Pensacola Car Accident Lawyers

A car crash can change your life in an instant. One minute you’re going about your day, and the next you’re injured and facing hefty medical bills and insurance companies that don’t have your best interests in mind. You shouldn’t have to deal with this alone. Our Pensacola car accident lawyers are here to help you through the legal process, fight for the compensation you deserve, and make sure you’re not taken advantage of.

Don’t wait to get the legal help you need. Call Caldwell Wenzel & Asthana, PC today at (850) 888-7000.

Were You Injured in a Car Accident in Pensacola?

Between the physical pain, emotional distress, and financial burden, it’s easy to feel lost in the aftermath of a car crash. Whether your accident was caused by a reckless driver, distracted driving, or some other form of negligence, you have rights — and we’re here to protect them.

Insurance companies may try to pressure you into taking a quick settlement, and it’s tempting to take it when your expenses are adding up. But that offer often doesn’t cover everything you’re facing. Hospital bills, lost time from work, and pain and suffering all matter, and you deserve fair compensation for what you’ve been through.

How a Pensacola Car Accident Lawyer Can Help You

After a crash, your priority should be resting and healing, not battling insurance adjusters or worrying about legal paperwork and deadlines. That’s where we come in. Our team handles the legal side of things so you can focus on getting back to your life.

Here’s what a car accident lawyer can do for you:

• Investigate the Accident: Gather police reports, witness statements, and any available video footage to build a strong case for you
• Handle the Insurance Companies: Negotiate aggressively to make sure they don’t undervalue your claim and pressure you to take a quick settlement that benefits them
• Determine the Full Value of Your Case: Account for all of your current and future expenses
• Take Your Case to Court: If needed, fight for you in court and argue your case to a judge or jury.

You don’t have to go through this alone. Let us handle the legal stresses while you focus your energy on healing from the trauma of your accident.

Who Is Responsible for Your Car Accident?

At the center of every personal injury case is the question of who caused the accident. However, the answer isn’t always straightforward. Florida follows comparative negligence laws, meaning that more than one person or entity can share liability. If another driver caused the crash, their insurance should cover your expenses.

Liability can also extend to:

• Companies: If the at-fault driver was on the job, their employer might be responsible, especially if management didn’t take care of their vehicles properly.
• Vehicle Manufacturers: If a defective part contributed to the accident, the manufacturer that created and produced it could be held accountable.
• Government Entities: Poor road maintenance, missing street signs, or broken traffic signals and lights can sometimes make local or state government agencies liable.

In order to determine fault, you need strong evidence. Police reports, eyewitness accounts, photos, surveillance videos, dashcams, and testimony from accident reconstruction experts can bolster your case. The sooner you get an attorney involved, the stronger your claim will be.

What Compensation Can You Recover?

Financial Recovery in a Car Accident Claim

A car crash can leave you to deal with a lot more than just vehicle damage. Depending on how severe your injuries are, the financial toll can be astronomical. Compensation for a car accident claim usually includes:

• Medical expenses (emergency care, hospital stays, surgeries, rehab, therapy, medications, assistive devices, and any future care you might need)
• Lost wages (if your injuries prevent you from going back to work in the same capacity as before the accident)
• Lost earning potential (if you can’t go back to work at all)
• Pain and suffering (physical pain, emotional distress, psychological trauma)
• Property damage (repairs or replacement for your vehicle and any other personal property that was damaged or destroyed in the crash).

Insurance companies rarely send their first offer with your best interests in mind. That’s why having legal counsel in your corner to fight for you is so important.

How Insurance Companies Try to Pay You Less

The insurance industry has one goal: pay out as little as possible. It is more concerned with their bottom line than the well-being of anyone who makes a claim. Adjusters will use a variety of tactics to minimize the value of your claim, such as:

• Blaming you by saying you were partially responsible for the crash
• Downplaying the severity of your injuries or saying they were caused by something other than your accident
• Delaying the claims process in the hopes that you’ll get desperate enough to take the lowball settlement offer
• Pressuring you to settle quickly before you realize the full extent of your expenses.

When you hire a strong personal injury lawyer, you level the playing field. Your legal team knows how to counter these tactics and how to fight back to get the compensation you’re entitled to.

What to Do After a Car Accident in Pensacola

Protect Your Rights From Day One

In the moments immediately after a car crash, it’s easy to feel disoriented and overwhelmed by everything that’s going on. However, what you do next can have a big impact on your case. Taking the right steps early on can help you protect your rights and strengthen your claim.

After an accident, make sure to:

• Call 911 for medical help and to have the police write a report to give an unbiased witness account.
• Get checked out at the hospital even if you feel okay; some injuries take time to show any symptoms, and by the time you realize something’s wrong, you could have bigger problems.
• Collect evidence at the scene with photos of your visible injuries, vehicle damage, road condition, street signs, and anything else you think might be relevant.
• Get contact and insurance details from the other driver.
• Ask for contact information from anyone who saw the accident so you or your lawyer can reach out for a statement later.
• Avoid admitting fault or speculating about what happened.
• Contact a lawyer as soon as you can.

If you’re not physically able to collect evidence yourself, ask someone you trust to do it for you. The more information you can get from the scene of the crash, the stronger your case will be.

Acting Quickly Matters

If you wait too long to take action, it can seriously hurt your case. Evidence can disappear, witness’s memories fade, and insurance adjusters move fast to limit their payouts. Florida also has a statute of limitations on personal injury claims, which means you have a limited amount of time to file a lawsuit. Even if you’re not sure about what to do next, contacting an attorney early on can make all the difference to the outcome of your case.

Why Choose Us?

Not all law firms are the same. When you’re facing mounting medical bills, lost time from work, and emotional stress from a car accident, you need a legal team that truly cares about your case and knows how to fight for you.

At Caldwell Wenzel & Asthana, PC, we stand out because:

• We Put You First: You’re not just another case number to us — we take the time to listen to your situation and understand what you need.
• We Have Real Courtroom Experience: If the insurance company refuses to negotiate fairly, we’re prepared to take your case to trial.
• We Don’t Get Paid Unless You Do: You owe us nothing up front; our team works on a contingency fee basis, so you pay us only if we win your case.
• We Keep You Informed: Legal cases can get confusing in a hurry, but we make sure you understand every step of the process — we’re always available to answer your questions and address any concerns you may have.

When you work with us, you’re getting a team that is committed to fighting for the compensation you deserve.

Frequently Asked Questions

When you’ve been in a car crash, you probably have a lot of questions about your rights, your options, and what to expect next. The legal system can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re also trying to recover from injuries and deal with insurance adjusters.

How much time do I have to file a car accident claim in Florida?

Florida has a two-year statute of limitations for filing a personal injury lawsuit after an accident. This means you have to get the process started within two years from the date that the crash happened or you could lose your right to pursue compensation. However, there are some exceptions. If the accident involved the government or a minor, for example, the time limits might be different. Because these deadlines are so complicated, it’s always best to talk to an attorney as soon as you can to protect your rights.

Should I talk to the other driver’s insurance company?

No, it’s best to avoid speaking with the other driver’s insurance company until you’ve hired an attorney. Adjusters might seem friendly, but they’re in the business of saving their company money, not helping you. They might ask leading questions and pressure you to give a recorded statement in order to find ways to avoid making a payout. Instead of talking to them, direct them to your attorney.

What if the driver who hit me doesn’t have insurance?

If the driver who caused the accident had no insurance or didn’t have enough insurance, you still have options. Florida law requires insurance policies to include personal injury protection (PIP), which can help cover some of your medical bills and lost wages regardless of who was at fault. If you have Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) coverage, that can help cover other expenses when the other driver doesn’t have enough (or any) insurance. If neither option applies, you might be able to file a lawsuit directly against the other driver to recover compensation.

Can I still recover compensation if I was partially at fault for the accident?

Absolutely. You can still file a claim even if you did something to contribute to the crash. Florida follows a modified comparative negligence rule, so blame can be split between drivers. However, this does mean that your payout will be reduced by your percentage of fault. As long as you’re less than 50% responsible for the accident, you can collect compensation. This is why insurance companies often try to place additional blame on the victim. If they can reach that 50%, they don’t have to pay out, so having an attorney on your side is important.

How much does it cost to hire a car accident lawyer?

Many accident victims are reluctant to hire an attorney because they’re worried about costs, and that’s understandable. Fortunately, our law firm recognizes that everyone should have access to the legal help they need, so we work on a contingency fee basis. You pay nothing up front, and our fee is collected as a percentage of your compensation only if we win your case for you. There are no hidden fees, and you won’t owe us anything if your case is unsuccessful.

Knowing your rights after a car accident is important, and having the help of an experienced legal team can make all the difference. If you have more questions, we’re here to help.

Contact Caldwell Wenzel & Asthana, PC Today

A car accident can turn your life upside down, and the road to recovery can be challenging, but you don’t have to face it alone. Having the right support can make all the difference in getting back on your feet.

If you’ve been hurt in a car crash, call us today at (850) 888-7000 for a free consultation.