How a Casselberry Lawyer Can Help In Car Accident Injuries
Many people suffer serious injuries when they are involved in a car accident. Along with physical injuries, you may experience emotional trauma and financial hardship after being involved in a car accident. Without an experienced Casselberry lawyer, all of that can make it difficult to know what steps to take and where to turn for help following a car accident.
The Casselberry car accident attorneys at Warner & Warner have extensive experience helping victims who were seriously injured in a car accident. We understand how overwhelming it can be to try and find medical providers, communicate with insurance companies, and navigate an unfamiliar legal system while simultaneously trying to heal physically and emotionally from your injuries. If you have been seriously injured in a collision, we will aggressively pursue the negligent party (or parties) to ensure that they are held accountable, and you are fully and fairly compensated.
Casselberry Crash Statistics
Car crashes and injuries have increased in Casselberry and throughout Seminole County. In 2018, Seminole County car crashes resulted in 4,804 injuries and 36 fatalities, according to the Florida Highway and Safety Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) Crash Dashboard. The following year (2019), car crashes caused 5,022 injuries and 47 deaths in Seminole County. Those numbers represent an increase of over 25 percent in car crash fatalities year over year. Although the number of injuries and deaths did decrease for 2020 and 2021, the Covid-19 pandemic also dramatically decreased the number of vehicles on the roadways both years.
Understanding PIP Insurance Coverage
Florida is what is referred to as a “no-fault insurance state” which means that every vehicle registered in the state must carry Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance. PIP covers 80 percent of all necessary and reasonable medical expenses and 60 percent of lost wages up to $10,000 resulting from a covered injury, no matter who caused the crash. PIP insurance also includes a $5,000 death benefit in the event of a fatality.
PIP insurance does not cover medical expenses or lost wages that exceed the $10,000 limit. It also does not cover non-economic damages, commonly referred to as “pain and suffering.” If you suffered injuries in a car crash that are not covered by PIP insurance, and another driver was partially or totally at fault in the accident, you may be entitled to file a traditional negligence-based claim against the at-fault party.
When Can You File a Lawsuit for a Car Accident in Florida?
Florida’s no-fault law can be found in Florida Statute 627.737. That statute allows an exception to the no-fault coverage if a victim in seriously injured. If the exception applies, the victim is entitled to pursue a traditional car accident lawsuit. The “serious injury” threshold is met if you suffer:
- Significant permanent loss of a bodily function
- Permanent injury (to a reasonable degree of medical probability)
- Significant and permanent scarring or disfigurement
- Death
You must prove that another party’s negligence caused or contributed to the accident to be entitled to recover damages for your injuries, and the advantage to pursuing compensation by filing a lawsuit is that the amount of compensation is not limited to reimbursement of medical bills. You may be entitled to additional compensation for economic damages (things such as medical bills, property damage, and lost wages) as well as compensation for non-economic damages (such as pain, suffering, mental anguish).
Why You Should Consider Filing a Car Accident Injury Claim
In the immediate aftermath of a car accident, it is usually impossible to know the extent to which your injuries will impact your life. You may feel as though you were not seriously injured, only to learn days later that you suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Likewise, what may initially appear to be a relatively minor injury could take months to heal, causing substantial loss of income and leaving you with a permanent injury or scarring.
Because the eventual outcome of your injuries is unknown, it is always best to consult with an experienced Casselberry car accident lawyer to determine if you should file a car accident injury claim against the at-fault party. Often, filing a car accident injury claim is the only way to ensure that you are fully compensated for all your injuries.
How an Experienced Casselberry Car Accident Lawyer Can Help
If you were injured in a car accident, an experienced Casselberry car accident lawyer can help in several important ways beginning with protecting your right to pursue a traditional lawsuit against the negligent party (or parties). The car accident attorneys at Warner & Warner will ensure that all your injuries are addressed and treated, and they will communicate with insurance companies on your behalf so you can focus on getting treatment and healing. If pursuing a traditional lawsuit is necessary to recover damages in your case, we will aggressively litigate on your behalf to get you the compensation you deserve.
Contact the Casselberry car accident lawyers at Warner & Warner right away to discuss your legal options if you suffered injuries in a car accident. Call us at 321-972-1889 or contact us online to schedule a free case review.
