A recent research study indicates that Florida is one of the worst states to be involved in a car accident. According to a local Florida news report, the study was conducted by a well-known financial planning website and useD insurance information to come to its ultimate conclusion. The report relayed an anecdote by a woman who was in a car accident in Florida. Apparently, the woman was coming home from work one evening when another car hit the side of her recently paid-off Ford. Unfortunately, the other driver did not have a license, was driving someone else’s car, and was from a foreign country. The ordeal took over six months and many thousands of dollars before the accident victim was able to get back to her normal life. The research study explains that over 23.8 percent of drivers in Florida do not have car insurance. That makes Florida the second-highest state in the country in that category. Additionally, Florida has a very permissive policy on the amount of insurance that drivers are required to have, meaning that drivers can carry insurance with very low limits. As a result, there are many situations where damages go unpaid and people (and insurance companies) are not held accountable. Car Accidents in Florida When One Party is Uninsured Florida law requires that drivers have at least $10,000 in personal injury protection, commonly referred to as PIP. However, in many situations PIP insurance does not cover all of the damages one party has incurred as a result of the accident. After the other driver’s PIP insurance is depleted, accident victims may not have any other coverage to cover the rest of the damages because the other driver is under- or uninsured. If the negligent driver is under- or uninsured, the victim’s insurance may need to cover the rest of the costs. However, some victims do not have the adequate amount of insurance to cover all the damages caused by the accident. There are other ways to collect compensation for the damages a victim incurred. An experienced attorney in Florida may be able to assist the victim in finding alternative ways to collect the damages from the negligent party’s home or health insurance. In cases where a victim needs to collect insurance, it is highly likely that the insurance company will conduct an investigation of its own in an attempt to lower its payout. An experienced attorney can also assist in preparing a victim’s own investigation and ensuring that a fair and adequate payout is received. Have You Been in a Florida Accident With an Uninsured Driver? If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in an accident in Florida and the other party was under- or uninsured, it is important that you retain the assistance of a dedicated Florida personal injury attorney. These cases encompass a significant amount of complexities and the need to deal with several parties. The attorneys at the Dean Law Firm in Ocala, Florida have many collective years of experience in handling these types of matters. Even if the other party is uninsured, you still may be able to collect damages for the injuries you sustained in the accident. Contact our office at 352-387-8700 to schedule a free initial consultation today. More Blog Posts: Canadian Motorcyclist Killed in Accident in Florida, Ocala Injury Lawyers Blog, published January 22, 2014. Florida Police Patrol Car Gets into Accident with SUV, Ocala Injury Lawyers Blog, published December 13, 2014.
