We currently live in age where one of the primary forms of communication with friends, family, and other acquaintances is through social media. Whether its Facebook or Instagram or any other form of social media, people just can’t seem to get enough of posting about every aspect of their life. While this can be both useful and entertaining, it can also have a drastic affect the value of your personal injury claim. If you’ve been injured in an accident, posting anything about your accident or injuries online will likely come back to haunt you, whether you think your post was innocent or not. Insurance companies and their lawyers are masters at taking online postings out of context and using them against you in your case. Even the most innocent of postings, like of photo of you smiling with your children taken after a crash, will be construed by the insurance company as proof that your injury is minor, or that you’re not injured at all. So if you’ve been injured in an accident, it’s important that you refrain from posting anything about your accident or injuries on social media, or if possible, simply refrain from posting on social media at all.

This video tip of the week is about the importance of choosing the hiring the right personal injury attorney. There are a lot of lawyers out there that claim to do personal injury, but then you look at their website and personal injury is just one of 20 different areas of law that they practice. These Threshold Lawyers are those who take anything that walks through the front door and dabble in many areas of the law without focusing on anything specific. Would you take your Ferrari to Walmart for an oil change? I think not. Then why would you do that to your financial future after an accident. So if you’ve been injured in an accident be sure to consult an attorney and hire the right attorney to best protect your rights.

The most common question we get asked by clients who have been injured in a Florida car accident, or any other type of accident, is “What is the Value of My Case? The answer we most commonly give is “It Depends?” This is not our attempt to evade the question. The truth is, there are many factors that go into determining the value of any personal injury case. First of all, it is important to know that every case is different. Despite this fact, people will often compare their case with someone else’s that they know. For example, we will hear such things as “my friend was in an accident just like mine and she got paid the maximum amount of insurance and it only took a short period of time.” Our usual response to this is, “that’s great, tell us more about your friends claim.” Of course, the client or person we are speaking with is usually unable to provide any additional information regarding their friends case. Even if they can provide more information, they quickly realize that their friends case is very different than their own. The value of your case is dependent on a number of factors, the first of which would be your medical bills. Next, you may be entitled to recover “lost wages.” That is simply the amount of money you would have made if you weren’t injured and therefore able to do your job. This calculation could also include what is called “loss of future earning capacity.” This comes up when you are no longer able to do your job because of your injuries, and you have to take a different job that you can do but it pays less. Some additional factors that must also be considered include: • The amount of insurance coverage involved • Are you partially at fault for your accident? • The amount of your medical bills that remain outstanding • Estimated future medical expenses – and as you can see, so much more. • Are your injuries permanent? • Any scarring or disfigurement? • How your injuries affect your activities of daily living • Did you have surgery? • Is surgery anticipated? The bottom line is that there are a lot of factors that have to be considered in valuing your case. Most can’t even be addressed until well after your accident, and after you’ve been treating for your injuries. Unfortunately, despite this, there are lawyers who will try to tell you what your case is worth at the initial consultation when they’re trying to secure you as a client. These are lawyers that should be avoided. If you’ve suffered an injury in an accident and have questions about your claim, give us a call at the number below, or you can also visit our website at southshoreinjuryattorneys.com, where you will find a lot of free information that can answer many of the questions you may have about your case.

This video tip of the week is about treating with a letter of protection when you do not have health insurance. What you will learn from this video is the following: First, if you have been injured in an accident and you do not have health insurance, you can still receive medical treatment for your injuries. Second, depending on the type of accident that you have been involved in, there are ways in which your medical bills can be taken care of or deferred until the conclusion of your personal injury claim Finally, a Letter of Protection allows you to treat and the doctor will agree to defer receipt of payment until the conclusion of your case. So if you’ve been injured in an accident and don’t have health insurance, get the medical treatment that you need, and be sure to consult an attorney to best protect your rights

This frequently asked question video is about Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Insurance Coverage In the State of Florida, you are required by law to carry certain kinds of car insurance coverage. One such coverage is Personal Injury Protection coverage, or what is more commonly referred to as PIP. Everyone who owns and insures a car in Florida must carry $10,000 in PIP coverage. PIP is for your benefit, and will pay a large percentage of your initial medical bills up to $10,000, less any deductible, regardless of whether you were at fault for the accident or not. In other words, you can be 100% at fault for an accident, and PIP will stay pay your medical bills. This is true regardless whose vehicle you are driving. To qualify for full coverage under PIP, you must see a doctor or chiropractor within 14 days after your accident. It is also important to know that your PIP coverage will be primary to any other insurance coverage. This means if you have health insurance, your PIP must first be exhausted before your health insurance is obligated to pay for your medical bills. This frequently asked question video is about Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Insurance Coverage

When it comes to car insurance, the most important coverage you can purchase to protect you and your family is what’s called uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, often referred to UM or UIM coverage. Uninsured motorist coverage provides benefits to you in the event your injured in a car accident with a driver who is either uninsured, meaning he or she doesn’t have bodily injury coverage at all (which isn’t required in Florida), or is underinsured, meaning they don’t have sufficient bodily coverage to compensate you for your injuries. When this happens, and when you’ve purchased this coverage, you can then turn to your own insurance company to compensate you for your injuries. Unfortunately, if your involved in a car accident with an uninsured or underinsured motorist and you don’t have this coverage, your recovery against that driver will be limited, or in the case of no insurance, there will likely be no recovery at all.

This frequently asked question video is about Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Insurance Coverage In the State of Florida, you are required by law to carry certain kinds of car insurance coverage. One such coverage is Personal Injury Protection coverage, or what is more commonly referred to as PIP. Everyone who owns and insures a car in Florida must carry $10,000 in PIP coverage. PIP is for your benefit, and will pay a large percentage of your initial medical bills up to $10,000, less any deductible, regardless of whether you were at fault for the accident or not. In other words, you can be 100% at fault for an accident, and PIP will stay pay your medical bills. This is true regardless whose vehicle you are driving. To qualify for full coverage under PIP, you must see a doctor or chiropractor within 14 days after your accident. It is also important to know that your PIP coverage will be primary to any other insurance coverage. This means if you have health insurance, your PIP must first be exhausted before your health insurance is obligated to pay for your medical bills. This frequently asked question video is about Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Insurance Coverage