Car Accidents
According to the
Florida
Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV),
there were 256,206 traffic crashes in the State of Florida
in the year 2007, of which over 200,000 resulted in
injuries. An accident can occur to anyone at any time,
usually when least expected. It can place the victim
and their family in significant financial strain. It
is important for you to know your rights and obligations
under Florida law, as well as have an understanding
of your automobile
insurance coverage and how it applies to your situation.
If you're injured in a car accident, you'll likely
incur expenses related to the accident such as medical
treatment, rehabilitation, medication, renting a car
or you may lose income due to your inability to work.
You may also lose the ability to perform various activities
of normal daily living, in both the short and long term,
and may endure pain and suffering as a result of the
accident. As the accident victim, you may be entitled
to compensation for these expenses either under your
own insurance policy or that of the person at fault
for the accident.
Generally, auto accident victims seek what are known
as compensatory damages. These are intended to "make
you whole again" and place you back in the same position
you were before the accident occurred. There are two
types of compensatory damages - economic and non-economic.
Economic damages are awarded for those "out of pocket
expenses" that you've incurred, while non-economic damages
are awarded for any "pain and suffering" you may have
experienced. Both types may be available to auto accident
victims.
In addition to normal compensatory damages, in some
cases punitive damages may be available if the injury
was caused by someone else’s negligence (exceedingly
reckless or careless behavior), or if the accident or
the injury was caused by something about the car that
is dangerous or defective that the manufacturer should
have corrected. In this situation, you may be able to
sue the manufacturers or suppliers of the dangerous
product.
If you have been in a car accident, it is vital that
you do not talk to any insurance investigator, sign
any papers, or accept a settlement before talking to
a car accident lawyer. Many injuries caused by auto
accidents have long-term consequences that simply are
not accounted for by insurance companies. Insurance
companies have a team of adjusters, investigators and
attorneys whose goal is to minimize the amount of money
they pay to accident victims.
If you or someone you know has been
involved in an automobile accident,
contact I Law
and allow our experience to go to work for you.
At I Law we are dedicated to representing the injured
- not insurance companies. We work side by side with
you to ease the worry of having to fill out forms, request
information, and speak to insurance adjusters. We allow
you to focus on what is most important – getting well
and recovering from your loss. At I Law, we understand
your concerns and will do our best to ease your burdens.
We will dedicate the necessary resources to ensure that
you are adequately represented and your rights are protected.
We welcome the opportunity to meet with you and your
loved ones with regard to any potential case. There
is never any charge for an initial consultation and
we are happy to schedule appointments at your home,
in a hospital or at a location that is convenient for
you. We represent clients on a contingency fee basis.
If for any reason there is no recovery, then we receive
no fees or costs. Simply stated, we are paid fees and
costs only if you win. At I Law, personal attention
matters.