Do You Need A Florida Car Accident Attorney?
Traffic accidents occur daily throughout our roads. If you are in an automobile accident in Florida, several insurance policies may apply, including health insurance, no-fault, collision, bodily injury, property damage, excess/umbrella, and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, among others.
Should I handle my Florida car accident case without an attorney? I’ve been asked from Florida accident victims if they really need an attorney to help them with their injury case. Remember that most people have never negotiated a case before, let alone anything more than simply getting a new car or buying a house. A car accident settlement is different. Several insurance policies may apply and you are also negotiating with someone who likely settled thousands of cases before. The Art of Negotiation Negotiating a settlement isn’t always just asking them how much they want to offer you for your injuries. There are hundreds, if not thousands of factors which go into a settlement and negotiation. An experienced negotiator should know how to best argue your facts and use his or her experience to secure the highest settlement. In our office, for example, we use software developed to track insurance companies and adjusters, evaluate prior settlements and trends, research prior verdicts and settlements, and work from the experience of having handled more than 5,500 cases. Most people don’t know how to negotiate on their own case Adjusters are often well trained at befriending their victims. The person is not just an accident victim, but may also be the victim of an insurance company taking advantage of them in a difficult, unfamiliar and stressful time. I’ve had clients tell me about insurance adjusters who showed up at their house within hours of an accident with a small check and a release to sign to end the case. Days later, they are still in pain and want to see a doctor, but they’ve already signed a release without talking to an attorney. They thought $500 was fair. In reality, the case may have been worth tens of thousands of dollars, which the client would not have known because they were negotiating blindly. If we would have gotten just another few hundred dollars for the client, we would have paid for ourselves. Look for experience and make an informed decision If you are in a car accident in Miami, Fort Lauderdale or anywhere in Florida, you should find an attorney with the experience to best handle your case and give you the guidance to make an informed decision. A chiropractor or referral service cannot negotiate your case for you. Do your research and remember that you may have up to 4 years to file a lawsuit on your car accident case in Florida. There is no need to settle within a week without being fully informed. For more information or to discuss your case, please call a Florida car accident attorney at the Law Offices of Jason Turchin at 800-337-7755.