If you or a loved one have been seriously injured in a Bradenton car accident, you may already be asking the question, “Do I really need to hire a personal injury attorney?” Unless you’re willing to bear the full cost of an auto collision, that was no fault of your own, the answer should be yes.
Car accident injuries can be expensive and pursuing fair compensation is complicated. Injured victims often find themselves out of work, for significant periods of time, compounding their financial hardship. It’s typical for injured accident victims to face severe financial hardship, with no relief in sight.
For over 25 years, Lutz, Bobo & Telfair, P.A. has established an incredibly successful track record of helping Bradenton car accident victims. Our attorneys are relentless in getting clients the compensation they need to recover from their injuries, while restoring stability to their financial future.
If you choose our law firm, you are hiring one of the most respected civil trial law firms, not only in Bradenton, but throughout Southwest Florida. If you or a loved one have been seriously injured in a Bradenton car accident, contact our injury lawyers today for a free consultation about your claim.
NO FEES UNLESS WE WIN
We believe that the costs associated with hiring a lawyer shouldn’t prevent any Bradenton car accident victim from obtaining sound legal counsel. Because of this, our law firm handles all Bradenton car accident claims on a contingency fee basis. This means there are no out of pocket expenses and you only owe attorney’s fees if we settle your claim or win a favorable verdict in court.
Car Accident Claims: PIP Insurance
Florida is considered a no-fault state. These laws were implemented for two reasons, to reduce the number of auto accident lawsuits and lower car insurance rates.
In a no-fault state, like Florida, each driver involved in a Bradenton car accident uses their own Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance as their primary means of paying for the medical costs and lost wages associated with the collision.
Most PIP policies provide a maximum of $10,000 in benefits. These benefits will pay for up to 80% of your medical bills and 60% of your lost wages related to an accident, up to your policy limits and minus your deductible.
Your ability to file a PIP claim and how much of your policy will be available depends on two requirements. Both requirements can drastically impact your PIP benefits.
Florida’s 14 Day PIP Rule
The first requirement states that you must have received qualified medical treatment within 14 days of the accident. Failure to seek medical treatment within 14 days, regardless of how badly you are hurt, means you will be unable to use your own PIP policy.
- Ambulance / EMT Service
- Hospital / Emergency Room
- Dentist
- Chiropractor
Because of the first requirement, we urge all Bradenton car accident victims to seek medical treatment within 14 days of their crash. Even if you feel fine at first, seeking qualified medical treatment within 14 days may protect you if symptoms of an injury manifest themselves later.
Emergency Medical Condition
The second requirement impacts how much of your PIP policy you may be able to use. In order to use the full limits of your PIP policy, you must have suffered an emergency medical condition as a result of the Bradenton car accident. If your car accident didn’t result in an emergency medical condition, your PIP benefits will be capped at $2,500.
An emergency medical condition is defined as a medical condition manifesting itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity, which may include severe pain, such that the absence of immediate medical attention could reasonably be expected to result in any of the following:
- Serious jeopardy to patient health
- Serious impairment to bodily functions
- Serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part
Contact Our Injury Lawyers
Call us at 877.951.1800 or fill out the form below to schedule a free initial consultation with one of our Bradenton car accident lawyers.
Under Florida law, to pursue an injury claim against another driver, your injuries must meet a certain medical threshold. If the medical threshold is not met, you will typically be unable to pursue compensation beyond your own PIP policy.
Examples of injuries that would meet the medical threshold would include:
- Broken bones
- Burns
- Amputations
- Functional damage to or loss of organs
- Scarring or disfigurement
- Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Death
Can I Sue the Other Driver for My Injuries?
Bradenton Car Accident Compensation
The value of any car accident claim depends on a variety of factors. Understanding these factors and how to calculate them correctly can be difficult without significant experience. The following are all considerations when determining the value of a Bradenton car accident claim. Florida injury law divides them into two specific categories.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are defined under Florida Statute 761.81 and are used to compensate the victim or their family for the financial losses associated with the car accident. These losses include:
- Medical bills, both past and future, including medical devices, equipment, long term resident care or in-home nursing care.
- Lost wages, both past and future, including lost earnings capacity.
- Vehicle repair or replacement costs.
- Lost support and funeral expenses, if the accident resulted in a wrongful death.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are also known as punitive damages. They are governed under Florida Statute 627.737. Non-economic damages are awarded to car accident victims for pain, suffering, mental anguish, and inconvenience because of bodily injury, sickness, or disease arising out of the ownership, maintenance, operation, or use of a motor vehicle.
For a Bradenton car accident victim or their family to be eligible for non-economic damages, one or more of the following must apply:
- Significant and permanent loss of an important bodily function.
- Permanent injury within a reasonable degree of medical probability, other than scarring or disfigurement.
- Significant and permanent scarring or disfigurement.
- Death.
Simple Reasons
Why Hire Lutz, Bobo & Telfair, P.A.?
There’s a reason that our reputation precedes us: our 25-plus year history in Sarasota has garnered us some of the top reviews in the area, from both peers and clients alike. If you are in need of an experienced law firm, with personalized service and a desire to win your case, we’re here for you. Read on to learn more about the key reasons why the law offices of Lutz, Bobo & Telfair, P.A. are considered one of the premier civil trial law firms in Southwest Florida.
They make you feel comfortable and they’ll get the job done professionally.
Built from the ground up
Solid Reputation
We are a Martindale-Hubbell AV rated law firm, the highest possible rating for legal ability and ethical standards. With over 300 years of combined legal experience at our firm’s disposal, we have a vastly experienced knowledge of the legal system.
One of a kind
Personalized Attention
We believe that when you hire an attorney, you should be able to communicate directly with that attorney. At Lutz, Bobo & Telfair, P.A., you’re never treated like a number. We work hard to understand the specifics of your situation and to craft a compelling legal strategy to fight for the best outcome for you.
Thousands of cases
A History of Success
Our law firm has recovered millions and millions of dollars in jury verdicts and settlements for our clients. While we don’t guarantee results, we do promise to work tirelessly towards the best possible outcome for you.
What our clients say
Client Testimonials
Experience and skill are meaningless without the passion to succeed. Our law firm takes pride in knowing that we’ve done our job by serving our client’s interests well. Our greatest satisfaction comes when our clients take the time to acknowledge their satisfaction with our legal representation, by providing our law firm with a testimonial.
I would recommend to family, close friends, and even shout it out from a corner. The experience was that good for me.
I feel they have been very efficient, very effective, and have gone above and beyond.
I certainly would recommend the firm to anyone in the future that is in need of legal assistance.
I truly felt like I was part of the family and I had a lawyer in the family.