After a devastating motor vehicle accident, we want you to worry about getting better and not have to worry about the details of your claim. That is why we will go the extra mile to serve you. Ourattorneys are committed to getting justice for car crash victims, and we offer free case evaluations.
What to Do Immediately After a Car Accident
The moments immediately following a car crash are often chaotic and confusing. However, what you do in those minutes can make or break your case. Here are some tips to keep in mind during the immediate aftermath of a car accident:
- First and foremost, check on your and any passenger’s safety and well-being
- If possible, call 911 to report the incident. This way, emergency responders can respond quickly and efficiently. You can also contact the local police department directly to report the accident
- Take pictures of the car involved in the collision and the damage it sustained. These could prove useful later down the road
- Contact an attorney about filing a personal injury claim
Reporting Your Accident to the Police
The law requires anyone involved in an accident that caused damages of $500 or more or personal injuries to notify the local police department immediately. You should also report hit-and-run incidents, DUI crashes, and fatal accidents.
If you call 911, that phone call satisfies the requirement for police reporting. You don’t need to file a separate accident report unless there are injuries or fatalities, the property damage exceeds $500, it was a hit-and-run, or the driver was intoxicated.
You also don’t need to file one if the officer who responded to the call reports the incident to the state patrol.
No-Fault Insurance Protection in Gainesville
Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) requires drivers to carry and have proof of two types of insurance:
- Personal Injury Protection (PIP)
- Property Damage Liability (PDL)
PIP Coverage
Personal injury protection covers 80% of medical expenses for a covered injury, up to a maximum of $10,000. It does not matter who causes the crash; your PIP will cover the expenses.
PDL Coverage
Property damage liability coverage handles the costs of damage to another person’s property. Regardless of who had permission to drive your vehicle, your PDL covers the damage.
Damages Over $10,000
If your damages exceed $10,000, you may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit against the other driver or their insurance company to recover additional compensation for your losses.
A Gainesville car accident lawyer can walk you through your rights and the relevant insurance policies and coverages. Count on our law firm to help you receive fair treatment from insurance companies.
Why You Need a Lawyer After a Gainesville Car Accident
You might think that the at-fault driver’s insurance company will properly manage your claim if you were injured in a car accident. While the at-fault party’s auto insurance covers serious accident victims, the insurance company may try to get out of paying.
Unfortunately, car insurance providers frequently refuse to give victims the money they require to fully cover the expense of their injuries. When this happens, you need to put up a fight to get your accident-related damages paid. Your personal injury attorney can assist with the following:
- Identifying all of the circumstances that contributed to your auto accident
- Determining the merit of your case
- Negotiating with the insurance company
- Representing you in court
Recovering Damages for a Gainesville Car Accident
After suffering a car accident in Florida, you may be eligible to receive maximum compensation for a variety of expenses related to the medical care you need to recover from your injuries, including bills for:
- Emergency medical care
- A hospital stay
- Rehabilitation
- Long-term care
- Doctor visits
- Physical therapy
- Prescription medications
- Mobility aids
- Lost wages during your recovery
- Diminished earning capacity if you are unable to return to work afterward.
These are not the only economic damages to which you may be entitled. Every case is different, and your lawyer can help you identify opportunities to claim the financial compensation you are entitled to.
Compensation for Non-Economic Losses
As part of the settlement in your personal injury case, you may be entitled to receive compensation for a variety of items beyond your financial expenses, including:
- Pain and suffering
- Permanent injuries, such as paralysis or disfigurement
- Mental trauma, like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and insomnia
- Reduction in quality of life
- Wrongful death
Other miscellaneous expenses include traveling to the doctor or hiring someone to help you with household chores or childcare. Non-economic damages, such as pain, suffering, and mental trauma, can be challenging to calculate, so it’s best to hire an experienced attorney.
How Your Injuries Affect Your Compensation
Many factors determine how much money you might receive after a car accident. These include the severity of your injuries, whether you need surgery, and what type of treatment you require.
Types of Car Accident Injuries
There are several different types of injuries that we see every day, including:
- Head trauma
- Spinal cord injuries
- Broken bones
- Soft tissue injuries
- Internal organ damage
- Burns
- Paralysis
Each of these conditions has its own unique set of symptoms and complications. Some people suffer from long-term effects, such as chronic pain, while others experience immediate problems, such as loss of consciousness and shortness of breath.
Medical Needs
We will look at how your injuries have changed your life when determining how much compensation you should expect to recover. Our team of expert lawyers will evaluate your situation to determine your injuries’ severity and how much damage you sustained. This includes assessing whether you need the following:
- Emergency room care
- Hospitalization
- Surgery
- Physical therapy
- Rehabilitation
- Home renovations or vehicle modifications
We can talk to your doctors and our in-house medical experts to determine how much your injuries are worth.
We Will Negotiate With Car Accident Insurers On Your Behalf
Car accidents often entail complex insurance negotiations. You should approach the liable party’s insurer with caution. Their insurer won’t have your best interests in mind; they want you to settle for the lowest value possible.
They could reduce your accident claim if you say the wrong word or phrase to an insurer. They may also try to use a recorded statement against you. One of the goals of an insurance adjuster is to get you talking, so we advise you to contact a lawyer before speaking with anyone from the insurance company.
How We Keep the Insurance Company from Taking Advantage of You
Our lawyers will manage communication with the liable party’s insurer. With our help, you won’t need to waste your time agonizing over the negotiation process. We can also help you estimate the value of your case, which can protect you from unfair settlement offers. We can:
- Advise you on what you should or shouldn’t say to insurers
- Help you respond to insurance company letters
- Use evidence to show the value of your losses
- Help you avoid costly insurance negotiation mistakes
- Push for a fair insurance settlement
Our lawyers are familiar with the tactics insurance companies use to protect their bottom line. We will work tirelessly to get you the compensation you need to recover and move forward.
We Can Gather the Evidence of Your Car Accident
Insurance negotiations and lawsuits both hinge on evidence. You can’t demonstrate that another negligent party was responsible for your injuries without evidence. The process of gathering evidence is painstaking and time-consuming. We’ll typically investigate and examine these pieces of evidence on your behalf:
- Accident or police reports
- Medical invoices and other expenses
- Medical records that demonstrate the extent of your injuries
- Footage or images of the car accident
- Eyewitness testimonies
- Expert interviews and statements
Evidence can make or break your case. We’ll use it to assign liability and eventually pursue compensation.
Assigning Liability
The law requires people who cause harm to others to compensate them for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. If you are trying to recover damages for your injuries, it is important to understand how courts determine responsibility for causing accidents.
Personal injury cases, which include car accidents, use a four-step process to assign liability. With the necessary evidence in hand, we’ll work to show that:
- The other driver owed you a duty of care: They were responsible for keeping you safe from harm.
- They breached this duty of care by behaving negligently: This can involve speeding, driving drunk, or otherwise ignoring roadway laws.
- This breach of duty caused your accident.
- You suffered from verifiable injuries because of your car accident.
Negligence is Key
In most cases involving personal injury claims, the plaintiff must establish each of the above elements to win compensation. However, sometimes one side can prove that the other is liable without proving every element. In these circumstances, the plaintiff can recover losses based on negligence alone.
An experienced Gainesville car accident attorney can thoroughly examine your case to help identify the liable parties and prove negligence.
Our Car Accident Lawyers Are Easily Accessible
Sometimes lawyers get a bad rap for not communicating with their clients. Our experienced car accident lawyers understand the financial stress accident victims are often under, so we won’t leave you in the dark about new developments in your case.
We prioritize responsiveness and accessibility in the following ways:
- We offer you the phone number of the lawyer assigned to your case.
- We’ll provide you with consistent case updates.
- We’ll promptly answer all your legal questions.
- You can communicate via text, phone calls, or email.
We Handle Cases on a Contingency Fee Basis
Our personal injury lawyers are paid on a contingency basis, which means they won’t get paid unless you do. With this arrangement, you often don’t pay anything upfront. Instead, you and your attorney agree on the percentage of the recovery your attorney will keep.
Working with a lawyer on a contingency fee basis benefits you in more than one way. First, there are no upfront costs for you. Second, you owe the attorney nothing if your lawsuit is unsuccessful.
Your attorney covers any costs incurred in pursuing your claim out of their pocket, and you are not responsible for any attorney fees or court costs if there is no recovery. This means there is no risk to you in seeking our help.
Car Accident Cases Have a Deadline in Florida
Please remember that you don’t have unlimited time to file a lawsuit after a car accident. The statute of limitations for car accidents in our state is generally four years, per Florida Statutes §95.11. If your case involves the passing of a loved one, this deadline is usually two years, per Florida Statutes § 95.11.
We urge you to begin the insurance settlement or lawsuit process as early as possible. If you miss your deadline, you’ll have one less way to pursue compensation. The Florida statute of limitations is just one of the reasons to get started on your claim as soon as possible.
Building a car accident case is time-consuming; the sooner you start, the better. Also, building a case is easier right after the accident when the evidence is fresh and witnesses still remember what they saw. We also want you to have a head start on the settlement negotiation process so you can get paid sooner.
Let Our Gainesville Car Accident Attorney Defend Your Rights
If you or a loved one was injured in a car accident in or around Gainesville, our firm could help you seek compensation for your losses. You do not have to battle with the insurance companies alone. Our Gainesville car accident lawyers are here to help.
Call the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine today for a free consultation to discuss the facts in your case. Remember, we work on a contingency fee basis, so we will not be paid until we secure a settlement or judgment for you. Contact us today to schedule a free case evaluation.
We Can Help.
