The best drivers in the world are still susceptible to the dangerous, reckless, and negligent behaviors of the worst drivers on the road. Unfortunately, this means that you could be caught in a car accident one day, no matter how safely and defensively you drive. In order to help you get through the difficult time that can follow a collision, our Coral Springs personal injury attorneys at Reinfeld Cabrera Tison have compiled a quick list of important dos and don’ts to follow after being in a motor vehicle accident in Florida.
Starting with the negatives, here are things you should not do after a car accident:
- Leave the scene: You should never leave the scene of an accident until authorities have approved of your departure, or all parties involved are satisfied with the information they have collected. If you do, you could be charged with and eventually convicted for a hit-and-run, a serious criminal violation in Florida.
- Apologize: Florida uses personal injury protection (PIP) insurance for car accidents. This system removes the ability to file a claim against the other driver’s insurance company. Instead, your own insurer will pay your compensation. However, another driver may still attempt to try to file a lawsuit against you directly if they are unsatisfied with their own coverage. If you apologize for the accident, it could be seen as an admission of guilt.
- Accept low offers: Your own insurance company is supposed to take care of you after being in a car crash in Florida, but it does not guarantee just how much coverage you will get. Each accident is different from the next and damages need to be evaluated. If you are told that you are getting a suspiciously low amount for your damages, it is likely an intentionally lowballed offer that you might not want to accept right away.
What to do if you have been in an Car Accident:
- Seek medical attention: Even if you do not think you are seriously injured, get yourself to a doctor as soon as possible. You could have underlying injuries causing serious harm that you just cannot feel yet, as in the case of many brain injuries. The sooner you get diagnosed and treated, the better.
- Get information from other drivers: You will be turning to your own PIP insurance provider for coverage after an accident, but you still need to know who hit you. Get the driver’s license number, insurance information, and ways of contacting the other parties, just in case it all becomes crucial later on due to an unexpected case development.
- Talk to a lawyer: Once you get a chance, you should call a Florida car accident attorney about what happened. Many of our clients at Reinfeld Cabrera Tison actually choose to call our Coral Springs personal injury lawyers before talking to their own insurance companies, just so we can take care of any potential issues right away.
Want to know more about our legal services and what else you should do – or not do – after being in a car accident in Florida? Feel free to contact us at any time to speak with a team that genuinely cares about your future and recovery. We are multilingual and keep our lines open 24/7 for emergencies.