Have you been injured in a Fort Lauderdale car accident that’s left you unable to work and stuck with ongoing medical expenses? You’ve probably seen commercials on television and elsewhere in which a personal injury attorney promises potential clients they can deliver a “big settlement” for their injuries. But how much is a big settlement?
One of the questions most personal injury attorneys get asked during an initial consultation with a prospective client is, “How much compensation can I get for my Fort Lauderdale car accident?” The truth of the matter is, no attorney can give a client an exact dollar amount as to how much compensation they’ll receive for their injury. Each personal injury case is different and there are many factors that can affect the amount of compensation you will be able to collect after a car accident.
PIP Coverage and Florida Car Accidents
If your PIP coverage doesn’t cover the costs of your medical bills and other losses resulting from your accident, you’ll need to file a personal injury claim with the other driver’s insurance company. In order to prevail in a personal injury claim, you’ll have to be able to prove that:
- The other driver was at fault in the accident;
- The accident caused your injuries; and
- You suffered damages as a result of these injuries.
It’s important to seek medical attention as soon as possible after your accident. Not getting timely treatment can affect your ability to recover compensation.
Compensation for Damages
Damages are the losses resulting from your injuries. Some of the damages stemming from a car accident in Fort Lauderdale can include:
- Current and ongoing medical expenses
- Loss of income
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of companionship
- Loss of enjoyment of life
It’s important to be able to identify all the personal damages caused by your accident to ensure you receive the total compensation you are due for your injuries.
In most cases, there are two types of compensatory damages you can seek:
- Actual
- General
Actual damages are damages that can be assigned a precise dollar value. These include current medical expenses and lost wages. General damages include things that can’t be assigned a precise value, such as pain and suffering, or potential ongoing medical expenses (like additional surgeries, extended hospital stays, physical therapy, medications, etc.).
In Florida, punitive damages are only available if you can prove your accident wasn’t an accident — that the collision was caused by the deliberate actions of the driver of the other vehicle.
The advice of a personal injury attorney with experience representing Fort Lauderdale car accident claims can be invaluable not only in helping you identify your damages but also in assessing their total worth.
Your Fault in the Accident Will Limit the Amount of Damages You Can Collect
How much fault you share for the accident will affect how much you can collect in damages. Florida is a pure comparative fault state. This means that a judge or jury will assign a percentage of fault to each driver for the accident. The lower the percentage of fault you have for an accident, the more compensation you will be able to collect.
For example, let’s say your total damages were $50,000. The jury decides that you shared 10% of the fault for the accident. This means that you will only be able to collect $40,000 in damages.
A Fort Lauderdale Auto Accident Attorney Dedicated to Getting You the Total Compensation You Deserve
After an auto accident in Fort Lauderdale, a personal injury attorney can help in many ways besides determining the worth of your damages, such as:
- Handling administrative tasks
- Gathering evidence
- Negotiating with the other driver’s insurance company
Lisa Levine is a nationally recognized Fort Lauderdale personal injury attorney who has obtained millions in dollars in settlements for clients who have been injured in car accidents that were caused by the negligent actions of another.
If you’ve been injured in a car accident in Broward County or surrounding South Florida Counties, contact the offices of Fort Lauderdale car accident lawyer Lisa Levine without delay. The sooner Lisa gets to work on your case, the better your chances of obtaining the full compensation you deserve after a Fort Lauderdale car accident.
