What is the Average Settlement for a Car Accident in Fort Lauderdale?
Before pursuing a car accident claim, it’s normal to research potential settlement figures. Unfortunately, we’re going to break the bad news early because no figure will help with your decision. Ultimately, every single car accident case is unique so looking at an average settlement figure doesn’t help. In our experience, it’s better to contact a car accident attorney and talk about a potential case because any estimate we provide here would be arbitrary.
Normally through a free case evaluation, your personal injury lawyer will consider the facts of your case, your injuries, the nature of the accident, and more to determine a potential claim amount.
Personal Injury Protection (PIP)
In Florida, we have no-fault accident laws. What does this mean? As part of your car insurance cover, this includes PIP (personal injury protection) and this provides $10,000 in the event of an accident. Without worrying about fault, drivers claim through their own insurance and receive the following:
- 80% of all medical costs
- 60% of all lost wages
- $5,000 as a death benefit
- Travel expenses for medical appointments
While this is a good starting point, some accidents will have a more severe nature and this $10,000 won’t last long at all. If you’ve experienced serious injuries, medical expenses exceed $10,000 since you may need appointments for several years to come. Also, some people claim on behalf of lost loved ones. In these cases, a personal injury lawyer is required to file a claim against the at-fault driver.
Settlement Offers
In truth, nobody really knows what goes into considering settlement offers. Sometimes they’re almost respectable, and other times they don’t represent a fair offer at all. As well as assessing the strength of your case, insurance companies consider bankruptcy records, your legal representation, gaps in medical treatment, cases of a similar nature, your relationship status, whether you received emergency care, your pre-existing illnesses and injuries, your health insurance, and the duration of the case.
On your side, the Fort Lauderdale car accident lawyer looks at all the evidence and proves that the other driver is at fault. To do this, they need to prove that a duty of care existed, the driver breached this duty, you were injured, and these injuries were a direct result of the breach of duty.
Car Accident Attorney
If you’re to get a fair settlement, contact a personal injury lawyer today. They will review both medical and non-medical expenses to determine the estimated amount that you deserve after a car accident. Among other things, their role means dealing with car insurance adjusters - representatives from the insurance company who seek recorded statements and attempt to reduce the compensation payment.
Hiring a Fort Lauderdale car accident lawyer is the best route to protecting your legal rights, seeking an acceptable compensation package, and negotiating with insurance companies. If no fair settlement is offered, attorneys have the resources to proceed to court.
