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Common Auto Accident Questions

When you are involved in an auto accident, you are bound to have many questions. Below is a list of commonly asked questions people have after being injured in an auto accident. If you do not find the answer to your question here, contact Attorney Gordon Glover for a free case evaluation today at our office in The Villages (352-205-4495) or our Ocala office (352-484-0775), or contact us online. Attorney Gordon Glover is available 24/7 for home and hospital visits, and charges no attorney’s fees unless he recovers money for you!

Q. What do I do if I’m involved in an auto accident?

1. Stay calm and remain at the scene.

2. Notify the authorities and seek medical attention for anyone that may need it.

3. Exchange basic information, such as names, car insurance information, contact information and license information. Also, explain to the investigating officer what happened, but do not speculate on the cause of the accident and admit no fault.

4. Do not give a statement to anyone, expect for the investigating officer.

5. Document everything about the accident scene, including information such as weather conditions, traffic conditions, name and contact information, the names of law enforcement officers at the scene and any witnesses to the accident. Also, take pictures of the accident scene.

6. If you did not receive medical treatment immediately following the accident, seek medical treatment as soon as you can.

7. Request a copy of the accident report.

8. Notify your insurance company to report the claim.

9. Contact a skilled personal injury lawyer before you sign anything. If you have been injured in a car accident, dealing with insurance companies following an accident can be a nightmare. Schedule a free consultation and case evaluation today.

Q. Should I contact the police after an accident?

Yes, you should contact the police immediately, even if the accident appears to be minor. It is extremely important that you have the accident on file to prove that the accident occurred and to demonstrate which party was at fault.

Q. What information should I record after an accident?

1. The location, date, and time of the accident.

2. The names and addresses of all parties involved, including any witnesses to the accident.

3. A description of the vehicles involved in the accident, including the make and model of each vehicle

4. A list of the injuries that you have sustained, including any minor injuries

5. Insurance information (name of insurer and policy number) for the other driver(s) involved in the accident

Q: Should I take pictures of the accident scene?

Yes, if you have a camera on your cell phone or in your vehicle, you should take photographs of: your injuries, bruises, etc.; vehicle damage and other property damage; and the accident scene, including skid marks. If you do not have a camera available at the scene, you should still take photographs of your vehicle and your injuries after you leave.

Q. How much will it cost to speak with Attorney Gordon Glover about an auto accident?

I never charge for an initial consultation and case review. Personal injury cases involve a contingency fee agreement. The client agrees to pay a specified percent of the recovery (which sometimes varies depending on whether a lawsuit settles early or the matter goes to trial or is appealed). If there is no recovery, there are no fees or costs to you. Please feel free to give us a call or contact us online for a free initial consultation and case review.

Q. When should I speak with a lawyer?

You should speak with a lawyer as soon as possible, especially if you sustained serious injuries or a death has resulted. More often than not, valuable evidence disappears, witnesses move, memories fade and the ability to prove your case may get difficult. A lawyer can help you deal with unpaid bills and getting needed medical treatment. Legal advice can also be useful if you have questions about the settlement value of a claim or your insurance policy’s terms. Please feel free to call Attorney Gordon Glover or contact us online for a free initial consultation and case review.

Q. When should I notify my insurance company of the accident?

You have a duty to cooperate with your own insurance company and report every auto accident. Sometimes, failure to provide information to your insurance company in a timely manner can result in loss of coverage for the accident. However, you should try to avoid making statements about who was at fault. It is best to contact a personal injury attorney before providing any additional information to your insurance company.

Q. How about notifying the other driver’s insurance company?

It is best to not contact or speak with the other driver’s insurance company. The better approach is to hire a personal injury attorney to handle all communication. Many times, people inadvertently misstate an important fact and the other driver’s insurance company will find a way to hold it against you.

Q. How about giving a recorded statement?

Recorded statements taken by the other driver’s insurance company are taken to protect the legal rights of the other driver. These statements may be misconstrued or used against you later. Accordingly, you should speak with a personal injury attorney before giving a statement to the other driver’s insurance company.

On the other hand, you may be obligated to give a recorded statement to your own insurance company. Yet, it is best to consult with a personal injury lawyer before doing so. That way, the lawyer can be present during the statement and to assure that the statement does not hurt a claim you may have.

If you have questions about whether or not you should give a recorded statement, please call Attorney Gordon Glover or contact us online.

Q. What if the other driver does not have auto insurance?

As a practical matter, you can only recover in a car accident if the at-fault party has available assets or insurance. In some instances, an at-fault driver who does not carry his/her own insurance may be covered by another person’s insurance policy. Additionally, if the at-fault driver was acting in the scope of his employment at the time of the car accident, he/she may be covered by his/her employer’s insurance.

If your own auto insurance policy provides you with uninsured motorist coverage, you may be compensated by it. In essence, uninsured motorist coverage takes the place of liability coverage for the at-fault driver and provides an injured person with an ability to make a recovery for outstanding medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering and other damages.

Q. How important is Uninsured Motorist coverage?

Unfortunately, the State of Florida ranks 5th in the United States in the number of uninsured motorists on the highway (approximately 25% of all drivers). As a result, most people do not realize the importance of uninsured motorist coverage. This type of auto insurance covers damages to a person injured in an automobile accident when the at-fault driver either does not have insurance coverage or does not have an adequate amount coverage. In essence, uninsured motorist coverage takes the place of liability coverage for the at-fault driver and provides an injured person with an ability to make a recovery for outstanding medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering and other damages.

In Florida, individuals have the ability to “stack” uninsured motorist policies. This means that if you have more than one vehicle in your household with uninsured motorist coverage, you can stack (or add together) the total amount of each policy. So if you have three cars with uninsured motorist coverage of $50,000 on each car, you can “stack” these vehicles together and have a total of $150,000 in uninsured motorist coverage to cover you in an accident.

If you have questions about your auto insurance policy, please feel free to call or contact us online.

Q. What if the other driver’s insurance company contacts me?

You should not talk to the other insurance company and you should not give them a recorded statement (recorded statements could be used against you in the future). In fact, you have not obligation to speak with them. If you already have a personal injury lawyer, give them your lawyer’s name and contact information. If you are not represented, call or contact us online for a free initial consultation and case review.

Q. What if the accident was partly my fault?

There are numerous causes for an accident including, but not limited to, actions/inactions of the drivers involved, the weather, street conditions, etc. At the Glover Law Firm, we have access to experienced accident reconstruction experts to assist us in making that determination. If you believe that an auto accident may have been partly your fault or if the other driver’s insurance company denies liability, call or contact us online for a free initial consultation and case review.

Q. Should I give the other driver’s insurance company a medical authorization?

If you provide the other driver’s insurance company with a blanket medical authorization, you may provide them with the ability to obtain any and all of your medical records whether related to the car accident or not. Information gathered from these unrelated medical records may be used against you if you make a claim. As a result, you should always consult a personal injury lawyer before releasing any information. If you are not represented by a lawyer, please feel free to call or contact us online for assistance with your personal injury claim.

Q. What about getting my car repaired?

It all depends on the type of auto insurance you carry. Many times, your insurance company will pay for the repairs to your vehicle and then seek repayment from the other driver’s insurance company. If you have questions about repairs to your damaged vehicle, call or contact us online.

Q. How do I secure a rental car while my vehicle is being repaired?

Usually, the at-fault driver’s insurance company will provide you with a rental car. However, this can be difficult if the other driver’s insurance company is disputing liability. If you have rental car coverage on your own insurance policy, you should ask your insurance company about getting them to provide you with a rental car, and let them seek reimbursement from the at-fault driver’s insurance company.

Q. What if I’m only “sore” after an automobile accident?

Many injuries are not noticeable until days or weeks after an accident. By not seeing a doctor, you risk delaying your treatment and further injury. Even minor soreness can be an indication of a more significant injury. If you believe that you may have been injured, you should see a doctor. When you do see the doctor, make sure you detail any complaint you may have, no matter how minor. It is not your role to play doctor and evaluate the importance of a symptom you may be experiencing. If your injuries appear serious, you should immediately call 911 and go to the hospital. It is not uncommon for insurance companies to argue that the failure of an individual to see a doctor right away indicates that an injury diagnosed later must have resulted from an unrelated event.

Q. What if I have to take time off of work because of my injuries?

If you are not at fault, you are entitled to have lost wages reimbursed for any time you missed due to doctor’s appointments or medical restrictions. You may also be entitled to future lost wages and loss of earning capacity if you are unable to return to your job. It is extremely important that you have documentation from your employer in the form of time sheet reports, pay stubs or other company documentation indicating that you have lost wages as a result of the auto accident. If you have questions about a wage loss claim, call or contact us online.

Q. What if I’m a passenger in a vehicle, can I still make a claim?

Yes, you can file a claim against the driver of the automobile in which you were a passenger if that driver was at fault. If the driver of the other vehicle was a fault, you may file a claim against him/her.

Q. What happens if the other driver leaves the scene of the accident?

If the other driver leaves the scene, be sure to report it to the authorities and they may be able to locate him/her. However, if no one can identify the driver involved, you may still be able to make a claim if you carry uninsured motorist (UM) coverage. If you were involved in a hit-and-run, call or contact us online to discuss your potential personal injury claim.

Q. What happens if someone dies as a result of an auto accident?

A claim for wrongful death must be pursued by the deceased person’s estate. Generally, these claims are brought by a spouse and children, or parents and siblings of the deceased. Beneficiaries may be entitled to compensation for damages; including funeral costs, companionship, and the economic loss they suffered as a result of the death of their relative. Beneficiaries may also be entitled to claim damages for the mental anguish and emotional distress suffered as a result of the death of a loved one. If your loved one died in an auto accident, call or contact us online.

Q. How much is my case worth?

Personal injury cases very substantially in value and each case dependent on its own facts. It is impossible to answer such a question until you have finished medical treatment or until your case has been reviewed. Factors that affect the value of a claim include, but are not limited to, the type of injuries sustained, amount of outstanding medical expenses, amount of wage loss, percentage of liability, where the accident took place, the amount of insurance coverage, etc. If you have questions about the potential value of your case, please feel free to call or contact us online for a free initial consultation and case review.

Q. How long will it take for my personal injury claim to settle?

Each personal injury claim is different and the time it takes to settle depends on the facts. It is extremely difficult to even guess without knowing all of the facts of a case, including the injuries and the parties involved. Some cases are settled relatively soon after an auto accident, while others proceed to litigation. If you have questions about a potential personal injury claim, please feel free to call or contact us online for a free initial consultation and case review.

Q. How long do I have to file a personal injury claim?

The Statute of Limitations period varies greatly depending on the type of legal claim you want to file. It is also varies from state to state. It is extremely important that you seek the advice of lawyer immediately. If you have questions about the statute of limitations for your personal injury claim, call or contact us online.

Disclaimer

*The information you obtain at this site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for advice regarding your individual situation. We invite you to contact us and welcome your calls, letters and electronic mail. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please do not send any confidential information to us until such time as an attorney-client relationship has been established.

Gordon Glover

Attorney Gordon Glover is the founder of the Glover Law Firm Accident & Injury Lawyer in Ocala and The Villages, Florida. He has an AV-rating by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest rating as determined by other attorneys and the judiciary. Gordon has been recognized by Florida Super Lawyers, a distinction given to less than 2.5 % of the lawyers in Florida, and earned AVVO’s highest rating of “Superb 10/10.” Glover Law Firm also has a perfect A+ rating on the BBB (Better Business Bureau).