What happens when you’re in a car accident in Florida?

Well, first of all, you have to assess the damage. That includes whether you have any injuries.

Some of your injuries will be immediately visible and evident. If you smashed your hand on the steering wheel or got a cut on your cheek, that’s something that you’ll see and feel right away. These are some of the more manageable injuries to deal with.

What concerns many doctors and advocates are the injuries that you might not notice until later. A twinge in your back, or a whisper of pain around your ribs…

Some of these are caused by subtle kinds of soft tissue damage or whiplash or other things that will worsen as time goes on unless they are treated by medical professionals. That’s important in reviewing the large numbers of car accidents that happen every year within the state. 

Florida’s No-Fault System

Here’s how Florida addresses the high cost of personal injury in car accidents. 

The state uses what’s called a no-fault system, which means that when you’re trying to get coverage for your medical bills and other costs, you’re going to your own insurance company instead of trying to get money from the at-fault driver’s insurer. This was originally done to limit caseloads and their impact on state courts. But it comes with its own set of issues and considerations that need to be addressed and paid attention to by officials and those dealing with the aftereffects of vehicle accidents. 

An item called Personal Injury Protection (PIP) is the first line of cost coverage against both kinds of injuries – the ones that you see right away, and the ones that develop later. Knowing about how PIP works, and the overall context is important when handling an auto accident case.

Complexity, Cost Analysis, and Coverage

The problem is that this isn’t always straightforward. Lots of complexities can arise. If PIP is not sufficient, other kinds of payments may be in play. If some types of exclusions apply, then insurance companies may try to wriggle out of delivering payment.

At Hutchison and Tubiana, we can help you to go over all of the costs of your injury and understand what they mean. We will make sure that your voice is heard in Florida courts, so that you can access your rights under the law, to get the help that you need with medical bills and more. Let us help you to work through a resolution for your auto accident injuries.