Car Accident Lawyer Lakeland, FL

At David & Philpot, P.L., you can be confident when working with a car accident lawyer Lakeland, FL offers from our firm. Our attorneys have extensive knowledge about Florida’s motor vehicle laws and how they can affect your personal injury claim. Call us today to find out more after speaking with a car accident lawyer in Lakeland, FL from our firm.

Contact a Car Accident Lawyer in Lakeland, FL

After a car accident, victims may be dealing with serious injuries and enormous stress. With so much to focus on, developing a legal strategy to pursue compensation from the at-fault party for their damages may not be their priority. Unfortunately, if victims don’t protect their rights from the onset, it may make it difficult if not impossible to recover their damages. Not only will delays allow accident scene evidence to disappear, key eyewitnesses’ memories can fade.

Overall, as time passes it becomes more and more challenging to build a strong case to defend your rights. When you contact a car accident lawyer from David & Philpot, P.L. after sustaining a serious injury, we may represent your best interests. Learn about What Happens in an Out-of-State Car Accident?.

Car Accident Claims and Settlements FAQ

The personal injury claims process is considerably complex and takes time to navigate. Once you have made it through mediation and negotiations, or in some cases through a hearing, you’ll likely have more questions about how you’ll actually receive your settlement.

Questions related to the settlement process are all too common; however, there is no perfect answer for each one. This is because every case is inherently different and will be dependent on the insurance company or negligent party involved in the claim. For instance, one insurance company might issue settlement checks within 30 days; others might take 6-8 weeks. Medical billers may also have their own regulations for billing and receiving payments. This is particularly common when Medicaid or Medicare is a factor. You should discuss this situation with your car accident lawyer in Lakeland, FL to get a clear understanding of what you can expect.

A General Explanation of the Settlement Process

As you maneuver through the process of a car accident claim you might reach a point that involves negotiations and finally a settlement offer. If the offer is fair and just, you might decide to accept — but then what happens? Following your official acceptance, the process to receive your compensation will begin. Here’s what you should know:

The Insurance Company Issues the Check – If you’ve won your settlement with the help of a car accident lawyer, there is a good chance that a check will be mailed to the firm. You might be responsible for executing the check, and then the firm may deposit the money into a trust fund or bank account. This should be discussed beforehand.

Clearing the Settlement – After you have received the check, it will need to be cleared by the bank. Typically this takes between 7 and 10 working days.

Reimbursements – Most likely, your settlement will have liens on it. These liens could come from insurance companies, medical doctors, investigators, and other parties. If you’re unsure whether or not there are pre-existing liens, you can ask your car accident lawyer or look into the following:

• Medical Bills: In nearly all car accident cases, you will be required to pay back your medical providers for any treatment rendered. In many cases, if your medical records were given to your lawyer at no cost, there is a lien. If your lawyers had to pay for the records, there is typically no lien. However, you are likely still responsible for covering outstanding debts.
• Your Lawyer: When your car accident case has been taken on a contingency fee basis, you will have agreed to paying the lawyer for their services when, and if, you recover a settlement. After you have accepted the offer, your lawyer will deduct the amount owed once the check has cleared. The contingency fee is typically a percentage of the settlement. This is something you should discuss with your car accident lawyer before beginning anything.
• Medicaid, Medicare, Government Health Insurance: If your medical treatment has been covered by any government (state or federal) program, you or your lawyer will need to contact the appropriate department to determine what is owed. Failing to do this could result in serious problems, including the holding of your money.
• Private Health Insurance: Dependending on the plan, you may be required to pay back the insurance company for your treatment.
• Child Support: If you are behind on child support, collection agencies may be able to collect a portion of any personal injury settlement in order to pay off your debts. Money in the settlement that is allocated specifically for medical care may be protected from this.

Statute of Limitations for Car Accident Claims

Another important reason to immediately contact a car accident lawyer is because of the statute of limitations. In the state of Florida, personal injury victims have a limited amount of time to file an injury claim. After that time period, their claim will be denied regardless of how serious an injury the victim sustained.

Do not let this happen to you. Contact our office to speak with one of our attorneys. If we represent you in your personal injury case, your David & Philpot, P.L. attorney will make sure your claim is filed before the deadline expires. In addition, your attorney can submit all required paperwork to the proper authorities.

When Your Settlement is Not Enough

If your settlement is not enough to cover your expenses, it is possible that your lawyer will consider a proration. This is an option that is not available in all states, but would allow you to pay off your medical liens, legal fees, and your own losses with equal proportions of money.

If Your Personal Injury Claim Was Denied

If you have filed your accident claim on your own and it was denied, talk to one of our car accident attorneys who may be able to re-submit it. Claims are often denied because incorrect information was provided or the victim did not submit sufficient proof. David & Philpot, P.L. attorneys have a thorough understanding of what is needed for a successful claim. In addition, we have an extensive network of respected medical professionals and other experts who can provide testimony as necessary on behalf of our clients.

Contact a Qualified Lakeland Car Accident Lawyer

If you or a family member was seriously hurt in a car accident that was not your fault, you may be entitled to compensation for your costs. Our legal team may be able to advise you after a review of your case. Request a free and confidential consultation from one of our attorneys. If you would like to find a car accident lawyer Lakeland, FL trusts, contact us at David & Philpot, P.L. today.

Mistakes That Can Damage Your Florida Car Accident Claim

If you were injured in a car accident case that was another driver’s fault, you have the right to sue for compensation. However, in order to receive the compensation you deserve, you must take the proper steps and avoid making errors that can hurt your case. A car accident lawyer at David & Philpot, P.L. lists some of the most common mistakes people make in their car accident claims.

Filing Your Claim Too Late

Every state has a different statute of limitations on car accident claims. Some states may allow you two years to file an accident claims while other states may give you three or four years. If you file your claim once the statute of limitations is up, you will no longer be eligible for compensation. That’s why you should talk to a car accident lawyer in Lakeland, FL about filing a claim as soon as possible.

Not Taking Photos

Photos are one of the most important pieces of evidence you can have in a car accident claim. It’s important to take several photos of the accident scene. Be sure to get clear shots of all the vehicles involved in the accident, skid marks on the road and traffic signs. If you’re too injured to take the photos yourself, don’t hesitate to ask a bystander to do it for you.

Not Being Careful When Posting on Social Media

When you have filed a car accident claim, insurance adjusters may investigate your Facebook and other social media sites for information that could possibly get them off the hook. That’s why it’s important to be extra careful about what you post on social media. For example, if you suffered a back injury in a car accident and posted a photo of you hiking, insurance adjusters may claim that you aren’t hurt as you say you are.

Talking to Insurance Adjusters

After you have been injured in a car accident, insurance adjusters will likely try to contact you. No matter how friendly they seem, you shouldn’t talk to them. Insurance companies are in the business of making money and may try to persuade you to say something that will hurt your case. You should never talk to insurance companies without consulting with your car accident lawyer first.

Failing to Get Medical Care

No matter how you feel after the accident, it’s crucial to see a doctor as soon as possible. He or she can assess the extent of your injuries and recommend the appropriate treatment. Delaying treatment will only jeopardize your health. If you wait too long to seek treatment, it can also hurt your case because insurance adjusters may think you’re not truly hurt.

What to Discuss With Your Doctor After a Car Accident

If you’ve been injured in a car accident, one of the first things you should do is seek medical attention, as a car accident lawyer in Lakeland, FL can explain. Your health is the most important a doctor can assess your injuries and recommend the best treatment. However, you may be unsure of what exactly to talk about during your appointment. To get the most out of your visit, remember to discuss the following topics with your doctor.

The Details of Your Accident

Although it may be difficult to relive the details of the car accident, it’s important to talk about them with your doctor. If you provide your doctor with detailed information about the accident, they will know what to look for and the types of injuries you may have. Were you rear-ended or had a side-impact collision? How did you feel immediately after the accident? These are some examples of the questions you might be asked, so try to remember as much as you can about the crash.

Your Symptoms

To help determine exactly what type of injuries you have, your doctor will ask you about the symptoms you have been experiencing. Whether you’ve been experiencing headaches or knee pain, it’s important to tell your doctor about it. If your doctor knows more about your symptoms, they can determine which diagnostic tools to use, such as MRIs and CAT scans.

Treatment

When you’re dealing with injuries from a car accident, you naturally want to feel better as soon as possible. That’s why treatment options will be one of the most important topics you discuss with your doctor during your appointment. While there may be just one treatment possible for certain injuries, many other injuries may respond to several different treatments. Your doctor should thoroughly explain the positives and negatives of each treatment and help you decide on the right one.

Going Back to Work

Many people who have been hurt in a car accident are eager to go back to work as soon as they can. However, some of them return to work sooner than they should. This can increase the risk of further injuries. That’s why you should ask your doctor when they think you can safely go back to work. Your doctor may also suggest for you to avoid certain tasks when you do go back to work for a while, such as lifting heavy items.

Taking Care of Yourself at Home

During your appointment with your doctor, you should also ask them how you can take good care yourself at home and promote a faster recovery. For example, if you suffered whiplash, your doctor may recommend for you to get plenty of rest, use a neck brace, ice your neck and avoid strenuous activities.

If you were injured in a car accident, schedule a consultation with a car accident lawyer in Lakeland, FL. A Lakeland car accident lawyer can assess your case, help you gather evidence, negotiate with insurance companies and improve your chances of getting a fair settlement.

Not Following Your Doctor’s Advice

After a doctor has evaluated your injuries, he or she will suggest the proper course of treatment. Whether your doctor recommends bed rest or physical therapy, it’s important to follow instructions. If the insurance company finds out that you haven’t been following your doctor’s advice, they might not believe you are as hurt as you say you are.

3 Tips for Handling a Car Accident When You’re Injured

Suffering an accident is never something you plan on; however, there is always a chance one will occur. With the number of commuters on the roads, there is a fair chance that at some point you will find yourself in a crash.

Knowing how to handle things, especially if you get injured, is critical. Having this knowledge can help you get past a stressful situation with more grace and poise than most. Having this handy list in mind, or even on paper, may save you precious time in the moments and days following a collision. Take these three tips to heart and allow them to guide you should you need them.

1. Call 911 and Get Photos of the Scene

After a crash, you may be thinking only of the pain in your shoulder or head. If you have an injury that requires immediate medical attention, make sure you alert the 911 emergency dispatcher about it. Injuries requiring critical care take precedence over anything else in this list, and as such, reporting these to the people who can help you is paramount to anything else. If you are unable to call the police yourself, ask a bystander or even the other driver to do it for you.

If you can function and remove yourself from the car, you need to go straight to work documenting the scene. Do not do this from the middle of a busy intersection, but rather from a safe distance near the side. Secondary accidents occur when other vehicles strike those that were involved in the crash.

2. Seek Medical Treatment

If you do not think you are injured severely enough to warrant an ambulance, you should still seek medical attention after an accident. The reasons for this include silent injuries that may cause you great harm in the long run if left unattended. Head injuries, for instance, may not manifest as you would expect, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have one.

3. Notify Your Insurance Company

Alerting your insurance company to the accident should be something on your list of things to do shortly after the crash. You do not need to launch into great detail or even give a recorded statement immediately, but you do need to tell them about the accident. Be prepared to provide them with a basic idea of what happened and tell them that you are injured or have seen a doctor.

A car accident lawyer is a good ally in the fight to recover damages after a car accident injury. Finding one in your area may help you when dealing with the aftermath of a crash.

If you have been injured in a car accident, schedule a consultation with a car accident lawyer Lakeland FL clients trust from David & Philpot, P.L. today.