Being one of the 12 states with no-fault auto laws, the people of Florida can have a sigh of relief if they are at fault in a car crash. Yes, you heard it right! The flexible insurance law may help in paying some or even all medical expenditures.
All you need to have is automobile insurance with the inclusion of PIP which stands for Personal Injury Protection. This aids in providing coverage for parties claiming expenses for injuries obtained during the accident. Every driver in Florida must have such insurance policies. However, if you are still perplexed and want to know more details about the same, keep reading more to understand your rights when you are an at-fault driver in an accident.
What do you mean by “at-fault” in a car accident?
The law expects all drivers to maintain control over their vehicles. They must adhere to the traffic laws of the state and watch out for pedestrians, bicyclists, and other vehicles on the road.
The at-fault clause comes into play when you bypass the law and cause some damage to the other party. Let us understand the clause properly with an example. Suppose a car driver exceeds the given speed limit on the highway and causes a crash. Then the car driver will be at fault and can be held responsible for the injuries to other parties. Moreover, the driver will have to pay compensation for the injuries to the other party involved in the crash.
So, if you were involved in an accident, then the injured party can file a personal injury lawsuit against you. Here are some of the recoverable damages that the injured party can seek.
- Earnings lost in the accident or loss of future capacity to earn
- Overall medical expenses
- Future medical care expenses
- Loss of enjoyment or diminishing capacity to enjoy in the future
- Emotional suffering compensation
The attorney representing the injured party has to prove that you are at fault and must compensate for the recoverable damages. The defense attorney will challenge all the evidence and protect your interests.
What to do in a car accident when at fault?
If you are involved in a car accident and you are at fault then you have to speak to your personal injury attorney immediately. Your attorney will explain all the rights and help you get out of trouble properly. Never assume anything and let your experienced attorney handle all the negotiations.
It is always beneficial to have the right personal injury attorney on your side. So, always perform comprehensive research for all the Boca Raton personal injury attorneys before partnering up with the suitable option.
Role of PIP in a car accident with personal injury
In case of a car accident occurring in a fault state, the injured party has to file a lawsuit against the party causing the accident. A fault state refers to a state where there is no need for no-fault insurance coverage.
When it comes to Florida, the party involved in the car accident must go through the filing process of the claim by using their PIP coverage. The PIP coverage covers the driver and other parties involved in the accident. Let us see the scope of other parties properly.
- Vehicle occupants who don’t possess an auto policy that includes PIP coverage.
- Household members of the driver that owns PIP coverage.
- Pedestrians and bicyclists who do not possess PIP coverage can file a claim by using the cover of the car that caused the accident.
The minimum PIP coverage offers 80% of overall medical expenses that are vital for treating the injured party, 60% of wages lost for the job off-time because of injuries, and ten thousand dollars.
Some Last Words
Now that you are well aware of PIP and how you can safeguard yourself, it is time to hire a personal injury attorney who can make everything smooth for you. He/she will explain the role of liability and different law limits of compensation for the suing party and any no-fault laws if applicable. So, don’t lose hope even if you are the at-fault driver. You just need to trust your attorney for the best advice.
