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Fort Myers Car Accident Lawyer

If you or a loved one was involved in an accident in Fort Myers, it’s essential to contact experienced  Fort Myers car accident lawyers who have extensive experience handling car accident cases. In addition, they can help you pursue compensation for your injuries.

The Nationwide Disability Representatives (Berke Law Firm, PA) understands how challenging and complex it may be for the victim to handle the legal complications and take care of their injuries. 

We take the legal burden on ourselves to make our clients comfortable and negotiate with insurance companies by understanding their tactics. Schedule your free consultations and explore your different legal options.

Common Causes of Fort Myers Car Accidents

Negligent parties must compensate any victim who sustained injuries due to their carelessness. Injured victims should realize they are not responsible for someone else’s mistakes. Fatal car accidents in Fort Myers may happen due to several reasons that may be preventable. However, some can be preventable by following traffic rules and regulations.

Some negligent behaviors of drivers include:

  1. Speeding: Most times, drivers are in a hurry to reach their destination. Due to this, they drive speedily, leading to severe accidents. It puts their life in danger, along with the lives of others on the road.
  2. Drowsy driving: Drivers who drive without rest may cause accidents due to slow reaction times and impaired senses like vision and spatial perception. Drivers must rest appropriately before driving.
  3. Impaired driving: Although driving under the influence is prohibited, people are involved in parties and have drinks. After that, they drive under the influence of alcohol, leading to deadly accidents.
  4. Distracted driving: Distracted driving refers to anything that may compel you to take your hands off the wheel, or that diverts your focus. Some examples of distracted driving include daydreaming, texting while driving, personal grooming, and others.
  5. Tailgating: Drivers who are impatient may cause accidents. Driving instructors always suggest that drivers keep appropriate spacing between the vehicles. Tailgating may result in rear-end collisions.
  6. Accelerating through yellow lights: Some drivers speed up when they see a yellow signal. Failure to wait leads to serious car accidents. Drivers must patiently wait for the lights to turn green after the cycle, rather than trying to beat a yellow or running a red light, and then move their vehicles.  

These violations may lead to a severe Fort Myers car crash and life-threatening injuries for the victims.

Types of Car Accident Injuries In Fort Myers

Injuries may change your life completely, whether in a minor fender bender or a major car accident.
Fort Myers Car Accident Lawyer

  • Broken Bones: Both minor or significant accidents can cause enormous physical pain from broken bones. The impact of an accident, such as speed, force, and weight, will define the severity of the broken bones. 
  • Burns, Lacerations, & Scarring: Burns and lacerations are caused when two vehicles collide and can cause permanent scarring. 
  • Head and Neck Trauma: The severity of the traumatic brain injury can vary from minor concussions to serious injuries. Surgeries and therapy may be required when the brain’s functioning is affected.
  • Back and Spinal Cord Trauma: One of the outcomes of a car accident can be spinal cord injuries. These may comprise sprains, ruptured discs, thoracic spinal, or other injuries.
  • Permanent Disability or Paralysis: Paralysis or permanent disability may be challenging for the victim. Paraplegia is paralysis in the waist area, and paraparesis refers to loss of sensation or mobility. Sometimes, people may suffer from quadriplegia, causing paralysis in the legs and arms.
  • Wrongful Death: When an individual is killed in a car crash due to someone else’s negligence, it is wrongful death. Family members may seek compensation for their losses, including funeral and other damages.

Injured victims can suffer from catastrophic injuries such as polytrauma, auditory impairment, internal bleeding, soft tissue damage, and emotional trauma. A Fort Myers car accident attorney may help you with how to proceed if you have been injured due to someone else’s negligence.

What to Do After a Fort Myers Car Accident

Car accidents may transform your life completely. Due to the injuries, you may have to deal with hefty medical expenses. The financial and emotional trauma will further add to your problems. Therefore, it is crucial to know what you should do after facing an accident.

6 essential actions that should be taken after a car collision are:

  • Contact emergency services: The first thing you need to do is contact a doctor. A car accident can cause serious health issues. Before you do anything else, your first and foremost consideration should be your health and the health of others involved.  You also need to contact the police and notify them about the incident.
  • Get out of the vehicle: If you are not seriously injured or maimed, try to get the vehicle away from any moving traffic safely. Remember to turn on the hazard lights if they are still operable.
  • Report the incident to the police: After an unfortunate accident, be sure that you inform the police. Police, under most circumstances, will arrive to investigate the case and file an official report that may include their opinion of who is liable for the accident. 
  • Collect data: Document everything you can related to the accident. Get the name, address, phone number, and email contact of anyone who witnessed the accident, especially the other car’s driver. This step is essential, especially when filing a claim against another party at fault.
  • Exchange Information: You must exchange information with the other driver by collecting their contact number and vehicle information.
  • Consult an accident lawyer: If negotiating with the insurance adjusters is challenging after sustaining injuries, consult an experienced attorney. They will let you know about your different legal options.

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How Much Does A Fort Myers Car Accident Attorney Cost?

The cost will differ based on the attorney the injured victim chooses. It is essential to understand how fees work in personal injury cases.

Most attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, meaning

  • They will only charge you if you successfully obtain compensation. 
  • You do not have to pay any upfront fees and you do not pay if you do not win.  You may still be liable for court costs if you lose.
  • If you win, they will take some percentage of the settlement.

Our car accident lawyers work on a contingency basis. You may have a free consultation to discuss your case. Other attorneys may charge hourly, or may charge flat fees.

What Defense Strategies Are Implemented In A Car Crash?

When you are blamed for a car accident, and someone has filed an injury lawsuit against you, you can take some steps to avoid liability. Some effective strategies that can be implemented are:

  • Blaming the plaintiff: As Florida follows the comparative negligence rule, the plaintiff’s settlement amount will be reduced by the percentage of their fault.
  • Downplaying the injuries sustained by the plaintiff: The defense can also use the strategy of downplaying the plaintiff’s injuries. Furthermore, they can claim that the plaintiff suffers from a pre-existing condition. 
  • Providing a low settlement amount: Insurance companies may try to offer you a low settlement to provide the amount quickly. However, if you are the plaintiff you must not waive your right to litigation by accepting the low amount.

Fort Myers injury attorney can also suggest what to do and what not to do at such times. Through many years of experience with personal injury clients, they may be able to help advise you on how to manage your condition better. They can also seek reimbursement from the responsible parties.

What Damages Can You Recover After A Car Accident?

Involved In Car AccidentYou can file an injury claim if your damages exceed your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage. However, to sue the at-fault party, you need to know an estimate of your damages. You can apply recovery for the following:

  • Medical expenses: These may include ambulance rides, radiology, surgery, and aftercare for the present and future. In addition, it may also comprise rehabilitation costs including any physical therapy or assistive devices;
  • Lost wages: These will include the number of days you miss from work due to the injuries. 
  • Property damage: There may be property damage in a car accident for which you may pursue compensation.
  • Pain and suffering: Pain and suffering are non-economic damages that an injured victim may face after sustaining severe injuries. 
  • Emotional distress: If an injured victim has sustained devastating injuries and is dealing with expensive medical bills, they may seek compensation for emotional distress. 
  • Quality of life: If the accident affects your quality of life due to the injuries, you may pursue reimbursement.  

A Fort Myers car accident attorney will help you file a claim for personal injury.  They will also contact eyewitnesses and other parties on your behalf. They will prepare an accurate account of the accident, including all details with supporting documentation.

Need Legal Help? Contact A Fort Myers Car Accident Lawyer

A sudden accident can leave you injured and in pain for days or months. In addition, mounting medical bills can worsen the situation. Contact Nationwide Disability Representatives also known as Berke Law Firm, P.A., for legal representation.

If you were involved in a Fort Myers accident due to someone else’s negligence, you could file a lawsuit to gain recovery. Call us at (239) 549-6689 for a free consultation or complete our contact form online.

Fort Myers Car Accident FAQ

Q. How Much Personal Injury Protection Insurance Coverage Is Available?

According to Florida’s no-fault insurance laws, drivers who have registered a vehicle must possess PIP coverage. The minimum limits are $10,000 for PIP and $10,000 under property damage liability (PDL) coverage. 

The injured party must exhaust PIP coverage before recovering it from the at-fault party’s insurance carrier. PIP in Florida covers 80% of medical expenses and 60% of lost income.

Q. Is It Necessary To Report A Car Accident Case To The Police?

Yes, according to Florida law, most car accident cases must be reported to law enforcement authorities. Reportable collisions include those causing bodily injury, causing fatalities, involving a driver driving under the influence of alcohol, and crashes involving commercial vehicles. Car crashes where the property damage totals more than $500 must also be reported to the police.

Q. What Happens When An Insurance Company Denies Your Accident Claim?

You can file an appeal against the decision if an insurance company has denied your claim. In addition, you can ask the insurance carrier to review their decision again and ask them the reason for denial of the claim. If you do not get a satisfactory answer, you can contest a denial of the claim made by the insurance company by writing an appeal letter to them. 

Q. What is the statute of limitations for filing an accident claim in Fort Myers?

The timeframe for filing an accident claim in Florida is 4 years from when the accident happened. Victims who fail to file within the specified time will lose their chances of pursuing compensation.

Q. What To Do If An Uninsured Driver Hits You?

According to Florida laws, a driver is not required to have uninsured motorist (UM) coverage. However, if an uninsured driver has hit you, you must carefully review your auto insurance policy. Further, if you have UM coverage accompanied by underinsured motorist coverage, the policy limits will differ from the PIP auto insurance policy.