Founded by Weston Finn, Esq., The Moto Lawyer, PLLC is a firm of accident attorneys that represent motorcyclists and automotive enthusiasts, alike. From personal injury to wrongful death to high-value insurance disputes, The Moto Lawyer prides itself on delivering results.
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Here, The Moto Lawyer explains the first three things anyone should do immediately after a traffic accident.
Step 1: Call the Police
When it comes to both motorcycle and car accidents, the very first thing to do is call the police. If it’s not an emergency situation, meaning there aren’t major injuries and no one is severely hurt, you can call the non-emergency line of the local police department. Depending where you are, they will dispatch the local police or Florida Highway Patrol. That’s always the first step. The reason you call the police is you want to have something on record saying there was an accident, at a certain time and location. The police usually get the big picture. It might not always be correct but at least there’s something on record stating that there was an accident that day, naming the parties that were involved. Police reports help attorneys tremendously in finding which party is at fault. Even if the correct party at fault is not notated properly on the crash report, the attorney can usually sift through the information and get to the bottom of it.
Step 2: Seek Medical Attention
For auto accidents there is a time constraint for filing a medical claim for your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage in the state of Florida, and that time constraint is 14 days. You have 14 days to report any medical issues that arise from a car accident in order to claim PIP coverage. For a motorcycle accident it’s different because PIP is not allocated to motorcyclists in the state of Florida, so that 14-day time constraint is not applicable for motorcyclists. Either way, it is very important to seek medical attention and document any injuries that have arisen as a result of the accident. Even in the event that there are no visible wounds, there could be underlying injuries and medical conditions that might not be apparent right away.
Step 3: Call an Attorney
It’s very important to have an attorney on your side when you’re filing insurance claims. Insurance companies are not the insured parties’ best friend. Ultimately, they are looking after their own pocket books. They often deny claims which they are not entitled to deny and they minimize compensation for injuries. Having an attorney on your side will be of great benefit to you in the event you are involved in an accident. Most of the time it will be worth its weight in gold to have an attorney on your case. Most attorneys in the state of Florida work on a contingency fee basis, meaning that you most likely won’t have to pay out of pocket to hire an attorney. Obviously, this is something the party involved in the accident needs to verify, but most operate on this basis. The “no fees unless we win” and “free service” attorneys are all contingency fee attorneys. The fee for an attorney varies widely in the state of Florida, but most often you will see attorneys work on a contingency fee of 33%, although I have seen it go as high as 60%. When shopping for an attorney, look for one that has a reputable record, sufficient experience in the realm of personal injury, and is amicable to your needs.
Those are the very first three steps: Call the Police, Seek Medical Attention, Find an Attorney.
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