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Yes, your car accident lawyer will deal with insurance companies for you. As soon as you inform an insurer that you are represented by legal counsel, the insurer’s agents and representatives will be obligated to communicate with you solely through your attorney. The burden of dealing with insurance companies is lifted, and your attorney will confirm that they treat your claims equitably and promptly.
A Florida car accident lawyer from the law firm of Kogan & DiSalvo can help you file your claim and handle all transactions with insurance companies on your behalf. More importantly, we will ensure they do not deny or withhold any amounts they are obligated to pay you. If you have concerns or questions about coverage following a car accident, please contact us for a free consultation.
Do you need to retain a lawyer to deal with a car insurance company?
When you suffer injuries in a Florida car accident, your first source of recovery for your medical bills and accident-related expenses is your personal injury protection (PIP) insurance. However, negotiating with your PIP insurance carrier and recovering the full reimbursements you are entitled to receive is rarely a straightforward task. Car insurance companies handle thousands of accident and injury claims every year. When you hire your own attorney to deal with the insurance company, you level the playing field by bringing in an advocate whose knowledge and experience match or exceed the insurance companies.
What other benefits will you realize when you hire a lawyer to deal with insurance companies?
Suppose you suffer serious injuries and need to file a lawsuit to recover damages over your PIP insurance limits. In that case, your Florida car accident attorney can identify the parties that bear liability for these damages and file that lawsuit on your behalf. More critically, your lawyer will confirm that your insurance recovery and damages are not limited by recent amendments to Florida law. These changes bar injury claims where the claimant is deemed to be more than 49% at fault for the accident and that reduce your damages recovery in proportion to the level of your fault.
The large car insurance companies that cover many Florida drivers, including State Farm, Allstate, and Geico, are familiar with these recent changes. When you communicate directly with an insurance company agent, the insurer can use anything you say to argue that you were partially responsible. When you hire a lawyer to deal with an insurance company on your behalf, you substantially reduce the risk that your statements will be used to limit or eliminate your right to collect compensation for your losses and injuries.
How soon after your car accident should you retain a lawyer?
Most car insurance companies require you to notify them of a claim within 24 hours of the accident. After you file your claim, an adjuster will contact you with questions about the collision. Ideally, you should retain a lawyer immediately after the accident, and that lawyer can then manage all contacts with the adjuster.
If you need to file a lawsuit to collect damages above what you can recover from your PIP insurance–under recently-amended Florida law–you will need to initiate that lawsuit within two years. Hiring a lawyer soon after an accident will provide the best opportunity for that lawyer to collect and preserve evidence and to contact and file claims with the negligent motorist’s insurance carrier.
Call Kogan & DiSalvo for a free consultation
The car accident lawyers at Kogan & DiSalvo have the experience to negotiate insurance claims to a car accident victim’s best advantage. Please contact us as soon as possible after your accident and, in every case, before you communicate with any insurance companies. We will make it our responsibility to deal with insurance companies to recover the largest available compensation you are entitled to receive under every applicable insurance policy. In addition, we work on a contingency basis, so there are no upfront legal fees.
