If you were involved in a car accident, then you will need to take the necessary steps to protect your legal rights in the State of Florida. It is important that you know what to do following an accident, and you will need a car accident lawyer to guide you through the legal system.
At The Law Place, we have over seventy-five years of combined experience when it comes to helping clients who have been involved in car accidents throughout the State of Florida. Our law firm has an in-depth understanding of traffic law, and we will discuss the accident scene with you.
A car accident lawyer will sit down and answer all of your questions during a free consultation. The phone lines to our office are available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
Contact The Law Place on (941) 444-4444 to schedule a free consultation today.
A vehicle is damaged after a crash.
How to Choose a Car Accident Lawyer
You will need to hire a car accident lawyer when you have been injured in a car accident. However, it can be a difficult process to find the right car accident lawyer in the State of Florida. It is very important that you have a car accident lawyer that you can trust. At The Law Place, we will handle your case with efficiency and diligence. We recommend that you seek a car accident lawyer who has the following qualities:
- Reputation – A car accident lawyer should have a good standing reputation with their local community and state bar.
- Awards – A car accident lawyer should have awards and accolades from their past clients, local community, and peers.
- Testimonials – A car accident lawyer should have transparent and authentic testimonials from their former clients.
- Wins – A car accident lawyer should have a long history of winning settlements.
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How Will a Car Accident Lawyer Prove Liability?
A car accident lawyer from The Law Place has a responsibility to prove liability following a car accident. The four elements of negligence include:
- Duty of care – Every driver has to operate their motor vehicle safely and follow the rules of the road.
- Breach of duty – If a driver acts carelessly or recklessly behind the wheel, then they have violated their duty of care.
- Causation – If a careless or reckless driver caused a car accident, then you could hold them liable for damages.
- Damages – A car accident lawyer from The Law Place will have to demonstrate the damages that you suffered in the car crash.
Florida Statute 768.81 explains the law of negligence. It is imperative that you get in touch with a car accident attorney from The Law Place as soon as possible following a car crash. If you put your trust in us, we will quickly get to work and discuss your auto insurance claim with the insurance companies involved. Call our office to set up a free consultation now. Our phone lines are available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
What to Do After a Car Accident
It is essential that you make the right moves after a car crash in the State of Florida. Our law firm highly recommends that you take the following advice at the auto accident scene:
- Move to safety – If you are in a difficult position, then you should move to a safe place.
- Check for injuries – If you or another person were injured in the car crash, then you should call an ambulance to the accident scene.
- Call the police – Florida Statute 316.062 declares that you have to call the police to the auto accident scene. A police officer will investigate the auto accident scene and file an accident report. Remember to get a copy of the police report.
- Contact details – You have to exchange contact details with the other drivers involved in the accident, such as their names, phone numbers, addresses, insurance information, vehicle registration number, and more.
- Collect evidence – You should try to collect evidence from the auto accident scene by taking photographs and videos of the location, road conditions, property damage, motor vehicles, injuries, and more.
- Go to the hospital – You must go to the hospital to seek medical treatment as soon as possible, even if you think that you have not suffered an injury. In many cases, there are injuries that do not reveal themselves until days or weeks after an accident. Florida Statute 627.736 declares that you will not be able to receive compensation for injuries unless you seek medical assistance within 14 days after an accident.
- Insurance company – You are obliged to tell your insurance company about a car accident immediately after the fact. The exact amount of time that you have to inform your insurance company is written in your policy. Remember to avoid telling your insurance company and the other driver’s insurance company about the details of the car accident. If you are not okay talking to the insurance companies, then you can tell your car accident lawyer to speak to them instead.
- Hire a car accident lawyer – It is imperative that you hire a car accident lawyer following a car accident. Call our office to set up a free consultation today.
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What Not to Do After a Car Accident
We hope that you have understood what to do following a car accident, but there are also a few things that you should NOT do after a car crash, such as:
- Do not apologize or admit fault – It is important that you do not apologize or make an admission of guilt following a car accident. Your words can be used against you.
- Do not sign paperwork – It is important that you do not sign paperwork from your insurance company or the other driver’s insurance company without letting your car accident lawyer look over the paperwork first.
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Investigating a Car Accident
A car accident lawyer from The Law Place will listen to your experience and discuss the details of your car accident during a free consultation. If you choose to hire us, then we will investigate your case and determine who was at fault. A car accident lawyer will ask you the following questions about the auto accident:
- Did the other driver violate a traffic law?
- Did the other driver make an admission of guilt?
- Was the other driver traveling in their motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs?
- Did you see the police report or an accident report?
- Is there someone who witnessed the auto accident that can make a statement?
Common Causes of Car Accidents
There are a number of reasons that a car accident can happen, but it honestly depends on the circumstances and facts surrounding the case in question. The car accident lawyers at The Law Place have handled all types of accidents that include:
- Distracted driving – There are some drivers who are not concerned about the texting while driving law, and they are the ones who usually cause most of the car crashes. Distracted driving includes engaging in conversation with a passenger, adjusting their navigational system, applying makeup, eating, drinking, using a mobile phone, and more.
- Drunk driving – A drunk driver is a serious danger on the road, and they cause plenty of car accidents.
- Aggressive driving – Drivers who get aggressive with other road users by intimidating other drivers, weaving through traffic, tailgating, and more are dangerous on the road.
- Violating traffic laws – The Florida Traffic Code explains the rules of the road, and every driver has to know it. However, the drivers who break the law by speeding, failing to yield, running red lights or stop signs, ignoring right of way and more, cause hundreds of car accidents.
- Defective auto parts – Brakes, tires, steering systems, airbags, and other parts of a motor vehicle can malfunction unexpectedly. In this case, the manufacturer or the company who sold the part is at fault.
- Road hazards – The state and local government are responsible for fixing the roads, and other errors (except when the road is owned by a private person), and they could be held responsible for failing to fix the error in the event that a car crash happens.
Injuries Sustained in Car Accidents
It is never easy to recover from an injury sustained in an auto accident, and all of the medical expenses add to the pressure. It is important that you have a skilled car accident lawyer to handle your case and help you to win compensation for the injuries that you have suffered. The Law Place has won compensation for injuries that include:
- Whiplash.
- Fractures.
- Burns and scars.
- Back and neck injuries.
- Leg and knee damage.
- Joint, bone, and muscle injuries.
- Spinal cord injuries.
- Soft tissue injuries.
- Internal organ damage.
- Head injuries.
- Loss of limbs.
- Permanent disability.
- Disfigurement.
- Paralysis.
- Traumatic brain injuries.
The Law Place will work closely with you and your doctor to determine the seriousness of your injuries after a car crash. The more serious the injury, the more money that you will receive in compensation. We will fight to win the maximum amount of compensation that you deserve in an insurance claim. However, if we are unable to settle with the insurance company, then we will have to take your case to court.
Recovering Full Compensation After a Car Accident
The process of recovering compensation is quite complex in the State of Florida. If you trust The Law Place to handle your case, then we will help you to explore all of the possible methods of recovering damages, including:
- Personal injury protection (PIP) insurance – Every driver is required to hold personal injury protection (PIP) insurance under Florida law. Personal injury protection (PIP) insurance will cover your medical expenses, lost wages, and other bills, regardless of who was at fault for the car accident. The laws on personal injury protection (PIP) insurance are written in Florida Statute 627.736.
- A negligent driver’s insurance – If someone else is at fault for the car accident, then you could hold the other driver’s insurance company liable for the medical bills that surpass the limits of your personal injury protection (PIP) insurance policy.
- An auto accident lawsuit – If you suffered highly serious injuries, then you can file a car accident claim against the guilty party by going through the civil court system in the State of Florida.
The Law Place will investigate your accident and gather all of the relevant pieces of evidence and information so that we can develop a strong case against the at-fault party and negotiate for the maximum amount of compensation. We can explore all possibilities by claiming through your own personal injury protection (PIP) insurance, the other driver’s insurance company, or by taking your case to court.
Compensation for a Car Accident
The Law Place will ask you for all of the details of what happened before, during, and after the accident. Our team of car accident lawyers will need to know the full story from you directly so that we can fight for the maximum amount of compensation that includes:
- Medical expenses – Visits to the doctor, hospitalization, surgery, physical therapy, rehabilitation, medical equipment, prescription medication, and more.
- Lost wages – Changes to your usual income, a reduced earning capacity, and the lost wages that you have suffered by not being able to go to work.
- Property damage – The costs to replace or repair the damage to your motor vehicle, mobile phone, clothes, and other property damage.
- Pain and suffering – Physical pain, mental trauma, emotional anguish, depression, fear, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), and other types of pain and suffering.
- Wrongful death – If a loved one was killed in a car accident, then you could be entitled to receive compensation for funeral expenses, medical bills, lost wages, property damage, pain, and suffering, and more under Florida Statute 768.21.
Statute of Limitations on Car Accidents
The statute of limitations explains the time that you have to file a personal injury claim after an accident has happened.
The State of Florida allows you four years to hire a car accident lawyer and file a personal injury claim. However, if someone you love was killed in a car accident, then you are allowed two years to hire a personal injury lawyer and file a wrongful death claim.
If you fail to hire a car accident lawyer and take legal action, then your case will get thrown out by the court, according to Florida Statue 95.11.
Contact The Law Place Today
If you or someone you know are wondering what to do if you are involved in a car accident, then the answer is to seek legal counsel. It is essential that you have the assistance of a car accident lawyer following a crash. Otherwise, you could miss important details.
At The Law Place, we have over seventy-five years of collective experience and knowledge in managing car accident cases for clients all over the State of Florida. Our law firm will give your case the attention that it deserves and fight for the compensation that you need to cover all of your medical bills, lost income, property damage, pain and suffering, and more.
If you have questions in regard to your case, then you should speak to a car accident lawyer now. Our phone lines are open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week so that we can be available when you need to talk at any time.
Contact The Law Place on (941) 444-4444 to schedule a free consultation today.
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