Coral Springs Car Accident Lawyers

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No matter how minor a car accident, you first think about the injuries you and your passengers suffered and how much damage the accident caused to your vehicle. Coral Springs has a lot of traffic throughout the year because it is a favorite vacation zone. The area has a lot of people who do not know where they are going—and are more likely to get into an accident.

If someone caused you to wreck, a car accident lawyer in Coral Springs could help you recover the compensation you deserve. Our Coral Springs car accident attorneys have extensive experience representing your rights and interests in car accident cases. Contact Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA, today for a free case evaluation.

Why Choose Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA

Car accidents, like other accidents, are complex legal issues, especially if more than one driver is at fault for your accident. Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA, has years of experience representing car accident victims and recovering the compensation they deserve.

Some of our results include:

  • $5 million for a car accident that caused burn injuries.
  • $1 million for a car accident.
  • $750,000 for a car accident that caused a subdural hematoma.

These are just a few of our results. We work to ensure we give each of our clients personal attention—they are not just another case number. Once you retain us, we will spend the time to investigate your accident and thoroughly review your medical expenses to ensure we help you recover enough money to pay for all of the medical expenses you incurred and/or may incur over a more extended period of time.

A car accident lawyer at Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA, will remove a lot of the stress by conducting settlement negotiations on your behalf so you can concentrate on recovering. Additionally, insurance companies always try to lowball you or find a way to deny your claim—that is just additional stress you do not need at this point in your life, whether you are recovering from injuries or dealing with the loss of a loved one.

We can meet you in person or set up a telephonic or video conference for your convenience. Contact the Coral Springs injury attorneys Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA, today for a free case evaluation.

Recovering Damages After a Coral Springs, Florida Car Accident

One of our clients’ first questions is how much they can get for car accident injuries. No attorney can answer that until they investigate the case and looks at your medical records.

Several factors dictate what you can ask for in the way of compensation, including:

  • The severity of your injuries. If doctors expect your injuries to cause long-term or permanent disabilities, you will recover more compensation from medical expenses and loss of future earning capacity.
  • The value of your vehicle and whether the accident totaled it.
  • Whether you lost a loved one.
  • Whether the defendant’s actions or inactions were grossly negligent, intentional or regular negligence.

Compensation Accident Victims Could Recover

Florida allows accident victims to recover two types of damages: Compensatory damages and punitive damages. The court orders compensatory damages to make you whole again. The law divides compensatory damages into two kinds: Economic damages and non-economic damages.

Economic Damages

Sometimes referred to as special damages, economic damages have a monetary value.

Economic damages include:

  • Medical Expenses: Doctor’s appointments, surgeries, follow-up appointments, prescriptions, ambulatory aids, hand controls for your vehicle, changes to your home such as wheelchair ramps, grab bars, handrails, and widened doorways, occupational therapy, psychological therapy, physical therapy, cognitive therapy, home health care, and nursing home/rehab home care.
  • Wages: Current lost wages and, if your injuries cause permanent disabilities, loss of future earning capacity.
  • Personal Property: Your vehicle and anything of value on your person or in your car that the accident destroyed or damaged.
  • Death-Related Expenses: Funeral and burial expenses, cremation expenses, probate attorney’s fees and costs, and certain probate court expenses.

Non-Economic Damage

Sometimes referred to as general damages, non-economic damages do not have a monetary value and include:

  • Pain and suffering, including emotional distress.
  • Loss of quality of life if you have to make life changes, such as taking prescriptions or using ambulatory aids.
  • Loss of companionship if you can no longer enjoy family activities and events.
  • Loss of consortium if you can no longer have a physical relationship with your spouse.
  • Loss of use of a bodily function such as your eyesight or bladder.
  • Loss of use of a body part, such as a hand or leg.
  • Inconvenience if you have to hire someone to do the chores you usually do, such as house cleaning, grocery shopping, lawn maintenance, and home repair and maintenance.
  • Excessive scarring and/or disfigurement.

Punitive Damages

The court may order a defendant to pay punitive damages as a punishment for grossly negligent or intentional behavior that caused your injuries. You must win an award for compensatory damages to recover punitive damages.

The jury hears the first part of the case and makes an award for compensatory damages. The same judge and jury then hear why you believe the defendant’s actions or inactions were grossly negligent or intentional. The jury then makes a ruling on punitive damages.

While asking for punitive damages makes the process a bit longer, it is often worth it, especially if your injuries cause permanent disabilities.

Coral Springs Negligence and Statute of Limitations

Florida statutes limit the time to take legal action against the at-fault driver. The statute of limitations is usually four years for an action based on negligence, including car accidents. However, if you lost a loved one in a car accident, you have just two years to take legal action.

You might think that two or four years is plenty of time. However, that time is gone before you know it, so contact a Coral Springs car accident lawyer at Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA, as soon as possible.

Before we can start settlement negotiations, we must:

  • Investigate your case.
  • Have enough time to determine whether your injuries will cause long-term or permanent disabilities.
  • If you have psychological issues because of the accident, you must attend enough sessions to determine if the problem is long-term. Post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and/or depression sometimes take months to manifest.
  • Start and complete settlement negotiations. This could take anywhere from two weeks to more than a month, depending on how many times you go back and forth.
  • Drafting a complaint if the insurance company refuses a fair and reasonable settlement. Filing the complaint and serving the defendants.

Proving Negligence After a Coral Springs Car Accident

To win a settlement or trial award, you must prove the defendant’s actions or inactions were negligent. A Coral Springs car accident attorney investigates the accident to help them determine whether the defendant was negligent.

To prove negligence, you must prove:

  • That the defendant owed you a duty of care to protect you from injury or damage while on the road.
  • That the defendant breached this duty with their actions or inactions.
  • That the breach was the proximate cause of your injuries.
  • That you suffered damages because of the defendant’s breach of the duty of care.

A Coral Springs car accident lawyer at Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA, looks for these elements of negligence while investigating your car accident case. The attorney also looks for actions the court might deem grossly negligent or intentional.

The court might see someone running a stop sign as ordinary negligence. However, if the person that caused the accident was speeding through a crowded downtown street, the court might see that as gross negligence.

Car Accidents and Injuries

The type of car accident often determines the severity of your injuries. However, sometimes miracles happen, and an accident where you should have lost your life leaves you with minor injuries. And sometimes, it works the other way around—an accident that should not have caused severe injuries might—usually in the case of traumatic brain injuries.

Causes of car accidents include:

  • Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. This could lead to sideswipes, head-on collisions, and rollovers.
  • Distracted driving. A distracted driver could rear-end you or cause a head-on collision if they do not run off the road first.
  • Tired or fatigued driving. A person driving while fatigued or tired is just as bad as someone driving under the influence or driving while distracted. Depending on your speed, you could travel hundreds of feet while closing your eyes for a few seconds. A lot can happen during those few seconds.
  • Even sunlight that temporarily blinds someone could cause an accident with severe injuries or fatalities.
  • Poor road maintenance could cause someone to lose control of their vehicle and wreck.
  • Poor vehicle maintenance could cause the driver to lose control of the vehicle and hit you head-on or sideswipe you.

Car Accident Injuries in Coral Springs, Florida

Injuries you might sustain in a car accident include:

  • Bumps, bruises, cuts, and scratches.
  • Strains and sprains.
  • Pulled or torn muscles and other soft tissue injuries.
  • Simple and compound fractures.
  • Crushed bones and crush injuries.
  • Internal injuries.
  • Chemical and thermal burns.
  • Face and eye injuries.
  • Traumatic brain injuries.
  • Head, neck, and shoulder injuries.
  • Back and spinal cord injuries.

The car accident attorneys at Dolman Law Group work to ensure you recover the compensation you deserve by reviewing your medical records and investigating the accident—even to the point of recreating the accident if needed.

If doctors believe your injuries will or have caused long-term or permanent disabilities, our attorneys retain medical experts to testify on your behalf so we can recover future medical expenses and loss of future earning capacity as part of your damages.

Settling Your Case

Sometimes people try to settle their car accident cases themselves. However, that is not recommended, as insurance companies will always try to deny your claim. At the very least, an insurance company will offer you the least amount possible just to make you go away. Insurance companies are in business to make money. Every claim they pay means less money in their pockets.

Thus, they will look for anything to deny your claim. Lawyers recommend not even starting the claim process. If you start the process, only give the insurance company your name, contact information, policy number, date and location of the accident, and your attorney’s contact information.

The insurance company—even your own that you have been loyal to for years—will use what you say against you to blame you for the accident. Instead of worrying about the insurance company, let us do that while you concentrate on recovering.

Cocoa Beach Personal Injury Lawyer

Contact Our Coral Springs Car Accident Lawyers After an Accident

Depending on the severity of your injuries, you might be able to take action after the accident to help document your case. If you are able:

  • Call first responders and check on other drivers.
  • Take photos of the accident scene. Be sure to get pictures from all angles and of any damage to the road and nearby property.
  • Give the police officer your statement and ask how to obtain a copy of the police report.
  • Allow emergency medical technicians to check you over.
  • After the police release you from the scene, seek medical attention as soon as possible. Some injuries take hours or days to manifest. The sooner you seek medical attention, the less trouble you will have with convincing the insurance company that you suffered those injuries in the car wreck.

Finally, contact a Coral Springs car accident lawyer at Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA, for a free case evaluation.

Coral Springs Car Accident FAQs

After a car accident, you probably have many questions. Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA, in Coral Springs, Florida, will answer many of them here. If you need more information on a specific topic or wish to schedule a free case evaluation, call the office at (866) 481-5430.

How Do I Pay for Medical Expenses Until I Receive My Settlement?

Since you might be out of work for some time after an accident, money is understandably tight. You can use your health and vehicle insurance to pay for medical expenses related to the vehicle accident. If you win a settlement or trial award, you reimburse your insurance companies from the settlement.

We add the amount the insurance companies paid toward your medical expenses and lost wages to what the at-fault driver owes you.

Sometimes, your attorney can write a letter of credit asking medical professionals and entities to hold off on collections until you receive a settlement. In other cases, the attorney may be able to refer you to a doctor who will bill against your settlement or trial award.

How Long Do I Have to Report a Car Accident to My Insurance Company?

Each insurance company has its own rules regarding the time frame to report a car accident. Check your policy for the amount of time you have to report the accident. Many people have their attorney report the accident so that the insurance company does not pull a fast one. Insurance companies will twist what you say to blame you for the wreck and deny your claim—or at the least, offer you a pittance.

What Do I Do If the Insurance Is Not Enough to Cover All of My Damages?

Because Florida is a no-fault state, you can also recover some damages from your insurance policy (uninsured/underinsured motorist protection). Another option is to sue the defendant directly to recover the compensation you deserve.

If your policy does not include uninsured motorist protection, because Florida is a no-fault state, you could still recover damages for yourself against your own insurance policy.

How Long Does it Take to Get My Money After a Settlement?

It could take up to two months to receive your settlement check, depending on several factors. Once you and the insurance company agree on an amount, an attorney—usually the insurance company’s attorney—drafts the settlement agreement and forwards it to your attorney.

After your attorney reviews the settlement agreement, they forward it to you for your review. As long as you and your attorney do not have changes, you sign the agreement. Your attorney forwards it to the insurance company for processing.

The insurance company cuts a check to your attorney, who then deposits the check into an escrow account. Your attorney must wait until the check clears before taking the next step. Depending on the amount, it could take up to 14 days for the check to clear.

Once the check clears, the attorney:

  • Pays your outstanding medical expenses.
  • Reimburses your insurance companies.
  • Deducts their fees and expenses.
  • Cuts you a check for the balance.

Once you receive the check, you can deposit it and use it as you wish.

When Is the Front Driver at Fault for a Rear-End Wreck?

Most people believe the rear driver is always at fault in a rear-end crash. However, that is not always true. If the front driver turned without a turn signal, the vehicle broke down in the middle of the road, or brake-checked the rear driver, the front driver is at fault.

Do I Have to Accept a Settlement Offer?

No. If an insurance company offers you money and you do not have an attorney, schedule a free case evaluation with a Coral Springs car accident lawyer at Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA, for a free consultation.

The offer is likely a lowball offer to “make you go away.” Our attorneys will review your case and advise whether you should accept the settlement agreement. If we believe the amount is too low—and it probably is—you can retain us to conduct proper settlement negotiations to obtain the compensation you deserve.

What Do I Do if the Insurance Company Refuses a Fair and Reasonable Settlement?

If you do not want to accept the insurance company’s offer, you can file a complaint with the court and sue the insurance company. Sometimes, once the insurance company sees that you mean business, it will re-enter settlement negotiations and make a fair and reasonable offer. Insurance companies do not like to go to court because litigation is expensive. If the insurance company loses, it not only has to pay its attorneys but yours, too.

The Accident Caused Me to Have Anxiety, Depression, or PTSD. Why Didn’t I Get Compensation for Emotional Distress?

You might suffer from anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder after a traumatic accident. Some also suffer depression when they learn their injuries cause long-term or permanent disabilities or if injuries take too long to heal. If the accident caused an emotional disorder, you could recover pain and suffering, which includes emotional distress.

Do I Need a Lawyer After a Car Accident?

You should always retain a Coral Springs car accident lawyer after a car accident, even a minor accident. Insurance companies do not like to pay claims, even minor claims. You rarely recover the compensation you deserve, regardless of how little it is, when you do not retain an attorney.

So Many Lawyers are Car Accident Lawyers? How Do I Choose the Right One?

Choosing a Coral Springs car accident lawyer is a task because of the number of choices you have.

The easiest way to go about choosing the right attorney is to:

  • Review the attorney’s website, including the attorney’s results page.
  • Make sure the attorney handles cases like yours. Not all personal injury lawyers handle car accidents. You need an attorney with extensive experience in handling wrecks.
  • Check client reviews. Sometimes you will find them on the attorney’s page. You might also find reviews on Google, Yelp, or lawyer referral sites.
  • Create a list of questions for the attorney.
  • Schedule a free case evaluation. During the case evaluation, ask the attorney questions, including the number of cases settled and litigated, the average amount recovered for cases like yours, how often the attorney communicates with you about your claim, and others.
  • Ask the attorney about their billing practices. Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA in Coral Springs, FL, always offer a free, no-obligation case evaluation. Additionally, you do not pay unless we win your case.

After meeting the attorney and their staff, consider how you feel about both. You should be comfortable with the attorney and their team since you will be working with them during settlement negotiations and, if your case goes to court, during litigation.

Do I Need to Get Copies of My Medical Records?

If possible, request copies of your medical records. Make another copy from your documents so you can keep a copy and give a copy to your attorney. If you have trouble obtaining your medical records because of injury limitations or because the medical professional will not release the records, let your attorney know as soon as possible.

The Insurance Company Is Asking for My Medical Records. What Do I Do?

Refer the insurance company to your attorney. While discovery laws require you to provide medical records to the insurance company’s attorney, your attorney should review and log the medical records first.

Reviewing and logging your records ensures that the insurance company cannot say you are holding back on some records and does not allow it to change them.

The Police Report Is Incorrect. How Does That Affect My Case?

The police can only write what you, the other driver, and witnesses tell them. We investigate the accident when you retain a Coral Springs car accident lawyer at Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA. If necessary, we retain accident reconstruction experts to testify against an incorrect police report and witness testimony.

What Is the Average Settlement Amount for a Car Accident?

The amount depends on several factors, including but not limited to the severity of your injuries and whether the at-fault driver was negligent or grossly negligent. The more severe your injuries, the more money you could recover because of the possibility of extensive medical care and lost wages.

If your injuries, such as traumatic brain injuries or spinal cord injuries, cause long-term or permanent disabilities, you could recover compensation to cover lost wages from the time of the wreck until the time you would typically retire (loss of future earning capacity).

Who Else Might Share Responsibility for My Injuries After a Car Accident?

Many people could share in the responsibility for your injuries, including:

  • A vehicle manufacturer. If the vehicle malfunctioned and the owner kept up with the maintenance, the vehicle manufacturer may be liable for some damages.
  • A parts manufacturer. Suppose someone replaced a defective part (not all defective parts look defective), and the part, such as brake pads or rotors, caused the accident. In that case, the manufacturer could share liability for your injuries.
  • A town, city, county, or state if the municipality did not properly maintain the roads.
  • A commercial vehicle owner.
  • A commercial vehicle business.
  • A third party. For example, you are Car A. The car that hit you is Car B. Car C hit Car B and caused the accident. Car C would share the responsibility for your damages.

In certain commercial vehicle accidents, others could also have responsibility for your damages. When your Coral Springs car accident lawyer investigates the accident, they will determine whether the settlement negotiations or lawsuit should include additional parties.

What Is the Difference Between Regular Negligence and Gross Negligence?

Your attorney will review the facts of your case to determine whether they believe the court would rule the defendant’s actions or inactions as gross negligence. Running a stop sign is usually ordinary negligence vs. speeding through a crowded street at lunchtime, which the court might deem gross negligence.

What Is the Statute of Limitations for a Car Accident Claim? A Wrongful Death?

The statute of limitations to take legal action after a car accident is four years. However, certain people might have more time. You have two years to take legal action if you lost a loved one in a car accident.

Always contact a Coral Springs car accident lawyer as soon as possible after an accident—the time you have might seem like a lot. Still, many things happen before we can even start settlement negotiations, including investigating the accident and reviewing your medical records.

If we have to retain experts in accident reconstruction or expert medical professionals to testify and/or write a report about the accident or your injuries, we need the time for the professionals to investigate, review and write.

Contact Our Coral Springs Car Accident Attorneys

Matthew A. Dolman, Attorney
Matthew Dolman, Coral Springs Car Accident Lawyer

Car accidents are complex cases, especially if more than one defendant is involved. Instead of worrying about recovering a fair and reasonable amount from the insurance company, let us take that on for you while you concentrate on recovering.

Our experienced Coral Springs car accident attorneys will conduct settlement negotiations and ensure you receive the compensation you deserve. If the insurance company refuses to settle for a fair and reasonable amount, we can be ready to file a lawsuit against it as soon as you give us the go-ahead.

If you suffered injuries or lost a loved one in a car accident, contact a Coral Springs car accident lawyer at Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA, for a free case evaluation by calling 833-552-7274 (833-55-CRASH) or submitting information about your accident through our contact page as soon as possible.

What Our Clients Have to Say:

“Chad Robinson always responded immediately whenever I had questions or concerns. He worked hard to make sure I received what I deserved.”

Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Michelle Dorn
December 19

Client Testimonial

“AMAZING and understanding attorneys! Did great on my case and I highly recommend Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA for anyone that has been injured in an accident!”
Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Koralis R.
Jan 2020
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FAQs

What are the Important Steps to Take After an Auto Accident? The first thing you should do after a car crash or automobile accident is call 911. This will ensure that emergency services are aware of your situation and can help you. If you don’t already know where you are, ask someone else who may […]

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Yes! Your attorney will be able to use them to show the severity of the accident and demonstrate the seriousness of your injuries. Pictures can sometimes be the difference between obtaining a reasonable settlement and being forced to carry a case through litigation. Try to get at least a few pictures of each side of […]

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  An Independent Medical Examination (known and hereinafter referred to as an ”IME”) is a tool utilized by insurance carriers wherein they examine their own insured pursuant to their auto insurance policy in an effort to suspend their medical benefits or curtail their medical treatment under Personal Injury Protection (PIP).  Do not confuse an IME […]

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A Compulsory Medical Examination (CME) is a tool insurance carriers often take full advantage of in defending either a bodily injury (BI) or uninsured/underinsured (UIM) lawsuit. Each insurance carrier and insurance defense lawyer has a handful of physicians they routinely retain to conduct CME’s. Some of the biggest hired guns are hired by a number […]

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