Latest Blogs

Suffering serious injuries in a car accident can have a dramatic impact on your life. While your mounting medical bills might be your most immediate concern, serious injuries can lead to loss of earning capacity, chronic pain and suffering, and other long-term consequences as well. As a result, filing a claim (if you have grounds to do so) is extremely important, and it will be important for you to work closely with an experienced Fort Myers accident lawyer at Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A., who can help you seek the full compensation you deserve.

What to Expect When You Have a Car Accident Claim in Florida

If you have a claim for a car accident in Florida, here is an overview of what you can expect as you move forward:

1. Your Lawyer Will Conduct a Comprehensive Investigation

Your lawyer will begin by conducting a comprehensive investigation. Since some types of evidence can disappear quickly, it is important that this investigation takes place as soon after the accident as possible. Depending on the circumstances of your car accident, conducting a comprehensive investigation may involve taking steps such as:

• Sending a forensic investigator to the accident scene
• Obtaining traffic camera footage or other recordings of the accident
• Talking to eyewitnesses and obtaining copies of their cell phone photos and videos
• Examining each of the vehicles involved in the collision
• Obtaining cell phone records, employment records, receipts, and other documents
• Hiring experts to examine the evidence and prepare reports detailing why the accident happened
• Hiring an accident reconstructionist to analyze the accident

While investigating a car accident can be a time-intensive and resource-intensive process, it can be well worth it if you suffered serious injuries in a crash. Serious injuries can lead to substantial financial and non-financial losses, and if you are entitled to recover your losses, determining who (or what company) is legally responsible will be the first step in the process.

2. Your Lawyer Will Assess the Value of Your Claim

Along with proving why the accident happened, seeking the compensation you deserve will also involve proving how much you deserve to recover. This, too, requires experienced legal representation from Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A..

As noted above, serious injuries can lead to substantial financial and non-financial losses. In a typical case, serious accident-related injuries will lead to losses such as:

• Medical bills incurred as a result of the accident
• Costs for future medical care needs
• Loss of earnings
• Loss of future earning capacity

Pain and suffering, disability, physical impairment, disfigurement, mental anguish, inconvenience, aggravation of a disease or physical defect, and loss of capacity for the enjoyment of life in the past and future loss of consortium.

If you have a claim in Florida, these are all losses for which you may be entitled to damages. When you hire an experienced Fort Myers accident lawyer with Spivey Law Firm to represent you, your lawyer will carefully evaluate the value of your claim based on the evidence. This includes not only compensation for losses you have already incurred, but also compensation for losses you are likely to incur in the future.

3. The Insurance Companies Will Fight to Avoid Liability

No matter what happened, you can expect the insurance companies to fight to avoid liability. This is true whether you are dealing with another driver’s insurance company, your own insurance company, or a third party’s insurer.

From raising questions about the sufficiency of the evidence, to blaming you for your own injuries, or to claiming your injuries and damages were pre-existing or not caused by the accident, the insurance companies may use various tactics to try to avoid financial responsibility for the crash. Your attorney can help make sure these tactics do not leave you without the compensation you deserve.

4. If the Insurance Companies Accept Liability, They Will Target a Low-Value Settlement

Eventually, the insurance companies may accept liability for the accident (though there are no guarantees). If this happens, the focus of your case will shift to determining how much the insurance companies will pay.

At this stage, insurance companies will focus on paying as little as possible. To avoid settling for less than you deserve, you need to consider the full extent of your damages—and this is why understanding your long-term financial and non-financial losses is so important. With documentation of these losses in hand, your lawyer at Spivey Law Firm will be able to negotiate for a fair settlement on your behalf.

5. Your Lawyer Will Help You Decide When (and if) to Settle

If a settlement offer is on the table, you will need to make a critical decision: Should you accept?

This is a decision that only you can make. Your lawyer can (and will) give you advice, but it is up to you to decide when (and if) to settle your case and move on. If the insurance companies offer a settlement that is within your expected settlement range, then it may make sense to accept. If the offer is less than you deserve, it may be in your best interests to reject it and keep fighting for more.

6. If You Accept a Settlement, Your Claim Will Be Over

Making an informed decision about settlement is critical because if you accept a settlement, your claim will be over. As part of the settlement process, you will waive your right to seek additional compensation. As a result, it is imperative that you do not settle too soon.

7. If You Do Not Receive a Fair Settlement, Your Lawyer Can Take Your Claim to Court

If you do not settle your claim, what comes next? At this stage, your lawyer with Spivey Law Firm may need to take your claim to court by filing a lawsuit. While this may not be necessary, and while most cases settle without the need for a jury trial, it is important to be prepared for this stage of the process if it is what it takes to recover your accident-related losses. Going to court is a process of its own, and here, too, it is imperative to have an experienced Fort Myers accident lawyer with Spivey Law Firm on your side.

Do You Have a Claim? Discuss Your Case with an Experienced Fort Myers Accident Lawyer in Confidence

Were you seriously injured in a car accident in Florida? We can determine whether you have a claim—and, if you do, fight for full compensation on your behalf. To get started with a free consultation, call Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. at 239-337-7483 or toll-free at 888-477-4839 or contact us online at SpiveyLaw.com now.