Car accidents are some of the most stressful events that people can experience. A car accident is inherently frightening, but unfortunately, the stress often does not end there. Dealing with the aftermath of insurance companies, lawyers, doctors, and so on can be overwhelming, especially while dealing with the emotional and physical effects of the accident. Most people have little knowledge about Florida law, coupled with the pressure of the situation and insurance companies looking to pay out as little as possible, resulting in many people being taken advantage of and not receiving the compensation they really deserve.
Hiring a car accident lawyer could be the best decision you ever made. Not only will they deal with pesky insurance companies, but they will also make sure that you are not taken advantage of.
At The Law Place, we want you to focus on getting better, and we will work hard to take away as much of the stress as possible. We will calculate how much compensation you are entitled to, considering things like medical bills, lost wages, and your pain and suffering. We will do everything we can to ensure that you receive a settlement that covers all of your damages and compensates you for your suffering. We’ll handle the tricky stuff, so you don’t have to.
The other great thing about hiring a car accident lawyer is that most of the time, you will end up with a larger settlement, despite your lawyer’s cut. This is because insurance companies know that if you have a lawyer on board, you mean business, and you will fight for everything you are owed.
Our phone lines are open 24/7 so that you can seek advice from us whenever you need it. Call The Law Place now for a free consultation on (941) 444-4444.
Dealing With Insurance Companies
Large car insurance companies wield a lot of power, and they did not get to be the size they are by acting fair. It is extremely difficult for individuals to get a fair settlement from insurance companies on their own. Without the help of a car accident lawyer, you will be fighting an uphill battle. While you are also dealing with injuries and emotional stress, this can be extremely frustrating.
Following a car accident, you will likely be contacted by a claim adjuster, whose job it is to try and convince you to settle quickly for a low amount. This could be from your own insurance company or the other driver’s. They may also try and get you to admit fault in some way. This can be a very unfair practice, especially when emotions are high; you may not realize when you say something that could harm your case. The best thing to do is to refuse to speak with them until you have spoken to a car accident lawyer.
We recommend that anyone involved in a car accident, regardless of whether they believe they are at fault, at the very least, seeks a free consultation with a reputable law firm, such as The Law Place.
Besides continued financial hardship and injuries that can take a long time to heal, your car accident case could take a very long time to resolve. Insurance companies will spend huge sums of money, hiring a strong legal team to prevent you from seeking your rightful compensation. The only option to combat this is to have a skilled attorney on your side who isn’t afraid to stand up against insurance companies. If the insurance company is made aware that you have a skilled attorney by your side, they may be more likely to offer you a good settlement quickly, as they know that they stand a much lower chance of avoiding a fair settlement.
At The Law Place, we have fought plenty of uphill battles in Florida. We specialize in Florida car accident law and will likely have dealt with many cases similar to yours before. Call us today and see what we can do for you.
What Will Your Auto Accident Attorney Do for You?
When you contact The Law Place, you will receive a free consultation. In this consultation, we will discuss the details of your case and offer free legal advice. If we believe you have a valid personal injury claim, we will invite you to a more detailed consultation. In this consultation, we will break down exactly what we can do for you and what our fee structure looks like. We pride ourselves on being completely transparent and open with our clients.
At this point, you may decide you do not want to continue with representation, and that’s ok! You will be armed with more knowledge and understanding than before. However, once they have met us and understand more about what we do, most people decide to go ahead with representation.
We’re here to serve you. Our phones are open 24 hours a day. What Happens Once You Agree to Representation?
If you agree to representation, then with your permission, the first thing we like to do is bring the details of your case to our team of skilled attorneys. By doing this, your case will benefit from all of our attorneys’ knowledge and experience, and we will come up with a plan of how to formulate the best personal injury claim. We will also decide who is best suited to your case, and one of our personal injury attorneys will become your advocate.
From this point on, your car accident lawyer will be by your side, fighting on your behalf to shield you and your legal interests. We will protect you from the insurance adjuster or anyone else who is looking to influence your decision and impair your judgment.
You may also need a lawyer to protect you from yourself. Emotions run high after a car accident, and you may make hasty decisions or act irrationally. Your attorney will try and spot this and give you the best advice they can about anything they think is detrimental to your case or your health. Your personal injury lawyer may be the voice of reason you need. Unlike friends and family, they are not emotionally involved in the case. This allows them to give quality, clear-headed advice based on their experience and knowledge of Florida law.
Perhaps most importantly, your car accident lawyer will represent you. They will fight on your behalf and stand up to your insurance provider and the insurance company of the other driver. They are not afraid to ruffle some feathers and will work to secure you maximum compensation. If the car insurance company will not give you a settlement offer you are happy with, they will have already built up a strong defense and will be ready to face them in court. However, a court case can add unnecessary stress, so it should be avoided unless it is necessary and what you think is right.
An auto accident attorney is a vital ally. We highly recommend contacting a law firm, such as The Law Place, after a car accident. The sooner, the better, as your lawyer will get right to work, protecting and gathering evidence. Vehicles are repaired, roads are cleared, and evidence is quickly washed away. Therefore, it is best to act quickly.
We’re Florida’s top litigation team with over 75 years of combined experience Should I Hire a Car Accident Lawyer After a Minor Car Accident?
Even if your car accident was a minor one, you should still seek a free consultation. Even if you do not end up hiring a lawyer, you can still seek unbiased legal advice. This should allow you to be clearer and more confident about your next steps.
Furthermore, even if you believe your injuries to be minor, you should still seek medical attention quickly after an accident. Some injuries can be masked by adrenaline and could be made worse if you do not seek medical care.
Under Florida Statute 627.736, you have just 14 days to seek medical care in order to claim compensation for personal injury.
From the initial call to updates on your case status, we are here to get you answers. What if I am the At-Fault Driver?
If you believe that you were at fault for the car accident, then you should still contact a law firm for a free consultation. You may not have all of the information. Perhaps you were speeding, but the other driver may have been on their phone.
In accordance with Florida Statute 768.81, Florida works under a comparative fault system, which means that you can still be compensated if you were partially at fault. The best thing you can do is speak to an attorney who can advise you.
What Types of Damages Can I Claim for After a Car Accident?
Following auto accidents, there is a range of different types of compensation you can claim for. A personal injury attorney will help you to determine what damages you can claim for, what they should be valued at, and they will work to provide evidence to secure compensation.
The types of compensation can be put into three categories: economic damages, non-economic damages, and punitive damages.
Economic Damages
Economic damages should cover all of the financial expenses that have occurred as a result of the car accident. If you are unfortunate enough to have broken bones, spinal cord injuries, or any other accident injuries, then the finances can quickly accumulate. If you were not at fault, then you should not be left out of pocket.
- Medical expenses – The cost of medical bills and expenses following car accident injuries can be huge. You may not only be dealing with initial hospital bills; you could also need prolonged medical care. It is easy to forget that some injuries could take years to heal or may never heal fully. In order to give yourself the best chance at recovery, you may need physiotherapy. You need the insurance company to consider your current and future expenses.
- Property damage – If there was property damage, then you deserve to be compensated for this. Examples include your vehicle repairs and broken items that were in your vehicle at the time of the accident, such as a phone, laptop, etc.
- Lost wages – Following a car accident, you will likely need to miss work, which could result in lost wages. Furthermore, if your injuries prevent you from working for a prolonged period, then you may have lost future earning potential. A car accident lawyer will make sure that both aspects are taken into account by the insurance company.
- Additional costs – Additional costs that should not be ignored include transport to and from the hospital, adjustments to your home to aid you because of injuries, and any other financial expenses because of the car accident.
- Wrongful death – If you have lost a loved one in a car accident in Florida, then a personal injury lawyer will help you to claim for funeral expenses and loss of income to a family household under Florida Statute 768.21.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are designed to compensate you for your emotional suffering. However, they are often ignored by insurance companies and can be very difficult to prove. In order to successfully seek non-economic damages, you may need the support of a car accident lawyer who will
ensure that you are properly compensated.
- Pain and suffering – Pain and suffering damages should compensate you for your emotional suffering as well as for any adjustments that you have had to make to your life. For example, if your injuries prevent you from participating in activities that you once enjoyed, such as cycling or running, then your accident lawyer will collect evidence to bring to the insurance company so that you can be compensated for this.
- Loss of companionship – If you have lost a loved one in a car accident, then you also deserve compensation for your emotional suffering.
When you hire an auto accident lawyer at The Law Place, we will fight for your right to both economic and non-economic damages. We will also ensure that the insurance company considers the suffering of your family, who may need to support you at this time. We will do everything we can to maximize your compensation.
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages or exemplary damages are designed to bring justice to the wrong brought against you. They are in place to punish the perpetrator rather than compensate the victim.
If you feel that someone’s behavior was reckless and caused a great wrong to you, then you may be able to claim punitive damages. However, they do not come easily and are usually given at the court’s discretion. Therefore, you may need to hire a lawyer if you hope to successfully claim punitive damages.
How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Claim?
Following a car accident in Florida, you have a limited amount of time to claim compensation. This is known as the statute of limitations. Florida Statue 95.11 states that following personal injury, you have four years from the date of your accident to make a claim, or you will be barred from ever claiming compensation.
If you have lost a loved one, you have just two years to claim for a wrongful death claim.
But, in reality, the amount of compensation you receive is heavily dependent on how quickly you act. First responders who deal with cases every day may forget the details of your case, roads and vehicles will be repaired, and CCTV is erased. The sooner you hire a personal injury attorney, the better evidence they will be able to collect, and the better chance you have of seeking a higher amount in compensation.
Contact The Law Place Today
Here at The Law Place, we are not like any other law firm. We built our team of established Florida lawyers by choosing attorneys with a wealth of skill and knowledge to join our team. We have over 75 years of collective experience and take our role as your advocate very seriously.
We use our resources, knowledge, and connections to thoroughly investigate every aspect of your case. Our main priority, though, is our attorney-client relationship, which involves listening to you and your needs. Almost all of our attorneys have an AVVO 10.0 rating, the highest possible rating, and are all ready to give their absolute all to your case.
Give us a call at (941) 444-4444 for a free consultation with a personal injury lawyer. Let us take some of the weight off your shoulders.
