The Doral car accident lawyers at the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine are here to help you. By filing an insurance claim or lawsuit on your behalf, we can pursue the compensation you need. We can even go after those responsible for your accident in court. Our Doral personal injury attorneys are ready to manage all your legal tasks while you heal from your injuries.
What Damages Can You Recover After a Motor Vehicle Accident in Doral?
If you suffered injuries in a car accident, there are certain steps you can take to recover both economic and non-economic damages to pay for your accident-related expenses.
Economic damages refer to any documented financial losses related to the accident. Some common examples include:
- Lost income and projected future loss of income
- Past and future medical bills, including hospital stay costs, EMS invoices, doctor’s bills, and rehabilitation expenses
- Vehicle or other property damage
It may be harder to quantify non-economic damages, but this compensation is just as essential to the victim’s recovery process. Non-economic damages can cover:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Reduced quality of life
Wrongful Death Damages After a Fatal Accident
If your loved one did not survive a car accident they were involved in, our team extends our condolences to you and your family. You may be able to recover wrongful death damages such as:
- Your loved one’s medical costs
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Loss of your loved one’s support and services
- Loss of parental guidance
- Your mental anguish
- Your loved one’s lost income
Our Doral wrongful death lawyers can seek the compensation you and your family need to get through this difficult time.
How You Can Seek Compensation After a Car Crash in Doral
When a car accident victim first consults with one of our auto accident attorneys, we review the facts of the case and discuss the ways for them to recover damages. In most cases, your legal options include:
- Filing an insurance claim with your insurance company
- Filing a claim or lawsuit against the parties responsible for your accident
Our attorneys can help you with all stages of the insurance and legal process to make sure you pursue fair compensation.
Seeking a Settlement Through Your PIP Car Accident Coverage
In Florida, all drivers must pay for car insurance to cover some of their medical bills and lost income if they are ever in an accident. Florida drivers must carry $10,000 in personal injury protection (PIP) coverage according to Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV).
If an accident occurs, you can collect damages from your own insurer by filing a claim for PIP benefits. You will receive these benefits even if you were at fault for the accident.
How Much Can You Receive in PIP Benefits for a Florida Car Accident?
No-fault coverage allows injured drivers to recover compensation more quickly than a lawsuit or fault-based insurance investigation would allow. However, there are also a few downsides.
First, PIP benefits cover a maximum of 80 percent of your medical bills and 60 percent of your lost income—up to $10,000. In reality, you may not recover more than $2,500 unless the insurer qualifies your condition as an emergency. Certain procedures are not covered and, if you wait too long to seek medical treatment, you may lose out on PIP benefits entirely.
Benefits totaling less than $10,000 are likely not enough to cover your bills—especially if you suffered severe injuries. Insurers also do not provide any compensation for mental anguish, pain and suffering, or other non-economic costs.
It is important to note that accident victims are not guaranteed to recover full benefits from their insurers. In many cases, insurers dispute certain aspects of the claim, therefore reducing the amount of benefits recovered. Our attorneys can help appeal a decision like this or negotiate a settlement for a more reasonable amount from your insurer. However, the adjuster in your case may be more interested in saving their company money than giving you the damages you deserve.
What You Can Do If You Do Not Get Enough Car Accident Compensation From Your Insurer
In addition to filing an insurance claim, you may file a claim or civil lawsuit against the parties liable for damages as long as your injuries qualify as severe under Florida law. Car accident victims with severe injuries typically have experienced one or more of the following:
- A significant or permanent loss of function in part of the body;
- A permanent injury;
- Disfigurement or scarring; or
- Death.
Our attorneys will review your medical records and consult with medical experts to determine if your injuries are legally severe enough to allow us to step outside of your PIP policy to get you additional compensation.
How Our Car Accident Lawyer Help You Seek Compensation in Doral
At the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine, our attorneys will do more than just review your case. We will analyze every detail to make sure we understand exactly how the accident occurred as well as the effect it had on your life. We will likely base our case on the theory of negligence.
To establish negligence, we will need to prove another party’s fault. We will need to show that the other driver in your accident breached a duty owed to you and caused your accident and injuries by acting negligently. Proving negligence requires us to:
- Present police reports, photos and videos from the scene of the crash, and witness testimony to establish what happened;
- Introduce the testimony of accident reconstructionists and other experts to determine what caused the accident;
- Call medical experts to the stand to explain how the accident caused your injuries and the long-term effects you now face; and
- Present medical reports documenting your injuries and medical treatments.
Using Evidence to Prove You Suffered Car Accident Damages
Once we have established that the defendant was negligent and is at fault for your injuries, we will establish your damages.
We will prove your economic damages by presenting:
- Pay stubs from your employer documenting past wages;
- Expert testimony regarding your ability to earn income in the future; and
- Medical bills to show the medical costs incurred.
To establish damages for emotional distress and other non-economic damages, we may have to:
- Provide testimony from your primary care physician, psychologist, and other treating physicians to describe the emotional trauma you experienced because of the accident;
- Secure testimony from a mental health counselor regarding how the accident has affected your mental state; and
- Have your friends and family describe your ability to function after the accident and explain how your injuries have affected your relationships.
Filing a Personal Injury or Wrongful Death Lawsuit in Doral
If you plan to file a lawsuit against the liable party, you won’t have much time. Generally, according to Florida Statutes § 95.11, you have two years to file both a personal injury and wrongful death lawsuit in Doral.
If you do not file your case against the at-fault driver within this timeframe, you may lose your right to financial compensation. Acting quickly can benefit your case and help you avoid running into issues with the statute of limitations.
Plus, if you get started on your case right away, your legal team will have time to gather evidence from the accident scene, speak to witnesses, and submit your case before time runs out.
Speak With a Car Accident Law Firm in Doral Today
If you were in a car accident in Doral, you deserve compensation for your injuries. The attorneys at the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine understand that every accident has a different set of circumstances and injuries. We know how to navigate the challenges each case presents to get our clients fair case results.
As you work to put your life back together after such a tragedy, we will be tirelessly working to build a strong case on your behalf. Let us get started today. Call us for a free consultation.
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