ACCIDENTS
Accidents do not have to happen. When they do, however, a person often finds themself injured, confused and worried about how to handle the situation. Accidents are almost always the result of the negligence of at least one person. In most accidents there is at least one insurance company that gets involved by assigning an adjuster to the case. These adjusters may seem friendly and eager to help, but make no mistake about it, their loyalty is to the insurance company. That is why it is important to get an experienced attorney involved in your case. This will allow you to “level the playing field” with the insurance company and insure that your rights and interests are protected.
We represent people on all types of accident cases, some of them are listed below:
CAR ACCIDENTS
These are the most common type of accidents. Most car accidents are the result of negligence. Whether you were rear ended by a distracted or drunk driver, or “t-boned” by someone who ran a red light or stop sign, We can help you. Victims of car accidents often find themselves overwhelmed by the incident. First and foremost, you are injured.
Accident injuries can include:
- Whiplash
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Traumatic Brain Injuries
- Broken Bones
- Torn or Ruptured Ligaments
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- T.M.J.
- Injuries in result of an air bag
- Shoulder Injuries
- Permanent Scarring
- Death
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These injuries all require medical attention which can include: physical therapy, pain medicines, antibiotics, pain management injections and even surgery. The cost of your medical treatment can rise very quickly. Before you can even begin the healing process you will find yourself under assault from medical bill collections agencies, insurance injury adjusters who want you to accept pennies on the dollar and property damage adjusters who don’t want to give you fair value for the damage to your vehicle. We can and will represent you in every aspect of your accident case. We will help you to recover a sum that covers your property damage, past, present and future medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages and any other damages you may have suffered.
Below I have listed some of the frequently asked questions regarding auto accidents:
- Should I make a police report if I am in an accident?
- How will I pay these bills?
- I’ve used all of my PIP coverage, I don’t have health insurance and I still need medical treatment, what should I do?
- What is Bodily Injury Insurance?
- What is uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage?
- Who will pay to get my car fixed?
1. Should I make a police report if I am in an accident?
YES, even if you didnt call the police at the time of the accident, you can still make a report with the local law enforcement agency. The police report is often a key factor in determining who was at fault and who should recover for damages for the accident
2. How will I pay these bills?
Every driver in Florida is required to carry PIP insurance. PIP insures that everyone injured in an auto accident has some insurance money immediately available to pay medical bills. Most PIP policies only cover 80% of the medical bills and 60% of the lost wages up to $10,000. To recover the full and fair amount of compensation you will need to go beyond the PIP coverage and make a bodily injury or uninsured motorist claim.
3. I’ve used all of my PIP coverage, I don’t have health insurance and I still need medical treatment, what should I do?
Many Doctors will accept a “letter of protection” from an Attorney who represents an accident victim. This letter will allow a Doctor to treat you based on a promise to be paid when your claim is settled. Once your claim is settled we can negotiate and reduce your medical bills so all of your settlement is not used to pay them.
4. What is Bodily Injury Insurance?
This is the type of insurance that people and businesses carry to cover injuries caused to the victim of the accident they caused. Not all drivers have this type of insurance, an experienced Attorney can find out if the at fault party in your case has it.
5. What is uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage?
This type of insurance is carried by the victims of the accident. If the at fault party does not have enough insurance to cover your damages, you can use this insurance, at no penalty to you, to make up the difference.
6. Who will pay to get my car fixed?
Most insured drivers carry property damage insurance coverage. I help my clients with their property damage claim as well as their injury claim. I will fight to get you the full and fair value of your damaged or destroyed property.
We represent victims of car accidents. Michael Herron will represent you personally and help you deal with every aspect of your case. He will gather the evidence and present your case in an ethical and professional manner to help you get the recovery you deserve.
MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENTS
Motorcycle accident cases are handled like car accident cases except for a few key differences that are listed below:
PIP Insurance
Most motorcyclists don’t carry PIP insurance because it isn’t required in Florida. This means that a motorcyclist, who is the victim of an accident, will have to use the PIP insurance of the driver. If there is no PIP available an attorney can issue a letter of protection on your behalf.
Injuries
The injuries caused to the cyclist in an accident are usually far more serious than those caused in a car accident. It is not uncommon for the injured rider to lose a limb or suffer a traumatic brain injury. Special care is needed in the handling of these cases to insure that the client recovers enough to guarantee proper care of his/her injuries.
Property Damage
Most of the time the motorcycle is badly damaged and the insurance company decides to “total” it. Be sure to consult the NADA bluebook and the dealer in order to determine fair replacement value.
Large Truck/Commercial Vehicle Accidents
Because they are usually owned or operated by a business, commercial vehicles tend to carry better insurance coverage than most personal vehicles. There are two major causes of big truck/commercial vehicle accidents. They are:
Aggressive Driving
Its far too often that we see a commercial driver trying to weave his way through traffic at a high speed in order to meet a deadline. These can be some of the most horrific accidents due to the size and weight of the commercial vehicle.
Negligent Maintenance
It is very important to inspect the commercial vehicle and to review it’s maintenance records in order to determine if negligent maintenance was the cause of the accident. We can gather these key pieces of evidence and use them to properly and professionally prosecute your case.
Pedestrian/Bicycle Accidents
These accidents are similar to motorcycle accidents due to both the severity of the injuries and the need to use the insurance of the at fault driver to cover the medical bills. Pedestrian and bicycle accidents often result in catastrophic injury or death. Often the at fault driver is underinsured and unable to cover the damages suffered by his victim. These cases require a thorough investigation to insure that all of the applicable insurance policies are found. This will help to insure the maximum possible recovery.
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