South Florida Car Accident Legal Help

The insurance company is not quick to hand over money, but an experienced car accident attorney can solve that problem.

Our legal team has won millions of dollars for car accident injury victims.

South Florida Car Accident Claim Deadlines

What you do after a car accident is critical to the outcome of your case. While no lawyer can guarantee any specific outcome on your personal injury case, most lawyers agree that the sooner you get a car accident lawyer involved the better.

The First Few Days After a Car Accident

During the first three days after an accident, any insurance companies that may be responsible for paying damages have probably already been in contact with you. Typically, these insurance companies have claims adjusters who call you and appear to be very concerned for your wellbeing. The adjusters may tell you that they are just trying to find out what happened in the accident to help you get your car fixed.

Injury victims should be careful not to give any insurance company a recorded statement (if the adjuster says the call is being recorded, pay attention to what they are about to ask you).

While insurance company adjusters are in fact trying to get information to help fix your car and provide other insurance benefits, they are also trying to get evidence to use against you in the future if you decide to make a personal injury claim against them.

The First Two Weeks After a Car Accident

If you live in Florida, the two-week point is crucial for car accident injury victims. You have probably heard of “no-fault” insurance benefits. Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits are only available to injury victims who are seen by a doctor within fourteen (14) days of the accident.

If you don’t see a doctor within the first two weeks, all is not lost. However, you will no longer qualify for benefits that pay up to $10,000.00 towards your medical bills.

Also, by the two-week mark, you’ve probably already had your property damage evaluated by an insurance company and repairs might even be underway.

The First Few Months After a Car Accident

If the accident happened a month or more ago and you haven’t been seen by any doctor to document any of your symptoms, you or your lawyer will have a very tough time proving that you were in fact injured in the accident. That said, there have been successful cases in which injury victims – for one reason or another – delay three or more weeks before getting any treatment.

You May Have Three to Four Years to Make a Car Accident Claim

You typically have four years to file a lawsuit for a car accident personal injury case. If you miss that deadline, your claim is forever barred. People generally refer to this rule as the “statute of limitations”. However, if your accident involved a government vehicle, you may only have three years to pursue a claim.

Contact a Car Accident Specialist as Soon as Possible

Most Florida car accident victims do not think about a lawyer after an accident because they think the insurance company will take care of things. However, it may not take long to realize that the insurance company is not focused on your recovery or getting you the maximum compensation possible. 

By contacting an experienced South Florida car accident lawyer as soon as possible, you can save yourself a lot of the hassle and headaches by having an advocate on your side who will deal with the insurance companies.

Your South Florida car accident attorney can talk to the insurance company on your behalf, so you can focus on your recovery.

Your South Florida car accident lawyer will be able to keep the pressure on the insurance company to pay for your losses, car repairs, medical bills, and get money for your lost wages.

Your attorney can also negotiate a faster settlement offer and make sure you get the compensation to cover all your losses, including future expenses. If the insurance company does not want to pay what they owe, your lawyer can take them to court to get a jury to award you compensation for your losses. 

Car Accidents in South Florida

There were almost 27,000 car accidents in Palm Beach County in 2018. Broward County had over 41,000 crashes in the same year. 

There were more than 40,000 injuries and almost 400 deaths in 2018 as a result of traffic accidents. Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles provides the data. 

Florida drivers will have to deal with at least one accident in their driving career. Vehicle Defects or roadway debris cause some accidents. But human error is the biggest cause of most accidents. In a personal injury claim, the negligent party is generally liable for any damages. Negligence in a car accident means one party is violating their duty of reasonable care. Traffic laws supply some of the rules we use to prove negligence. 

A negligent driver may be liable for your damages. Damages include medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. If the accident is fatal, the victim’s family members may have a wrongful death claim.

Common Causes of Car Accidents in South Florida

There are many factors that lead to car accidents in South Florida. This includes drivers who are simply not paying attention, violating traffic laws, or failing to maintain their vehicles. Some of the most common causes of motor vehicle accidents in South Florida include:

• Disregarding traffic signs
• Driving too fast for conditions
• Speeding
• Failure to stay in lane
• Failure to yield right of way
• Failure to watch for motorcycles
• Failure to yield to pedestrians
• Following too closely
• Improper passing
• Reckless driving
• Running a red light or stop sign
• Wrong way driving
• Texting and driving
• Drowsy driving
• Drunk driving
• Driving under the influence of drugs
• Overweight trucking loads
• Defective vehicle parts
• Hazardous road conditions

Dangerous Intersections in South Florida

An injury accident can occur anywhere, including parking lots, on the highway, or even in your own driveway. However, certain intersections have higher rates of accidents than others. This is often caused by drivers who are trying to beat a light or roll through a right turn without coming to a full stop. According to local news, some of the most dangerous intersections in South Florida include:

• Okeechobee Blvd. and Military Trail in West Palm Beach
• North Congress Ave. and 45th Street in West Palm Beach
• Glades Rd. and State Road 7 in Boca Raton
• Glades Rd. and Airport Road in Boca Raton
• Atlantic Ave. and South Military Trail in Delray Beach
• West Atlantic and Congress Ave. in Delray Beach
• Forest Hill Blvd. and South Military Trail in Palm Springs
• South Jog Rd. and Lake Worth Rd. in Greenacres
• South Jog Rd. and Forest Hill Blvd. in Greenacres
• Atlantic Blvd. and U.S. 1 in Pompano Beach
• Sunrise Blvd. and Andrews Ave. in Fort Lauderdale
• A1A and Las Olas Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale
• NE 26th St. and Federal Hwy. in Fort Lauderdale
• Pines Blvd. and South Flamingo Rd. in Pembroke Pines
• West Oakland Park Blvd. and NW 50th Ave. in Sunrise

Common Car Accident Injuries

There were more than 254,000 injuries from all crashes in Florida in 2018. Injuries range from minor scrapes and bruises to permanent and life-altering injuries. Common auto accident injuries for drivers and passengers can include:

• Broken bones
• Internal injuries
• Concussions
• Head injury
• Back injury
• Neck injury
• Nerve damage
• Burn injuries
• Eye injury
• Cuts and scrapes
• Puncture wounds
• Disfigurement
• Loss of a limb
• Paralysis

PIP or “No Fault” Benefits for Florida Car Accident Victims

What is PIP insurance in Florida? Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance is “no fault” coverage for auto accidents. Drivers in Florida are required to carry PIP insurance, (and Property Damage Liability (PDL) insurance). PIP provides no-fault coverage regardless of who is at fault for causing the accident.

PIP pays for part of your medical bills if you are injured in an accident, whether the accident was caused by you or another driver. PIP covers the driver under the policy and also covers relatives who live in your home, others who drive your car with your permission, pedestrians, and bicyclists. PDL is supposed to cover damage to another’s property caused by the at-fault driver.

Drivers in Florida must have a minimum of $10,000 in PIP. After an injury accident, PIP will cover 80% of all necessary and reasonable medical expenses, up to the coverage limit (generally $10,000). PIP may also cover up to 60% of lost wages caused by the accident. However, the $10,000 coverage limit is for both medical expenses and lost wages together. Once the $10,000 amount is paid out, the injury victim may be responsible for any further medical bills.

Unfortunately for many accident injury victims, the cost of medical bills, continuing treatment, and lost wages will exceed $10,000. In a personal injury lawsuit, the injury victim can seek damages from the person responsible for causing the accident to get any medical expenses and lost wages over the $10,000 limit, and also seek other damages, including pain and suffering. If you were injured in a car accident in South Florida, talk to your personal injury lawyer about your claim to make sure you get the maximum compensation possible. 

Our Top-Rated Car Accident Lawyer is Here To Help You With Your Claim

Car accidents can be life-changing. Don’t let the insurance company sell you short after an accident. If you’ve been in a car accident in Deerfield Beach, it’s important that you contact a car accident attorney right away. At Waring Law, the attorney – not paralegals – will personally oversee and develop each and every case. We offer free consultations and there are never any fees or costs unless and until Waring Law recovers money for injuries. Request your free injury case review today.