There are nearly 43,000 fatal car accidents a year in the U.S., but there’s at least a glimmer of hope: the actual deadly car crash rate is less than 1%. Many car wrecks can be as minor as a fender bender; however, here’s the important question: When is a car wreck bad enough that you actually need to talk to a lawyer?
From 2018 to 2022, the number of deadly accidents in the United States increased by more than 16%—from 36,835 fatal car crashes in 2018 to 42,795 fatal car crashes in 2022.
What Is The Prediction For Vehicle Crashes?
Following current trends, about two million people could be expected to be killed in motor vehicle crashes each year by 2030. The World Bank estimates that road traffic injuries cost 2.0 percent to 3.0 percent of the gross national product of developing countries.
Contingency Fee: You Don’t Pay Unless You Win
Talking to a Florida personal injury lawyer, like Joe Zarzaur, is free. So you should probably err on the side of caution and reach out to a lawyer, and just get advice from a lawyer in regards to your car wreck. Even if I do this all the time, there’s no way I’m ever going to take the case, but I’m telling you things that you need to know for purposes of your car accident claim.
Under a contingency fee arrangement, a client doesn’t pay for their lawyer’s services out of their own pocket. This means that whatever percentage the lawyer is owed is deducted from the client’s awarded compensation.
Diminished Value
Many people don’t know that diminished value is a real thing. If you were involved in a wreck and your car has to have $500 in repairs, I just had that happen to a car, brand new car, just bought it, fender bender, brand new car, fender bender, right, police report is done, Carfax is now affected, so you run a Carfax on that brand new car, it’s a nice car, brand new car with a Carfax now shows a blemish, guess what happens to your value of your vehicle, it’s going down.
Florida Diminished Value Law
Florida law requires that once an insurer elects to repair a vehicle, it must be restored to substantially the same appearance, function, and value.
Legally, most people don’t know that you’re entitled to get diminished value from the at-fault party. They don’t know how to do it. They don’t know they can get it. So, even if you don’t have an injury case and I never take your case, I’m still going to give you advice about how to handle the diminished value.
Err On The Side Of Caution
People call me for advice. I give them advice. Sometimes I get paid, and sometimes I don’t. But the point is, you should err on the side of caution because if you’re involved in a car wreck in Florida and you’re having injury symptoms, do not talk to the insurance companies, do not sign anything, and do not give them access to your medical records until you’re absolutely positively sure you have no symptoms at all from the auto accident for weeks or up to at least a month. If, after a month, you still haven’t had a symptom from the wreck, then you’re probably okay to settle your case. But if you have any symptoms at all, anything, I don’t care how minor it is—a crick in your neck kind of symptom—the next day, go to seek treatment.
Go To Urgent Care After A Wreck, No Matter How Minor
Be seen in the first 14 days, because if you don’t, you’re going to lose pretty much all ways to negotiate any kind of settlement with or without a lawyer. If you do determine that you don’t have any symptoms and you don’t have symptoms for a month, you need to remember that there’s a two-week period. That two-week period is really important. Under Florida’s 14-day accident law, car accident victims must seek medical evaluation and treatment within 14 days of their crash. Failing to do so will prevent their personal injury protection (PIP) insurance carrier from paying the medical care providers who handled these services.
So after 13 days, you need to remind yourself to take an inventory. Have I had any weird symptoms? Headaches? Anything I’ve never had before in my life? Or is something worse than it usually is? If the answer to that question is maybe or yes, then you need to see about getting a lawyer. It’s that simple.
If the answer is no, then you really don’t need a lawyer. You will still be able to settle your property damage case, including the diminished value claim. But basically, if you don’t have symptoms, you don’t need a lawyer because, in Florida, you don’t have a case unless you’re diagnosed with a permanent injury at some point.
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What Should You Do If You Are In A Florida Car Accident?
1. Call the police and file a report.
2. Swap information (including any insurance information they may have).
3. Gather details.
4. Take pictures/video
5. Gather the contact information of any witnesses.
6. Seek medical care immediately for any injuries, no matter how minor you think they might be.
GET MORE HELPFUL INFORMATION ON WHAT TO DO AFTER AN ACCIDENT HERE AT OUR “CAR WRECK CHECKLIST” >
Joe Zarzaur is a Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer whose firm has been promoting community safety since 2007. AT ZARZAUR LAW, WE PRACTICE IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS: SERIOUS PERSONAL INJURY, PRODUCT DEFECT, AUTO ACCIDENTS, CYCLING ACCIDENTS, MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS, PRODUCT LIABILITY, WRONGFUL DEATH, COMMUNITY SAFETY, BOAT, AND JET SKI ACCIDENTS, AND SLIP AND FALL. Licensed in Alabama and Florida.
If you’ve been injured in a car accident, it’s important that you don’t make any rash decisions. Put yourself in the best possible position to receive the justice you deserve. It is also important to consult with a Board-Certified Trial Lawyer who has the knowledge and experience to help you. We know accidents can be stressful, and we want to make the process as easy as possible for you.
Call Zarzaur Law, P.A. today at (855) Hire-Joe for a free legal consultation or visit www.zarzaurlaw.com.
If you or a loved one is injured in a car wreck feel free to reach out to our firm for a free consultation at zarzaurlaw.com or 855HireJoe.
Sources:
https://www.usatoday.com/money/blueprint/auto-insurance/fatal-car-crash-statistics/