Find personal injury legal assistance in Florida? In many car accidents, especially those involving more than two vehicles, it is possible that the accident was caused by the negligence of multiple drivers – or even a pedestrian who darted into traffic, or a bicyclist who veered outside of the dedicated bike lane. In these situations, Florida’s comparative negligence law will apply. Under Florida’s comparative negligence scheme, the jury in a car accident case will assign a percentage of blame to each negligent party. Then, each party will be responsible for the amount of damages proportionate to his or her percentage of blame.
It is standard practice for insurance adjusters to begin negotiations by first offering a very low settlement amount — or, sometimes, denying liability altogether. With this tactic, the adjuster is trying to find out whether you understand what your claim is worth and to see if you are so impatient to get some money that you will take any amount. When a first offer is made, your response should depend on whether it is a reasonable offer but too low or whether it is so low that it is just a tactic to see if you know what you are doing. If the offer is reasonable, you can immediately make a counteroffer that is a little bit lower than your demand letter amount. That shows the adjuster that you, too, are being reasonable and are willing to compromise. A little more bargaining should quickly get you to a final settlement amount you both think is fair. In these negotiations, don’t bother to go over all the facts again. Just emphasize the strongest points in your favor — for example, that the insured was completely at fault.
You may be entitled to other insurance benefits. If you have PIP, auto med pay, group or private health insurance or are covered under a spouse’s or parent’s insurance, your attorney can coordinate submission of all collateral insurance claims to maximize your total recovery. Never settle your claim before its time. It sometimes takes many months to settle a claim. Occasionally a claim may take a year or longer to be resolved. In fact, it is not in the accident victim’s best interest to settle certain types of claims too soon because it often takes a long time for serious injuries to become evident or for treatment or surgery to provide the maximum benefit to the injured party.
Insurance companies use various tactics to reduce their liability. Beware of any documents they ask you to sign or any unexpected checks they send you in the mail. Consider talking to an attorney so you don’t accidentally sign away your right to pursue a fair personal injury settlement. Personal injury attorneys have in-depth knowledge and experience in negotiating personal injury settlements. They know how to build a persuasive case and how to take a firm stance with insurance companies. Your attorney will handle everything, including dealing with the insurance company and their team of attorneys.
You’ve been hurt in an accident. You’re missing work. You’re in a lot of pain. You’re being harassed by insurance companies. When you are injured by someone’s mistakes, Florida law equips us to help you recover for your pain and suffering, lost wages, medical bills and other expenses from the accident. We know all the tricks that insurance companies play to keep from paying what you are owed. We used to work for them and we were good at it. Here at Bengal Law: Florida Accidents Lawyers & Personal Injury Attorneys, we use all that experience to help you get fair compensation for your suffering. We’re here to help. Discover additional info on Bengal Law PLLC.
Doing the work to build your case methodically can maximize your damages even if your case never goes to trial. This case preparation includes serving discovery demands to the other side and having your attorney conduct depositions or request records. You may need to be seen by various medical professionals, and your attorney might work with other expert witnesses to build the strength of your case. Having a strong case prepared for trial can pressure the responsible party to offer you a fair settlement. If the other side senses that you’re not doing the work to build your case, they’ll be more likely to low ball your settlement offer. If they know you’re ready to go to trial and win, they’ll be more inclined to pay you an adequate amount.