Car Accident Attorney in Sarasota

Following any accident, your priority should be your health and wellbeing, so you should remove yourself from the accident and seek safety if you’re able to do so. You should also try to take pictures of the accident if you have the ability, as any photo/video of the wreck will help you later in the legal process. Additionally, you should also remember never to admit fault while at the scene of the accident. Even saying the phrase, “My bad,” can potentially prevent you from recovering the full extent of your compensation, so it’s best to avoid the topic entirely until you’ve spoken with a legal professional about your option.

Once the authorities have arrived and taken over the scene, it’s time to seek medical treatment to assess your physical damage. Although medical care is expensive, it’s also necessary to avoid the consequences of an unchecked injury. Some victims choose to forgo their medical evaluation because they believe their physical damage was minor, but this is essentially a gamble, as many victims sustain internal damage that can only be detected by an experienced medical professional. These individuals likely wish that they had chosen to seek medical treatment rather than further worsening their condition, which is why it’s so important to visit a trusted medical professional after any accident. 

You should maintain accurate and complete records regarding all the expenses from your accident. By staying on top of this information from the date of your crash, you’re preparing yourself for the future of your case and making the process much easier for you and your attorney, which is something that can yield a significant payout.

All Florida motorists are required to hold a minimum amount of PIP and PD insurance to operate a vehicle legally in the state. If a driver is involved in a minor accident, they can swiftly file a PIP claim with their provider and collect their benefits, which has decreased the number of car accident lawsuits in the court system dramatically. Before PIP insurance, settling a car accident dispute was expensive and complicated, but now motorists can collect the compensation they’re entitled to with ease and return to their everyday lives.

PIP insurance offers benefits for many aspects of car accidents, including lost wage benefits and compensation for medical expenses. However, PIP will only offer up to $2,500 in medical expense benefits if your injuries aren’t designated as an “emergency medical condition.” This classification is given to injuries that require immediate medical care and can be expected to result in long-term damage or death without action, so victims with minor injuries are restricted to the minimum recovery. You could cover the remaining costs with an additional healthcare plan, but if you don’t have one, you’ll have to find an alternative method to escape from the burden of your expenses. 

While the coverage is proficient in safeguarding drivers from the consequences of minor crashes, it doesn’t offer much protection against major wrecks that result in more than $10,000 worth of damage. Severe crashes can cost upwards of tens of thousands of dollars, and if you only hold a minimum policy, you’re forced to pay for the damage from your own pocket, which is unfair if the accident wasn’t your fault. To make matters worse, the cost of medical treatment and car components have risen dramatically across the globe, and many victims find that they’ve surpassed their PIP coverage before they’ve even removed themselves from the accident. With the stress of your expenses looming overhead, you’re likely under some significant pressure, but an attorney can help you understand your options and find a solution that best suits your situation.

Your PIP policy will cover the expenses of your car accident, but only up to $10,000 if you choose the minimum coverage. Other no-fault insurance states may offer different protections, but Florida’s PIP insurance covers:

• Medical Expenses: PIP insurance will cover most medical treatments with the exception of non-standard practices, such as acupuncture and aromatherapy. Hospital stays, surgeries, medications, and other medical services fall under the coverage, and car accident victims who sustain this type of damage can expect to recover these through their PIP claim. However, you’re only eligible to recover 80% of the associated costs under the minimum threshold of your policy. For example, if your expenses totaled $8,000, you’d only be able to recover $6,400 in benefits. Although it’s expensive to hold more than one policy at a time, many motorists choose to hold additional policies to cover the costs that fall outside of PIP coverage.
• Lost Wages: Some accidents leave the victim with injuries that prevent them from returning to work and earning a paycheck. With your expenses looming overhead, you can’t afford to miss a paycheck after an accident, but your PIP coverage can offer you some benefits to keep you afloat during this stressful time. According to the law, you can recover 60% of lost wages resulting from your car accident, and it’s recommended to keep detailed income records throughout your life to help you file your claim with ease if you find yourself as a car accident victim. 
• Funeral Benefits: The loss of a loved one is something that shakes you down to your very core, especially if their life was lost in an accident that could have been prevented. All Florida motorists are entitled to $5,000 for the associated costs of a lost life, including compensation for the funeral, burial, and any other services.

Florida insurance law allows you to extend your PIP coverage to other individuals that live in your household. While this is beneficial for families or those with roommates, people who live individually might not need to opt in to this program. You also have the option of extending your coverage to an uninsured passenger that’s riding with you at the time of a crash, but if they have their own PIP policy, they’ll use their individual coverage for financial assistance rather than yours.

Yes, you do have the option of suing for a car accident in Florida, but only under certain circumstances. Car accident victims can file a lawsuit if:

• Their accident left them with serious, permanent disabilities.
• The accident resulted in wrongful death.
• The total damage exceeds the limits of your PIP coverage.

The most important criteria for filing a lawsuit is fault, as those who were at fault for their accident aren’t eligible to take legal action against the other party. All car accident victims can expect to recover all the damages they sustained through their accident, but they can only recover the damages that weren’t covered by your PIP policy. For example, if your injuries required you to stay in a hospital, and the bill was $60,000, you can only recover $50,000 because your PIP coverage already paid the remaining costs. 

While many people believe that filing a lawsuit is as easy as filing your PIP claim, it’s actually very difficult to pull off on your own. These lawsuits require the victim to create an argument and gather the necessary evidence to prove that the other driver acted negligently leading up to their crash. Without legal experience, this is a complicated task, one that might leave you feeling overwhelmed and defeated. One mistake can potentially cost you thousands of dollars in compensation and force you to pay for the damage out of your own pocket, but with the help of an attorney, you can navigate through the process with ease and eliminate any doubt concerning the success of your case.

Our Sarasota car accident attorneys have helped thousands of clients escape from the financial burden of an accident they didn’t cause. They understand all aspects of car accident litigation and can use their years of experience to build your case for success starting from day one, something that many other firms have yet to pull off. When we receive your call, we will:

• Investigate your case and determine eligibility: First, our team will investigate the situation surrounding your case and decide whether or not you meet the criteria for a lawsuit. We’ll assess your liability, the damage resulting from your accident, and all other aspects to make sure that you have a case that will yield results. If you’re found to qualify for a lawsuit, our attorneys will begin to establish a foundation for the case’s future.
• Collect evidence and other applicable information: Next, our attorneys will begin to gather all pertinent information from your case, including police reports, your medical records, and any photo/video of the accident itself. All of this information will serve to make your case as strong as possible for the next phase of the process, so we’ll make sure to leave no stone unturned. Additionally, our team works closely with subject-matter experts that we can enlist to strengthen the facts of your case further, allowing you the best possible chance of recovering what you’re entitled to.
• Negotiate with the at-fault party: Once we have enough evidence, we’re ready to move forward with negotiations. Florida’s no-fault insurance provision requires all car accident disputes to attempt settlement negotiations before an official lawsuit can be filed, and most disputes resolve themselves successfully through this process. Our attorneys will display your individual damages, advocate for the severity of each, and establish a dollar amount of compensation related to the specific damages. The total of all these damages is your settlement, and the opposing party can either accept our terms or attempt to change our minds. However, our attorneys know how much your total settlement should be, and if the at-fault party attempts to diminish your recovery, we can stand strong and refuse to settle.
• Fight your case in the courtroom: It’s possible that negotiations can end with neither party agreeing on a fair compensation package for the victimized party. If the at-fault party refuses to come to an agreement, you’ll likely have to move your case into the courtroom in order to recover the compensation you need. While other firms may fear this scenario, our attorneys relish the opportunity to advocate for our client’s rights in the courtroom. We build every case up for the possibility of a trial starting from the beginning of your case, allowing you to move through the process knowing that your legal team has your back.

While it’s never required to retain an attorney for your car accident, their involvement can offer some key benefits that can prevent you from running into problems down the line. All legal aspects of a car accident involve some sort of expertise in order to file all the appropriate paperwork, including filing your PIP claim. Between all the paperwork and the need for accuracy, it’s easy to become overwhelmed with the stress of your accident, which is why it’s so important to have an attorney by your side as you navigate through the process. 

If you’re planning to file a lawsuit, it’s even more important to have an attorney by your side. These lawsuits require the victimized party to prove the at-fault party acted negligently through your argument and evidence, and if you have no prior legal experience, it’s easy for the other party to capitalize on your situation. In some cases, insurance companies have seen individuals without an attorney as weak, even if you’re not, and will attempt to employ unethical business practices to bully you into accepting diminished compensation. You won’t have an ally if they try to do this, and if they’re successful, you can walk away from the situation without the compensation you need to get back on your feet.

By hiring an attorney at the beginning of your accident, you can protect yourself against unforeseen consequences and give yourself the best possible chance of recovering what you deserve. Our attorneys have the necessary experience, knowledge, and resources behind them to help you with any aspect of your case, and if a third party tries to diminish what you’re entitled to, we’re prepared to do whatever it takes to help you find success. 

You may have heard the stigma that lawyers are costly to hire and end up costing more than the accident in the long run. Unfortunately, some firms embody this stigma, but these organizations often make their profit solely from their client’s legal fees. While they might promise they have their client’s best interests in mind, their decision to further their client’s financial burden with legal fees suggests the opposite, and these organizations make a bad name for the rest of us. 

At Morgan & Morgan, we chose to take a different approach, one that doesn’t shackle you with additional expenses when you’re trying to escape from the consequences of a car accident. When you team up with us, you pay nothing out-of-pocket, and we’re only paid if we win your case. Rather than relying on legal fees, we take our fee from the favorable settlement or jury award to allow everyone the ability to afford proficient representation, regardless of their financial situation. Not only does our contingency keep the costs low on your end, but it also centers everyone around one singular goal: getting the best possible results for your case.

Car accident victims can recover all the damages they sustained through their accident in a lawsuit. Your specific recovery will depend on the circumstances surrounding your case, but the average victim can expect to recover:

• Medical expenses
• Lost wages
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional/mental anguish
• Loss of earning capacity
• Punitive damages
• Funeral expenses

Some of these damages, like emotional anguish, are difficult to advocate for the severity of because the majority of the damage is internal. A third party won’t be able to look across the table and understand how your accident has affected you emotionally, which has resulted in some victims recovering lower settlements. Our attorneys have a proven track record of recovering the fullest extent of these damages across all of our cases, making us an undeniable asset in your pursuit of rightful compensation. 

Our firm has offices from coast to coast, allowing us to help anyone who finds themselves as a victim of an unexpected accident. We serve the people of Sarasota in the following locations:

• Bayshore Gardens (34207)
• Bee Ridge (34233)
• Desoto Lakes (34235)
• Fruitville (34232)
• Gulf Gate Estates (34231)
• Kensington Park (34235)
• Lake Sarasota (34241)
• Laurel (34275)
• Longboat Key (34228)
• North Sarasota (34234)
• Osprey (34229)
• Ridge Wood Heights (34231)
• Samoset (34208)
• Sarasota (34237)
• Sarasota Springs (34232)
• South Bradenton (34205)
• South Gate Ridge (34233)
• South Sarasota (34231)
• Southgate (34239)
• The Meadows (34235)
• Vamo (34231)
• West Samoset (34208)
• Whitfield (34243)

We stand as an ally For the People of Sarasota against the powerful.

In the most difficult moments of your life, Morgan & Morgan has your back. An unexpected car accident has the potential to change your life forever. Without proper compensation, you can carry your financial burden for years, and you may need to change your way of life entirely to adapt to the overwhelming stress. Our attorneys understand how important it is for you to find success in your lawsuit, as even minor car accidents have left the victims injured and with thousands of dollars in outstanding expenses. We’re here for you, regardless of how complicated your situation is. 

Our firm can help car accident victims with every aspect of their case, including filing a PIP claim, general advice on your next steps, and moving forward with a formal lawsuit. Over the last three decades, our team has fought relentlessly for clients like yourself who have found themselves victimized after a car accident. In fact, our firm was founded after John Morgan hired the wrong lawyer for his brother, Tim, who was injured in a car accident. Since then, we’ve fought to make sure that no one has to go through the same situation because, to us, you’re Tim, and you are family for life.

Our success has earned us the title of America’s largest personal injury firm, but we’ve never sacrificed the aspects of our firm that made us who we are today. All of our clients get a best-of-both-world experience: the relationships of a small firm with the resources of a corporate giant. You never have to settle when you choose Morgan & Morgan, and if you’re offered compensation that’s less than you deserve, you can count on us to never settle as well. With over 1,000+ trial-ready attorneys, a network of team members across the country, and resources that other firms can only dream of, our firm is uniquely capable of handling any car accident case.

If you or a loved one was injured in a car accident, we’re here to stand by your side as you navigate through the process. Contact us today for more information on how to get started.