Dealing with insurance companies after a Florida accident is never fun. It’s terrible if you are simply trying to get help to repair your car, and it’s even worse when you suffer a serious injury. And even though Florida is a no-fault state, significant accidents will likely require going after the injured party and dealing with their insurance. With so many moving parts, it’s no surprise that injured Floridians often opt to end the ordeal as soon as possible. This raises the question: Is it still worth consulting a personal injury attorney even if you’ve already started dealing with insurance on your own? The short answer is yes, almost always. Not only can attorneys protect your rights as an injured party, they can dramatically increase the odds of receiving compensation equal to the true value of your case. Today we discuss when to consult an attorney.

How Late Is Too Late?

There are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to filing a personal injury in Florida long after the injury takes place. The most pressing issue with waiting is the fact that there is a legal deadline for filing a lawsuit in Florida, recently updated to require filing within 2 years of the accident. If you wish to file a lawsuit against the driver at fault, the court system will not allow it if you exceed this 2-year deadline. If you are nearing this limit, contact Probinsky & Cole today, as soon as you can, to get started on your case.

However, not all cases cut it that close. Sometimes, injured Floridians simply believe that engaging with an attorney isn’t worth their time if they are already deep into negotiations with insurance companies. The only issue? Insurance companies are not your friends; they want nothing more than to have you settle your claim as soon as possible. A quick-ending claim leads directly to more savings as they minimize the compensation owed to you.

It may seem counterintuitive if you need financial support immediately following an accident, but personal injury attorneys can negotiate on your behalf to make sure insurance companies do not devalue your case. As long as you are within the statute of limitations, Probinsky & Cole can get started on your injury case and fight for what is right.

Can You Consult an Attorney After Accepting a Settlement?

Unfortunately, it is generally too late to fight for a better compensation agreement if you already accepted a settlement from the negligent party’s insurance company. Accepting a settlement involves waiving your right to future litigation, and you will only receive the agreed-upon amount. This is another reason not rushing your case and not accepting the first offer is the best idea.
Receiving ten thousand dollars as compensation for your injuries after a Florida accident might sound great, but what if you speak to an attorney the next week and realize your case might have been worth 50 or 100 thousand dollars? If you accept the first settlement you hear, you are out of luck, without much chance to continue the fight.

To recap, your personal injury options might be limited if:

More than two years have passed since the accident or the onset of injuries.
You have already accepted a settlement.

But if neither of those two conditions are met, call a personal injury attorney. Personal injury attorneys use contingency fees, which means their payment is directly tied to how much money you receive through your case. This aligns their interests with yours and also eliminates the need to spend money upfront to obtain legal representation. There is typically no obligation when you first consult an attorney to learn about the merits of your case.

If you have already begun the claims process on your own, it is never too late to seek legal help. Before it’s too late, call Probinsky & Cole today.