Car accidents are one of the most common sources of personal injury claims in the United States today. Most people don’t realize that, on average, the riskiest thing most Americans do each day is getting behind the wheel of their motor vehicle. Car accidents are a common source of potentially life-changing injuries, huge medical bills, and property damage.
If you have experienced an auto accident in the last four years, you are entitled to claim for the damages it has caused you and your family. However, dealing with insurance companies is often a confusing experience. Their purpose is to ensure that you receive the lowest possible amount in compensation. Without representation by an experienced car accident lawyer, an insurance company could quickly devalue your claim.
The team of personal injury attorneys at The Law Place have amassed over 75 years of experience dealing with insurance companies and their insurance adjuster teams. We will work by your side to ensure that you get the best deal possible under your circumstances and will challenge the insurance companies every step of the way.
For a free consultation at no obligation covered by the attorney-client relationship, contact us any time of the day or night at (941) 444-4444.
What Are the Car Accident Insurance Requirements in Florida?
Florida is a no-fault state, which means that every car accident is subject to its no-fault insurance laws. The intricacies of these car insurance laws are covered in Florida Statue 627.7407.
This Florida statute details how each party in the event of a car accident must deal with their own car insurance company to make a claim. This means that no matter which driver was at fault in the accident, both must deal with their own insurance company. To cover this, anyone who drives in the State of Florida must be carrying Personal Injury Protection (PIP) as a part of their automobile insurance policies.
While we would recommend every driver carry additional liability coverage with their insurer, we know this is not possible for everyone’s budget. Whatever the case, a lawyer from The Law Place can help you maximize your claim.
What Are the Limitations to Personal Injury Protection Insurance in Florida?
Personal Injury Protection insurance has clearly defined limits. These are laid out in Florida Statute 627.736.
This Florida statute describes how the insurance company of somebody involved in a car accident is only responsible for up to $10,000 in disability and medical compensation for injuries. There is also a set amount of $5,000 in death compensation in cases of fatal car accidents.
Having representation from experienced car accident attorneys is vital as once this threshold has been exceeded, you must file a lawsuit to seek additional compensation.
We’re here to serve you. Our phones are open 24 hours a day. Why Is It So Important to Have Attorneys to Deal With the Insurance Company After an Accident?
A car accident is a stressful and traumatic experience when taken for face value. Car insurance companies often take advantage of this fact to grant you the smallest amount of compensation possible. Dealing with an insurance company can often make an already stressful life situation become overwhelming.
There are several reasons why it is important to have a car accident lawyer to deal with the insurance company. These will be covered in the following sections.
We’re Florida’s top litigation team with over 75 years of combined experience Dealing With Insurance Companies Over the Phone
After any car accident, you are obligated to inform your car insurance company within an allotted time frame. This period is usually 24 hours, although your insurance company may have a different timespan. If injury or property damage occurred, you must also make a police report.
The average insurance company will use this to its advantage. It is often the case that your car insurance company will use this phone call to encourage you to divulge unnecessary information in the hopes of damaging your claim.
With support from a car accident lawyer, you can know exactly what to say to your insurance company to ensure that they do not catch you out and lower the amount your case could be worth.
From the initial call to updates on your case status, we are here to get you answers. The Collection of Evidence to Support Your Car Accident Claim
As previously mentioned, your insurance company will be on the look-out for any way to lower your claim. A car accident lawyer from The Law Place can help you to establish the strongest case possible to ensure that this doesn’t happen.
The auto accident attorneys at The Law Place have over 75 years of combined experience assembling cases built on solid evidence. We can look through the facts at hand to ensure your claim is defended against any probing from the insurance company.
We have access to dedicated teams of personal investigators to assist with the recovery of difficult-to-find evidence. In addition, we have access to car accident recreation teams to provide additional proof for your lawyers to use.
Negotiating the Settlement Amount With Your Insurance Company
Usually, with car accident claims, the insurance company will attempt to buy off the policyholder with a lowball settlement. The idea of this is to get them to accept an amount lower than what they are likely to be owed.
Our law firm will provide attorneys to cover every aspect of the claims process, including negotiating for a final settlement. They will make sure the client is receiving a settlement offer that is fair.
This process will usually involve a lot of negotiation. The insurance company will almost always reject the first offer. Your attorney will fight on your behalf to get the largest amount of compensation possible.
If you would like somebody to have your back when dealing with insurance companies, contact us today and talk to a lawyer for a free consultation concerning your accident. We can help any driver involved in a car accident to negotiate a settlement offer or file a lawsuit.
What Evidence Can You Collect to Ensure You Get the Maximum Amount of Compensation From Your Insurer?
While your attorney will do a large amount of the evidence collection and collation on your behalf, there are still things the driver can do to ensure they receive the maximum settlement amount for their situation.
This is because, despite having access to private investigators and accident recreation teams, there is still the possibility of some evidence becoming lost, which can negatively impact the compensation potential of your car accident claim case. It is important to ensure that you have all possible tools in your arsenal when raising a case against insurance companies.
Taking Photographs as Proof for When You File a Lawsuit or Pursue a Settlement Offer
One thing that a personal injury lawyer cannot do for their client is taking important photographs immediately after the accident. These can be key for many people in ensuring that they receive the maximum payout from their insurer.
As soon as it is safe to do so following your accident, you should take photographs of everything relevant. These photographs should be taken at multiple angles and should include the following for use by your attorney:
- Photographs of your car, which clearly show the level of vehicle damage involved.
- Photographs of any tire skid marks seen on the road in the area where the accident occurred.
- Photographs of any other damage to the surrounding area. This may include damage to road signage, foliage, or anything else that could help your attorney prove the severity of the accident.
- Photographs of the car belonging to the other person or persons involved in the accident.
- Photographs of the registration plates belonging to any other person at the scene of the accident. These can be used to track eyewitnesses if you are unable to secure their contact information.
- Photographs of any injuries you may have received from the accident. You should also take additional photographs after you have received medical attention and at each significant step in the healing process.
Luckily, almost every person in America today carries the tools to collect this information if they are involved in an accident that inflicts injury or property damage. Your cell phone is one of the most powerful tools in your arsenal for securing the highest settlement offer from your insurer.
Compiling and Storing Relevant Documentation Such as Medical Bills
As an insurance policyholder, you want to ensure that you get the fairest compensatory settlement from your insurance that is possible.
One way that you can do this is to ensure that you retain all the documentation you receive relating to your accident and injuries. This will help to ensure that no insurance adjusters are able to lower your compensation to an amount lower than your actual damages.
Medical expenses are one aspect of this. You should retain copies of all your medical bills for presentation to your insurer by your attorney. These bills can quickly pile up and become overwhelming, so it is important that you have options to recover the money involved. Access to your medical records can also help your attorney to prove that any permanent conditions caused by your accident were not pre-existing and, therefore, should be covered in your insurance policy.
Another set of documentation you should retain for your attorney to present to your insurer is anything detailing time spent off work because of your accident and injuries. Often, someone involved in a car accident will be unable to work as they are busy recovering from their injuries. If you retain all correspondence with your employer, your attorney can fight to have your lost wages covered by your insurer.
The Importance of Eyewitness Information to Back Your Claim
Your insurance company may employ an insurance adjuster to try and lower your compensatory amount. They may also try to contest the specific details of your accident claim case.
One way you can avoid this is to have someone who was present at the scene of the accident provide an eyewitness account. This can be other drivers at the scene or even the police officers who came to assist. This information can be used by your lawyer on your behalf to prove the extent of your accident to your insurer.
As a general rule, clients should seek the following information for use by your lawyer:
- The full name and telephone number of any other driver involved in the accident.
- The full name and telephone number of any other driver who witnessed the accident.
- The registration plates of every driver present at the time of the accident.
With the additional testimony of driver eyewitness accounts, your lawyer has yet another tool in their arsenal to fight any challenge an insurance company may throw at your case.
How Much Will It Cost Me to Secure the Help of The Law Place in Dealing With My Insurance Company?
Finances are often an important worry when you have been the driver involved in a car accident that was not your fault. Damages, medical bills, and lost wages can quickly pile up. This stops many people from seeking the help of a lawyer in dealing with insurance companies.
However, here at The Law Place, we offer a no-win-no-fee guarantee. All of our personal injury and accident work is done on a contingency basis. What this means is that all fees will only be taken from the final payment from your insurance company or lawsuit. If your case is unsuccessful, the assistance of your lawyer will cost you nothing at all.
All of our contingency work is monitored by the State Bar Association, so you can rest assured that the lawyer working on your behalf will have no hidden fees or surprise costs.
Contact The Law Place Today
If you have been involved in a car accident in the past four years and would like the assistance of a lawyer in maximizing your claim amount, look no further than The Law Place. We know the tricks commonly employed by insurers and will fight tooth and nail to secure you a fair settlement. Don’t be tricked into accepting less money for your damages than you deserve.
There is no risk involved in pursuing the fairest settlement for your accident case. You will not have to spend a cent until the conclusion of your case, and if for some reason it is unsuccessful, the entire process will cost you nothing at all. Transparency is at the heart of our ethos, and we can guarantee you will be treated with the utmost support and compassion throughout the process. So why not join the countless satisfied clients in Florida?
If you are interested, then you can start your legal journey today. Just contact us for a free consultation, fully protected by the attorney-client relationship, and at no obligation. Our lines are always open, and our team has a combined experience of over 75 years dealing with insurance companies in a car accident and personal injury situations.
For your free telephone consultation, which will answer any questions you have and walk you through what to expect from your personal legal process, telephone us any time of the day or night at (941) 444-4444.
