Any time you’re in a car accident, it’s bound to be a stressful and upsetting situation. In the event you’re hit by an uninsured motorist in Florida, your worries and fears about what happens next will only compound. Will you be left paying for the damages out of your own pocket? How will you cover the medical bills resulting from your injuries from the accident?
What Happens if You’re Hit by An Uninsured Motorist in Florida
In today’s post, we’re going to give you all of the answers you’re looking for. In addition to covering what your next steps should be when you’re hit by an uninsured motorist in Florida, we will also share other information you won’t want to miss.
To start, it’s helpful to note that not only is car insurance useful in Florida, but it’s legally required.
Legal car insurance requirements in Florida
According to Florida law, drivers who operate a vehicle with four or more wheels must have:
- $10,000 of personal injury protection (PIP) insurance
- A minimum of $10,000 of property damage liability insurance
- Drivers can have a deductible of up to $1,000 for PIP coverage and $500 for property damage liability.
Additionally, insurance companies must offer at least $10,000 in uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage per person (up to $20,000 per accident). However, the policyholder can deny this part of the coverage in writing.
While the law requires PIP and property damage liability insurance, we all know not everyone follows the law. (In fact, did you know the odds of the other driver you collide with not being insured are an astounding one in four in Florida?) Now, couple that with there being more than 400,000 automobile collisions in Florida each year.
This means the chances of you being in a collision with someone who doesn’t have any (or not enough) insurance is greater than you think!
Hopefully, you did add the uninsured motorist coverage to your policy. That way, you’ll have some coverage to go toward the costs their insurance would have covered for you if they had it. But let’s say you denied this coverage. Now, you’re dealing with mounting medical bills. Not to mention, physical pain and any other damages you simply can’t keep up with.
What can you do next?
Can you sue an underinsured or uninsured motorist if they caused a car accident in Florida?
If your insurance company denies your uninsured motorist coverage claim or you do not have this coverage, to begin with, it is possible to move forward with suing the other driver. You might also have a case for suing your insurance company for denying you coverage. In fact, Florida being a no-fault state often means this is the best bet.
Keep in mind, however, if the driver does not have insurance, to begin with, the chances of them having assets to cover the cost of your damages aren’t great. But that doesn’t mean all hope is lost! Your case will be particularly strong in the event you suffer extensive injuries and damages.
When you work with car accident attorneys in Florida, they help you fight for what you’re owed! They know the best way to ensure you get compensation for the damages you have suffered. Even if the uninsured driver doesn’t have the cash to hand over, they often have property or other assets that can be leveraged.
Let’s recap everything we just covered in this post.
What to Do if You’re Hit by an Uninsured Motorist in Florida
- If you’re hit by another motorist, your first responsibility is always making sure you and the others in your vehicle are safe and unharmed.
- Then, it’s appropriate to contact the police for help should you need it. Be sure to tell them exactly what took place. If you’re not sure, say so. Don’t make up answers or speculate. When asked if you’re injured, say you’re not sure, rather than no. Pain from injuries are often masked during the street of an accident. Verify, to the best of your ability, statements made by others involved to be accurate. Notify your insurance company as soon as possible.
- Exchange contact and insurance information with the other driver if they remain on site. Try to get the full name and contact information of the driver and passengers. You will also want to collect their insurance company/policy number (if they have one), driver’s license and license plate number, type, color and model of vehicle (photos too), and the exact accident location. If possible, get photos of all vehicles involved in the accident before they are moved. In that case, your best bet is speaking to witnesses to get as much information to pass along to authorities as possible.
- Your next call should be to your insurance company. It’s imperative to let them know about the accident as soon as possible. There are limits for how long you can wait to inform them of an accident. That’s why it’s best to do so right away. For example, if you are hit by an uninsured motorist in Florida and plan to make a claim with your uninsured motorist coverage, the sooner you let your insurance company know, the less likely they are to deny the claim.
Contact Your Florida Personal Injury Lawyer
Your next call should be to your personal injury lawyer Florida. They can help you determine what your next steps should be. This includes whether taking legal action against the uninsured motorist is the right move.
So, if you have found yourself in the unfortunate position of dealing with the fallout of an auto accident in Florida, call Garcia Law today.
We have been practicing law in this area for more than three decades. We understand insurance company tactics and how they handle traffic accident claims. More importantly, the insurance accident victims should not be subjected to an overly aggressive insurance attorney or an impersonal and callous insurance adjuster.
By delivering skilled, compassionate, intellectual, and aggressive representation, Garcia Law can help you move past your accident and on the road to recovery.
Did you learn a lot in this post?
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