What Happens If You Are Injured As A Passenger In The State Of Florida?
Mark A. Steinberg
Personal Injury
Auto accidents can be really devastating for drivers, but they can also harm passengers. If you’ve been injured as a passenger in an accident, you may not know what to do next. Fortunately, under Florida state law, auto accident passengers have rights. Working with a skilled accident attorney can help protect those rights. Here’s what to do if you’ve been injured as a passenger in an accident. Seek Medical Attention Immediate
The most important thing anyone should do after an accident is to seek medical attention. Even if you do not think you are injured or your injuries do not seem very severe, you should always see a physician. There are a number of reasons why you should do this as a passenger: First, many severe injuries like spinal or brain injuries take days or weeks to show symptoms. Seeing a doctor immediately will help you get an early diagnosis and provide more options for treatment. Secondly, seeing a doctor immediately directly connects your injuries to the accident. This will be important when pursuing a claim. Finally, in order to pursue a claim for your injuries you will need documentation of the injuries and treatment required to care for them. You will get this documentation from your physician.
Does Insurance Cover Passengers?
A common question we are asked is whether or not insurance covers passengers. Insurance does cover passengers. In the state of Florida, this is especially true with our Personal Injury Protection (PIP) requirements. By law, all drivers are required to carry at least $10,000 in PIP. PIP is used to pay for accident injuries regardless of who was driving and who was injured during the accident. When you file a claim for your accident injuries, you can file against the PIP of either driver or even your own PIP policy.
How To File A Claim As A Passenger
The trickiest part of being injured as a passenger is the claims process. First, you have to determine which insurance providers to file a claim with for your injuries. Then you have to calculate the value of your damages. This includes both monetary damages like prescription costs, lost wages, and medical bills as well as, non-monetary damages like loss of consortium, loss of enjoyment and pain and suffering. Next, you will have to collect all the documentation and evidence around the accident and your injuries. Finally, you will have to file a claim and draft a demand letter for compensation for your damages.
Why You Should Always Work With An Attorney
As a passenger, filing a claim gets very complicated. It’s difficult to determine who is at fault for your injuries. The claims process is always a nightmare because insurance companies always fight paying a fair price for your injuries. The laws around fault and injury compensation are especially complex in Florida. On top of all of these challenges, you are also injured. The last thing you need to be doing is dealing with a bunch of complex paperwork and the malfeasance of the insurance companies. You need to be focused on healing and getting back on your feet. When you work with an auto accident attorney, they handle everything. They’ll collect all the documentation and evidence, handle all communication with the insurance company, and fight for your rights under the law.
If you’ve been injured as a passenger, the team at All Injuries Law Firm can help. For more than 30 years, we’ve been working with auto accident victims to get full and fair compensation for their injuries. We’ve helped passengers just like you and will fight to protect your rights too. We offer a free consultation to help you understand all your legal rights and how we can help fight for you.