How Does Morgan & Morgan Handle Car Accident Settlements in Florida?
Key Takeaways
- A settlement offer made early in a Florida car accident claim may not reflect medical expenses, lost income, or other losses that become clearer as treatment and recovery continue.
- Evaluating the value of a car accident claim may involve current and anticipated medical expenses, lost income, reduced earning ability, and non-economic damages such as pain and suffering.
- Morgan & Morgan can review settlement offers, explain how medical bills, valid liens, case expenses, and attorney’s fees may affect your recovery, and advise you on your options. The decision to accept or reject an offer remains yours.
- If settlement negotiations do not resolve the claim, Morgan & Morgan can evaluate whether filing a lawsuit is appropriate and continue pursuing a resolution through the legal process.
Injured?
From Evaluating Your Losses to Resolving Your Claim
After a Florida car accident, you may receive a settlement offer from an insurance company before you fully understand the extent of your injuries and losses. While resolving a claim quickly may seem appealing, an early offer may not account for medical expenses, lost income, or other damages that become clearer over time.
Morgan & Morgan can review the circumstances of your accident, evaluate the losses connected to your claim, and help you understand whether a settlement offer fairly reflects the impact of the crash.
When a Case May Be Ready for Settlement Negotiations
Evaluating a car accident claim involves more than looking at the expenses that arise immediately after the crash. Depending on the circumstances, a claim may involve medical costs, lost income, reduced earning ability, and other losses connected to your injuries.
The full impact of an injury may not be clear while treatment and recovery are still ongoing. Symptoms can change, additional care may become necessary, and an injury that initially appears minor may ultimately affect your work or daily activities more than expected.
Before recommending that you accept a settlement, Morgan & Morgan can review your medical treatment, recovery, work-related losses, and other damages to help evaluate whether the available information provides a clear picture of how the accident has affected you.
Calculating the Value of Your Claim
The value of a car accident claim can depend on both the losses you have already experienced and those you may reasonably face in the future. Medical expenses may include the cost of treatment you have already received as well as anticipated care related to your injuries.
When future medical needs are uncertain, medical records and opinions from healthcare providers or other qualified experts may help your legal team evaluate the type and extent of care that could be necessary.
Lost income may also be considered. If your injuries affect your ability to work or reduce your future earning capacity, those losses may become part of the evaluation of your claim.
Depending on the circumstances, compensation may also be available for non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering and the ways an injury has affected your daily life and overall well-being.
Morgan & Morgan can review the available evidence and the losses connected to your accident to help evaluate what compensation may be appropriate in your case.
Negotiating Your Settlement
Florida drivers are generally required to carry at least $10,000 in Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage. PIP may provide benefits for certain accident-related medical expenses and other covered losses, subject to the terms of the policy and Florida law.
When evaluating a settlement, your legal team can also consider outstanding medical bills, valid liens, attorney’s fees, and other amounts that may affect what you ultimately receive. When appropriate, Morgan & Morgan can work to address these obligations as part of resolving your claim.
If an insurance company makes a settlement offer, your attorney can explain the terms of the offer, discuss how it compares with the losses associated with your claim, and help you understand the potential financial impact of accepting it.
Your attorney can advise you on whether an offer appears reasonable based on the circumstances of your case, but the decision to accept or reject a settlement remains yours.
When Settlement Negotiations Do Not Resolve the Case
Many car accident claims are resolved through settlement negotiations, but an agreement is not always possible. Disputes over fault, insurance coverage, the extent of your injuries, or the value of your damages may make filing a lawsuit appropriate.
Morgan & Morgan can evaluate whether litigation makes sense based on the circumstances of your case. If a lawsuit is filed, our attorneys can continue negotiating while preparing the evidence and legal arguments needed to pursue your claim through the court process.
Preparing a case for litigation can also help ensure that your legal team is ready to respond if the insurance company is unwilling to agree to a fair resolution. Whether a case ultimately settles or proceeds further, your attorney can explain your options and help you decide how to move forward.
After a Settlement Is Reached
Once a settlement is finalized, certain amounts may need to be paid or deducted before you receive your portion of the recovery. Depending on the case, these may include attorney’s fees, case expenses, medical bills, valid liens, or other obligations connected to the claim.
Morgan & Morgan can review these amounts, address outstanding obligations when appropriate, and explain how the settlement proceeds will be distributed.
After applicable deductions are resolved, you receive the remaining settlement funds.
If you were injured in a Florida car accident and have questions about a settlement offer or the claims process, Morgan & Morgan can review your case and explain your options. Contact us today for a free case evaluation.
