Why You Should Always Talk to an Attorney After an Auto Accident in Florida

If you’ve been involved in an auto accident, making informed decisions will be critical for protecting your legal rights. This includes making an informed decision about whether to talk to an attorney. If you have an accident claim, do you need to hire a Florida auto accident attorney? Or, is it okay to try to handle your situation on your own?

5 Important Reasons Why You Should Seek Legal Advice After an Auto Accident in Florida

When you are facing the aftermath of an auto accident in Florida, there are several important reasons to talk to an attorney as soon as possible. Here are five of the most important reasons why you should schedule a free consultation promptly:

1. You Need to Know What Claim(s) You Are Eligible to File

Florida’s auto insurance laws are complicated. In some cases, auto accident victims can only file a claim with their own insurance company. In others, accident victims can file a claim with the at-fault driver’s insurer.

But, this is only true if the at-fault driver has liability insurance coverage under his or her auto policy. Liability insurance is not required for non-commercial drivers under Florida law—except for rideshare drivers while they are logged in or providing a prearranged ride. As a result, in many cases, auto accident victims who have suffered significant injuries will need to look to other sources of financial recovery.

What are these other sources of financial recovery? The answer to this question varies from case to case. In addition to determining which auto insurance claim(s) you are eligible to file, an experienced Florida auto accident attorney will be able to determine if you have grounds to file any other claims as well.

2. You Need to Preserve the Evidence Required to File a Successful Claim

Regardless of the claim(s) you are eligible to file, you will need evidence to prove that you are entitled to coverage. This evidence can take a variety of different forms—and the forms that are available in your case will depend on why the accident happened, where and when the accident happened, the parties involved, and various other factors. While taking photos and videos with your phone is important, this is just one small step in the process of proving that you are entitled to financial compensation.

When you hire an experienced attorney to represent you, your attorney will be able to investigate and take discovery (if necessary) in order to prove what happened and who (or what company) is legally responsible. If you don’t have the evidence you need, you won’t be able to recover the compensation you deserve.

3. You Need to Know How Much You Are Entitled to Recover

Another key step in the process of filing an auto accident claim is determining how much you are entitled to recover. This requires an assessment of your present and future costs resulting from the accident. If you are entitled to compensation for your pain and suffering, you will need to determine what constitutes “just” compensation for these losses as well.

4. You Cannot Rely on the Insurance Companies to Calculate Your Injury-Related Losses

When you have an insurance claim, you cannot rely on the insurance companies to calculate your injury-related losses. There are two reasons why. First, they aren’t required to do so. While the insurance companies are required to handle your claim in good faith, they are not required to determine the value of your claim for you.

Second, calculating your injury-related losses requires information and evidence that only you will have in your possession. When you hire an attorney to represent you, your attorney will work with you to ensure that he or she has all of the information and evidence required to seek full compensation on your behalf.

5. You Could Face Consequences for Years to Come if You Don’t Recover the Compensation You Deserve

If you don’t recover the compensation you deserve for your auto accident, this could have serious and long-term consequences. Serious accident-related injuries can lead to significant financial and non-financial losses, and failing to recover just compensation for your accident could leave you without the financial resources you need to move on.

Is It Ever Okay Not to Talk to an Attorney?

With all of this in mind, is it ever okay not to talk to an attorney?

While it is important that you talk to an attorney for all of the reasons we discussed above, it is ultimately up to you to decide what you want to do. You are not required to hire an attorney to represent you. The auto insurance companies will deal with you directly—and they are supposed to deal with you in good faith—and you are well within your rights to try to handle your insurance claim on your own.

Additionally, if you weren’t injured in your auto accident, handling your insurance claim on your own may be a viable option. In this situation, you won’t need to figure out if there are other claims you are eligible to file, and if you have enough coverage under your auto policy, you should be able to get your vehicle repaired or replaced without needing to take formal legal action.

But, with that said, there is no harm in contacting an attorney if you have questions—and, if you need to seek compensation for injury-related losses, it is strongly in your best interests to have an experienced attorney on your side. Ultimately, you need to be confident that you are making informed decisions with your long-term best interests in mind. If you’ve been involved in an auto accident in Florida and have questions about your legal rights, we invite you to contact us for a free consultation.

Request a Free Consultation with a Florida Auto Accident Attorney at Searcy Denney

Do you have questions about your legal rights after an auto accident in Florida? If so, contact us today. Call 800-780-8607 or tell us how we can reach you online to schedule a free consultation at Searcy Denney.