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.

First, don’t try to tell yourself you are OK.  You may feel fine and still be injured.  Many times medical testing with X-Rays, CT’s or other tests can reveal unknown injuries.  Some may be serious, like back injuries or internal bleeding.  The internal injuries may have occurred in your accident and may be unknown directly after the accident; due to the likelihood most people have some level of shock after an accident.  Auto accidents and the associated injuries are known to be complex.

Second, try to avoid making comments as the shock of an auto accident can be very unsettling.  People can say things that are inaccurate or emotional and may be inaccurate at the time.  Examples are in attempting to be responsible by claiming it is either your fault or the fault of others that are involved.  Perhaps you blurt out that you probably shouldn’t have been going so fast or perhaps that you were late to an appointment or in a hurry for some reason.  These statements may be true, but there are always other factors involved.  Some may only become known upon further investigation.  If at all possible, try to be reflective and composed.  It may be hard, but your initial comments may be prompted by shock and emotion and not based in facts.  One needs to refrain and avoid talking unnecessarily after an accident.

And the third thing is to avoid blaming the other people involved in the accident for causing it.  It may be possible you are partially at fault, maybe not though.  Others may be more at fault, but leave the communication with the involved parties to the auto accident lawyer handling your case.  Any competent attorney knows how to handle these types of communications, appropriately and professionally.  By doing so, you will be represented and protected from needless mistakes and unnecessary additional problems later.  The accident is enough disruption to your life without aggravating yourself and others further, especially at a stressful time.  Remember, stay calm if possible.

Of course, the most important thing is do is not to leave the scene of your accident until you have been cleared to do so by a law enforcement official.  If you are injured you will need to trust police and medical personal attending to the accident.

To sum it all up, first do not tell anyone you are OK, when you don’t know if you are injured or not.  So, do not put off getting examined by medical professionals if you feel you may have been injured in the accident, get examined.  You have a right to emergency medical treatment in an auto accident situation, regardless.  Second, avoid talking beyond brief comments to police and paramedics, as you may be in shock after the accident.  Third, do not blame yourself or others at the scene, accidents happen, so try to remain as composed as possible.  Also, remember do not remove anything from the accident scene until police or investigators give you permission to do so.  Keep in mind not give any recorded statements until consulting an attorney.  You have the right to consult an attorney.