South Florida Injury Attorneys Blog
If you have recently been injured in a car accident in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, you might wonder who will assist you in covering your medical expenses.
Any injury, big or small, after a car accident, can leave behind financial stress with bills. The attorneys at Frankl Kominsky Injury Lawyers understand how difficult these times can be, and we are here to help.
Here are your options to receive financial assistance and seek extra compensation after a car accident in Florida.
What Happens After A Florida Car Accident
Car accidents have similar procedures when law enforcement is notified. Firstly, you should note that it is your duty to call law enforcement when you have been involved in a car accident, whether it’s apparent if you or the other person has sustained any injuries.
The police will come out to the scene, investigate, ask questions, and file an unbiased report. This report can come in handy for you seeking compensation later on as evidence used by your attorney. The same goes for medical records.
EMS will likely be dispatched to the scene once you or the other person involved in the accident make a call to 9-1-1. Even if the accident is just a little fender bender, you should still be examined by the medical professionals to rule out the possibility of internal injuries.
Depending on the accident and the injuries you have sustained, you will either be taken to the hospital or released to go home. The condition of your vehicle will determine if you can drive it home or if it must be towed for pick up later on.
When you are released, it is up to you to contact your insurance and file a claim for financial help. According to Florida’s no-fault system, drivers must carry a minimum of $10,000 in PIP and PDL insurance instead of defaulting to lawsuits, though there are ways to step out of the no-fault system and sue if your case meets certain criteria.
What to Do If You Need Financial Assistance
If you need financial assistance to help cover medical bills after a car accident, your insurance adjuster should not be the first person you speak with. This is because you should ideally contact a Palm Beach Gardens Car Accident Lawyer first.
Your personal injury protection coverage is what will assist you with your medical bills, but it’s crucial to have an attorney working with you from the start for sound legal advice. Though it’s a requirement in Florida to carry a minimum of $10,000, there’s no guarantee you will receive that full amount.
When you file your claim, your insurance adjuster will investigate the accident by looking at your vehicle and asking questions that can make or break how much you may be offered. If you accidentally word your responses wrong, it could devalue your claim.
Another option for seeking financial compensation for medical bills is to sue the other driver if your case permits it. Filing a lawsuit for car accidents is typically the last resort since cases have to exceed a certain amount of hospital bills or a serious injury must be involved.
If your case was severe enough to where your insurance cannot help cover your medical bills and you are suffering from injuries, your attorney can walk you through the process of suing the other driver and seeking a settlement.
How A Lawyer Can Help
Hiring a Palm Beach Gardens Car Accident Lawyer can help your case in several ways. The first being they can give you excellent legal advice on how to proceed after your accident. Florida law states a person has two years from the date of the crash to file a claim, so it’s crucial you contact an attorney immediately.
These professionals also have an eye for detail and the experience with resources to know how to advocate and negotiate on your behalf. Your trusted attorney can look at your insurance records and coverage and speak to your adjuster to ensure all questions are answered properly and carefully.
If your case permits a lawsuit, an attorney will be a major help in gathering all evidence, negotiating with the defendant, and speaking for you in court.
Ways Financial Compensation Can Be Awarded
After your insurance has been notified, you may then work with your attorney to seek extra compensation from the defendant. This can be done in one of two ways:
- A settlement offer
- Court case
Your attorney will try to negotiate with the defendant and their attorney before going to trial in hopes to reach a settlement offer you and the other party can agree to. This will require several conversations and possibly a meeting to establish a fair amount. If the defendant is unwilling to offer a settlement or no price can be agreed upon, your case will then go to court for the jury to decide.
Your car accident case will unfold in court with your attorney presenting all the evidence they have gathered. If the jury deems you the victim, they will be responsible for awarding you with an amount based on your economic losses (hospital bills, time off work, etc.) and non-economic losses (mental anguish, suffering, etc.). A percentage of your involvement in the accident will be applied to your earnings according to the no-fault system. This means your final earnings may be reduced.
For example:
- The jury awards you $70,000 based on your losses.
- The jury finds you 15% guilty for the accident since you were speeding.
- $70,000 x 15% = $59,500 as your final award
Struggling With Medical Bills? We Can Help
Ready to seek extra compensation for your medical bills? The experts at Frankl Kominsky Injury Lawyers can help. We have 40 years of experience helping residents of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, and surrounding areas recover damages from their accidents (by appointment only), and we want to help you too.
Our attorneys are highly experienced and skilled with the resources required to navigate car accidents to help victims find peace in these stressful situations.
You can begin by calling our firm at (561) 800-8000 to schedule a free consultation. You can also leave your information in our online contact form. One of our attorneys will contact you about scheduling a day that fits your earliest convenience.
Our free consultation is crucial for our attorneys to get to know your situation better and how they can help. The attorney you meet with will ask you questions about the accident and any evidence you may have. They may also ask to see your insurance declaration statement, so please be prepared to have that at the meeting.
If you are ready to get started working with competent attorneys who can help you seek extra compensation, call Frankl Kominsky Injury Lawyers today.