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When you get injured in a car accident, filing an insurance claim allows you to avoid the financial consequences of someone else’s mistake. To enforce your legal rights and maximize your financial claim, you should hire a Naples car accident lawyer to help you.

10 Reasons to Hire a Naples Car Accident Lawyer

Why should you hire a lawyer to help with your claim? Here are 10 reasons why you should speak with a lawyer as soon after your car accident as possible:

1. You Need to Know What Claim (or Claims) to File

There are many different types of auto insurance, and different types of coverage apply in different circumstances. To assert your legal rights effectively, you need to know which claim (or claims) you are entitled to file. If you file the wrong claim, you will be wasting your time. Additionally, if this means not filing the right claim, you could run out of time to seek the financial compensation you deserve.

2. You Need Proof of Fault to Seek Compensation Outside of PIP

Under Florida’s “no-fault” auto insurance law, car accident victims are limited to seeking personal injury protection (PIP) coverage in some cases. To seek coverage outside of PIP, you must be able to prove that the other driver was at fault in your car accident. Your lawyer can investigate and gather the evidence needed to prove liability, and then your lawyer can advise you regarding which claim (or claims) you should file.

3. You Need Proof that Your Injuries Are “Significant” or “Permanent” to Seek Compensation Outside of PIP

Filing a claim outside of PIP also requires proof that your injuries qualify as “significant” or “permanent” under Florida’s “no-fault” auto insurance law. In addition to gathering the evidence needed to prove that the other driver was at fault, your lawyer can also use your medical records to prove that you qualify to file a claim (or claims) for additional compensation.

4. You Need to Know How Much You Are Entitled to Recover

Regardless of the claim (or claims) you can file, you need to know how much you are entitled to recover. If you have a PIP claim, this includes compensation for your medical bills and lost wages (up to your policy limit, less your deductible). If you have a claim outside of PIP, this includes not only your medical bills and lost wages but also other out-of-pocket expenses and non-financial losses (i.e., pain and suffering). Your lawyer can use his or her experience to accurately calculate your losses both now and in the future.

5. You Need to Show that You Are Prepared to Fight for Your Legal Rights

Even if you are clearly entitled to financial compensation, the insurance companies will still put up a fight. To convince them to pay what they owe, you need to show that you are prepared to fight back. This means hiring a lawyer who has a record of success in settlement negotiations, and who is prepared to take your case to court if necessary.   

6. The Insurance Companies Don’t Have to Tell You Everything

Under Florida law, the insurance companies have an obligation to handle your claim (or claims) in good faith. But this does not mean that they must tell you everything. Most importantly, they don’t have to tell you what your case is worth, and they don’t have to tell you how much coverage is available. As a result, if you try to deal with the insurance companies on your own, it will be entirely up to you to make sure you don’t settle for less than you deserve. Do not forget once you settle, you can’t go back and ask for more.

7. The Insurance Companies Don’t Always Act in Good Faith

While the insurance companies have a legal obligation to act in good faith, they don’t always do so. In fact, bad-faith insurance practices during car accident claims are fairly common. When you hire a lawyer, your lawyer can deal with the insurance companies on your behalf and make sure you do not fall victim to any bad-faith tactics.

8. There Are Lots of Mistakes You Need to Avoid

When you are entitled to financial compensation after a car accident in Florida, there are lots of mistakes you need to avoid. While some mistakes can lead to unnecessary stress and delays, others can leave you without the financial compensation you deserve. When you hire a Naples car accident lawyer to represent you, your lawyer will walk you through the mistakes you need to avoid, and your lawyer will deal with the insurance companies for you so that you don’t get pressured into saying the wrong thing.

9. Hiring a Lawyer Costs Nothing Out of Pocket

While many people assume that hiring a lawyer is expensive, the reality is that it costs nothing out-of-pocket. Lawyers handle car accident claims “on contingency,” which means you pay nothing unless you receive a monetary recovery..

10. You Need an Experienced Attorney on Your Side

Randall L. Spivey of Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. is a Board Certified Civil Trial Attorney.  Certification is the highest level of experience recognized by the Florida Bar.  Only 1% of the lawyers in Florida are Board Certified in Civil Trial Law. Randall Spivey has practiced law exclusively in the area of personal injury and wrongful death his entire career and has obtained numerous record verdicts and settlements. All clients of Spivey Law Firm have unique personal injury cases, and the Spivey Law Firm team provides personal contact and communication along with aggressive representation.     

Discuss Your Claim with Naples Car Accident Lawyer Randall L. Spivey as Soon as Possible

If you’ve been seriously injured in a car accident and have questions about hiring a lawyer to represent you, we encourage you to contact Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. promptly for a free, no-obligation consultation. Naples car accident lawyer Randall L. Spivey will be happy to walk you through everything you need to know. To speak with Randall in confidence, give us a call at 239-337-7483 or 888-477-4839 or contact us online at SpiveyLaw.com today.