Florida Car Accident Lawyers for Driver Injuries

Experienced Car Accident Lawyers Dedicated to Getting Fair Compensation for Driver Injuries in South Florida Crash Cases

Immediately following an accident, the first thought is to deal with any passenger or driver injuries. The next thing we tend to think about is who’s going to pay for those injuries. That responsibility will generally fall on each driver’s car insurance company and any driver who was at fault for causing the accident.

The at-fault driver will sometimes be legally and financially responsible for any injuries or damages that come from the accident. Even when the car insurance companies take care of everything, determining fault may still be necessary to decide who faces criminal punishment or might have to pay higher insurance premiums. 

But sometimes fault cannot easily be assigned to only one driver. That’s because multiple parties may have contributed to the accident. 

If you sustained injuries in a car crash in which you were the driver of one of the vehicles, it is particularly important to get the advice of an experienced car accident lawyer. At Lawlor, White & Murphey, our experienced driver injury attorneys will help advocate on your behalf, whether you were the at-fault driver or not.

Driver Injury Recovery Through PIP 

After getting into an accident, regardless of who was at fault, each driver will first turn to their respective car insurance companies for compensation. This is because Florida is a “no fault” state.

Practically every Florida driver who carries car insurance will have PIP, or personal injury protection car insurance coverage. This allows injured drivers to receive 80% of their medical bills and 60% of their lost wages as compensation from their own car insurance company. Each driver will look to obtain compensation from their own PIP coverage regardless of their level of fault in the accident.

What happens if PIP coverage is not enough to fully compensate the injured driver? That’s when the “innocent”  driver can go after the at-fault driver. 

Because Florida is a no fault state, you can’t just sue another driver whenever you feel like it. This is true even if that driver is the sole cause of your injuries. You can usually only sue another driver in two situations.

The first situation is when you suffer severe injuries. An injury is severe if it results in any of the following:

• Significant limitation of a body system or function.
• At least one broken bone.
• Long-term disability.
• Serious disfigurement.
• A life-long reduction in the use of a body part or internal organ.

You can see how vague these requirements are. For example, how serious must a disfigurement be? Or what constitutes a serious limitation to the body? 

Arguing these points is not always an easy task. It not only requires making the right legal arguments, but also entails gathering the necessary medical records and documentation.

The second situation is when your PIP car insurance coverage is insufficient to fully compensate you for your injuries and lost wages. For instance, if your PIP car insurance coverage has a $20,000 policy limit, but your injuries total $50,000, you can sue the at-fault driver for the remaining $30,000.

Getting Compensation from Insurance Companies

Even when determining fault is an easy thing to do, the at-fault driver won’t always readily pay up. That’s because it’s usually not the driver who actually pays for property damage or personal injuries to others.

Usually, the at-fault driver’s car insurance company writes the check when compensating other drivers. But insurance companies don’t always pay promptly or in the amount they should. 

Insurance companies will often try to wiggle their way out of paying up. They might do this by trying to shift blame or fault to a driver who wasn’t at fault. 

Or they might try to use intimidation tactics to make you think that you are responsible for your own injuries even if you weren’t at fault. Or perhaps they’ll stall and delay in the hopes you are willing to accept a smaller amount than you’re legally entitled to.

What Happens When More Than One Driver Is Legally Responsible for the Accident?

The short answer to this question is that a court will try and divide the fault among the multiple drivers. Unless a driver is 100% at fault, an injured driver will receive at least some compensation. This is called the “pure” comparative negligence rule.

This means that compensation amounts can be reduced for driver injuries based upon the percentage of fault assigned to that driver. For instance, imagine a driver is entitled to $10,000 in compensation for personal injuries and/or property damage. But they’re 30% at fault for causing the accident. This means they will only receive $7,000.

So unless the driver is 100% at fault, they can make a claim for compensation for any injuries sustained in the crash.  This includes compensation for driver injuries such as:

• Head and neck injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Back injuries
• Lacerations
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Broken bones
• Soft tissue injuries
• Internal organ damage
• Whiplash
• Strains and sprains

Why Hire a South Florida Car Accident Attorney?

When it comes to driver injuries, getting the help of an experienced car accident attorney is important. Our talented legal team will carefully analyze the evidence in your case. From there, we will formulate the strongest possible claim that you were not responsible for the driver injuries sustained in the crash.

At Lawlor, White & Murphey, our experienced personal injury lawyers will handle every aspect of your case. This includes establishing your claim, then recovering the maximum amount of compensation possible for your driver injuries from the car accident.  We will:

• Gather and evaluate evidence surrounding the cause of your car accident.
• Coordinate with medical experts to determine how the injuries you sustained will impact your future and finances.
• Locate all insurance coverage and parties responsible for the accident.
• Use all our resources to make a compelling claim for compensation for the injuries you sustained as a driver in the crash.
• Complete and file all necessary insurance paperwork.
• Negotiate with the insurance companies and responsible parties to ensure you are fairly compensated.
• Advocate for your rights in court if necessary.
• Keep you up-to-date as to the progress of your case until it settles or we get a verdict.

Injured While Driving in Florida?

If you or a loved one sustained driver injuries in a car accident in Fort Lauderdale, you need an experienced lawyer to advocate on your behalf.  The skilled car accident lawyers at Lawlor, White & Murphey are ready and willing to put our collective decades’ worth of experience to work in your case.
Call or contact us today to schedule a free initial case evaluation. There’s no fee to discuss your case and help you understand your rights and what legal options you have available.

Areas Nearby in Broward County:

• Coconut Creek Car Accident Lawyers
• Cooper City Car Accident Lawyers
• Coral Springs Car Accident Lawyers
• Dania Beach Car Accident Lawyers
• Davie Car Accident Lawyers
• Deerfield Beach Car Accident Lawyers
• Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Lawyers
• Hollywood Car Accident Lawyers
• Lauderdale Lakes Car Accident Lawyers
• Margate Car Accident Lawyers
• Miramar Car Accident Lawyers
• Oakland Park Car Accident Lawyers
• Parkland Car Accident Lawyers
• Pembroke Pines Car Accident Lawyers
• Plantation Car Accident Lawyers
• Pompano Beach Car Accident Lawyers
• Sunrise Car Accident Lawyers
• Tamarac Car Accident Lawyers
• Weston Car Accident Lawyers

Areas Nearby in Palm Beach County:

• Boca Raton Personal Injury Lawyers
• Palm Beach Personal Injury Lawyers
• West Palm Beach Personal Injury Lawyers

Lawlor, White and Murphey have office locations available by appointment located at:

• 2211 Davie Boulevard Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312
• 8362 Pines Boulevard, #410, Pembroke Pines, Florida 33024
• 3014 Indian Trace, #164, Weston, Florida 33326
• 6574 North State Road 7, #349, Coconut Creek, Florida 33073
• 43 South Pompano Parkway #228, Pompano Beach, Florida 33069
• 1802 N. University Dr., #212, Plantation, Florida 33322

Contact one of our offices today for a free consultation.

Frequently Asked Questions About Driver Injuries in South Florida Car Crash Cases