Orlando Car Accident Injuries Attorney
If you have been in a car accident, whether you were in the car that got hit or the one doing the hitting, you know the feeling that comes immediately after all the pieces come to a stop. It is the realization of what just happened and then the onrush of adrenalin. You may find yourself shaking long after the impact while you are describing what happened to law enforcement. You may not realize that you have been injured in the car accident.
Legal Implications
Many legal issues come into play when a car accident occurs. Someone is going to be found to be at fault. Damages to the vehicles will have to be repaired and someone will have to pay. Injuries, even those latent invisible injuries that have a nasty way of popping up long after the accident occurred, will have to be healed. With so much information regarding legal issues and compensation talk bombarding us everyday from television and radio commercials and the onslaught of brochures that you receive after the accident - it makes sense to try and understand what can be the legal ramifications of an accident on you. These questions are many and the law is complex but we will try to answer many of these questions here.
Accident Report Privilege
The Accident Report Privilege: Almost all non-lawyers have no idea what this statutory provision is. It is very important to know and understand how the "accident report privilege" works. Basically, it requires all people involved in an accident to cooperate with law enforcement that is investigating the crash. Because it is required that you cooperate for the crash investigation, you are given immunity from everything that you tell the police. This means what you say to the police during their accident investigation cannot be used against you in a criminal case or civil citation case.
Accident Citation Most Often "Careless Driving"
Proof Beyond a Reasonable Doubt: This is the standard of proof required to be met by the State in order to prove any citation you are given. Think about that - most accidents do not involve law enforcement as a witness. Most of the time all the police can testify to is that he was called out to an accident, what he saw when he arrived, and that based upon his investigation he issued a ticket. The real evidence has to come from the witnesses and this can be problematic for the State's case.
Being Listed As At-Fault
Being Issued a Citation - At-Fault: Law enforcement does not have to issue a citation at accidents but often feels obliged to determine who is the "at-fault" driver in all accidents. This has huge implications when comes to insurance issues and driving privileges. Citations for accident cases typically are 4 point or more tickets. If you are involved in three accidents or more, even if not your fault, your insurance carrier can drop you.
Are You Covered
Uninsured Motorist Coverage: Don't have any? Get it - lots of it. Insurance agents downplay the need for uninsured motorist coverage because without it they are pretty much off the hook should you get injured in an accident. By law, everyone with insurance has "personal injury protection," also known as PIP. This covers 80% of the first $10,000 of medical expenses. If your injuries are more serious then the at-fault driver's bodily coverage would be tapped. However, what happens if the at-fault driver that injured you has only $20,000 coverage? You are looking at a total of $28,000 worth of coverage for medical costs. If you are seriously injured that money is gone in less than a week. Uninsured motorist coverage protects you if you are injured by a driver with no insurance or minimum amounts of coverage.
Our Office...
Contact us immediately after being in a car accident. We will inform you of your rights, what to expect from the police, insurance companies and how it will impact your drivers license. We will not only represent you on any traffic ticket or criminal charges but we will also look into your personal injuries and the insurance companies obligations. You may have a claim.
