Orlando Car Accidents Lawyer
Being involved in a car accident or automobile collision is never a pleasant experience. It is a hassle at best and can be a significant and life-changing event at worst. As the population of our beautiful state continues to grow, more and more cars are coming into the state every year. Add to this, the number of visitors who come to vacation in the Central Florida and Orlando area with rental cars, and the number of cars on our roads is significant. Unfortunately, many of these drivers are not as careful as they should be for one reason or another. Whether they are visitors who are having a hard time find their destination and are looking at a map and driving at the same time, or a local resident talking on the phone or typing a text message because they are late, the roads are fraught with danger and peril. While you can make sure your driving habits are sound, you can’t control what the “other guy” is doing while behind the wheel. As a result, car accidents happen here in Orlando and Central Florida with all too much frequency. and they cause significant injuries or even death. All due to someone else’s carelessness.
Car accidents can be caused in many different ways. They can be rear end collisions, T-bone collisions, head on collisions, side swipe collisions and so on. All car accident cases have one thing in common. Someone was negligent and failed to take proper care while driving his or her car. Under the laws of our state, the person who is at fault for causing the car accident is accountable for the damages caused by his or her negligence. This responsibility may include past and future medical bills, lost wages, future lost wages, loss of enjoyment of life, pain and suffering and repairs to or replacement of your car.
Insurance companies are in business for one reason – to make money. They do this by trying to limit and amount of money they have to pay in a claim. The less money they pay out in a claim, the more money they keep for themselves. No matter what you hear or see on TV, insurance companies are not good neighbors and if you deal with an insurance company on your own, you are certainly not in good hands. An insurance company gets excited when a person injured in a car accident tries to handle the claim on their own. Thus, in order to protect your interests and your rights, it is recommended that you speak with an attorney as soon as possible after an accident. We have set out some brief tips below on what to do if you have been involved in a car accident.
Car Accident Attorney
Our Orlando and Central Florida car accident attorneys are serving clients throughout Central Florida with clients in Orlando, Winter Park, Kissimmee, Cocoa Beach, Melbourne, Daytona Beach, Leesburg and many other locations. Our car accident attorneys can be a great asset if you have been involved in a car accident in the Central Florida area. Whether you are a local resident, a Floridian in Central Florida on business or a visitor from out of state on vacation, our experienced Orlando car accident attorneys can help you receive the compensation you deserve.
While we can give general advice on every type of accident or situation because each case is different, there are some general ground rules you should know if you have been injured in a car accident.
- Contact the police. Do not let the party who caused the car accident talk you out of calling the police. Obtaining a police report is most likely required by your insurance policy and you risk voiding your insurance coverage by failing to call the police. The report will also help to describe who was at fault, list the general facts of the accident and document the various persons involved in the accident along with their insurance information. The police also are better at getting the names, address and phone numbers from witnesses who feel inclined to assist.
- If you feel that you have been injured by a car accident, do not refuse medical attention at the scene. Let the medical personnel who respond to the car accident examine you at the scene of the car accident. Tell them how you are feeling. Try to describe each area of your body where you feel pain or other symptoms such as disorientation, nausea, headache, neck and back pain, numbness and tingling in your arms or legs or something else. It is important to have your injuries documented. Sometimes people are shaken up by the car accident and don’t realize that they are injured right away. Do not feel rushed or forced into saying that you feel all right.
- If you do not go to a hospital with the ambulance that arrives on the scene of the accident, It is important for you to follow-up with a medical provider as soon as possible if you are still experiencing pain and discomfort. Once again, this is necessary to document your injuries. Documentation of your injuries by a medical provider is a key element in protecting your rights.
- Take pictures of the damage to your car as soon as possible and before any repairs are started. If you have a camera in your car or if your phone takes good quality pictures (such as with an iPhone), take pictures of the scene of the accident while the vehicles involved in the accident are there in their damaged condition. It is also to take as many photos of your car as possible before any repairs are completed. Take at least one picture of each side of your vehicle (including front and back) so that you can see the entire side of the vehicle in the picture.
- Have an estimate of the cost of repairing the property damage to your car prepared by an independent body shop. Even If you don’t see a lot of exterior damage, there may be significant hidden damage that only a trained repair shop can detect. Often times a scratched or dented bumper can still have significant frame damage that will go undetected if an inspection and repair is not done. Do not rely on the adjuster from the insurance company to provide an accurate estimate. They will only eye-ball the car and write a report based on a cursory visual inspection. If you leave it go at that, the insurance company will argue that the lack of visual property damage means you could not have been hurt. Do not fall into that trap. Of course, if any estimates are prepared, make sure to retain copies for your records.
- You must notify your insurance company of the car accident. You must cooperate, within reason, with your own insurance company to assist them in investigating the automobile accident. On the other hand, you may receive a phone call or be contacted by the insurance company for the person that caused the car accident. You are not obligated or required by law to provide them with any type of statement, recorded or otherwise, nor are you obligated or required by law to sign any paperwork for them. Signing the wrong paperwork for the other person’s insurance company may give them access to your information they are not entitled to obtain, such as medical records or other personal information. Always consult with a car accident attorney if you have any questions following a car accident.
If you have been injured in a car accident in Orlando or anywhere in Florida call us at (407) 423-1313 or contact us online for a free, no obligation evaluation by our Orlando car accident attorneys. You are entitled to know what your rights are before you speak with any insurance representative or sign any paperwork. It would be our honor and privilege if you allowed our Orlando and Central Florida car accident attorneys go to work for you to obtain the compensation you deserve.
The hiring of an attorney is an important decision and should not be based solely on advertisement. Before you decide, ask us to send you free written information about our qualifications and experience.
