Lakeland Insurance Liability Lawyer
Florida is a no-fault auto insurance state, which means that all drivers are required to carry a minimum of $10,000 in both Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and Property Damage Liability (PDL) auto insurance. The former covers up to 80 percent of accident-related medical expenses regardless of who caused the accident, while the latter covers damage done to someone else’s property through the policyholder’s negligence. Failing to carry this insurance can have devastating consequences for car accident victims, especially those who don’t have uninsured or underinsured policies.
Fortunately, motorists who find themselves in this situation do have options, so if you were recently involved in an accident and your injuries were so severe that they exceeded the limits of your policy or you were injured by a driver without insurance, it is important to speak with a knowledgeable Lakeland insurance liability lawyer who can walk you through the claim filing process.
Minimum Insurance Requirements
Because Florida is a no-fault auto insurance state, motorists who are involved in accidents must first go through their own insurers when attempting to collect compensation for their losses. For this reason, all drivers in the state must carry at least:
- $10,000 in PIP coverage;
- $10,000 bodily injury coverage per person per accident;
- $20,000 bodily injury for all persons per accident; and
- $10,000 PDL coverage.
Drivers who are found to be at fault for a car accident and who don’t carry the required minimum insurance, could end being held liable in civil court for the costs associated with the other party’s bodily injuries and property damage.
Civil Liability
Motorists who sustain especially severe injuries that exceed their policies or who are injured in collisions with drivers who don’t carry any auto insurance at all may have the option of filing a civil claim against the at-fault party in court. Plaintiffs who can demonstrate that another driver was negligent and that he or she sustained a serious injury as a result could be eligible to collect compensation for their losses, including reimbursement for:
- Past and future medical costs;
- Lost wages;
- Loss of future income;
- Scarring, disfigurement, or permanent disability;
- The cost of vehicle repair or replacement;
- Emotional distress; and
- Pain and suffering.
The damages award that a successful plaintiff can expect to recover will depend on the severity of the injuries and the egregiousness of the negligent driver’s conduct. Generally, however, the more severe a person’s injuries are and the more careless the other driver’s behavior is, the more an injured plaintiff could recover in damages. For help determining what your own personal injury claim could be worth, please contact a member of our Lakeland legal team today.
Contact Our Lakeland Insurance Liability Lawyers by Phone or Online Message
If you were injured in an accident with an underinsured or uninsured driver, or suffered a serious injury that exceeded the limits of your policy, please contact us at Pawlowski // Mastrilli Law Group to learn more about your legal options. A member of our dedicated legal team in Lakeland can be reached by phone or online message.
