Clearwater has some of the best beaches in the world. The clear water, miles of sand, and mostly calm waters of the Gulf of Mexico are a huge draw to people from all over. Clearwater also has many restaurants, nightlife, shopping, and more. It is part of the tri-cities of Clearwater, St. Petersburg, and Tampa.

Clearwater is home to the deadliest road in Florida: U.S. 19, though some areas of the road are deadlier than others. Clearwater is in Pinellas County—the deadliest part of the road is actually in Pasco County.

Clearwater Accident Statistics

The section of U.S. 19 from Lake Tarpon Drive in Palm Harbor to Royal Boulevard in Clearwater sees approximately 17 fatal accidents with 21 fatalities per year. This 4.4-mile stretch of U.S. 19 sees an average of 3.8 crashes per mile. These are just part of the statistics for the area.

The Clearwater area sees:

An average of 14,719 crashes per year in the Clearwater area.
An average of 116 fatalities per year.
An average of 10,563 injuries per year.

Of these crashes:

353 wrecks per year involved alcohol. Of these wrecks, there were an average of 20 fatalities and 137 injuries.
31 wrecks per year involved drugs. Of these, there were an average of seven fatalities and 30 injuries.

Of the total number of accidents in the Clearwater area, an average of 512 per year involved motorcycles. Of those, there were an average of 26 fatalities and an average of 451 injuries.

Pedestrian-involved crashes averaged 504 each year. Of those, the Clearwater area saw 38 fatalities and 428 injuries per year. Bicyclist-involved crashes averaged 571 per year. Of those, there were an average of 6.5 fatalities and 537 injuries per year.

Clearwater sees many commercial vehicles either traveling through the area or stopping at many area businesses. For several years, the Clearwater area saw an average of 1,348 accidents involving commercial vehicles. Those wrecks had an average of five fatalities and 317 injuries.

Clearwater Auto Accident Statistics

Source: https://www.flhsmv.gov/

What to Do After an Accident in Clearwater

In many cases, car accident victims’ injuries do not allow them to take any action after an accident.

However, if you can move around without causing additional injuries to yourself, to help document your case, you can take.

Call first responders and check on others involved in the accident.
Take photos of the accident scene. Be sure to take photos from all angles. Also, include any damage to the road and nearby property.
Obtain contact information from the driver of other vehicles involved in the wreck. Also, obtain the other drivers’ licenses, registrations, and insurance information. Take a photo of the other drivers’ license plates and VIN. You can find the VIN on the driver’s side dash, just under the windshield (look through the windshield).
Obtain contact information from witnesses, including passengers in other vehicles involved in the wreck. You can also ask the witnesses what they saw.
Allow emergency medical technicians to check you over, even if you believe your injuries are minor. This starts a paper trail if some injuries manifest hours or days later.
Give the police officer your statement.
Seek medical attention once the police officer releases you from the scene.
Never admit fault.
Never decline medical attention.
Do not post about the accident on social media. Keep off social media for the duration of your claim, as insurance companies troll social media platforms. They are looking for something to use against you to deny your claim. Even an innocent dinner in a restaurant with your spouse could cause them to accuse you of not being as injured as you say.

For a free legal consultation, call 833-552-7274

Types of Accident Injuries

Your accident injuries could vary widely. Many factors determine the type of injuries you might suffer, including the size and type of the vehicles, road conditions, speed, and how another driver hits you. Sometimes people walk away from an accident that looks as though it should have killed them. Other times, what looks like a minor accident could cause catastrophic injuries.

Accident injuries include:

Bumps, bruises, scrapes, cuts, and scratches.
Strains and sprains.
Pulled and torn muscles and other soft tissue injuries.
Simple and compound fractures.
Crushed bones and other crush injuries.
Internal injuries.
Road rash.
Thermal and chemical burns.
Traumatic brain injuries.
Head, neck, and shoulder injuries.
Back and spinal cord injuries.
Face and eye injuries.

You might also suffer secondary injuries, such as infections caused by open wounds caused by the accident or surgical sites. And you could also suffer additional pain and suffering because an accident injury exacerbated a pre-existing condition or injury. The at-fault driver is also responsible for these injuries, as you would not have suffered from them if not for the at-fault driver’s negligence.

Recovering Damages After a Clearwater Accident

Matthew Dolman, Personal Injury Lawyer

One of the most common questions our clients ask us is, “How much is my case worth?” It is impossible to answer that until we investigate the case and review your medical records. We can, however, give you examples of what we recovered on behalf of others with similar cases—but that doesn’t mean you will get that amount. It could be more or less. Every case is different.

Florida allows you to collect two types of damages: Compensatory and punitive damages. Compensatory damages have two categories: Economic damages and non-economic damages. Most people recover economic damages, which have a monetary value and include medical expenses, lost wages, death-related expenses, and personal property. Many recover non-economic damages because of catastrophic injuries or the death of a loved one. Non-economic damages include pain and suffering, loss of quality of life, consortium and/or companionship, inconvenience, and more.

The court only orders punitive damages if you can prove the at-fault driver’s actions or inactions were grossly negligent or intentional. A Clearwater car accident attorney can explain damages in full to you.

If you suffered injuries or lost a loved one in a vehicle accident, contact a Clearwater car accident lawyer today for a free case evaluation.

Call or text 833-552-7274 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form