About Car Accident Injuries

Lakeland Car Accident Injury Lawyer Dean Burnetti provides professional Motor Vehicle Accident and Injury Attorney legal services in Polk County, including: Lakeland, Auburndale, Bartow, Davenport, Dundee, Eagle Lake, Fort Meade, Frostproof, Haines City, Highland Park, Hillcrest Heights, Lake Alfred, Lake Hamilton, Lake Wales, Mulberry, Polk City, and Winter Haven; in Highlands County, including: Avon Park, Lake Placid, Lorida, Sebring, Venus, Placid Lake, and Sylvan Shores; and in Hardee County, including: Bowling Green, Ona, Wauchula, Zolfo Springs, Gardner, and Limestone; and all of the Greater Central Florida Area.

According to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Florida sees an annual average of 395,806 traffic crashes. That averages a whopping 1,084 traffic crashes every day. Worse yet, 254,163 Florida drivers/passengers are injured and 3,177 are killed annually! This equates to one percent of Floridians involved in auto accidents being killed and an astounding 64% being injured! The numbers are staggering.

Types of Motor Vehicle Accidents

William Shakespeare wrote that, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet”.  Likewise, a motor vehicle accident by any other name would be just as horrendous. There are multiple names for or types of motor vehicle accidents, including:

• Auto Accidents
• Boat Trailer Accidents
• Car Accidents
• Car Crashes
• Horse Trailer Accidents
• Single Vehicle Accidents
• Motor Home Accidents
• Multiple Vehicle Accidents
• RV Accidents
• Traffic Accidents
• Travel Trailer Accidents
• Trucking and Transportation Accidents
• Motorcycle Accidents

After an Auto Accident

As soon as you’re able, report your accident to your insurance company. You can do this while you’re waiting for the police to arrive at the scene.  Or you can report the accident as soon as you get home. You can also wait until after you’ve finished emergency treatment at the hospital and are in stable condition.  Regardless, no matter how insignificant the accident seemed or who was at fault, this step cannot be overlooked. Ever. Your insurance company will assist in getting your vehicle repaired.  Furthermore, they’ll defend you legally if you caused the accident.

Seeking medical attention following your accident is imperative to protect your health.  What’s more, it’s necessary to protect your PIP benefits.  PIP (short for Personal Injury Protection) is a form of auto insurance which all Florida drivers are required to carry. PIP provides medical coverage to the person who purchases the coverage, regardless of who caused the accident. But the law states that for an injured person to claim their PIP benefits, they must seek medical attention.  In fact, they must do so within 14 days following their accident. If they prolong medical treatment more than 14 days, their PIP benefits will be forfeited.  Furthermore, these benefits will be impossible to reclaim.

Seeing a doctor following an accident documents the fact that you sought medical treatment within a reasonable amount of time. Long delays cause the insurance company to argue that you must not be too injured.

Recorded Statements

As a rule, you never want to agree to giving a recorded statement to anyone else’s insurance company without having your attorney present.  Nevertheless, you’ll have to give a recorded statement to your own insurance company. (You agreed to this when you signed your insurance contract.)

If you were injured, tell them where you were hurt and what doctor you’ve contacted for treatment. However, what if you “feel okay” after an accident?  It’s a good idea to say you’re still shaken from the incident and aren’t sure how you feel yet. Is this sneaky or untruthful? No. Why not? Because more often than you probably realize, people don’t feel like they were hurt very much in an accident because their adrenaline is still surging.  Then, a day or two later after their nerves have calmed down, they wake up in moderate to excruciating pain.  If you really are “fine,” no amount of medical testing will allow you to claim injuries that don’t exist.

After an accident, first seek medical help, then seek legal help.

Dean Burnetti Law Can Help...

No matter how you were injured or if a loved one was killed in a motor vehicle accident and you aren’t sure what your options are, the attorneys and staff at Dean Burnetti Law are familiar with every aspect of your case.  They are eager to navigate the legal system for you as you travel down the road to physical and financial recovery.  Call Dean Burnetti Law at 863-287-6388 or 813-287-6388 today to schedule your free and confidential consultation.

The attorneys and staff at Dean Burnetti Law are familiar with every aspect of Motor Vehicle Accident Injuries, including soft tissue damage, bone injuries, nerve damage, organ damage, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, burns, and even death. Our team is highly qualified and waiting to serve you.