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Car Accident Law Firm South Florida: No-Fault State Laws

Looking for a top-notch car accident law firm in South Florida can be a bit overwhelming. If you are considering speaking with a personal injury attorney about a potential car accident case, you are probably aware that you have many choices of South Florida law firms. Lieberman Injury Law is a truly dynamic law firm located in Deerfield Beach Florida, with a very successful track record for helping people injured in car accidents. We offer a unique “personalized touch” for all of our car accident and personal injury cases. When you first meet with us to discuss your case, you will realize our passionate level of dedication, our commitment to our personal best, and the depth of our knowledge regarding car accident laws.

At Lieberman Injury Law, we can promise you that throughout your car accident case process, founding attorney Jesse Lieberman will be continuously monitoring the progress of the case and giving it his personal attention—and his personal best. This is not something that other accident law firms in South Florida can say. Jesse Lieberman is known for his tenacity and persistence, and his close relationships and network of fellow attorneys and the insurance companies know that he will leave no stone unturned in his pursuit of getting everything he can for his clients.

When it comes to receiving compensation for a car accident case in South Florida, there are a few things you should know. Firstly, there are about a dozen states where the “no-fault” car insurance laws are in effect, and Florida is one of them. A “no-fault” claim for a car accident will fall under your personal injury protection benefits, otherwise known as PIP benefits. All Florida drivers are required to carry, at a minimum, PIP benefits under their respective policies.  The term “no-fault insurance” means that your own car insurance carrier will bear the responsibility of paying some or all of your medical bills and lost earnings if you should get into a car accident, regardless of the attribution of fault. PIP covers you individually in an accident, and will also cover your child, members of your household, relatives, a passenger who lacks PIP coverage and does not own a vehicle, licensed drivers who drive your vehicle with your permission, and some other case-specific scenarios.

Florida No-Fault Law allows for prompt payment of claims of medical bills and lost wages without the need to investigate and determine fault. It is limited in its benefit because it does not provide for the many various intangibles such as pain, suffering, emotional distress, and inconveniences. There is a significant element to “no-fault” claims, which is that you are not permitted to make a claim for personal injury damages against a negligent driver unless your medical bills reach a certain threshold level, or your injury is deemed sufficiently serious. These restrictions on drivers were placed in an effort to eliminate smaller claims and the congestion in our court system. In Florida, only car accidents that result in permanent injury, or significant and permanent scarring or disfigurement, will allow someone to circumvent and make a claim outside of the “no-fault” system. As these are very vague qualifiers, it is important to consult with an experienced car accident law firm like Lieberman Injury Law to determine whether your claim meets Florida’s threshold for a serious injury.

There are many other scenarios you should know about in order to maximize the chances of receiving compensation after a car accident in South Florida. However frustrating or inconvenient a car accident or injury can be, it is important to stop, breathe, collect your thoughts, and think about the future for you and your family. This mostly takes the form of documenting all evidence and following the proper procedures so that you can collect financial compensation for your losses in the future. Some good tips to follow include:

  • #1: Above all, consistently get medical treatment! You may have pain and discomfort after an accident, but if you don’t get medical treatment, then it is easy for the defendant to paint the picture that you are not really hurt. Stopping medical treatment gives mixed signals because if you were not ok, you wouldn’t stop getting your treatments. So be consistent, don’t try to be a super-hero, get treatment at the time of the accident and regularly follow-up with your doctors and keep good medical records. Always communicate your medical history to your physician, and to your attorney.
  • #2: Have a persuasive presentation. Successful mediation boils down to the quality of your presentation. You can help us win in your favor – the more exhibits and convincing proof you bring to the table, the more likely you are to get a large settlement. The more you can provide, the better we can compare your situation to similar cases that have come before as part of our legal argument.
  • #3: Provide prompt notice. Florida has “no-fault” law for car accident cases, and no-fault claims come with strict timelines. Provide prompt notice if you need to make a claim to ensure compensation. This rule forces you to collect first from your own insurance policy, no matter who caused the accident (unless you meet the “serious injury” threshold). It means that most people injured in auto accidents can collect without proving fault, but the amount of recoverable is limited. However, the dedicated car accident law firm of Lieberman Injury Law can help fight for a fair resolution.

Nobody ever expects an accident or injury to occur. It’s just not something that we keep in mind during our busy, daily routine or while stuck in traffic on the congested roads in South Florida. Even for those who are conscious of the dangers around them, when the moment of a car accident strikes, it is still unexpected. At the very least, it can be frustrating and stressful; at it’s very worst, it can be permanently debilitating and deadly.

According to the Insurance Research Council, victims of car accidents who hire an attorney in a personal injury case receive 3.5 times larger settlements than those who settle with the insurance adjuster on their own. Call the expert South Florida law firm of Lieberman Injury Law today to meet with an attorney, assess if you have a workable case, and determine the best course of action for you.

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