Being in a car accident can be a frightful and traumatic experience for anyone. You need to seek medical care as soon as possible. Even if you think you aren’t hurt too bad, you should get checked out by a medical professional. Many injuries may seem minor but can get worse in a short period of time. Some of them can even be life-threatening. An evaluation from a health care professional is always the best option.
When faced with a Florida car accident injury, you should also file a claim to get your medical costs and losses covered. Putting off a claim can make it more difficult to get the compensation you need. There are time limits on how long you can wait to file a claim. If you wait until after the deadline, your claim may be denied. Fortunately, a car accident injury attorney can assist with the claims process and advise you on the deadlines that you must follow to ensure your claim is properly processed.
Reporting an Accident
Florida state law requires that you contact law enforcement immediately after a car accident when there is an injury, death, or property damage exceeding $500. This allows the police officer to create a police report with all the necessary information. This report can be beneficial for any insurance claims or other proceedings that may come from the accident. For accidents that do not have any injury or death and only minor damages, the driver must file a crash report within ten days.
If you are injured, a police report is necessary. You must provide the reporting officer with truthful information about the incident. Only give the facts. It is also a good idea to take some information down for yourself. This can be beneficial for any case or investigation needed to determine fault in the accident.
You should take note of the vehicle and personal information of the other driver, including their insurance. You should also provide this information to the other driver. Also, take note of what led up to the accident, the weather and road conditions, as well as any information regarding witnesses to the accident. Be sure to take cell phone videos and photographs of the cars and the scene while you are still present. This information can also be beneficial in assisting your Florida car accident attorney when pursuing your case.
How Long to Get Medical Care
You should seek medical care immediately after a car accident. Many times, the excitement of the accident can cause a person to not feel a significant injury. This can cause them to put off seeking medical care. Also, the injury may seem mild, but get worse in a day or two. If there is any possibility that you were injured or have hit your head at all, it is a good idea to have it checked out. Injuries, such as concussions, do not always have associated pain. However, they can cause serious issues or even death if not treated properly. Putting off medical care can have serious consequences.
Another issue with putting off medical care can be getting compensation for the cost of treatment. A Florida car accident injury is covered by PIP. Every Florida resident that owns a vehicle is required to carry Personal Injury Protection or PIP. This covers your injuries in a car accident no matter who is at fault. However, initial medical care must occur within 14 days after the accident. If you wait until after this period, your medical bills will not be fully covered by this insurance. This adds another layer of importance to seek medical care for even minor injuries in a car accident. If you put it off until it gets really bad, you may not be able to get coverage for the injury. A car accident injury attorney can assist you with this process.
How Long Do I Have to File a Claim?
If your injuries are serious and the costs will far exceed your PIP coverage, you may need to file a claim against the at-fault driver. However, filing this type of lawsuit does have deadlines. Four years is the statute of limitations for this type of lawsuit. For many, this may seem like a long time. However, various circumstances can make it difficult to get your claim in on time. This makes it important to file a claim as soon as you can.
Florida’s no-fault insurance system can be a little confusing for those unfamiliar with the process. It can also be complicated when trying to figure out what your insurance will cover when you are recovering from a Florida car accident injury. A car accident injury attorney can assist in helping you navigate this complicated process. Their team can provide no-cost consultations to help provide the information you need to determine your best course of action.
Seek Professional Help Quickly
After an accident, you may want to just go home and heal from your injuries. For many people, filing an accident claim is the furthest thing from their mind after such an incident. However, delays in the process can make things more difficult for your case. You do have four years to file the claim, however, the evidence and memories of the witnesses may not last as long.
If you are the victim of a Florida car accident injury, you may not be able to collect important evidence from the scene of the accident as soon as it occurs. However, you can contact a Florida car accident attorney to collect this evidence for you. Their team will help to investigate the accident, collect important evidence at the scene, and even contact any witnesses of the accident. The sooner you contact them, the sooner they can begin working on your case.
When pursuing a claim against the at-fault driver, having a complete case with evidence and necessary information can help ensure you get the compensation you need. This requires immediate action to prevent losing some of this information. A Florida car accident injury must be serious to file a claim outside of your PIP coverage. When utilizing the assistance of a Florida car accident attorney, you can take the time you need to recover while pursuing your case.
If you have been injured in a car accident, it is important that you do not hesitate when filing your claim. For more information about your rights and how long you have to file, you can contact The Bodden & Bennet Law Group for a free consultation of your case.
