The Most Asked Question We Hear: “Do I Need an Attorney After a Car Accident in Florida?”
If you’re like so many accident victims, you’re probably wondering if you should hire an attorney after a car accident in Florida. The question is not if, but a matter of when. Contacting an attorney immediately after your car accident is critical to protecting your rights and ensuring you get full and fair compensation. It is also free.
Car accidents happen every day in Florida. According to the official data from the FLHSMV Crash Dashboard, 391,428 crashes occurred in Florida in 2023. That’s more than 1,000 car accidents per day! Of those crashes, over 160,000 involved injuries, some of which were fatal.
If you are involved in a car accident in Florida, one of the crucial decisions you’ll face is whether to hire an attorney. This decision can significantly impact the outcome of your case, so it’s essential to understand when and why hiring an attorney after a car accident is so important and beneficial to you.
Are you legally required to hire an attorney after a car accident in Florida?
First things first. Are you legally required to hire an attorney after a car accident in Florida? No, you are not legally required. However, failing to do so could leave you vulnerable and jeopardize your right to pursue full and fair compensation. Even if you are involved in a minor fender bender and your injuries don’t seem serious, the best thing you can do is contact an experienced car accident attorney.
Personal injury attorneys in Florida offer free, no-obligation consultations to anyone who has been involved in an accident. These complimentary meetings are designed to give you important information about your specific situation. For example, at Avera & Smith, our attorneys will review your case, tell you if and why you need an attorney, help you understand the legal process, and explain how we can help you file a claim, find appropriate medical care, and ensure you get the compensation you need to cover damages, medical expenses, and lost wages.
Therefore, even if you think you don’t need legal representation, you should always contact an attorney after a car accident. There’s no risk or fees associated with the initial consultation and it will give you peace of mind that you are making the right decision.
But, if you are still not convinced that you should contact an attorney after a car accident, here are five compelling reasons.
5 critical reasons to hire an attorney after a car accident in Florida
Every day, our firm receives calls from individuals who are wondering if they should hire an attorney after a car accident in Gainesville, Ocala, Lake City, The Villages and Jacksonville. Each time, we give them these five important reasons to hire our firm.
1. You won’t miss deadlines for filing a claim.
In Florida, there are important deadlines for filing an insurance claim after an accident.
- You must file a Florida Traffic Crash Report – Long Form within 10 days of the accident.
- You must seek medical care within 14 days of the accident and report this to your insurer if you wish to seek compensation for these damages.
- You have up to two years to file a lawsuit about the accident if you intend to pursue compensation for your injuries.
Missing any of these deadlines could forfeit your right to compensation. Hiring an attorney after a car accident not only ensures all deadlines are met, but guarantees all paperwork is properly submitted and nothing is left out. For example, an experienced accident attorney will understand that injuries can result in long-term medical expenses. If you break your leg, you may need additional surgeries down the road. Your attorney will make sure you are compensated for future bills—not just what is evident in the immediate aftermath of an accident.
2. You won’t be taken advantage of by insurance companies.
One of the most important reasons to hire an attorney after a car accident is to protect you from insurance companies. Insurance companies often aim to minimize payouts. They might offer a quick settlement that is far less than what you deserve. After all, insurance companies are a business. Their top priority is to protect their bottom line.
An attorney will not only negotiate on your behalf, ensuring you receive a fair settlement, but will send a strong message to the insurance company to not take advantage of you. For example, Avera & Smith is known throughout Florida for our unwavering commitment to our clients. Insurance companies know we will not settle for anything less than what our clients deserve. This not only ensures you receive a fair settlement, but prevents the insurance company from prolonging the process. If they’re unreasonable, we’ll take your case to court. They know we mean business.
3. You can focus on recovery while your attorney handles the claims process.
The last thing you want to do after an accident is worry about the legal process. Having an attorney represent you will allow you to take a step back and focus on recovery. At Avera & Smith, we strive to handle as much as we can for our clients. This includes collecting evidence, completing and filing paperwork, gathering important documents, and communicating with insurance companies and third parties on your behalf. We even help our clients find appropriate medical care.
4. You will likely receive a higher settlement value.
On average, you will likely receive a higher settlement for your accident claim when you hire an attorney. As we mentioned, having an attorney signals to the insurance company that you will not accept anything lower than what you deserve. In addition, an experienced accident attorney knows that injuries can have long-term and rippling consequences.
For example, at Avera & Smith we analyze the entire impact of your injury after an accident. We often pursue compensation for the following damages:
- Medical expenses, both short-term and long-term.
- Lost wages from time you may have missed from work.
- Pain and suffering that you may have or continue to endure.
- Emotional distress caused by the accident.
- Miscellaneous expenses, such as the cost of transportation to doctor appointments or the hiring of help for household tasks you can no longer perform.
5. You won’t have to pay for anything unless you receive a recovery.
A big misconception is that you won’t be able to afford an attorney to represent you after an accident. That’s not true, and here’s why. In Florida, personal injury attorneys work on a contingency fee basis. This means that you will never come out-of-pocket to pay for your attorney. Instead, your attorney takes a percentage of your end recovery amount. And if for whatever reason your attorney doesn’t secure a recovery on your behalf, you don’t have to pay anything.
You may be tempted to forgo hiring an attorney in an effort to keep the full total of your recovery. However, for reasons mentioned above, not having an attorney puts you at risk for getting a lower recovery amount and you’ll have to do all the paperwork and filing on your own.
Injured in a car accident in North Central Florida?
Contact Avera & Smith immediately at 352-372-9999 for a free consultation.
If you are involved and/or injured in a car accident in Gainesville, Ocala, Lake City, The Villages, or Jacksonville, the best thing you can do is call our office and speak with one of our experienced accident attorneys. Free of charge, we will set up an in-person or over-the-phone consultation to help you understand your rights and what your next steps should be.
The car accident attorneys at Avera & Smith have over 70 years of experience helping thousands of injury victims and their families recover from serious accidents throughout North Central Florida. We are here to help you get the compensation and justice you deserve.