One of the most frequent questions people ask Boynton Beach car accident lawyers when filing personal injury lawsuits after being involved in an accident is whether their auto insurance rates will go up if they work with them or any other attorney. It is already a big enough financial burden to make all their payments on time and they might want to do whatever it takes to keep their out-of-pocket expenses minimal.
If you have been involved in an auto accident, your primary focus should be on recovering from your injuries and caring for your mental health after the trauma you have suffered. However, it is understandable to have such concerns when your accident has already put you in a predicament. Wondering whether it might be worth the cost to hire an attorney atop the other expenses you have to deal with is justified – especially if it could make their insurance rates increase.
Unfortunately, not being sure about whether or how hiring a car accident lawyer impacts insurance rates is a reason many people delay seeking proper help with their cases. Going through the process of seeking reparations without adequate legal representation often ends with them being deprived of the complete monetary compensation that they deserve.
Today’s post will shed some light on the issue to help you understand why it is definitely worth the cost of hiring a qualified attorney for your auto accident case.
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The Confusing No-Fault Insurance System
Florida is a no-fault state. It does not mean that neither of the parties involved in a car accident is legally responsible for the accident. Rather, it means that the drivers need to carry no-fault insurance called personal injury protection coverage and they should seek financial assistance through their insurance providers instead of directly filing a lawsuit.
The no-fault law might appear confusing, but it is a necessary measure to reduce the number of cases bogging down the legal system. Each motorist in Florida must carry at least $10,000 in personal injury protection coverage. The PIP, as it is also called, will cover up to 80% of your medical costs, 60% of lost wages, and up to $5,000 for funeral costs in case the accident results in someone’s death.
If your injuries go over the coverage offered by the insurance, you will likely need to work with a lawyer to discuss the legal avenues you can explore to become financially whole again.
Does Hiring A Car Accident Lawyer Lead To Higher Insurance Rates?
The simple answer to the question is: No, hiring a lawyer does not have an impact on your insurance rate.
Your insurance rate has nothing to do with whom you choose to work with to provide you with legal representation. The only thing that makes a difference in your insurance rate is how your insurance company perceives you as a driver.
Florida has laws in place to protect motorists involved in accidents from insurance companies who will use any excuse to raise insurance rates. As long as you were determined to be less than 50% at fault for causing the accident, your insurance company has no grounds to raise your policy’s rates. The judge presiding over your case will determine how much at fault you were after examining all the facts surrounding your case.
If another driver was mostly at fault for causing the accident, your insurance company will not increase your insurance rate. You can hire a lawyer to help you pursue the compensation you rightfully deserve. Hiring an accident attorney does not automatically imply that you feel you were at fault.
Suppose that you were the driver at fault for causing the accident or you have been involved in several accidents in a short timeframe. In that case, your insurance company can have the basis to increase your insurance rates.
You should know that some insurance companies go out of their way to try and avoid letting you hire a car accident attorney. They might not directly say it, but they could imply that hiring legal help will affect your insurance rate. The reality is that they just want to make it likelier for them to get away with lowballing you in their settlement offer. Hiring a lawyer is a legal right granted to you by the constitution and you should avail it.
Is It Still Worth Hiring An Accident Attorney?
Many people will find relief knowing that their insurance rates will not go up just for hiring a lawyer. Of course, it might not placate some people who will rightfully be worried about the legal costs.
Fortunately, Florida is a state where most injury lawyers charge their clients on a contingency fee basis. It means that the lawyers will not charge you a dime for their legal fees until and unless they win the case and secure a settlement. Personal injury lawyers in Florida charge a percentage of the settlement recovered from your case, which you might not have won without their legal expertise by your side.
The contingency fee system alleviates clients from the financial burden of hiring an attorney. Working with a lawyer also increases the chances of you recovering a higher settlement compared to pursuing your auto accident claim without legal help.
Remember that insurance companies do whatever they can to minimize how much they have to pay out – whether it is your insurer within the no-fault system or the at-fault driver’s insurance company in a third-party claim. If you do not have a legal expert aware of their strategies to lowball clients, you run the risk of settling for a much lower amount than you rightfully deserve.
Final Thoughts
Hiring an attorney after an auto accident where you are not at fault will not increase your car rates, but it can definitely give you a better chance of securing the compensation you need to become financially whole again. If you have been involved in a car accident and wondering whether it would be worth hiring an attorney, you should definitely make the decision without delays.
Consider contacting Frankl Kominsky Injury Lawyers and get in touch with their team of Boynton Beach car accident lawyers. They are experienced in dealing with car accident cases and have an excellent track record for getting desirable outcomes for their clients. You can count on them to guide you through the process and help you recover the compensation you rightfully deserve.
