Clearwater Auto Accident Attorneys

What to do first

If you are involved in a car accident, the law in Florida requires that you stop your vehicle and exchange with the other driver your name, address and auto insurance information.  You also want to get the license plate and drivers’ license number of the other driver. The police should be called to the scene, even if you don’t think you were injured in the accident.  Having the police at the scene will aide in collecting identifying information about the drivers and vehicles involved in the collision as well as documenting how the accident happened.

Seek immediate medical treatment for your injuries

Many times, people don’t feel immediate pain, but begin to experience increasing pain and discomfort in various areas of their body during the hours following the collision.  Things such as headaches, neck pain, forgetfulness, back pain, shoulder pain or knee pain, numbness and tingling in the fingers or legs, are some of the symptoms that develop following a car accident. If you are hurt, seek medical treatment immediately. You should also take the steps to ensure that your legal rights will be protected down the road by contacting an accident lawyer as soon as possible after the accident and getting the advice of the lawyer.

How accident insurance works

A competent accident attorney will also help you understand the insurance claim process which can at times appear frustrating and confusing. Under Florida law, you are required to have Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and Property Damage coverage if you own and operate a motor vehicle.  Your Florida auto policy will provide $10,000 of PIP to cover your medical bills at a rate of 80% and it pays up to 60% of your gross wage loss. Property Damage ($10,000 minimum mandatory) coverage is insurance that pays for damage that you cause to another person’s vehicle or other property as a result of your negligence.     

Although not required under the law, Bodily Injury Liability coverage (BI) and Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage (UM) are additional insurance coverages that you should have on your auto policy.  BI coverage pays for your legal defense costs if you are sued as well as damages related to another person’s injuries which you cause as a result of your negligence in operating a motor vehicle.

UM coverage is also very important insurance to have because if the other driver who causes the accident has no insurance or not enough BI insurance coverage on their policy to compensate you or your family members who are injured in an accident, you can make a claim under your UM policy for damages suffered by you and your family members. 

Different injuries may require treatment with different medical specialists

Your doctor needs to be experienced in evaluating and treating your types of injuries, and start you on the road to healing as soon as possible.  These injuries could include back and neck injuries, fractured bones, herniated discs, shoulder or rotator cuff injuries, closed head injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome, etc.  If you do not have a doctor, the injury attorneys at Roman & Roman can assist you in locating a qualified doctor near your home or place of work.

Learn your legal rights

Negligence or recklessness that results in injury or death requires aggressive legal representation. Your accident attorney at Roman & Roman will work hard to document all the evidence available as quickly as possible to help ensure the best possible outcome for you. We will free you to concentrate on your physical recovery by handling all legal and insurance aspects of your case.  Trust your Roman & Roman attorney, not the insurance adjuster, to learn in detail exactly what your rights are.

Allow your attorney to obtain photos and/or videos as soon as possible

We need to photograph and/or video record injuries to your person as well as damage to your vehicle as soon as possible to preserve available evidence. This is necessary before the vehicle is repaired or towed away by the insurance company and sold for salvage. We may also need to photograph the accident site including traffic lights, stop signs, skid marks, etc. Allow your attorney to obtain statements from witnesses as soon as possible.

Your accident attorney can help you through the minefield of filing an insurance claim and help you to protect your rights. We will assess your legal situation, investigate the accident, obtain additional evidence, interview potential witnesses, negotiate your claim, and file a lawsuit against the appropriate parties if the insurance company is not willing to properly compensate you.

Remember, you can speak with an accident attorney at Roman & Roman today at no charge for the initial consultation. And, if there is no monetary recovery, you will owe us nothing. At your initial consultation you will be meeting directly with an experienced attorney, not an investigator, a paralegal or case manager. Call us now.