The Insurance Information Institute (III) reported that Florida had a higher percentage of uninsured motorists than any other state in the U.S. in 2015. If you get into a car accident caused by an uninsured driver in Florida, it can be challenging to obtain compensation for your losses.
If an uninsured driver caused a car accident that resulted in injury, property damage, or other losses to you or your loved ones, our St. Petersburg uninsured car accident lawyer may be able to help you recover compensation.
The team at Ben Crump Law, PLLC might be able to help you by investigating the accident and the driver, negotiating with insurance companies on your behalf, and if necessary, filing a personal injury lawsuit to help you recover expenses. Call us at (844) 730-0233 today to schedule a free consultation at no obligation. We operate on contingency, so you will never owe us anything unless we can earn a fair settlement for you.
Ways to Receive Compensation for an Uninsured Car Accident
The Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) explains that all Florida motorists are required by law to have both personal injury protection (PIP) and property damage liability (PDL) insurance coverage for car accidents. The minimum coverage requirement for each is $10,000. The PIP covers your own medical bills, regardless of who was at fault in the accident, and the PDL covers property damage to someone else’s vehicle if you were at fault for an accident.
Although Florida requires having insurance coverage, not everyone follows the law. If you get into a motor vehicle accident caused by a driver who does not have car insurance, it may be difficult to recover compensation for your losses. An attorney may be able to help you by discussing your options, advising you on a course of action, and working to obtain a fair settlement.
One way you may be able to obtain compensation for the expenses of the accident is through an uninsured motorist policy. Florida law does not require this insurance coverage, but if you have it and your insurance company refuses to pay your expenses, a lawyer can help you negotiate with your insurance provider or help you sue them if necessary.
Another way you may be able to recover compensation after a car accident with an uninsured driver is through a personal injury lawsuit, which will require proving the other driver’s negligence or liability for the accident. There are four main steps to this kind of lawsuit:
- Establish a duty of care. In personal injury cases, you first need to show that the defendant had a responsibility to behave in a certain way in the situation. In the case of car accidents, every driver has a responsibility to follow traffic laws and take reasonable actions to prevent harm from occurring to others.
- Prove a breach of that duty. Next, personal injury cases hinge on proving that the defendant failed to exercise proper care in a situation. This lack of care establishes negligence and liability for the resulting injuries and losses. Proving a breach of duty in a car accident could mean gathering evidence that the driver broke traffic laws. Florida follows a comparative negligence law, Florida Statutes § 768.81, in determining liability. Under this law, each person involved in an incident is responsible for their portion of fault. For example, if you are 10% at fault for the collision, you would receive only 90% of the awards.
- Show that the breach caused harm. In order to receive compensation for your losses, you have to show that the other driver’s negligence caused your injuries and losses.
- List the losses. Finally, you will need to show the actual costs incurred by the accident, such as medical expenses and the cost of vehicle repairs or replacement.
Recovering compensation after a car accident with an uninsured driver can be challenging, but a St. Petersburg uninsured car accident lawyer and the rest of the team at Ben Crump Law, PLLC does not shy away from tough cases. We will advocate for you to receive the justice and compensation that you deserve.
What Compensation Can Cover
Possible awards you could recover for a car accident through a personal injury lawsuit include both economic and non-economic losses, such as:
- Medical expenses
- Property damage costs
- Funeral expenses
- Loss of earnings
- Mental pain and suffering
- Loss of companionship
You deserve to receive compensation after an accident caused by someone else because you should not have to suffer the further injury of a financial burden for something that was not your fault. Additionally, pursuing compensation could help prevent more accidents in the future by holding the negligent driver responsible for their actions.
For a free legal consultation with a uninsured car lawyer serving St.Petersburg, call (844) 730-0233
Meeting the Statute of Limitations
The statute of limitations is a law that places a time limit on how long you have to pursue legal action after a wrongful event occurs. According to Florida Statutes § 95.11, the statute of limitations for personal injury cases is four years, and for wrongful death cases, it is two years.
In some cases, you will be unable to recover any compensation if your accident occurred beyond the statute of limitations. However, there can be rare exceptions, so you may want to consult a St. Petersburg uninsured car accident lawyer to be sure you know your legal options.
St.Petersburg Uninsured Car Lawyer Near Me (844) 730-0233
Contact Ben Crump Law, PLLC for Assistance
Any car accident can be traumatic and stressful, but one with an uninsured driver may be even more so. The St. Petersburg uninsured car accident lawyer at Ben Crump Law, PLLC is here to help you and your family through this difficult time.
Our team can assist you in recovering compensation by gathering evidence of liability for the accident, negotiating with insurance providers, filing a personal injury lawsuit, identifying what losses you may be able to recover, and working to obtain a fair settlement for your losses. You can call us at (844) 730-0233 today to schedule a no-cost, no-obligation consultation, and since we work on contingency, you will not owe us anything unless we can recover compensation for you.
Call or text (844) 730-0233 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
