Articles Tagged with insurance

Legal terminology can be complicated for anyone without a background in law, which is why there is often confusion over what happens after someone is hurt in a personal injury accident. Even if you know that you have options to recover compensation for the party responsible for causing your injuries, exercising your legal rights does not always mean going to court. You may be able to obtain monetary damages, including medical costs, lost wages, and pain and suffering, through a settlement. 

This scenario and other details often lead people to misunderstand the difference between a “claim” and a “lawsuit.” In short, these two terms describe two distinct – yet potentially overlapping – stages of the legal process. You can learn the specifics by speaking to a Miami personal injury lawyer, but an overview of claims versus lawsuits may be helpful.

Claims Involve Insurance Companies

kyle-glenn-629501-unsplash-1-copy-300x200It is no secret that your insurance rates could increase considerably when you are at fault in a motor vehicle crash. As such, you probably understand the other driver’s similar sentiment when he or she was negligent in causing a crash in which you were hurt. There is a strong temptation to resolve the matter without getting an insurance company involved, and that motorist’s offer may seem very attractive at the time. The problem with not going through the proper claims process is that you could put your rights at risk through various legal issues – which you are certainly not considering when the at-fault driver pulls out a checkbook. 

A Miami car accidents attorney can explain the drawbacks of bypassing an insurance company after a vehicle crash, but you should be aware of the key pitfalls that could threaten your interests.

Reasons an At-Fault Driver Will Not Use Insurance: You can probably relate to some of the top reasons another motorist would refuse to exchange auto insurance information or suggest not calling the company about the crash:

You are driving along I-395 in Miami when, out of nowhere, a huge 18-wheeler side swipes your vehicle causing you to veer off the road and crash into a tree. Your vehicle is totaled and you suffer serious, debilitating injuries including multiple broken bones, a lacerated spleen, and a spinal cord injury. In these types of situations, you need an experienced Miami truck accident lawyer.

Trucking Companies Employ Teams of Adjusters and Defense Lawyers

Some people think that if an accident occurs involving a tractor trailer, they can handle filing a claim themselves with the company and do not need to retain a truck accident injury attorney. This is a big mistake. Many trucking companies have teams and departments focused on reducing the company’s liability exposure and mitigating the value of any claims made against the company. In fact, if a major truck accident occurs, do not be surprised if the truck company sends out investigators and claims adjusters to examine the scene shortly after the incident occurs. This is because they want to examine the available evidence before your lawyer gets a chance to.  

You are in the front passenger seat of your friend’s vehicle. They are driving down Coral Way in Miami, Florida when another driver t-bones the vehicle. You suffer serious injuries including whiplash, a bulging disc in your L4/L5 region, and a sprained wrist. As a passenger, should you file a claim against the other driver or your friend’s policy? Our team of Miami car accident lawyers deal with this type of scenario on a regular basis.

When Another Driver Caused the Wreck

If another driver caused the accident (like the t-bone example above), you should pursue legal action against the at-fault driver. This would mean that you need to get the insurance information of the at-fault driver, either from the police who investigated the accident or possibly through your friend, if they exchanged insurance information with the at-fault driver at the scene of the collision.

You just arrived in Miami and are ready to enjoy some of the city’s amazing amenities. You are traveling down Coral Way when a careless driver t-bones your rental vehicle. Our team of experienced Miami car accident attorneys deal with this type of scenario on a regular basis. The following is a checklist of what to do and what not to do if you or a loved one are involved in an accident with a rented car in Miami.

First, it is important to know that Florida is a no fault state, meaning the drivers involved in a car accident are supposed to seek coverage from their respective insurance companies irrespective of fault. An owner of a Miami rental car is entitled to a maximum of $10,000 in Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits and $10,000 per accident in property damage coverage. The PIP coverage includes medical expenditure and lost wages and is applicable irrespective of whether you happen to be a tourist in Miami or a full-time resident of the state. However, while this sum may be sufficient to remunerate the rental auto organization, more often than not, car accident injuries result in long-term financial and personal losses that enormously surpass this inconsequential amount of money.

Rental car coverage in Miami is done mainly through four different ways, including:

Accidents can happen anywhere and anytime, without any fault of yours or without any prior warning whatsoever. For example, an incident took place in front of Bayside Marketplace on the night of July 30, 2015. According to Miami police, a man was attempting to cross Biscayne Boulevard at Northeast Fourth Street when he was struck by a taxi. In a classic case of hit and run, the cab took off without stopping to check on the victim, who was left lying injured on the road. Police later recognized the taxi as Yellow Cab #532, with tag ACU E95. Security patrol recordings showed that, after hitting the man, the taxi continued to speed northwards. The cab was eventually discovered abandoned at 119th Street and Biscayne Boulevard.

Our team of Miami car accident lawyers are outraged by this heinous, reckless, and complete disregard for human life. If the driver of the cab is apprehended, there is probably a foundation to pursue punitive damages.

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