When you get on a wreck on SR 19, the third call you should make — after 911 and your insurance company — is to an auto accident lawyer. Florida law is a finicky thing, and you want to be very certain that you don't lose out on a single dollar that you're entitled to.
It's easy to feel helpless and frustrated at what seems like a devastating loss: your car, of course, but if you were injured in the accident, you may also find yourself unable to work or otherwise disabled. Insurance companies, left to their own devices, will find an excuse not to pay you — or take months on end delaying the payment for whatever reason they can find. Similarly, if you can't get them held accountable in a court of law, the person responsible for the accident certainly isn't going to pay you a red cent.
But when you've hired a car accident attorney, Florida's complex legal system becomes their problem, not yours. You'll still need to do quite a significant number of things — but your lawyer will be there guiding you through the entire process. Without one, you're going to pay for your part of the accident out of pocket. With one, you have an ally to help you cover:
- The cost of repairs to your vehicle.
- Or the cost of a new vehicle if your old one was totaled.
- Medical bills for any injuries or illnesses related to the accident.
- Compensation for work you missed due to said injuries or illnesses.
- Additional compensation if you were partially or completely disabled due to the accident.
- In certain circumstances, you can also obtain compensation for any pain and suffering you underwent due to the crash.
The attorney's job is not to help you profit from your accident — merely to make certain that you don't suffer any uncompensated losses. Without a lawyer, you are almost certain to lose money if you're in a dire automobile accident. Get one on your side, and you can save yourself a good chunk of those losses.