people have heard of Google’s self-driving vehicle and Tesla’s autopilot vehicles. In addition, several companies have vehicles operating on roads that are semi-autonomous. However, are they safe?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) describes numerous driver assistance technologies that could potentially decrease the number of traffic accidents. However, none of these systems are designed to work without a human driver controlling the vehicle.
Self-driving vehicles are not yet ready for roads. According to the National Transportation Safety Board, tests are being conducted without addressing the design’s shortcomings. The NTSB called upon Tesla to address their recommendations from four years ago.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Tampa Car Accident Lawyers
You could be entitled to substantial compensation after a self-driving car accident. If you or a family member were injured in a traffic accident, contact our office for a free consultation with one of our car accident lawyers in Tampa, FL.
