What Is the Average Car Accident Settlement in Florida?

According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, there were more than 390,000 crashes in 2022, resulting in nearly a quarter million injuries and over 3,400 fatalities.

Car accidents change lives and tear families apart. Not every car accident is due to someone else’s negligence, but when it is, you have the right to recover compensation.

There are two primary types of damages you can recover after sustaining injuries in a car accident due to someone else’s negligence.

• Economic damages: These damages have a verifiable monetary value that your lawyer can calculate using documentation. These include your medical bills, lost income, childcare costs, household services costs, physical therapy, counseling, and property damage.
• Non-economic damages: These damages are more challenging to calculate because they have a non-monetary value. They include pain, emotional distress, mental anguish, disability, disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment.

You could require hospitalization, surgery, diagnostic tests, laboratory work, and medical equipment or devices. Serious injuries could require intensive long-term treatment. It’s possible you could be temporarily or permanently unable to work, complicating an already stressful financial situation. However, all of these losses could be recoverable.

In addition to economic and non-economic damages, you can also seek wrongful death damages that cover funeral expenses, medical bills, and lost income if you lost someone you love in a car accident.

Yes. You may not believe there is anything you can do short of filing a claim with your insurance provider or the liable party’s insurance provider to recover damages. But the truth is that you can take steps to build your case for compensation immediately after an accident.

• Call the police: Police can secure the scene, alert additional emergency responders, and document the accident. Officers will write out an official police report that you can request a copy of for your records. The police report may indicate whether the other party broke the law, which could strengthen your claim by proving negligence.
• Seek medical attention: You may not think you have any injuries, but symptoms of some injuries can take time to present. Thus, you should seek immediate medical treatment after an accident, even if your injuries seem minor. Your doctor can document any injuries you have and any treatments you receive. This documentation could serve as primary evidence and help to calculate economic damages.
• Collect evidence: If you can do so, take photographs of the accident and your injuries. Request a copy of the police report. Gather contact information from witnesses. All of this is important evidence you can use to back up your claim. The more evidence you can collect, the better. However, we do advise you to make your health and well-being your top priority after a car accident.
• Consult a personal injury lawyer: We strongly recommend consulting a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible after a car accident. A lawyer can provide you with options and help you build a solid case for compensation. We can handle your case so you can focus on healing. Obtaining legal services can also provide you with an advocate for your best interests who can protect your rights.

You don’t have to feel helpless after a car accident. You can take the initiative and advocate for yourself early on by taking these steps. Don’t let a negligent driver make you feel powerless.

The time it takes to seek your compensation will depend on various factors (the complexity of your case, for example). It can take time to add up your damages and determine an amount that adequately covers your losses.

However, it’s important to note that once you sign a settlement agreement, you won’t be able to seek additional compensation in the future. You could have future medical expenses to take into consideration when calculating your claim as well as emotional distress and pain. Be sure to include every loss you suffered due to the accident.

The time it takes to seek compensation could also depend on whether you take your case to court or not. Going to court could add weeks or months to your waiting time, especially if you’re waiting for a jury verdict. If you choose to settle your case (which you can do anytime during the process), you could receive compensation within weeks of signing the settlement agreement. Your lawyer can review it with you and explain anything you don’t understand.

While there is no true average car accident settlement amount, the fact that there are no damage caps in Florida makes it possible for you to recover enough compensation to cover your losses, no matter how extensive they are.

You only have two years to file a personal injury lawsuit in Florida, according to Florida Statutes § 95.11, so you should consider the deadline in your case when deciding whether you want to pursue damages through the legal process. Your decision could impact how long it takes to resolve your case.

To learn more about the average car accident settlement in Florida, or to schedule a free consultation with a personal injury attorney from Ged Lawyers, please contact us today.