Should I hire a lawyer after my car accident?

If you’ve been in a car accident in Florida, one of the first questions you may ask is: “Do I really need a lawyer?”
For many people, the answer is yes — and here’s why.

1. Florida’s No-Fault System Is Complicated

In the state of Florida, it is required for drivers to use their own PIP insurance first, but the unfortunate part of this is that it only covers part of your medical bills and lost wages. A lawyer helps you stay protected by fighting denials, proving your injury qualifies for full PIP benefits, and ensuring that bills don’t slip through the cracks or miss any deadlines.

2. You’ll Need to Prove that the accident caused a “Permanent Injury” for Pain and Suffering

Lawyers know how to document your injuries and work with the right medical providers so insurance companies can’t deny you. To pursue compensation from the at-fault driver, the state of Florida law requires proof of a permanent injury, which can be extremely difficult for you to do on your own while you are trying to focus on recovering from the incident itself. It’s best to keep peace of mind and let the lawyers handle the stress, while you can put your health first.

3. Insurance Companies Don’t Play Fair

Unfortunately, adjusters often push quickly for low settlements or talk to you in a way that manipulates your perspective and tries to put you at fault. A lawyer protects you from these tactics, helps you through the process, and has experience, which means they know what kind of moves these insurance companies will try to go for next. They handle all the negotiations and the deception tactics; therefore, you don’t get taken advantage of.

4. Florida’s New Comparative Fault Rule Can Wipe Out Your Claim

This is something that Insurance companies know and LOVE! If they can convince a jury or even have a strong argument during negotiations that you were/are mostly responsible, they don’t have to pay you at all. The insurance company has to be able to pin more than 50% of the blame on you for them not to pay, and for you to get nothing. Having a lawyer on your side who knows how to counter these arguments using evidence, witnesses, and accident data.

5. Evidence Disappears Fast

Evidence disappears quickly in Florida car crashes because traffic footage, surveillance, and 911 audio are often deleted within days and sometimes weeks, while a lawyer immediately sends preservation letters, requests for the dash-cam and body-cam footage, intersection surveillance, and insurance policy disclosure requests that are required by the state. Leaving no time to waste, while you might be sitting there questioning if your next move is the right one to make.

6. You Get a Better Settlement

Studies consistently show that represented accident victims receive higher compensation. A lawyer also negotiates medical bills and finds every available insurance policy to maximize your recovery.

Overall, it’s important to hire representation after a car accident because you aren’t just hiring them to “fight” you’re hiring them to protect your rights, handle the insurance companies, ensure that all your paper work makes any special deadlines, and they make sure you get compensated for your injuries, lost wages, and pain and suffering that the accident has caused you.

Call Tucker Law at 1-800-TUCKERWINS. We’ll help you understand your options, protect your claim, and take the pressure off your shoulders so you can focus on getting better.