We live in a world where accidents happen. Car accidents are just that, accidents. Slipping on wet floors or tripping on cluttered walkways are accidents. In most cases, injuries are caused by something done accidentally not purposefully. Insurance exists to protect people who are hurt in accidents. When you meet with us for your free consultation, we will walk you step by step through the insurance process and you will immediately see the personalized approach we take to your personal injury case. And when you retain us, our number one priority is to help you recover financially from the devastating effects of someone else’s negligence.
We handle the following type of Personal Injury Cases:
Auto Accidents
According to the Florida Division of Motor Vehicles, more than 200,000 auto accidents occur in Florida annually. The odds are at some point in your life you or a loved one will be involved in a motor vehicle accident. Here are some tips to protect you and your loved ones both before and after an auto accident.
Before an accident:
Make sure that you have Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage on your insurance policy. This coverage is vital to protecting you and your family in the event that you are injured in an auto accident and the person who hit you has no insurance or not enough insurance. If you have multiple vehicles on your policy, you are even able to stack this coverage which means that you multiply the available coverage by the number of vehicles on your policy. Take for instance a family with 3 cars on their policy. If their insurance policy has Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage at $50,000 per person, and the family has elected to stack the Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage, then there is now $150,000 in Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage available to each person. It is important to remember that if you are involved in an accident and the other driver has no insurance and you do not have Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage then there is no coverage. It is important to review your insurance policy now to ensure that you have this most important coverage. Contact us today at (407) 374-1884, for a free evaluation of your auto policy.
Give emergency personal access to your emergency contact by storing it in your phone. Add the letters ICE (In Case of Emergency) to the person in your contacts list that you would like to be contacted in case of an emergency. (e.g. ICE-Mom).
After an accident:
Always contact 9-1-1 and report the accident. Ask the officer that responds to complete a police report. This is a vital part of your insurance claim.
If you can safely, take photos of the position of the vehicles and the damage to the vehicles before the vehicles are moved.
Immediately seek medical treatment. Florida law requires that you seek medical treatment with 14 days of your accident to be entitled to your No-Fault insurance benefits of $10,000.00. For a discussion on No-Fault benefits, please visit our Glossary of Legal Terms. If you wait to see a doctor beyond 14 days, you are not entitled to the No-Fault benefits that you pay for every month.
Contact an attorney. Do not discuss your accident with any insurance company before you speak with an attorney. When you hire our firm, we will handle every step of the insurance process including reporting the claim. Despite their catchy jingles and endearing spokespeople, insurance companies will find any way possible to deny your insurance claim. We will protect you during the entire process.
Common Mistakes to Avoid After an Auto Accident:
Not seeking immediate medical treatment.
Not being consistent with medical care.
Not staying in contact with your attorney.
Not showing up at appointments scheduled by your attorney or medical doctor.
When you schedule your FREE consultation, you will meet with the attorney that will be handling your case, not a case manager. We take pride in offering personal and individualized representation for our clients. We are here to help you in your greatest time of need. You do not have to go it alone.
Slip and Falls and Trip and Falls:
The elements to a slip and fall or trip and fall case include proving that the accident was caused by a “dangerous condition” and that the property owner knew or should have known of the dangerous condition and that the condition was one that a “reasonable person” would not anticipate.
Typically the primary issue is whether the property owner acted as a “reasonably prudent person” would have. This comes down to determining things such as how long the dangerous condition existed for, determining what the procedures in place are, if any, for checking the premises to detect such dangerous conditions, legitimate reason for the dangerous condition, the effect of warning signs, etc.
It is important to know that a slip or trip and fall case can be diminished by any perceived carelessness on your part.
It is important to immediately contact an attorney to ensure that evidence of your accident is properly preserved and gathered.
Other Personal Injury Claims:
There are unlimited ways for people to be hurt because of an accident or someone else’s negligence. If you or a loved one has been injured, contact us today for a free evaluation.
If you have further questions about the different types of personal injury claims, or would like to set up a FREE initial consultation, please contact the experienced personal injury lawyers at the Law Office of Chad A. Barr, serving the Orlando, Florida area.
The Law Office of Chad A. Barr provides legal representation to the Central Florida area in these practice areas: Personal Injury, Lost Wages, Unpaid Overtime, Appeals and more.