You have questions we have answers.
Yes, low-speed accidents can lead to the same soft tissue (muscle, ligaments, tendons, and disc) that high-speed accidents cause. A study conducted by the Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine analyzed over 100 U.S. minor rear aligned crashes between passenger vehicles where the change in speed was less than 10 miles per hour.
What the study found was that 113 occupants of the vehicles struck in the rear-end low-speed collisions were diagnosed within five weeks post-crash with 427 injuries resulting from being struck from the rear at less than 10 miles per hour.
The majority of the injuries diagnosed were to the cervical spine area at 29.7% of diagnosed injuries. The lumbar region accounted for 23.2% of injuries with the 3rd largest area being the thoracic region at 14.3% of diagnosed injuries.
It’s important that you speak with a physician following a car accident regardless of the speed of the collision. Call Dr. Huffman at 866-402-4250 anywhere in the state of Florida 24/7 to discuss your injury case or contact us online. Starting with a physician evaluation can help document your symptoms and determine whether additional medical care is appropriate after the accident.
Auto insurance coverage for telemedicine injury visits varies by policy. If you are injured in an accident, payment for medically necessary care depends on your policy, eligibility, remaining benefits, and the insurer’s determination.
Children may not always describe pain, dizziness, headache, or other symptoms clearly after a crash. If your child has symptoms, had a significant impact, or you are concerned about possible injury, contact the child’s pediatrician or another qualified medical professional for guidance. Seek emergency care for severe or concerning symptoms. Call Florida Injury Centers at 866-402-4250 is recommended to determine if your children may or may not warrant further medical examination or care. Dr. Huffman is board certified in family medicine has over 30 years of experience diagnosing and treating children.
Medical and legal decisions serve different purposes after an accident. For Florida PIP medical benefits, state law generally requires initial services and care within 14 days after the motor vehicle accident. If you have symptoms or medical concerns, timely evaluation can help document your condition and determine appropriate care. If you also have legal questions, you may wish to speak with a qualified attorney. Call Florida Injury Centers at 866-402-4250 to begin the medical evaluation process. FIC can help determine appropriate medical next steps; legal advice should come from a qualified attorney.
If there are multiple injured people in the accident, your Bodily Injury (BI) Policy displays two numbers, which are respective of the amounts that can be recovered following an auto accident – the first being the amount of damages that can be claimed per person, the second being the total paid per accident if more than one injured party is making a claim. For example, if your bodily injury policy is $25,000/$50,000, then one injured party can recover up to $25,000, while all of the people injured in the accident can recover up to $50,000 collectively. If there are four injured people in the crash, they will be required to divide the $50,000 provided by your insurance.
If the auto accident was partly your fault, there are cases in which a client was not the individual who struck another vehicle, but they weren’t being 100% responsible either. For instance, a victim could have been driving 5 to 10 mph over the speed limit, which in turn limited their reaction time, and borders on the victim being considered negligent. If this is the case for your accident, this certainly does not mean you don’t deserve compensation for your pain and suffering.
Florida law uses comparative-fault rules in negligence cases. A claimant’s percentage of fault can reduce recoverable damages, and current law includes circumstances in which a claimant found more than 50% at fault may be barred from recovering damages. Because the legal effect depends on the facts and applicable law, patients with questions about fault or compensation should obtain advice from a qualified Florida attorney.
Insurance coverage in an Uber or Lyft accident depends in part on the driver’s status in the transportation-network-company app and the applicable policies. Florida law establishes different insurance requirements when a driver is logged into the network and when the driver is engaged in a prearranged ride. Because coverage can vary with the facts and policy terms, questions about available liability or uninsured-motorist benefits should be reviewed using the actual insurance policies and, when appropriate, with a qualified attorney.
Florida law requires specified automobile insurance while a transportation-network-company driver is logged into the digital network and higher primary liability coverage while the driver is engaged in a prearranged ride. The coverage actually available in a particular crash depends on the driver’s app status, the policies in force, and the circumstances of the accident.
Vicarious liability is a legal concept that can, in some circumstances, make a person or business responsible for another person’s conduct. Florida motor-vehicle cases can involve special rules concerning vehicle owners, drivers, employers, rental or leased vehicles, and statutory limits or exceptions. Whether another person or company may be legally responsible depends on the facts and applicable law. Questions about liability should be reviewed with a qualified Florida attorney.
Wondering who pays medical expenses from a car accident while the case is pending? Florida PIP may provide benefits for eligible accident-related medical expenses, subject to statutory limits, medical findings, the policy, available benefits, and the insurer’s determination. Once your PIP coverage is exhausted, typically your health insurance will be the next line of payment for expenses. Your personal injury lawyer will work to make sure both you and your health insurance company receive reimbursement for the medical costs associated with the accident.
If the driver who caused a crash is uninsured or cannot be identified after a hit-and-run, uninsured motorist (UM) coverage may be relevant if it is included in your policy. Florida law allows a named insured to reject UM coverage in writing or select lower limits, so not every policy has the same protection. Available benefits depend on the policy, the circumstances of the crash, and applicable law. Review your declarations page and contact your insurer; legal questions about a UM claim should be directed to a qualified attorney.
If another driver’s insurer contacts you, remember that the adjuster represents the insurance company. Before giving a recorded statement, signing a release, or agreeing to a settlement, consider reviewing the request carefully and obtaining advice from your own insurer or a qualified attorney if you have legal questions.
Personal Injury Protection coverage, often abbreviated as PIP, is a result of Florida being a “no-fault” state. By Florida law, every vehicle owner and driver is required to have $10,000 in PIP insurance coverage. In the case of an accident, PIP benefits are paid by the individual’s respective insurance company. PIP insurance is also applicable during instances in which you’re a passenger in someone else’s car, or if you’re hit by a car as a pedestrian or cyclist. Florida PIP generally pays 80% of reasonable and medically necessary covered medical expenses and 60% of covered lost income, subject to statutory requirements, limits, deductibles, eligibility, available benefits, and the insurer’s determination. How remaining medical expenses are handled depends on available insurance, the facts of the claim, and other coverage. Questions about recovering damages should be directed to a qualified attorney.
A No-fault State means that there is no requirement to prove fault to receive Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits is what makes Florida a “no-fault” state. This means that a driver’s own Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage, sometimes referred to as “no-fault coverage,” is responsible for paying their own medical bills and rehabilitative costs when they’ve been injured in an auto accident, regardless of which driver was at fault. Florida law generally requires $10,000 in PIP coverage, but the amount of medical benefits actually available can depend on statutory requirements, medical findings, deductibles, prior payments, and other policy factors.
Being partly or fully at fault does not determine whether you may have been injured. If you develop pain, headache, dizziness, weakness, numbness, or other symptoms after a collision, a medical evaluation can help determine whether treatment or follow-up is appropriate. Insurance coverage is a separate question and depends on the policy, eligibility, available benefits, and applicable law. Health-insurance and auto-insurance payment rules can differ after a motor vehicle accident. Patients should provide accurate insurance information and verify benefits when questions arise.
Questions about premiums or how a claim may affect insurance rates should be directed to your insurer or insurance professional. For medical concerns, FIC provides 24/7 statewide patient intake and physician access by telemedicine. Florida PIP generally requires initial services and care within 14 days after the motor vehicle accident for medical benefits.
Some accident-related symptoms can develop or become more noticeable after the collision. You do not need to assume you are injured if you feel well, but seek medical attention if symptoms develop or you have concerns about a possible injury. For Florida PIP medical benefits, initial services and care generally must be received within 14 days after the motor vehicle accident. If you want to preserve potential PIP medical-benefit eligibility, review the Florida 14-day rule. Coverage for medical care depends on the policy, eligibility, available benefits, medical findings, and the insurer’s determination. Decisions about settling an insurance or legal claim are separate from medical treatment decisions and should be discussed with a qualified attorney when legal advice is needed.
Do I need to call the police after an accident? Not every Florida crash has the same reporting requirement. Florida law requires immediate notice to law enforcement when a crash results in injury or death, or apparent vehicle or property damage of at least the statutory threshold. Other circumstances can also trigger formal crash-report requirements. When law enforcement responds, officers may document the crash and help facilitate the exchange of driver, vehicle, and insurance information. Keep any crash-report or driver-exchange information for your records.
After an auto accident, first address immediate safety and emergency medical needs. If you develop pain, headache, dizziness, weakness, numbness, or other symptoms, seek appropriate medical evaluation. Florida Injury Centers provides 24/7 statewide patient intake and physician access by telemedicine for auto-injury evaluation and follow-up. Some symptoms may develop or become more noticeable after the collision. Exchange required information, preserve relevant records, and report the crash to law enforcement when required. If an insurer requests a recorded statement, release, or settlement and you have legal questions, consider obtaining advice from your own insurer or a qualified attorney.
