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How Does a Car Accident Settlement Work in Florida?

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Florida has some beautiful scenic highways and byways, but a car accident can disrupt an enjoyable or routine drive when you least expect it. If you’ve been injured in a Florida car accident, you’ll learn that the car accident recovery process is far from straightforward. Understanding the settlement process can help you move forward with purpose, and an experienced Florida personal injury attorney will fight to ensure that your claim is settled fairly.

Accident Reports

If you were involved in a car accident that resulted in property damage of greater than $500 (which means nearly every accident), or if it caused injury or death, law enforcement must be contacted immediately. In these situations, the officer on the scene will file an accident report. When no official report is required or is conducted, you must file a crash report within 10 days.

Furthermore, once you’ve safely gotten to the side of the road, it’s your responsibility to offer reasonable assistance to anyone who’s been injured in the accident. It’s also your obligation to exchange insurance, contact, and vehicle information with the other drivers. For the sake of your case, it’s imperative that you (or someone on your behalf) document the road and weather conditions, take accident pictures, and never admit accident responsibility that is not incontrovertible. You may be naturally inclined to apologize, but this can be viewed as assuming responsibility—which you never want to do before the facts of the case are clear.

Florida Car Insurance

In Florida, car insurance is no-fault, which means that—no matter who’s at fault—your medical and related expenses will first be covered by your own Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance policy. For incurred property damage, however, you can file a claim against the insurance of the at-fault driver. If you’ve been involved in a car accident, first seek medical attention, then file your insurance claim as soon as you can. If possible, wait on car repairs until after your insurance company has given you the go-ahead. Because the insurance process can be complicated, you should never hesitate to seek the assistance of an experienced attorney to handle your insurance claims.

Florida Settlements

In a Florida settlement, the insurance company (or the other driver) will offer you a settlement in exchange for you giving up the right to bring future legal action regarding the accident. Remember, however: Insurance companies are in the business of turning a profit. Therefore, to ensure the amount is adequate to cover your losses, you should always have an experienced personal injury attorney review any settlement offers before you accept them. Every car accident is unique, and getting the settlement to which you’re entitled can be quite complicated.

Contact an Experienced Florida Personal Injury Attorney Today

If you were injured in a car accident that was caused by someone else’s negligence, you need an experienced Ocala personal injury attorney handling your claim. Car accident claims are often complicated, and effectively supporting your claim will play an important role in obtaining the settlement to which you’re entitled. The Ocala personal injury attorneys at Meldon Law have the experience and knowledge to help your claim reach its best possible resolution. For more information, please contact us online or call us at (800) 373-8000 today.

One Thought on “How Does a Car Accident Settlement Work in Florida?”

Sarah Smith says:

April 9, 2019 at 10:48 pm

I didn’t know that, even if the other person is at fault, your insurance covers your injuries and medical expenses. This would be really great for my brother because he has really good insurance. He would be able to go to as many chiropractic appointments or doctors that he would need to.

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