Important Things to Know About Florida’s Car Accident Laws
Unfortunately, car accidents are extremely common. Every state has many laws and statutes related to car accidents including laws around insurance, who is at fault, and what needs to be proven to recover money from the person at fault for the accident. It is important to understand some of the main aspects of car accident law in your state.
Florida Car Insurance Requirements
Under Florida law, drivers must have at least a minimum amount of auto insurance coverage. The amount required in Florida is $10,000 of personal injury protection and $10,000 of property damage liability.
No Fault State
Florida is one of 12 states in the U.S. that has enacted “motor-vehicle no-fault” law when it comes to car accidents. If you are injured in a car accident in Florida, it does not matter who is at fault for the accident, as each driver must first seek payment for his or her medical bills from their own automobile insurance company. This is beneficial because payment can come quicker than going through a court process. However, insurance companies will only reimburse up to the amount of coverage, so if your injuries exceed the coverage limit then you may need to bring the case to court anyway.
Negligence
Generally, if someone is seeking to recover damages in court due to a car accident, they must prove that the driver that caused the crash was negligent. In order to prove negligence, generally the plaintiff must prove that the driver breached the duty of care that drivers owe to other drivers on the road (or to their passengers, if it is a passenger bringing suit against a driver), and that the breach caused the accident. The plaintiff must also prove that there were damages to them from the accident and the amount and extent of the damages. Basically, a plaintiff must usually prove that they suffered damages due to the accident and they must also prove the amount of the damages.
Recovery
There are many different kinds of injuries and costs that plaintiffs can attempt to recover from negligent drivers who are at fault for the car accident. These damages include lost wages due to injury from the accident, pain and suffering, current and future medical bills, and any other costs or losses that the plaintiff suffered due to the accident.
Clearwater Car Accident Attorneys
If you are involved in a car accident, you should contact a knowledgeable car accident attorney as soon as possible to help you to make sure you get all the documentation and other evidence you need to prove your case in court. Our experienced car accident attorneys at Roman & Roman, P.A. in Clearwater, Florida can help to get you the recovery that you deserve.
Resource:
https://www.allstate.com/tools-and-resources/car-insurance/no-fault-insurance-cover.aspx
