Florida Car Accident Lawyer
Protecting Florida’s Automobile Accident Victims
No one expects to be involved in a serious car accident. Suddenly, you’re facing astronomical medical bills and lost paychecks as you recover from serious injuries. You may expect that auto insurance will simply cover your costs of the accident. However, this is not always the case. In this situation, it is easy to become frustrated, and it is only natural to wonder about your legal rights as a car accident victim.
If you want to learn more about your legal rights and options after a crash, please call the Florida car accident attorneys at Meldon Law to discuss your situation today: (352) 373-8000.
You Deserve Compensation for Your Car Accident Injuries
Car accidents can cause catastrophic injuries. You shouldn’t be left paying for injuries that someone else caused. Our team will fight for compensation for every dollar the accident has cost you. We’ll also fight for your losses that don’t have a standard dollar amount.
Your recoverable economic damages might include:
- Medical expenses: This could include emergency transport, hospitalization, surgeries, prescription medications, and assistive devices. If you will need future care, we will also demand compensation for that. For example, if your doctor says you will need physical therapy twice a month for the rest of your life, those costs are recoverable.
- Lost wages: If you needed to take time off work to recover or attend doctor’s appointments, the wages you lost are compensable.
- Lost earning capacity: If your injuries require you to work fewer hours, take a lower-paying job, or retire from the workforce, you can recover any change in salary or income loss.
- Miscellaneous expenses: Any accident-related costs or expenses you paid out of pocket, such as the costs of renovating your home to accommodate a wheelchair or hiring someone to care for your child, help around the house, or do yard work, are recoverable.
- Property damage: If your vehicle is damaged or totaled, we will demand compensation for that expense.
Your non-economic damages could include:
- Pain and suffering
- Inconvenience
- Mental anguish
- Disfigurement
- Lost enjoyment of life
If you lost a loved one in a car accident, we know that no amount of money will make things right. However, it can give you the space you need to grieve without worrying about how you’ll cover your new expenses and losses. We can file a wrongful death claim and demand compensation for:
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Medical expenses
- Future lost wages
- Pain and suffering
Our team has recovered millions of dollars for previous clients. We want to help you fight for the compensation you deserve, too.
Meldon Law Attorneys Negotiate With Insurance For You
When you file a car accident claim, you may be shocked to receive a denial or an inadequate settlement offer. The truth is that insurance companies are concerned about their profits like any other business, and insurance adjusters are often trained to limit liability whenever possible. For this reason, it is wise to seek assistance from a personal injury attorney when negotiating with insurance companies.
An attorney can help you compose a persuasive demand letter and compile evidence to submit to support your personal injury claim. Our team will also carefully review any settlement offers from the at-fault party’s insurance company to ensure they are adequate before you accept them.
If you accept an offer, you lose your right to pursue any additional compensation for your injuries, so it is critical to make sure a settlement is enough to cover your losses before accepting.
Your Rights Under Florida Law
You will likely first turn to your own insurer for coverage after an accident. However, if your losses are extensive, it is unlikely that your policy will cover much of your losses. Florida law allows you to file a claim with another driver’s insurance company if their negligence caused the accident. Some examples of negligence that can lead to a car accident include the following:
- Distracted driving
- Drunk driving
- Aggressive or reckless driving
- Violating traffic regulations
- Defective car parts
- Dangerous roadways
There are many other negligent acts that can lead to a collision, and your car accident attorney can help you identify whether negligence played a part in your accident. If so, you can seek compensation from the negligent party for all your losses.
The Florida Car Accident Lawyers at Meldon Law Are Here for You
Selecting a personal injury lawyer to represent your rights after a car accident can be a confusing process. After all, you have many options and may not know what to look for in a law firm. Some of the qualities you should look for include:
- Experience successfully handling car accident cases
- A willingness to explore all options to obtain compensation for you, including trial
- Personalized attention in your case
- A willingness to communicate with you regarding new developments in your case
- An understanding of the types of injuries you have sustained
You also want a team that Won’t Back Down. We’re that team. See why we’re the law firm for you. Call us today: (352) 373-8000.
Florida Car Accident FAQs
The aftermath of a car accident is an uncertain time. You likely have countless questions and no idea where to go for the answers. We can help. Here are a few questions our lawyers frequently get:
What Is My Case Worth?
What your accident claim is worth depends on the circumstances of your accident. As said earlier, you can recover compensation for any economic or non-economic damages related to your accident. However, certain factors will affect how much you recover, including:
- The severity of your injuries
- How long your injuries affect you
- Your profession/the wages you will lose
- Whether you are able to go back to work
- Your age (Typically, the closer you are to retirement, the less you’ll receive in lost wages.)
- How much pain your injuries cause you
Our team will investigate your accident and injuries to determine what your case may be worth.
Should I Speak with the Insurance Company?
You’ll need to speak with your insurance company and at-fault driver’s insurance company, but you want to be careful what you say. While you might think your insurance company is on your side, they aren’t. They’re a business and want to pay out as little as possible. This means they may be looking for ways to pay you less than your policy limits.
When you speak with the at-fault party’s insurance company, you can be sure they’re looking for reasons to deny your claim. The insurance adjuster may ask you for a recorded statement. This is a trick that will allow them to ask you leading questions, where you might admit fault or tell the insurer that you’re uninjured.
If the insurance adjuster asks for a recorded statement, politely decline and direct any questions to your auto accident attorney. Our lawyers will handle all communication with the negligent driver’s insurer company and any other involved parties.
Should I Accept the Insurance Company’s Offer?
You should never accept the insurance company’s offer without running it by our attorneys first. The offer is likely much less than you deserve for several reasons:
- You likely don’t know the total value of your case or even your injury prognosis at this point.
- The insurer is betting that you’ll take what you can get as your bills and expenses pile up.
- The insurer is likely assuming you don’t know that you can negotiate for more money.
If you receive a settlement offer, let us review it. We’ll determine whether it’s fair. If not, we’ll negotiate for what you deserve.
How Can I Help With My Car Accident Case?
Our car accident lawyers will handle the legal aspects of your case, but there are a few things you can do to protect yourself and your case:
- Get medical care and obey your doctor’s orders. If you stop your medical care or skip appointments, you give the insurer a reason to deny or devalue your claim.
- Get a copy of the accident report. If anything looks wrong, let us know, and we can have the police correct it.
- Avoid social media. Anything you post can be used against you.
- Keep copies of your medical records, receipts, invoices, and bills. This will help us determine a value for your damages.
- Keep a pain journal. Write down how your injuries affect you each day.
What Injuries Can I Recover Compensation For?
We can help you fight for compensation for any type of serious or catastrophic injuries, including:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Lacerations
- Amputations
- Crush injuries
- Internal injuries
- Internal bleeding
- Permanent injuries
Can I Afford a Lawyer?
Yes. Our team handles injury cases on a contingency-fee basis, which means you pay no retainer or upfront fees. We also offer free consultations, which means you don’t have more out-of-pocket expenses to contend with.
There is no financial risk when you work with our team.
Speak with a Florida Car Accident Attorney Now
When you call Meldon Law, you will speak directly with one of our Florida car accident attorneys. We have assisted countless Florida motor vehicle accident victims and will always use all of our energy and resources to obtain fair compensation for you.
If you have been involved in a serious automobile accident, please call our Florida car accident attorneys today at (352) 373-8000 for help. We have offices in Gainesville, Ocala, Lake City, and Fort Lauderdale.
