Compensation You are Owed After an Accident
By Space Coast Daily // September 20, 2019
Getting into an accident with injuries is everyone’s worst nightmare. In addition to the physical pain it brings, you will have to deal with many doctor’s appointments, a lot of pain killers and hours missed away from work.
Once you report the accident to your insurance company, they have 30 days to make you a settlement offer and pay you. But how do you know if the offer they made you is a fair one?
Before you accept the offer you will certainly want to talk to a car accident lawyer.
An attorney will be able to tell you if an offer is fair and why. They will also be able to negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf.
However, there are a few facts you should know about Florida insurance law before you call a lawyer or your insurance company.
Florida is a No-Fault State
The Sunshine State is one of only twelve states that has a no-fault insurance rule. This means that a driver’s own insurance company is responsible for paying their accident-related bills, no matter who is at fault in an accident.
Drivers in Florida are required to carry $10,000 of bodily injury for one person and $20,000 of insurance for injury to more than one person. A driver must also have $10,000 of insurance for damages to property.
The Amount of Money You Should Expect.
Your insurance company should pay for damages to your car and the medical bills that are associated with your accident. If your car was totaled during an accident, they should give you the Blue Book Value of what your car was worth one second before the accident.
If you are covered for $10,000, your insurance company should cover your injuries up to that amount. Be sure to save every medical bill you have that is related to the accident.
Save the receipts from every medication you took as a result of the collision, no matter if they are prescription or over the counter. Save receipts from any alternative treatments you undergo and get your employer to document all the hours that you have missed off of work.
You may also be owed money for pain and suffering. Insurance companies use a couple of different methods for determining compensation for pain and suffering.
Sometimes they will multiply a person’s medical bills by a number between 1 and five. Other times they will use a
per diem method where they will pay for pain and suffering per day. For example, they may decide your pain and suffering is worth $100 a day, so if you suffered for 14 days, you would be paid $1400.
Why You Need an Attorney
An experienced personal injury attorney can look at the facts in your case and evaluate if the insurance company has made you a fair offer.
They can negotiate with the insurance company for you and make sure that they do not try to deny any of the legitimate expenses in the case.
Having an accident can disrupt your life, but a good attorney can help you get the money you need to get over it.
*Authoritative Sources:
https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/per_diem
https://www.flhsmv.gov/ddl/frfaqgen.html
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