If you were injured in a car accident near Clearwater in Florida, you likely have a lot of questions. You may be wondering how your medical bills will get paid and what you can do about your lost income. Our Florida car insurance attorneys can answer your questions and help put your mind at ease.
The top-rated Florida personal injury attorneys at Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers have been helping car accident victims get compensated for their injuries since 1996. We’ve won hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts for our clients.
You need an exceptional team of lawyers to see you through your difficult time. You need Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers. Contact our attorneys in Clearwater today for a free consultation at (727) 787-2500. We’ll help you navigate the complicated process of getting compensated for your injuries so you can focus on healing and getting back to work.
How Can Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers Help You After a Florida Car Accident?
We believe your case deserves individualized attention. Our Florida car accident lawyers are able to give our clients our undivided attention by keeping our caseload low. You won’t get lost in the shuffle, and you won’t be just a number.
We also believe it’s important that you understand how car insurance works in Florida. Under state law, everyone who drives is required to have certain types of insurance. It’s important to understand what they are and how they work.
Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers have years of experience helping people through the car insurance claims process. We have a Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer whose mission is to help accident victims piece their lives together. We also have a former insurance defense attorney who understands how insurance companies operate.
When you hire us to advocate for you, you get seasoned attorneys who will get right to work on your case by:
- Poring over your insurance policy to determine what coverage you have
- Gathering your medical records and determining the extent and cost of your injuries
- Explaining in detail the compensation to which you’re entitled under your policy
- Helping you through the claims process and handling settlement negotiations with the insurance company
Insurance companies don’t have your best interest at heart. They will try to lower your compensation by minimizing your injuries. Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers are tough negotiators, and we’ll fight hard for you by keeping the insurance companies honest.
What Kind of Car Insurance Am I Required To Have in Florida?
Florida is a “no-fault” state, which means you must file a claim for compensation through your own insurance policy, no matter who was at fault for the accident. If you own a vehicle with four or more wheels, you are required to have both personal injury protection (PIP) insurance and property damage liability (PDL) insurance.
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Insurance
PIP insurance covers the cost of your medical treatment and lost wages as a result of a car accident. For example, it will cover the following essential medical expenses:
- Emergency medical services
- Hospital bills
- Physical therapy or rehabilitation services
- Prescription costs
- Diagnostic tests
It also covers death benefits up to $5,000. You must have at least $10,000 in PIP coverage. However, there are some limitations. For example, PIP only covers 80% of your medical expenses and only 60% of your lost wages.
Property Damage Liability (PDL) Insurance
You are also required to have PDL insurance. Where PIP covers medical expenses, PDL pays for damage that you cause to someone else’s property as a result of the accident.
However, this isn’t limited to damage that you cause to another person’s vehicle in an accident. It can cover damage to a fence, building, or telephone pole. Like PIP insurance, you must have a minimum of $10,000 in PDL coverage.
What if My Insurance Doesn’t Cover All of My Losses?
Your PIP coverage may not extend to all your medical expenses. PIP also doesn’t cover non-economic damages such as pain and suffering. In that situation, you can pursue the at-fault driver or their insurance company for your excess damages.
However, the catch is that Florida works under a modified comparative fault system. This means that if you were 25% at fault for the accident, your compensation will be reduced by that percentage. More importantly, if you were more than 50% at fault, you are not entitled to any compensation at all.
Another catch is that Florida doesn’t require drivers to purchase and carry liability coverage. This means that if you’re involved in a serious crash and are eligible to file a claim against the at-fault driver, it may be more difficult to obtain compensation. This is where having uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM) can benefit you.
For these reasons, it’s very important that you have an experienced personal injury lawyer help you through this process. The at-fault driver’s insurance company will do everything it can to avoid paying your claim, such as blaming you for the accident. You need someone on your side to help you determine your best legal course of action.
Call Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers for a Free Consultation
Our exceptional Florida car accident attorneys understand the state’s car insurance laws inside and out. When you’ve been injured in a car accident, rely on us to guide you through the complex claims process.
Call Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers today to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation. We’ll sit down with you to discuss your case, review your insurance policy, and start working on getting you the compensation you need and deserve.
Our law firm handles all types of car accident cases involving:
- Fatal Car Accidents
- Lane Change Crashes
- Parking Lot Accidents
- Rollover Accidents
- Single Vehicle Accidents
- Speeding Accidents
