You do not need a lawyer after some car accidents in Tampa, FL. In some situations, a lawyer might not even accept your case because you can resolve your claim without legal knowledge or prior experience dealing with insurance companies.
In more complicated cases, knowing how to get money from a car accident without a lawyer will help you understand what is happening and when to seek legal help. If you need legal assistance, a Tampa car accident lawyer from Mincone Personal Injury Lawyers represents you against insurers and at-fault drivers to pursue fair injury compensation. Contact us today for a free consultation or call us at (813) 800-0810.
How Mincone Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After An Accident In Tampa, FL
Mincone Personal Injury Lawyers has recovered millions of dollars in financial compensation for injured people in Tampa, Florida. Our founding attorney has over 15 years of legal experience standing up to those responsible for your injury-related losses.
After you suffer an injury due to the negligent or wrongful acts of an individual or business, our firm provides the following legal services:
- Listening to your story and explaining your legal options
- Investigating your accident and gathering evidence to support your case
- Filing an insurance claim and negotiating to resolve it
- Litigating against the at-fault party and their insurer when we cannot settle your claim
Car accident injuries can cause disabilities and significant financial losses. Contact Mincone Personal Injury Lawyers for a free consultation with a Tampa car accident attorney to discuss your injuries and the compensation we can recover for them.
Crash Cases Where You May Not Need Legal Representation
There are two situations in which you might not need a lawyer’s help to recover compensation for your car accident. The first is a property damage-only accident. If you only have property losses, such as damage to your vehicle and personal items, the insurer will use widely accepted accounting methods to determine the value of your property.
Since the stakes are relatively low and the insurer typically provides an explanation of its calculations, you can usually resolve your claim without a lawyer’s assistance. Even if the insurer underestimates your losses, you can often use sources like repair estimates to push for a higher payout.
Second, Florida uses a no-fault insurance system in which vehicle owners must buy personal injury protection (PIP) coverage. After a crash involving minor injuries, you file a claim with your vehicle’s insurer. You cannot pursue a claim against the at-fault driver unless your losses exceed your PIP coverage limits or you suffer a significant, permanent injury.
You can often handle these claims without a lawyer. Your insurer does not determine fault. Instead, it only examines your losses, such as your medical expenses and lost income, to make sure they fall within your policy. It then pays you 80% of your eligible medical costs and 60% of qualifying wage losses. It does not pay for non-economic losses like pain and suffering.
How To Recover Money After An Accident Without A Lawyer
The steps for recovering money through an accident claim start at the accident scene. Before you leave the crash site, perform the following steps:
- Report the accident to the police
- Check on the other driver and exchange insurance information
- Take photos of the crash
- Gather the names and contact information of any witnesses
If the police respond to your accident, cooperate with the officers as they investigate the crash and prepare the crash report. This report could be important when filing your insurance claims.
Seek medical care for any injuries you suffered. Documenting the cause and severity of your injuries will be essential to any PIP claim you file. You should try to see a doctor promptly after your accident. Florida law allows insurers to deny PIP claims if you fail to seek initial diagnosis and treatment within 14 days of your crash.
After your crash, document all your resulting costs and losses. Include everything, such as the towing bill, taxi or rideshare fares, and health insurance copays. You will need receipts or other records showing how much you paid and for what.
File your insurance claim. No-fault insurance rules only apply to injuries. If the other driver caused a property damage-only accident, you can file a claim against their policy to repair or replace your vehicle. To recover compensation, you must prove negligence. You will explain what happened and include your photos and a copy of the official crash report.
You must document your injuries and losses for PIP claims. You will include the crash report to prove how your injuries occurred. The insurer also needs copies of your medical records and any financial records that document your losses.
Carefully read the paperwork for any claim denials. You can often overcome denials by submitting additional documentation. Once the insurer accepts the claim, negotiate for a settlement that covers your losses.
Contact Our Tampa, FL, Accident Lawyers For A Free Consultation
While you can sometimes resolve a car accident case without a lawyer’s help, consider talking to a lawyer about your case to verify that it falls into this category. Contact us for a free consultation to discuss your case and how we can help you.
