Lakeland is a city between Orlando and Tampo, making it a popular holiday destination and a residential spot for many. Its educational museums and the vibrant promenade also bring a lot of traffic to the area.
Due to it being densely populated, accidents happen a lot in this city. The yearly average of fatal car crashes in this city is 20, involving around double the number of lives lost. There are also about seven pedestrians on average that die due to this mishap every year.
Should this happen to you, regardless if it’s fatal or not, a car accident attorney in Lakeland needs to be involved in the process.
Role in Filing Lawsuits
Under Lakeland, Florida, law, there is a statute of limitations when it comes to filing your car accident lawsuit. At present, it’s four years from the date of the car accident to enter your case in the state’s court system.
However, it’s ideal to get your attorney on board immediately after the accident. Doing so will make your situation more favorable to the judge or jury. With the help of your legal advisor, you can collect damages for medical expenses, pain and suffering, incapacitation, and disability.
Legal representation can also help you with claims against psychological harm and even relationship damages caused by an accident. Your lawyer can advise suing for punitive damages if the driver at fault was negligent, high on drugs, or intoxicated when you got hit.
Role in Insurance Processing
Dealing with medical insurance companies can be a bit tricky when you’re in a car accident. This city is a no-fault state, which means that your insurance company should be the one to shoulder your bills regardless of whose fault it is.
The coverage is typically up to $10,000 at an 80:20 share. This means that your insurance company will only cover 80% of the medical bills up to the allowable limit.
However, even with this law, insurance companies will make it complicated for you to get your deserved coverage. Because Lakeland upholds a comparative negligence law, insurance companies will use this to their advantage to minimize losses.
They can do so by putting more blame on you or on the other people involved so that the amount that they will pay you will lessen. Having a car accident lawyer on your side, instead of processing it on your own, can increase the chances of you getting the full amount of insurance coverage that you deserve.
A Lakeland lawyer can also expedite the process of using your car insurance policy to cover your medical bills. If, in the unfortunate event you sustain a permanent injury or get significant scarring, it’s also the job of your attorney to make sure that you can claim your non-economic damage benefits. This way, you do not need to worry about the massive expense in the hospital and concentrate on your healing.
Role in Defense
If it’s the other way around and you’re the accused driver at fault, your defense attorney will make sure that the comparative negligence law will work to your advantage. A reasonable car accident attorney in Lakeland should be able to lessen the level of blame on your favor.
Furthermore, even if you got injured, your lawyer should still be able to claim medical coverage for you. If left without legal defense, you will most likely end up with a very hefty fee, minimum medical coverage, and even jail time.
The unfortunate reality is that accidents happen. When they do, have the presence of mind to have an attorney by your side. Your lawyer is a worthy ally in getting through the hoops of the messy justice system in Lakeland, Florida.
