5 Simple Steps to Follow After a Miami Car Accident

Should I Call 411 Pain or a Car Accident Lawyer in Miami?

Everyone has seen 411 Pain. The signs are all over Miami, on the public transportation like buses and trains, and even on some YouTube and FaceBook ads. So this brings the question, should I actually call 411 Pain after a car accident in Miami?

This depends on the kind of research you do for your injury. Some injuries may not require too much attention, while some may require emergency services and the full 9 yards to get your life back to regular condition. Since every injury is unique to every individual and how they assess pain, it is imperative and of utmost importance that you do your own due diligence and find out what is best for you.

Although you may see all the advertisements (whether it’s on the internet or on billboards) about how great one lawyer is, or how this lawyer is #1 in South Florida, make sure you do your own research and come to the conclusion on your own. Just because a firm can spend a large amount of money on advertisements doesn’t mean that they are actually a good fit for you. The advertisements just mean that they have lots of money, it doesn’t always guarantee great service for you. The best way to get as close to the best service as possible is to look for these things online for a firm:

• Experience
• Google Reviews
• Friends and Family
• Associations with Professionals
• Website

Looking through these characteristics and making sure that these are on point is the best way to find the service that you need for you. Make sure that there are no dirty under-the-table tactics like soliciting or “running”. These are people that are meant to “run into you by accident” and offer you a service that is connected to the lawyer you are associated with. For example, if you are in contact with X Law Firm and suddenly you get approached by another doctor or lawyer on that same day, it is not a coincidence. There is a great chance that they have been notified by X Law Firm and now they are trying to be at your service to make money off you. Although it seems like something out of a movie, this is actually quite a common practice.

With all this said, the decision is all in your hands and how you feel about the attorneys. Although the lawyers can have the best resume, experience, team, and history, if you don’t get a good feeling from the lawyer for whatever reason, it is fine to choose a different lawyer. A different lawyer can still have similar experience and provide you even better service. You must be able to trust the attorney, lawyer, or doctor that will be serving you since your health is what is on the line. When you go in for that consultation, it may be one of the most important decisions and steps for getting your money back. Once you choose a lawyer or doctor, you will be stuck with this professional for the rest of the case until it’s over OR until you decide to drop them because of the inept and poor service. Don’t go through the stress of changing lawyers or having to deal with bad service throughout the duration of your case. Your case can go for as long as you are injured. It can go even longer if the settlement amount is being disputed.

Pick the right car accident lawyer in Miami. At Accident Lawyer MIA, we only do our best for our people and make sure that not only are you returned to full health, but also financially compensated for the injuries that were caused by the negligence of another party. Call Jimmy or our team today at 305-680-5161 for a free consultation to discuss your injuries and a plan and steps moving forward.

What Have I Lost After a Car Accident in Miami?

A lot changes after a car accident in Miami. For instance, your car may be completely totaled. The bill for these damages may total more than you make in a month. Now, you have no way to ride to work, and no way to earn your paycheck. So, you begin to feel your job is at risk. This can result in the loss of wages and also property damage. You are suffering two losses simultaneously.  

Additionally, you or a loved one may have suffered an injury from a car accident in Miami. These injuries may hinder you or your loved one from performing adequately at your job and lead to further lost wages. Some common car accident injuries include: 

• Bumps and bruises. The most common car accident injuries, bumps and bruises may seem harmless. However, they may hide even bigger injuries under the surface. 
• Broken bones. When a car crushes another car, it may crush or break bones as well. Car accident victims commonly break many bones, not just in one place. These injuries may take several months to heal. 
• Torn ligaments. Often together with broken bones, torn ligaments usually require reconstructive surgery. These surgeries are often expensive and complex.
• Burn injuries. Burn injuries are very common in car accidents whenever a fire ignites. However, even when a fire is not present during an accident, burn injuries can occur. Victims may come in contact with hot metal or spilled corrosive chemicals. Depending on the amount of time the victim was in contact with the substance, these can cause first, second, third and fourth degree burns. 
• Whiplash. Whiplash occurs when the head is thrown forward by an outside force. This can cause moderate to severe damage of the neck, spine, spinal cord, head, and brain. Whiplash injuries can cause extreme pain and sometimes lead to death. 
• Silent internal killers. Internal organs may be damaged without showing any outward signs. The speed of the accident may cause organs to be thrust out of position, causing internal bleeding and other complications. 
• Spinal injuries. Spinal injuries are among the most terrifying of car accident injuries. These injuries can completely change the victim’s life. A victim may lose feeling and function below the waist or neck, depending on where the injury occurred. Considered one of the most devastating consequences of a car accident, it truly is one of the worst accidents to result. 
• Brain injuries. Any trauma to the head has the potential to cause brain injury. Smaller injuries, like concussions, are very common in car accidents. Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) can cause the victim to endure change of personality. Sometimes, the victim may lose functionality of the body. This may cause a complete lifestyle change, where the victim is no longer able to be independent.

These are just the injuries that can occur to you. If these injuries are left untreated or are too severe, they can result in wrongful death if the other party was driving irresponsibly or was being negligent. Wrongful death happens when a victim is killed due to the recklessness or negligence of another. In these cases, the family must pick up the pieces. Ultimately, many families lose a loved one and a source of income, all due to another person’s poor decisions. 

How Can I Bounce Back After a Car Accident in Miami?

When faced with the repercussions of a car accident in Miami, you may feel overwhelmed. However, there are a few ways that you can bounce back after a car accident3 to earn financial compensation. First, ensure that you have a strong case by following the steps above. Next, make the right decisions with your insurance company. Don’t ever rush the process of getting your financial compensation. Remember that the statute of limitations for any car accident in Miami is 4 years. Not only is this a long time, it is definitely enough time to file a claim and get your financial compensation. Finally, hire a knowledgeable Miami car accident lawyer from Accident Lawyers MIA to fight for you. 

How to: Deal with Your Insurance Company- The Right Way!

Many people think that insurance companies exist to help their clients. Sadly, this is not always the case. Remember that insurance companies are for-profit organizations. In the end, insurance companies are businesses. They are business entities and exist to make money. This means that they want to make the most money possible off of your injuries and damages. 

Insurance companies will do anything to get you to settle fast after an accident. By settling quickly, they get out of paying you the right amount of money. To speed up the process, they may even attempt to contact you as you lay in your hospital bed. So whatever you do, never settle with your insurance company immediately after your accident. 

Here are a few more ways your insurance company may try to trick you:

• Insurance companies may attempt to trick you into saying something incriminating. By determining that the fault of the accident fell on you, they can get out of paying. This is why we say to be careful with anyone or anything that is related to the insurance companies.
• You may feel forced to provide medical records before you know the full extent of your injuries. If you settle before knowing the full extent of your injuries, you will not earn full compensation for them. For example, prematurely ending treatment and maybe not even getting surgery for certain injuries. These are all quite common ways that the insurance companies may try to pressure you into giving in your medical records.
• Insurance companies may attempt to undercount medical bills and only cover a few. This is a common tactic that insurance companies use to try and undercut the costs of financial compensation for your medical treatment. Because of tactics and sly moves like this by the insurance companies and other adjusters and lawyers, we prioritize that you keep EVERY receipt and bill. Make sure they include each one in your settlement. 
• They may attempt subrogation. Subrogation occurs when an insurance company comes back to a client and convinces them to pay the money back.
• Some companies may use surveillance to collect evidence against you. They do this in an attempt to prove that your injuries are not as extensive as you claim. 
• Insurance companies may say that you paid for less coverage. Make sure you know what you paid for, and have it documented. Knowing your policy and what your policy covers is something that EVERYONE should know. Insurance companies may try to say that your coverage does not include certain treatments and reparations. This is why it’s important to be familiar with your policy and know what is covered.
• They may simply deny your claim, and then ignore any calls or emails from you. 

Above all, remember that insurance companies care about money more than your wellbeing. Insurance companies also have their own team of adjusters and lawyers that take care of that side for them. Do not be alone and get baited into saying things that you don’t agree with or even settling for an amount that is not satisfactory. Hire a Miami car accident lawyer. Our team at Accident Lawyers MIA will fight alongside you to make sure that you get the proper financial compensation from the insurance companies. 

How to File a Lawsuit for a Miami Car Accident

Filing suit sounds difficult.

You have to call lawyers, get in touch with insurance agents and adjusters, and overall it can be a stressful process for anyone that has to file suit. When your injuries are extensive and require more than the basic PIP to heal, you may need to file suit to get the rest of the money that you need to make up for the losses that you are going through and WILL be going through in the future. In Florida, PIP will only cover up to 10,000 dollars in damages at most, but we all know surgeries, treatment, medication, and rehabilitation can cost anything in the mid 5 figures to even 6 figures. If your injuries are this extensive, then you will need to file suit to get your money back. If you don’t file suit, you will most definitely not get your money back, but you may also find yourself in crippling debt for the extensive medical care that you needed. 

Filing suit also depends on the time. In Florida, just like every other state, there is a statute of limitations to filing suit on a case. Florida gives anyone 4 years to file suit from the date of accident. Although this may seem like a long time to gather your thoughts and file suit, there are many times that people will exceed the 4 years. Once you exceed the 4 years, there is no way to get your case back. The court will refuse to look at your case, even if it’s valid and the best case in Florida. This doesn’t mean that everything needs to be solved in 4 years. The statute of limitations only applies to FILING the suit, not resolving it. So once the lawsuit has been filed, time is always on our side. 

Can I File Suit On My Own?

Most definitely. You can file suit on your own, however, it will most definitely be a terrible time. The other party will most certainly have their own lawyers, adjusters, and insurance agents that will fight for them as well. Not to mention, there will be dirty and sneaky tactics that the other party will try to throw on you. And if you are unaware of the tactics, you may fall for it. Early settlement offers, lowball compensation offers, asking for certain statements that may jeopardize the case, etc. This is where having a car accident lawyer in Miami can help you.

A Miami car accident lawyer can be at your service and provide the legal services that will help you heal from your injuries faster, while we handle the nitty gritty portion of the case. Dealing with car insurance agents, adjusters, lawyers, and even the other party, that will be done by our car accident lawyers in Miami. All we need you to do is get treated and get back to health. You being healthy and able to function properly is our main and only goal. 

Do I Need To Go To Court?

This answer depends on a multitude of variables. The biggest factor is whether the other party is willing to pay the full compensation that you want. The only reason you would need to take a case to court is because there is a disagreement in settlement amounts. However, this doesn’t mean that taking it to court is always the way to go. There are other factors that will determine whether your case can go to court. These are:

• How serious was the accident?
• How much value does your car accident in Miami have?
• Is the at-fault party willing to amend (outside of court) to a fair compensation?
• How much evidence do you have that can back you up/provide evidence for how badly you were injured?

Our team at Accident Lawyers MIA will not hesitate to file a claim if the other party doesn’t agree to a fair amount. However, we always recommend that you settle for an amount outside of court so that the process doesn’t need to be lengthened. If settling outside of court is not possible, then our car accident lawyers in Miami will not think twice to settle the case in court and file suit. With decades of experience in car accident cases and winning millions for our clients, our car accident lawyers in Miami will do everything in our power to settle the case to provide the financial compensation for you. 

Statute of Limitations on a Miami Car Accident

A statute of limitations is the maximum amount of time parties have to initiate any legal procedure on an alleged offense. This offense can be civil or criminal. For car accidents, or any sort of automotive incidents, the statute of limitations is 4 years.

This means that you have 4 years from the date of the incident to file suit on a car accident in Miami. Especially if you were injured, it is important to not only file suit as SOON as possible, but to also not go over the 4 years statute of limitations.

What will a Miami Car Accident Lawyer Do After I Hire Them?

With over twenty years of experience, the Miami car accident lawyers at Accident Lawyers MIA know exactly what evidence to use and how to incorporate it into a personal injury case. First, our team will organize the evidence and documentation you have collected into a proper file so that we can possibly move into a suit. Then, our legal team will begin negotiating your case with your insurance companies. At this stage, we hope to teach an agreement with the insurance companies. However, if one cannot be reached, your Miami car accident lawyer will take your case to trial. 

Thankfully, this isn’t on you- our terrific team is on your side to fight hard for your case. You don’t need to worry about going to court, calling the other adjusters and lawyers, or even calculating the costs of your losses. This will all be done by our team and our lawyers. All you need to do is focus on healing from your injuries and getting back to health. Other than the basic services that a personal injury lawyer should provide, our car accident lawyers in Miami also do:

• 24/7 availability for any questions that you may have
• Talking to the insurance companies and agents for you
• Discussion of damages and compensation with adjusters
• Settling financial amounts
• Scheduling appointments and making calls
• Getting financial compensation for property damage
• We even give you our lawyer’s personal number so that your questions can be answered

What Compensation Can I Win if I Hire a Miami Car Accident Lawyer?

When you have our Miami car accident lawyer fighting for you, you can earn maximum compensation for the damages you sustained from the negligence or irresponsibility from another party. You may receive compensation for:

• lost wages, 
• time off work, 
• medical expenses, 
• damage to your car or property damage, 
• other kinds of property damage and more

You can even earn monetary compensation for the pain and suffering you endured. For many, this compensation brings new hope to their situation. For those who suffered the most, this money is life changing. So, don’t wait. If you suffered a car accident injury in Miami from the last four years, you may be entitled to financial compensation. 

How Long Does It Take To Settle a Case?

Settling a car depends on how severe the damages are. In most cases, the worse the damages are, the longer it will take to settle the case. But there is no “average” settlement amount. All car accident injury cases in Miami are different from each other. Of course, some share similarities, but most are not the same and have distinct details that make them all different. Here are some distinct factors that may make car accidents in Miami different from one another:

• Liability agreement between parties. There may be a disagreement between the two parties as  to see who’s actually at fault for the car accident in Miami. There must be an establishment as to who is actually at fault. Without fault, there is no way to point the finger at who should be responsible.
• Severity and seriousness of injuries that resulted from the car accident. Depending on how serious or severe the injuries were, the case can drag for a longer time. The less injuries there are, the shorter the case may go, while if there are more injuries, the case can drag on for longer. This is because the more severe the injuries, there are more injuries to prove and more to pay out to the party that was injured. This doesn’t mean that you should underreport your injury or fake it. It just means that it may take longer, that is all.
• How long will it take to treat the injury? This relates to the previous point, but the worse the injuries and the more it takes to treat the injury, the longer the case will go on for. With more treatment comes more time for rehab and review for more injuries. If there is necessity for MORE treatment after the initial treatment, then the case will obviously go for longer so that treatment can be re-evaluated on a tentative schedule.
• Agreement to settle for a fair amount between parties. This may be the only reason why some settlements take forever to actually compensate. Insurance companies that represent the other party will try to settle for less at all times. It will be very rare that an insurance company will settle for the initial amount you want. There will always be back and forth between you and the other party.

When Would You Need A Car Accident Lawyer?

Once damages exceed a certain limit or are too injured to actually get fully compensated by your insurance, you may need to file suit. This is when you need a lawyer.

Florida is a “no-fault” state. This means that when injuries are minor, you go to your own insurance to fix the damages. This policy exists so that when damages are small, you don’t have to file suit for something that can be solved through your insurance. However, if your bodily injuries are severe and require more than a certain financial threshold, your insurance policy may not cover all of it. This is when you may need to file suit. Although you can file suit on your own, a car accident lawyer in Miami will make it easier and give you guidance through the process so that you are in the know of what to do. A car accident lawyer in Miami can help you when

• the accident has led to serious injuries or even death of you or a loved one
• the injuries that you sustained from the accident have left you immobilized and unable to function regularly in society
• the driver that hit you was uninsured or underinsured
• the other driver’s lawyers or insurance company gave you a low settlement offer
• there are multiple parties involved (more than two drivers or vehicles were involved)

What is Distracted Driving?

Distracted driving is when you are operating a vehicle while you don’t have full awareness of the road. Distracted driving can consist of something like drunk driving, texting and driving, snoozing on the wheel, and more. Anything that takes your attention off the road and onto something else other than driving is distracted driving.

Our Miami Car Accident Lawyers from Accident Lawyers MIA

Here in Miami, car accidents happen every single day. In fact, Miami is considered one of the most dangerous cities to drive in. The importance of a car accident lawyer in Miami is the local traffic laws. Every city has a slight difference between traffic laws. This is why hiring a local Miami car accident lawyer is the best way to go. They will be very familiar with the legal landscape of Miami and how the dynamic between lawyers and insurance companies works in Miami. When a car accident in Miami happens to you, you don’t have to worry. Locally known for our great customer service and excellent results, Accident Lawyers MIA is here to help you get financial compensation for your injuries. Our results don’t lie. We have won over $10 million in compensation for our clients. The best part? You don’t pay a dime unless we win your case. That’s right; we won’t charge you anything until we win you the compensation you deserve. 

Accident Lawyers MIA has over 20 years of experience in all kinds of personal injury cases, not only car accidents. We also offer our services for:

• pedestrian accidents in Miami
• bicycle accidents in Miami
• truck accidents in Miami
• motorcycle accidents in Miami

Contact us 24/7 for your free case consultation at (305) 680-5161, or visit our physical location at 2151 S Le Jeune Rd, Suite 305. Our team of Miami car accident lawyers are always ready to listen to you and assist you in any concern or question you have. When you need legal help, reach out to Accident Lawyers MIA. We are ready to fight for you today!

FAQs for Miami Car Accidents