Filing a car accident claim in Orlando is not always as simple as it should be, especially if you were badly hurt. An experienced attorney can protect your rights while managing the process efficiently.
Talk to an experienced car accident attorney at Colling Gilbert Wright—The Florida Firm— if you suffered significant injuries in a vehicle accident. Other area law firms send their loved ones and clients with car accident claims to us because they respect our professionalism and record of success, and know that we care about our clients.
The Initial Claims Process
Florida uses a no-fault system to manage car accident claims. Everyone who registers a vehicle must have personal injury protection (PIP) coverage. If you do not own a vehicle but someone in your household does, their PIP will cover you if you were injured in a crash.
PIP will pay 80 percent of your medical expenses up to $10,000 if you seek medical treatment within 14 days. However, if the insurance company declares that your injuries do not constitute a medical emergency, your benefits may be capped at $2500. Get in touch with an Orlando attorney at The Florida Firm for help with your car accident claim if your insurance company is challenging the seriousness of your injuries.
PIP also pays 60 percent of your lost wages and incidental expenses up to $10,000 when your injuries prevent you from working. To claim the expenses that PIP does not pay and to seek compensation for your pain and suffering, you must step out of the no-fault system and bring a legal claim.
Additional Damages Are Available If You Bring a Legal Claim
Pursuing a car accident claim outside of Orlando’s no-fault system allows you to seek full compensation— called damages— for your injuries. You can claim the out-of-pocket expenses that PIP did not reimburse and receive compensation for your pain and suffering. You must prove your damages, but an experienced lawyer at Colling Gilbert Wright can help you document all your losses related to the crash.
Your damages will cover medical treatment and ancillary services not covered by PIP, including accident-related medical treatment you can reasonably anticipate requiring in the future. You can claim the lost wages PIP did not cover, the value of any paid time off you took during your recovery, and funds to cover your diminished future earning capacity.
You can seek damages for the changes in your lifestyle and quality of life due to your injuries. These non-economic damages provide financial compensation for physical pain, emotional anguish, disability, scarring, and similar impacts. Our attorneys may solicit statements from you and your loved ones or ask you to keep a journal to prove the effect of your vehicle accident injuries on your day-to-day enjoyment of life.
Your Conduct Has an Impact
If you were partially responsible for the crash, you can still seek damages. The law allows you to collect compensation from other responsible parties as long as your negligence was not the primary reason for the crash. The amount you can collect will be adjusted downward to reflect your portion of the blame.
When Can You File a Car Accident Lawsuit?
Forcing motorists and others injured in car crashes to use their PIP before pursuing compensation from a negligent party reduces the number of legal claims and allows for efficient handling of minor accidents. However, when you suffer serious injuries, you will need to bring a legal claim in court to obtain adequate compensation.
Florida Statutes § 627.737 establishes the thresholds for pursuing compensation outside of the no-fault system. If your injuries caused permanent impairment to a body part or important bodily function or left significant permanent scars, you can bring the matter to court. The families of people who die of their injuries can also pursue a legal claim for compensation.
In many cases, our skilled Orlando attorneys can negotiate a fair settlement, and there is no need to file a car accident lawsuit or have a trial. We have achieved numerous seven-figure settlements on behalf of clients injured in vehicle accidents. When the responsible parties are not willing to make an acceptable offer, we aggressively litigate the case in pursuit of a generous verdict.
Contact Our Orlando Attorneys for Help Filing Your Car Accident Claim
When you need help filing a car accident claim in Orlando, contact our team at The Florida Firm. We have a long track record of success helping injured people obtain maximum compensation. Schedule a free consultation to learn more about how we can help with your car accident claim.