Florida law allows you to sue for damages if your injuries from a car accident were a result of another driver’s negligence, if your injuries were severe, or if your losses exceeded the limits of your own PIP coverage. However, you have a limited amount of time to file a car accident claim. Florida’s statute of limitations laws dictate the amount of time you have to take legal action, and that time limit will depend on the circumstances of the accident and who may have legal liability for your injuries or losses. Under Florida law, car accident injury claims must be filed within four years from the date of a traffic accident for those who were injured in a car accident by another driver’s negligence. It’s rare that a Florida court will hear your case after the four-year statute of limitations has expired.
If you’ve been injured in a car accident in Florida, and you’re one of the named insured on the car insurance policy, you can file a no-fault injury claim under your PIP coverage. You can also make a claim for your MedPay to cover your medical bills if you opted for this plan when your purchased car insurance. (In Florida, MedPay coverage is optional.) MedPay offers additional assistance for paying your medical bills but can only be used for medical payments. A combination of PIP and MedPay can be beneficial in the event of an accident. PIP is a no-fault claim because it pays benefits regardless of who is at fault in the accident.
If you’ve been injured in an accident in Florida, the statute of limitations is four years in which to file a claim and three if your claim is against the government. The length of time that will be involved in settling a personal injury claim is going to depend on the type of settlement you want and the amount of time you’re willing to invest in your case. Your claim can be settled in weeks if you want a low settlement and are willing to accept the first offer.
The severe consequences of a car accident make it crucial to contact a dependable car accident attorney about your claim as soon as possible. Insurance companies may try to delay the handling of the claim, give low offers in an attempt to maximize their profits, or deny the claim altogether. Therefore, hiring a competent St. Petersburg car accident lawyer is necessary to protect your best interests.
After a car accident in St. Petersburg, seek medical attention as soon as possible. Even if you think your injuries are not severe, there could be long-term health issues if they’re not treated early and effectively. If you need to file a personal injury claim, seeking immediate medical attention is crucial for evidence and documentation of injury. Once you seek medical treatment, reach out to a St. Petersburg car accident attorney to assist with your claim.
There are many factors to look at in determining fault after a car accident in Florida. Determining fault may be as easy as finding a driver violated the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Official Florida Driver License Handbook or other law. Other times it may be more difficult. Florida law also follows a comparative negligence policy in which fault and recovery is determined by analyzing the fault of each individual involved. At Marsalisi Law, our team has extensive knowledge of Florida’s negligence laws and experience identifying who is at fault.
