Car Search, DUI/DWI, Legal, Police Interaction, Why we serve

Can Police Search Your Car During a Tampa Traffic Stop?

Edward Reyes, Esq / October 31, 2019

You were just driving through Tampa when the blue lights came on. Now an officer is asking to search your car — and you’re not sure whether you can say no, how long they can keep you there, or what happens if you refuse. Here’s what Florida law actually says before you answer another question. TL;DR — QUICK SUMMARY You have a constitutional right to refuse consent to a search of your vehicle during a Tampa traffic stop. Police generally need your consent, a warrant, or probable cause (a recognized exception) before they can legally search your car. An officer can detain you only for the time reasonably needed to handle the stop — they cannot hold you indefinitely without reasonable suspicion or probable cause. As of October 2025, Florida’s Second District Court of Appeal — which covers Tampa — ruled that the smell of cannabis alone no longer gives police probable cause to search your car. Consenting to a search can cost you a strong legal challenge later, so talk to a lawyer before you agree to anything. The Reyes Firm Stopped and Searched in Tampa? Get clear answers about your rights after a traffic stop or vehicle search. Had a bad day? Contact Us Now Oct 2025 Tampa’s appeals court limited cannabis-odor car searches Williams v. State, Fla. 2d DCA 2nd DCA Appellate district covering Tampa & Hillsborough County Florida District Courts of Appeal 4th Amendment protecting you from unreasonable searches U.S. Const. amend. IV $0 What a consultation with The Reyes Firm costs The Reyes Firm Can police hold you while they get a warrant to search your car in Tampa? Yes, but only within limits. An officer can detain you for the reasonable time it takes to investigate the stop, and in some situations may hold your vehicle while they apply for a warrant, but they cannot keep you indefinitely without probable cause or reasonable suspicion that you’ve committed a crime. If you refuse a search, an officer who genuinely believes there is evidence in the car can try to secure a warrant, and that may mean waiting at the scene for a while. In practice, unless they have a specific reason to think there is something significant in your vehicle, most officers will not go through the warrant process over a routine traffic stop. The U.S. Supreme Court has made clear that a stop cannot be stretched out beyond the time needed to handle the reason for the stop unless police develop independent, reasonable suspicion of another crime. ⚠️ Before You Consent: You are never required to consent to a search of your vehicle. If you agree, you may give up one of the strongest tools a defense lawyer has — the ability to challenge an unlawful search and ask a court to throw out whatever was found. Stay calm, stay polite, and clearly decline. Then call a lawyer. Do you have to let police search your car during a Tampa traffic stop? No. You do not have to consent to a search of your vehicle. The Fourth Amendment protects you against unreasonable searches and seizures, and being pulled over for speeding or a broken taillight does not, by itself, give an officer the right to search your car. You can decline politely and plainly: “Officer, I don’t consent to any searches.” Declining is not an admission of guilt, and the fact that you refused cannot be treated as evidence that you did something wrong. If you’re unsure about what happened during your own stop, the team at The Reyes Firm can walk you through it. Watch: Your Rights If Police Want to Search Your Car in Tampa In this short video, attorney Edward Reyes explains what really happens when an officer asks to search your vehicle and how to protect yourself. If a stop has left you facing charges or unsure of your rights, The Reyes Firm is available to talk it through. What reasons can police use to search your car anyway? Even after you refuse, police can still search your vehicle if they have a legally recognized basis, and officers often look for one. Common justifications include: Probable cause (the automobile exception). If police have probable cause to believe the car contains evidence of a crime, they can search it without a warrant. A DUI investigation. An officer may claim you show signs of impairment, order you out of the vehicle, and investigate from there. An outstanding warrant. A records check that turns up a warrant changes the situation entirely. Plain view. Anything illegal that an officer can see from outside the car can justify a search. Search incident to arrest. If you’re lawfully arrested, police may search areas within reach. An inventory (impound) search. If you’re arrested — even over something minor — and the car is impounded, police can inventory its contents. For years, the smell of marijuana was its own shortcut to a search. That is exactly the pretext that is now changing in the Tampa area. 💡 Did You Know? For years an officer who said they smelled marijuana could search your car on that basis alone. That changed for Tampa drivers in 2025. In Williams v. State (Oct. 1, 2025), Florida’s Second District Court of Appeal — which covers Hillsborough County and the Tampa Bay area — ruled that the odor of cannabis by itself no longer establishes probable cause, because legal hemp and medical marijuana smell identical to illegal cannabis. A later decision, Cherfils v. State (Dec. 2025), explains that odor combined with other facts can still justify a search. Source: Williams v. State, No. 2D2023-2200 (Fla. 2d DCA 2025). Should you consent to a search to avoid being arrested? Usually not, and here is the hard tradeoff. Refusing a search sometimes means you may still be detained or arrested for a few hours while police sort things out, and that can mean an uncomfortable night before you bond out. But consenting to dodge that

Car Search, Drugs, Felony, Legal, Police Interaction, Why we serve

Dealing with Felony: What to Do?

Edward Reyes, Esq / October 31, 2019

If what you have is something as simple as a marijuana cartridge, as opposed to loose marijuana for smoking, in a marijuana cartridge to vape, that’s a felony. If it’s Spice, that’s a felony. Is a little bit of powder cocaine good for Friday night? That’s a felony, right? A loose Xanax, one Xanax pill, one Oxycontin pill, it doesn’t take much to be a felony and these felonies are punishable by up to five years in prison. Tampa personal injury lawyer Edward Reyes represents people in Tampa and Hillsborough County, Florida who have suffered an injury in an incident or accident type of accident. Speak Directly to Me, At No Cost, Today 813.421.3411 Even if you don’t go to prison, probably if you have no record, it’s very unlikely you’ll go to prison, but you’ll end up going through tremendous time and expense to deal with this case. Call us at 813.421.3411 for more help. (Transcript from the video, transcribed but not reviewed)

Car Search, Drugs, DUI/DWI, FAQ, Health, Legal, Police Interaction, Why we serve

Drugs: Common Ways to Get Busted

Edward Reyes, Esq / October 31, 2019

Drugs, as far as felonies go are probably the most by wide margin common felony that people are charged with. Drug cases can come up in any number of ways. The most common ways that drug cases begin are with a traffic stop or sometimes with an arrest for some other issue. So, either there’s going to be a traffic stop for some reason, it could be as simple as a taillight out, a problem with the registration, and then something gives rise to some sort of suspicion in the law enforcement officer. Tampa personal injury lawyer Edward Reyes represents people in Tampa and Hillsborough County, Florida who have suffered an injury in an incident or accident type of accident. Speak Directly to Me, At No Cost, Today 813.421.3411 The smell of burnt marijuana is classic. But it can just be something as simple as furtive movement inside the car. It can be something as simple as nervous behavior, maybe some sort of indications of a DUI that doesn’t quite rise to the level of the full DUI investigation. But in some way or another, there’s a search of the vehicle and contraband is found either in the vehicle or on the driver or passenger. The other way that drug cases come up frequently is an arrest for something else like a domestic violence arrest or an arrest on a warrant or an arrest for driving on a suspended driver’s license. One of these other very common things, even child support arrest. And then drugs are found either on the person or in the vehicle with them. So, these are the most common ways that these drug cases start. Call us at 813.421.3411 for more information. (Transcript from the video, transcribed but not reviewed)

Car Search, Legal, Police Interaction, Why we serve

Interaction with A Police Office: Just Keep Your Mouth Shut

Edward Reyes, Esq / October 31, 2019

General advice in any sort of interaction with law enforcement in a traffic stop is polite, be short, consent to nothing. You don’t have to answer any questions. If the law enforcement officer starts questioning you, you can ask, “Am I detained?” If the officer says you’re not detained, say, “I don’t feel like answering any of your questions, then.” If the officer says, “I want to search your vehicle,” just say, “Thanks, but no.” Tampa personal injury lawyer Edward Reyes represents people in Tampa and Hillsborough County, Florida who have suffered an injury in an incident or accident type of accident. Speak Directly to Me, At No Cost, Today 813.421.341 (Transcript from the video, transcribed but not reviewed)

Accident Injuries & why, After A Car Accident, After an Accident, Blog, Car accident, For Parents, For Teens, Injury, Legal, Road Accidents, Why we serve

What Do I Need To Do in Case of an Auto Accident?

Edward Reyes, Esq / October 31, 2019

You were just going about your day. Then a crash happened in an instant, and now your heart is pounding and your mind is racing. What you do in the next few minutes, and the next few days, can shape your health, your claim, and how the whole thing turns out. Here’s exactly what to do. TL;DR — QUICK SUMMARY Get to safety, check for injuries, and call 911 so there’s an official record of the crash. Document everything: take photos and video of the vehicles, the scene, and your injuries, and collect witness names and numbers. Find out if the other driver was working for Uber, Lyft, or another rideshare or delivery service, because that can open additional insurance coverage. You don’t always need the ER, but you must seek medical care within 14 days to protect your Florida PIP benefits. Under Florida Statute 95.11(3)(a), you generally have two years to file an injury lawsuit, but evidence and benefit deadlines come much sooner. The Reyes Firm Just Been in a Crash in Tampa? Get clear next steps and protect your claim from day one. Had a bad day? Contact Us Now 14 Days Deadline to seek care for PIP benefits Fla. Stat. 627.736 2 Years Florida injury filing deadline Fla. Stat. 95.11(3)(a) $10,000 Florida minimum PIP coverage Fla. Stat. 627.736 $0 Upfront cost with a contingency fee firm The Reyes Firm What should you do immediately after an auto accident in Tampa? First, get yourself and your passengers to safety, then call 911. Even when a crash seems minor, an official police report creates the documentation you’ll rely on later, and an officer can call for medical help if anyone is hurt. Everything else flows from those first two moves: be safe, and make the crash official. From there, your job at the scene is simple to remember and easy to forget in the moment: document what happened and protect your health. The driver who hit you may be apologetic now and tell a very different story to the insurance company later, so the evidence you gather today is what holds the truth in place. At The Reyes Firm, a Tampa personal injury law firm, we’ve seen strong claims weakened by a few missing photos and weak claims saved by a single witness phone number. The difference is what you do in the first hour. ⚠️ Deadline Warning: Under Florida Statute § 95.11(3)(a), you generally have two years from the date of your crash to file a personal injury lawsuit. Evidence disappears far faster than that, though, and your PIP benefits require treatment within 14 days. The sooner you act, the stronger your case. Why does documenting the scene matter so much? Because liability often comes down to evidence, not memory. Photos, video, and witness accounts capture the facts before they can be disputed, and they’re the foundation of any claim against the at-fault driver. Use your phone to capture as much as you safely can: the position of both vehicles, the damage to each, the license plates, the other driver’s insurance and registration, traffic signals and signs, skid marks, and any visible injuries. Take wide shots and close-ups. Shoot video that pans across the whole scene. If anyone saw what happened, get their name and phone number, because witnesses leave quickly and are hard to track down later. Call law enforcement so there’s a police report. The report may not be admissible at trial, but it carries real weight before a lawsuit, helping establish liability and giving you something solid to point to if the other driver later changes their story. 💡 Did You Know? Florida’s 14-day rule is one of the most important deadlines after a crash. Under Florida Statute § 627.736, you must receive initial medical care within 14 days of the accident to be eligible for Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits, which provide a $10,000 minimum regardless of fault. Miss that window and your own insurer can deny the claim. Source: Fla. Stat. § 627.736. Watch: What Do I Need to Do in Case of an Auto Accident? In this short video, attorney Edward Reyes walks through the quick, practical things every Florida driver should do right after a crash to protect their health and their claim. If you have questions the video doesn’t cover, The Reyes Firm offers free consultations, so you can call 833-4 BAD DAY any time. Do you have to go to the hospital after a car accident? Not always, but you do need to be seen by a medical provider, and soon. If you’re seriously hurt, go to the emergency room without hesitation. If your injuries feel minor but you have any pain, you don’t necessarily need a costly ER visit just to create a record. A walk-in clinic or urgent care can document your condition and start treatment. What you should not do is wait it out. Adrenaline masks pain, and injuries like whiplash, concussions, and soft-tissue damage often don’t surface for a day or two. Getting checked promptly does two things at once: it protects your health, and it preserves your PIP benefits under Florida’s 14-day rule. A gap between the crash and your first treatment is one of the first things an insurer uses to argue you weren’t really injured. What if the other driver was working for Uber or Lyft? This is an easy detail to miss and an important one to catch. If the driver who hit you was logged into Uber, Lyft, or a delivery app at the time, additional commercial insurance coverage may apply on top of the driver’s personal policy. That can significantly change the resources available to cover your injuries. So at the scene, note whether the other vehicle has rideshare or delivery decals, and if it’s safe to ask, find out whether the driver was on a trip. Rideshare accident claims involve layered coverage and corporate insurers, which makes them more complex than a standard two-car crash and a

After A Car Accident, After an Accident, Blog, Car accident, FAQ, For Parents, For Teens, Injury, Legal, Teen Accidents, Why we serve

Why Auto Insurance Companies Question You After A Car Accident?

Edward Reyes, Esq / October 30, 2019

Today’s topic is about knowing that no one is going to interrogate you like your own insurance company. But in reality, the bigger insurance companies don’t do this, they do not do this as much as small insurance companies. However, the smaller insurance companies and I’ll just throw it out there, Windhaven, Ocean Harbor, Infinity, they are the bigger ones that do this the most. The reason why is because they like to collect premiums and they don’t like to pay out whatever they need to payout. Recorded Statement So, just put them on blast, but whenever you get in a car accident, or whenever you’re injured, whatever the case is, they want you to do a recorded statement. With the recorded statement they’ll ask you a series of questions. While these smaller companies, they try to not pay you as far as your benefits. So they’re looking for anything they can ask you on the recorded statement and the problem is that you have to give the recorded statement by law because you have a contract with these people and if you do not comply with the contract basically they can drop your benefits. But they’re trying to drop your benefits regardless. So, the idea here is that they’re trying to figure out if you said something in your application and reality is something different. So, while you fill out your application you say a couple of things like there’s a questionnaire and things like that. But then whenever you are involved in an accident they’ll go over painstakingly, every single item. Where do you live? Who do you live with? What did you do when you were in second grade? They go so deep because they’re trying to catch you in some sort of discrepancy. It could be a small technical error and then they cancel your policy and they call it fraudulent misrepresentation. But they call it that and basically the reason why they call it that is under fraud, they can cancel your policy because it’s under the pretenses of fraud. And in fraud voids contracts. And by voiding your contract they can void your policy. And they can void the payment. They can make it seem like you never had insurance ever with that company. So that’s why they call it Fraudulent Misrepresentation. Fraudulent Misrepresentation It literally could be that you had somebody that doesn’t have a car, doesn’t drive, doesn’t do anything like that, but they might be like 14 years old that lives in the house. Well, they’ll say, “He lied to us about it, therefore we’re dropping your policy.” “Oh, you stayed at your dad’s house for 3 months and not at this house, oh you don’t qualify for your policy.” So, they are looking for all these little minute reasons to drop you whenever they can and this happens again with the small insurance companies for the most part, and they really will go through this long, long extended process. I’ve realized that because whenever we’re trying to do, when I deal with these smaller companies a lot of times, those, and I call it, it’s not a deposition, it’s not an examination of law, but they’re almost like those in-depth questionnaires that I can’t even call and talk. I can object sometimes, but it’s not like in court that I can object a few different things. They really will go down so deep just to find out one little thing to drop you. Again I mean, if they can figure out that somewhere on the application, somewhere there is a mis-rep- there’s some sort of discrepancy, could be small whatever, they’ll say, “Listen, you committed fraud”, which is not true, “but in the pretenses of the application you committed fraud, therefore, you should, we should not pay your policy”. Tampa personal injury lawyer Edward Reyes represents people in Tampa and Hillsborough County, Florida who have suffered an injury in an incident or accident type of accident. Speak Directly to Me, At No Cost, Today – (813) 421-3411. So, that really does happen on a regular basis. We will deal with that in the smaller companies where when I talk to them, instead of having a conversation that should only last 10 minutes, maybe 15 minutes max cause they should be asking just about the actual accident itself, the incident itself, not about all this extra stuff that’s they’re trying to cover up, or not cover up I didn’t mean to say that word. Not all these things that they’re trying to bring up. But the reason why they bring up all this extra stuff, these smaller companies, is to avoid paying the policy. They’re looking for discrepancies. So, nobody’s going to investigate you harder than your own insurance company, depending on your insurance company, to try to cancel the coverage that you’ve been paying for god-knows how long, for how many years, for how much. Get Help So, if this legal tip helped, please share with others, feel free to comment below I would love to hear your stories. If you have any questions about any other legal questions, please feel free to send me a message. (Transcript from the video, transcribed but not reviewed)

Accident Injuries & why, After A Car Accident, After an Accident, Blog, Car accident, FAQ, florida cities we serve, For Parents, For Teens, Injury, Legal, Road Accidents, Scooter Accident, Strict Negligence, Teen Accidents, Why we serve

Tampa Lime and Bird Scooter Accident Attorneys

Edward Reyes, Esq / July 31, 2019

There is a growing number of city-approved ride-sharing Bird and Lime e-scooters popping up through every major city in Florida. The major players are Bird and Lime electric scooters. You see Bird and Lime scooters at universities, downtown, major attractions, and pretty much all over the sidewalks. As it grows in rapid popularity, the stats of car accidents are not decreasing. Thus we now have more people on Bird and Lime Scooters and cars are still running crosswalks and red lights. All of which are a bad recipe for scooter operators. As a result, we also see a growing number of collisions involving Car Accidents and micro-mobility. The rules and laws are different when handling such cases. The injuries are also more substantial when these scooter riders are collided by negligent drivers. If you are injured due to the negligence of someone else our Lime Tampa scooter accident attorneys are here to help you!

Accident Injuries & why, After an Accident, Blog, Car accident, Commercial Vehicles, FAQ, For Parents, For Teens, Injury, Legal, mass transit, Our Community, Premise Liability, Ride Sharing, Road Accidents, Spanish, Strict Negligence, Teen Accidents, TMJ, Why does this hurt, Why we serve

Accidentes de Segway

Edward Reyes, Esq / May 17, 2019

Accidentes de Segway Cuanto más cálido es el clima, las atractivas vías de Segway son para el transporte. Con el mayor volumen de segways a medida que avanza el verano, mayores son las posibilidades de que los ciclistas sufran un accidente. ¿Cuáles son las causas comunes de los accidentes de Segway? Los conductores no se dan cuenta de los usuarios de Segway Conductores distraídos Movimientos impredecibles por parte de los conductores negligencia Mal funcionamiento de Segway Formación inadecuada en el uso de segway ¿Cuáles son las lesiones comunes de accidentes de Segway? Lesión de la médula espinal Daño cerebral Huesos rotos Pinchazos Lesiones traumáticas La muerte de un enamorado Firmé una renuncia, ¿es ese el final? La mayoría de los inquilinos de Segeay le hacen firmar una renuncia larga con letra pequeña y palabras que parecen intimidantes. Todos sentimos la impresión de firmarlo para que podamos ir a la gira con todos los demás, por lo que tenemos prisa y no podemos leerlo. La buena noticia es que no todas las exenciones son siempre válidas. La valía de su renuncia depende de su situación única. ¿A quién puedo responsabilizar después de mi accidente de Segway? La compañía tiene el deber de mantener a salvo al ciclista del Segway. Si la compañía conocía el problema que causó sus lesiones y no tomaron medidas para solucionarlo de inmediato, se las puede responsabilizar por sus lesiones. Si estaba conduciendo el Segway mientras hacía un recorrido, la compañía del recorrido también puede ser responsable por sus lesiones. ¿Qué daños puedo recuperar? Si la negligencia de otra persona le causó una lesión por accidente de segway, puede reclamar daños compensatorios contra la parte responsable. Los daños compensatorios incluyen daños económicos y no económicos. La reclamación por daños económicos puede incluir gastos médicos, salarios perdidos, pérdida de ingresos futuros, modificaciones en el hogar y necesidades no médicas. Los daños no económicos incluyen dolor y sufrimiento, pérdida de consorcio, daño a la reputación, angustia emocional y pérdida de compañía. También puede ser capaz de recuperar daños punitivos. Los daños punitivos pueden ser recuperables si la parte responsable actuó por malicia o fraude. Estos pueden incluir que la parte responsable esté bajo la influencia mientras conduce, huye de la policía y / o conducción imprudente. ¿Cómo demostrarás mis daños? Puede pensar que esos documentos o fotografías pueden no fortalecer su caso, pero en realidad lo hacen aún más sólido. Puede ser obvio que la parte responsable causó su lesión, pero va a necesitar esas fotografías y documentos para que su caso sea aún más sólido. Algunos ejemplos que fortalecerán su caso son: Documentos medicos Cualquier imagen médica. Fotografías de la escena del accidente y sus heridas. Reporte policial Prueba de beneficios de perdida Cualquier recibo que muestre los gastos relacionados con sus lesiones. ¿Qué debo hacer después de mi accidente? En el momento de un accidente de ciclismo puede ser estresante, pero sus acciones después del accidente son muy importantes. Vas a necesitar documentar todo con cuidado. Siga estos sencillos pasos: Llame al 911 para atención médica de emergencia. Llame al departamento de policía local para presentar un informe Obtener información de seguro y contacto de todas las partes involucradas. Tomar fotografías de la escena del accidente y lesiones. Alentar a los testigos a hablar con la policía. ¡Llámame! ¡Permítame ayudarlo a superar el estrés de responsabilizar a otra persona por sus lesiones y hacerlo más fácil para usted! Contacte a la Firma Reyes al 813-421-3411 Estamos aquí para usted 24/7 y tenemos la experiencia para proteger sus intereses y lograr la recuperación que merece. Llámanos hoy y, sobre todo, quédate seguro en las carreteras.

Accident Injuries & why, After an Accident, Blog, Car accident, Commercial Vehicles, FAQ, For Parents, For Teens, Injury, Legal, mass transit, Our Community, Ride Sharing, Road Accidents, Strict Negligence, Teen Accidents, TMJ, Traumatic injury, Why does this hurt, Why we serve

Segway Accidents

Edward Reyes, Esq / May 17, 2019

Segway Accidents The warmer the climate the attractive Segways are for transportation. With the higher volume of Segways as the summer is coming the higher the chances of the riders getting into an accident. What are the common causes of Segway accidents? Drivers fail to notice Segway users Distracted drivers Unpredictable moves by drivers Negligence Segway malfunction Improper training on Segway use What are common Segway accident injuries? Spinal cord injury Brain injury Broken bones Punctures Traumatic injuries Death of a loved one I signed a waiver, is that the end? Most Segway renters make you sign a long waiver with small print and words that look intimidating. We all feel the pressure to sign it so that we can go on the tour with everyone else, so we are rushed and not able to read it. Good news is that not all waivers are always valid. The validity of your waiver depends on you unique situation. Who can I hold accountable after my Segway accident? The company has a duty to keep the rider of the Segway safe if the company knew about the problem that caused your injuries and they did not take action towards it right away then they can be held liable for your injuries. If you were riding the Segway while doing a tour, the company of the tour can also be held liable for your injuries. What damages can I recover? If someone else’s negligence caused you to have a Segway accident injury you can claim compensatory damages against the liable party. Compensatory damages include economic and non-economic damages. Economic damage claim can include medical expenses, lost wages, loss of future earnings, home modifications, and non-medical needs. Non-economic damages include pain and suffering, loss of consortium, damage to reputation, emotional distress, and loss of companionship. You may also be able to recover punitive damages. Punitive damages can be recoverable if the liable party acted malice or fraud. These may include the liable party being under the influence while driving, fleeing from the police, and/or reckless driving. How will you prove my damages? You may think that those documents or photographs may not strengthen your case, but they actually make your case even stronger. It may be obvious that the liable party caused your injury but you are going to need those photographs and documents to make your case even stronger. Some examples that will make your case stronger is: Medical documents Any medical imaging Photographs of the accident scene and your injuries Police report Proof of loss benefits Any receipts that show any expenses related to your injuries What should I do after my Segway accident? At the time of a Segway accident can be stressful but your actions after the accident are very important. You’re going to need to document everything carefully. Follow these easy steps: Call 911 for emergency medical attention Call the local police department to file a report Get insurance and contact information from all the parties involved Take photographs of the accident scene and injuries Encourage witnesses to speak to the police Call me! Let me help you get through the stress of holding someone else liable for your injuries and make it easier for you! Contact The Reyes Firm at 813-421-3411 We are here for you 24/7 and have the experience to protect your interests and get you the recovery you deserve. Call us today – and above all be safe on the roads!

Young woman with hands on eyes sitting scared in car

Accident Injuries & why, After A Car Accident, After an Accident, Blog, Car accident, Commercial Vehicles, Company-Caused Car Accidents, FAQ, For Parents, For Teens, Injury, Legal, mass transit, Our Community, Premise Liability, Ride Sharing, Road Accidents, Strict Negligence, Teen Accidents, TMJ, Why does this hurt, Why we serve

Taxi Accidents

Edward Reyes, Esq / May 15, 2019

Taxi Accidents Taxis are convenient ways to get around the city when you don’t want to drive. Because so many people uses the higher the chances of accidents. A victim of a taxi accident can be a passenger, pedestrian or bystander. What are common causes injuries of taxi accidents? Traumatic brain injuries Spinal cord injury Punctures Traumatic injury Concussion Death of a child What are common causes of taxi accidents? Failure to obey stop signs Inadequate training Defective vehicle equipment Distracted driving What damages can I recover? If someone else’s negligence caused you to have a taxi accident injury you can claim compensatory damages against the liable party. Compensatory damages include economic and non-economic damages. Economic damage claim can include medical expenses, lost wages, loss of future earnings, home modifications, and non-medical needs. Non-economic damages include pain and suffering, loss of consortium, damage to reputation, emotional distress, and loss of companionship. You may also be able to recover punitive damages. Punitive damages can be recoverable if the liable party acted malice or fraud. These may include the liable party being under the influence while driving, fleeing from the police, and/or reckless driving. Can the taxi be held accountable for my injuries? The taxi company is responsible for all the parties injured due the accident. In Florida, the taxi company is required to have the minimum coverage to be $50,000 for property damage, $125,00 bodily injury per person involved and $250,000 for bodily injury per incident. How will you prove my damages? You may think that those documents or photographs may not strengthen your case, but they actually make your case even stronger. It may be obvious that the liable party caused your injury but you are going to need those photographs and documents to make your case even stronger. Some examples that will make your case stronger is: Medical documents Any medical imaging Photographs of the accident scene and your injuries Police report Proof of loss benefits Any receipts that show any expenses related to your injuries What should I do after my taxi accident? At the time of a taxi accident can be stressful but your actions after the accident are very important. You’re going to need to document everything carefully. Follow these easy steps: Call 911 for emergency medical attention Call the local police department to file a report Get insurance and contact information from all the parties involved Take photographs of the accident scene and injuries Encourage witnesses to speak to the police Call me! Let me help you get through the stress of holding someone else liable for your injuries and make it easier for you! Contact The Reyes Firm at 813-421-3411 We are here for you 24/7 and have the experience to protect your interests and get you the recovery you deserve. Call us today – and above all be safe on the roads!

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