A Personal Injury Attorney Provides Answers to Your Car Accident FAQs
Car accidents can range from mild to severe, and can cause a broad range of issues, including property damage, personal injury, and even death. Depending on the severity of an accident, you may be entitled to recover damages for costly medical expenses, lost wages, and even pain and suffering. If you believe you have suffered a car accident that significantly impacted your life due to someone else’s negligence, read on to get your most commonly asked questions answered.
What Should I Do Immediately After an Accident?
The first step you should take after an accident is to call emergency professionals and law enforcement. Though your injuries may not seem severe, injuries are not always visible and are often experienced in a delayed onslaught. Internal injuries, whiplash, and concussions are just some examples of injuries that can occur invisibly and inflict serious, lasting consequences.
In addition, you will want to make sure law enforcement is present on the scene so they can record critical details regarding the accident and the parties involved. Their report will be crucial to pursue a legal claim later, if it is found that the accident occurred due to another party’s negligence and led to substantial injuries.
Who Will Pay My Medical Bills?
If you suffered injuries due to the crash, then the question of who is responsible for covering your medical bills will fall squarely on who caused the accident, the type of insurance you have, and the type of insurance the other party carries. If you own a vehicle in Florida, you are required to carry Personal Injury Protection insurance that covers payments for your medical expenses no matter who caused an accident. This coverage can address up to 80 percent of your medical bills up to $10,000. If you caused the accident, then you are wholly responsible for your medical bills, and your PIP insurance will cover at least $8,000 worth of expenses.
On the other hand, if the accident was someone else’s fault, then you can file a claim against them for your medical expenses. These claims will likely be covered by their insurance, assuming they have substantial coverage.
It’s important to note that PIP insurance will only cover damages for medical expenses and lost wages. If your accident is severe and causes substantial pain and suffering, you may be able to sue for additional personal injury claims, but these costs will not be covered by your PIP protection. More on that later.
Who Will Pay for the Damages to my Vehicle?
Again, this will depend on who caused the accident. If you caused the accident, then your insurance company will cover the cost of repairs assuming you carry collision coverage. If not, these costs will need to come out of your own pocket. If the other party is at fault, then their insurance company will cover the cost of repairs with their collision coverage.
What Type of Damages Can I Recover in a Personal Injury Lawsuit?
Personal injury cases will generally involve two types of claims depending on the severity of the accident. These include claims for economic damages, like medical expenses and lost wages; and claims for non-economic damages, which are more commonly referred to as pain and suffering claims. As outlined above, Personal Injury Protection coverage – a requirement in Florida – will cover up to 80 percent of these expenses in a personal injury claim. But if you’ve suffered extensive physical and emotional pain due to the accident, then a personal injury lawsuit would ensure you are compensated for those losses. Your lawyer will gather a substantial amount of evidence that proves that these claims exist.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer?
The total cost of your case will depend on the time spent on your case and the ultimate conclusion of the case. Usually, personal injury attorneys handling car accident claims will work on a contingency basis, meaning their fee is only triggered when your case is won. Instead, your attorney would pull their fee from a portion of the proceeds of your lawsuit.
If you’ve been involved in a car accident, don’t get stuck in a situation where you aren’t compensated for the extent of your damages. Contact a car accident lawyer today.
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