Secrets Insurance Companies Won’t Tell You After a Florida Car Accident

After a Florida car accident, dealing with insurance companies can feel overwhelming. Adjusters might seem friendly and supportive, but their main goal is to protect the insurer’s bottom line, not your recovery. To protect their employers’ profits, insurance adjusters often withhold information. Understanding the information that insurers frequently don’t share with claimants can significantly impact the outcome of your claim.

Below, we share five key facts that insurance companies rarely share after a car accident in Florida.

1.    You Don’t Have To Provide a Recorded Statement

Often, insurance adjusters reach out to claimants soon after the accident, requesting a recorded statement. However, what adjusters will not tell you is that you are not legally obligated to provide a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurance company.

If an adjuster contacts you asking for a recorded statement, you can legally say no. A polite way to do so is to inform them that you need to speak to an attorney first. Remember, anything you say can be used to minimize or deny your claim.

2.    Early Settlement Offers Are Usually Low

Insurance companies often offer quick settlement offers after an accident. It is crucial to note that these offers are rarely fair. Early offers usually come before a victim has understood the full extent of their injuries, meaning they may significantly undervalue your claim. It’s in your best interest not to accept a settlement offer before consulting an attorney. Once you take a settlement, you generally give up your right to seek further compensation, even if your injuries worsen later or you realize you need additional medical treatment or ongoing treatment.

3.    You Are Entitled to More Than Just Medical Bills

Insurance companies may focus only on your immediate medical expenses, but in Florida, you are entitled to compensation for much more. This includes lost wages, property damage, diminished earning capacity, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and other economic and non-economic damages. Insurance companies tend to avoid explaining the full scope of damages you may be legally entitled to.

4.    You Can Still Recover Compensation Even if You Were Partially at Fault

Many accident victims assume they cannot recover damages if they contributed to the accident. However, Florida follows a comparative negligence rule. Under Florida law, you can still recover damages as long as your percentage of fault is not more than 50, although your payout might be reduced based on your level of fault.

5.    You Have the Right To Hire an Attorney

Insurance companies don’t usually inform you that you can hire an attorney and that doing so can make a significant difference. Hiring an attorney can help ensure you recover fair compensation and prevent the insurance company from taking advantage of you. Research and real-world outcomes have consistently shown that represented claimants often recover more than those handling their claims alone.

Contact Us for Legal Help

If you’ve been involved in an accident, contact our skilled Orlando car accident attorneys at The Pendas Law Firm for help protecting your rights and pursuing the compensation you deserve.

The Pendas Law Firm also represents clients in Ocala, Tampa, Miami, Jacksonville, Bradenton, Daytona Beach, West Palm Beach, Fort Myers, Fort Lauderdale, Naples, and Melbourne.

Source:

leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0700-0799/0768/Sections/0768.81.html