So you are injured…where do you turn for help. If you did not go to the hospital to see a Doctor then I suggest you start by seeing your primary care Physician. Even if your Physician cannot directly treat your injuries, he/she can usually direct you to the type of Doctor you need with a referral. If you did go to the emergency room and see a Doctor then you should follow that Doctor’s recommendations and referrals. In most accident cases the injuries a minor. They consist of sprained or strained muscles which can be treated with physical therapy or Chiropractic treatment. If your injuries are more serious you may need to see a Neurologist or Orthopedist. You should follow your Treatment Provider’s recommendations to ensure that you heal quickly and properly.

What about your damaged vehicle you ask? It is your duty to report the accident to your insurance company even if it is the fault of another. If you don’t you could lose valuable coverage. Your Insurance Company, your Lawyer or you may make the property damage claim to the at fault driver’s insurance. If the at fault driver does not have property damage coverage, or the coverage is not enough for your damage, then you can make a claim to your own property damage insurance. The insurance companies will send property damage adjusters to your vehicle for an estimate. They will usually send the vehicle to a body shop or mechanic as well. You may also get your own estimate if you wish. The estimate should then be presented to the applicable insurance companies who will usually agree to pay you the amount of one of the estimates in the form of a check written to you and/or your lien holder. If the car is totaled you will have to fight the insurance company for the full value of the car. Remember, if you don’t like what they are offering you, consult a Lawyer. Your insurance may allow for a rental car for the time it takes to repair or replace your car.

The final challenge is making sure your medical bills get paid. Every driver in Florida is required to carry PIP (personal injury protection) insurance. This insurance covers up to $10,000 of medical bills and lost wages. This is always your first choice for paying your auto accident related bills. Your second choice is your health insurance. Unlike PIP, you have to pay your health insurance back from you settlement at the end of your case. This is called subrogation. Your Lawyer can issue a Letter of Protection to your Health Care Providers which says if they take care of you now that they will get paid when you recover from the at fault driver’s insurance.

In closing I would like to say that I always recommend getting a Lawyer. A good Injury Lawyer will guide you through the process and ensure that you make informed decisions. The Lawyer can also help manage your medical bills and in many instances reduce them. The are hundreds of studies out there that show that Injury Attorneys recover enough money to cover their fees and still put more money in your pocket than you can by yourself. Most Injury Attorneys work on a contingency fee which means if you don’t win you don’t have to pay them.

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) is the most common insurance upon which auto accident injury claims are made. In Florida, a no-fault state, every motorist is required to have PIP. Typical PIP coverage will pay 80% of your accident related medical bills up to the policy limit. Most PIP policies have a $10,000 limit per accident. PIP can also be used to pay up to 60% of your accident related lost wages. Once PIP is exhausted you will need to find a way to pay the 20% outstanding as well as your bills over and above the $10,000. Your Accident Attorney can advise you on this.

Bodily Injury Liability Insurance (BI) is optional coverage which is used to pay the medical bills of the person who is injured. A Tampa Accident Attorney will prepare and file a claim for the bodily injury limits of the person who injured you. This usually happens after your Doctors write their final reports regarding your accident related injuries.

Un or Under Insured Motorist Coverage (UM) is also optional coverage which protects the injured person when the at-fault person does not have enough insurance to pay the bills. I think that this is the most important coverage you can have for your family. If you are in an accident with an under insured person this coverage could be the difference between thousands of dollars in medical bill debt and thousands of dollars recovered for your injuries. This claim is made by an Injury Attorney after all of the above listed coverage is exhausted.

Health Insurance should be your last option for paying your accident related bills. Be sure to ask your accident lawyer about using this coverage. If you use your health insurance to pay your auto accident bills you will have to pay your provider back from your recovery. This is called subrogation and it is the law in Florida. For more details on using health insurance for your accident case you should speak with a Tampa Accident Lawyer.

If you have been injured in an auto accident you should seek the advice of an experienced auto accident attorney. It could be the difference between winning and losing your case.

       In Florida if you drive a motorcycle you are not required to carry PIP or personal injury protection insurance.  If you drive any other vehicles it is required coverage in Florida.  Even if you reside in another state it may be a good idea to have personal injury protection, for example if you hit a non-moving object like a tree.  Check with your insurance professional to be sure and if there still is a question consult a personal injury attorney or auto accident attorney where you plan to drive.

 As long as both parties own vehicles and live in Florida it is pretty clear cut about insurance coverage.   First, if a passenger lives in Florida and someone has a vehicle in their household, that policy’s PIP would be paying first then the driver’s PIP second.   There may be additional insurance available to be claimed against, for example some sort of a risk management policy commercially.  There are exceptions and can be further explained by your insurance professional or a competent personal injury accident attorney who knows this area of the law well.   If you are planning to visit Florida check with your insurance company to be clear on your coverage while you are visiting. 

 Actually, the most important thing to keep in mind is that if one is involved in an accident the legal requirement is to quickly notify the local police department, the highway patrol station or the county sheriff’s office.  The usual information is required and needs to be easily available, which includes driver’s license, registration and proof of insurance for all parties. It is required by law to give all information previously listed and assist in giving aid at the accident scene as may be required by investigating and attending officers and medical personnel.

 Keep in mind that giving reasonable assistance to any injured person in an accident you are involved in is required in Florida. Check with a competent accident attorney who can clarify any associated risks in doing so and effects in failing to provide reasonable assistant to injured parties in the accident.  It should be clear this is significant and may differ from other states in the country.

 Under no situation or circumstance should a driver involved in an accident leave the scene of an accident without a police official or officer releasing them to so.  For example, if anyone is killed in the accident a driver leaving the scene of the accident may be convicted of vehicular manslaughter carrying a First Degree Felony and a possibility of up to a $10,000 fine and includes as much as 30 years of imprisonment.  If drinking or the influence of drugs is involved the outcome is more severe and may be compounded by other facts.

 Another issue to be concerned with is property damage exceeding $500, which needs to be reported. This amount doesn’t take much to be met.  Backing into someone’s car at 10 miles per hour can actually cause this much damage.  It has been reported in low speed accidents that drivers taking their eyes off the road for as little as 10 or 15 seconds can unintentionally total their car and cause property damage.

       When in any state, Florida included, consult with a professional to get legal advice to know your responsibilities and risks while enjoying your visit.

Take action and…

Go to the doctor or emergency room, regardless.  Sometimes injuries can be severe and not feel like anything because of shock.  Be safe and be careful by doing this first. Waiting can be bad for many reasons; one being your injuries can become worse by waiting to get treatment.

Second, get copies of the accident report from the reporting officers and any medical billings from your accident.  This may take a little time, but get the process started or have a friend or loved one help you to do this.

Third, as soon as possible, write down everything you can recall about the accident, including where you were going and your frame of mind at the time.  In time details can become vague for some people.  Write them down as soon as you are able to.

There are other things you will want to do after your accident if you’ve been injured.  If you are injured severely, others most likely will be helping you. This will include an attorney and members of his staff.  Make sure you have your insurance information together, as well as the other driver’s, if possible.

Finally, create a list of questions for the attorney regarding your concerns and fears about the accident.  The attorney will answer them or refer you to one who can address them properly.  The questions that are easiest to get answered are in finding out what information and documents you can get together in your case.

Keep in mind…

If a driver can afford insurance without a deductible it works out best and makes the process after the accident somewhat simpler.  However, if you have been injured in your accident you may not be able to do much. Then you must rely on others, including the police to provide this support information.   Getting an accident report to document what happened will be important for an attorney to start their work with for you.  In addition, the date of the accident and the police department handling the accident, as well as who conducted the investigations are all important facts and starting points.  In regards to the other driver’s car, write down the make and model, including the tag number and vehicle identification number from the registration, if you are able to do so.  Provide the same information on your own vehicle to the other driver, if possible.  Contact your own insurance company as soon as possible. Seek independent counsel from an attorney to understand your rights and responsibilities in any accident situation.

Insurance company contact…

Expecting your insurance company will handle everything may actually be true; however many times this isn’t the case.  It may take more work on your part to get everything handled correctly with an insurance company.  Your insurance company or the other party’s insurance company may want a personal statement from you and want to record it. You can refuse to do this, especially if you have not contacted an attorney who will advise you about doing or not doing this as well as other matters regarding your accident or personal injury case.