Jacksonville Uninsured Motorist Accident Lawyer

April 22, 2022 | Attorney, Matthew Dolman

Accidents are always unexpected and can bring trauma and injuries to your life. When the accident results from an uninsured driver, it can bring a whole other set of complications. You may be frustrated, thinking that you will not get compensation for your injuries.

However, with the aid of one of the top Jacksonville uninsured motorist accident lawyers, you can move forward with life and seek recovery from the damages you have incurred.

Florida Insurance Laws

Most states require that you carry some form of car insurance. Each state has its own rules and regulations regarding the type of insurance motorists carry and how much liability they need to have. 

In Florida, motorists must have what is called personal injury protection (PIP) insurance. A Jacksonville uninsured motorist accident lawyer can provide guidance on how to recover the losses in an accident involving an uninsured motorist.

What Damages Can I Claim?

An accident with an uninsured driver may have many injuries and damages. Some can be serious, while others may be minor. Whatever the case may be, the bills are likely coming in on a regular basis already, causing a lot of distress about how you will pay for the damages.

With the help of a Jacksonville uninsured motorist accident lawyer, you can start the process of recovering economic damages, which may be as follows:

  • Medical expenses, including future needs and permanent medical assistance
  • Hospital bills
  • Damaged property
  • Lost wages
  • Lost benefits

These are not the only damages that you can incur in an accident with an uninsured motorist. There are unseen injuries, too. These damages are referred to as non-economic. Some of the claims that can be made from these damages include:

  • Pain and suffering
  • Mental anguish
  • Loss of pleasure
  • Loss of enjoyment doing certain things you could do before
  • Loss of consortium

Statute of Limitations

Florida, like every state, has a timeframe you must work within to file your claim on time. This is called the statute of limitation. Florida's is found in section 95.11 and states that you have up to four years from the date of the accident to file your claim.

Does My Car Insurance Have Provisions for Uninsured Drivers?

Everyone in Florida is mandated to carry Personal injury protection (PIP). This protection covers you in case of a situation where you were hit by an uninsured driver, and you suffer personal injuries. This special protection covers you for your damages regardless of who was at fault. It's best to consult with a Jacksonville uninsured motorist accident lawyer to determine the best course of action.

Can I File a Lawsuit?

As stated above, you may not have enough from your PIP to cover all the injuries and damages from the accident. You can always opt to file a personal injury lawsuit against the uninsured driver. If you a have reason to believe that the driver has access to funds or assets, this may be a wise course of action.

If you are Jacksonville uninsured motorist accident lawyer and you decide to go this route, you will need to establish that the other party was at fault. 

Your attorney can do so by establishing the following:

  • The driver owed you a duty of care (this can be simple to establish because all drivers owe this to one another when driving).
  • The uninsured driver breached the duty of care through some type of negligence or breaking a traffic law, etc.
  • The actions of the accident directly caused your injuries.

What Is Uninsured Motorist Coverage?

Uninsured motorist coverage is an optional insurance plan that you may or may not have. It depends on whether you chose to buy it when you purchased your insurance. It's not mandatory to carry this coverage. If you do have it, you should check your policy details to see how much it covers. Generally, it's about the amount of your personal liability insurance.

What About My Health Insurance Coverage?

If you have medical insurance, you will likely get some of your personal injuries from the accident covered. However, there are always additional costs associated with using medical insurance. For example, you may have a high co-pay, which can add up. You may also have a pricey deductible.

Either way, you will likely not have all your medical costs covered by your medical insurance. Talking to a Jacksonville uninsured motorist accident lawyer can help guide you in the right direction as to which way to go when recovering damages.

Contact a Jacksonville Uninsured Motorist Accident Lawyers

A Jacksonville uninsured motorist accident lawyer can review all your insurance policies, research the other party's financial status, and decide your best options for moving forward. At the Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA., you can count on a free case evaluation, and we can get all legal work done. This gives you peace of mind while all the details are sorted out.

Our Jacksonville uninsured motorist accident lawyers can aggressively pursue the best course of action to help you recover all the damages you have lost during the accident. Contact our office today to get started.

Jacksonville Office
12574 Flagler Center Blvd.;
Suite 101
Jacksonville, FL 32258
Phone: (904) 441-6903

 

Matthew Dolman

Personal Injury Lawyer

This article was written and reviewed by Matthew Dolman. Matt has been a practicing civil trial, personal injury, products liability, and mass tort lawyer since 2004. He has successfully fought for more than 11,000 injured clients and acted as lead counsel in more than 1,000 lawsuits. Always on the cutting edge of personal injury law, Matt is actively engaged in complex legal matters, including Suboxone, AFFF, and Ozempic lawsuits.  Matt is a lifetime member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum for resolving individual cases in excess of $1 million and $2 million, respectively. He has also been selected by his colleagues as a Florida Superlawyer and as a member of Florida’s Legal Elite on multiple occasions. Further, Matt has been quoted in the media numerous times and is a sought-after speaker on a variety of legal issues and topics.

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