Car Accident Attorney Melbourne, FL

As a car accident attorney in Melbourne, FL knows, each car accident comes with its own unique set of problems. One might have more property damage to your car and another can leave you with several severe injuries. Because of how different each accident is, it is hard for you or your attorney to predict exactly what kind of settlement you should expect. However, if you were recently involved in a car accident that caused you to experience whiplash, you can find more information below on some factors that go into valuing your settlement and what type of issues may come up in your case. If you would like to get in touch with a car accident attorney Melbourne Florida relies on, call Arcadier, Bigger & Wood, PLLC today.

Car accidents can be a traumatic experience. Car accidents can be a physically painful experience. But they can also be a financially painful experience. Out of all the steps you take after being injured in a car crash, one of the most important ones is choosing the right Melbourne, FL car accident attorney to make sure you get the financial compensation you deserve from the at-fault party or parties.

At Arcadier, Bigger & Wood, PLLC, we understand that being injured in a car accident can be a traumatic event and, depending on the extent of your injuries, your focus needs to be recovering from those injuries. Our car accident attorneys from our Melbourne, Florida office all have extensive experience fighting for injured clients and getting them the damages to which they are entitled.

Many car accident victims assume their insurance company will pay for their injuries and their damages. This is not always the case. If the accident is not your fault, you should not be responsible for the costs associated with a car accident, even if your insurance company is bearing part of the cost. Contact the team of Arcadier, Biggie & Wood, PLLC today to have your case reviewed by a skilled car accident attorney in Melbourne FL.

At some point, nearly everyone has been or will be the victim of a car accident. Cars are an important part of our society and present in our daily life. Not a day goes by where each one of us is a driver, passenger, or passerby of some type of vehicle. With all these interactions, there are bound to be accidents. With all these accidents come injuries.

At Arcadier, Biggie & Wood, PLLC, our car accident attorneys offer our clients more than 75 years of combined legal experience. Located in Melbourne, FL, we take pride in helping members of our community get the assistance they need to get back on their feet after a car accident.

Insurance companies try to minimize the compensation paid to victims. Arcadier, Biggie & Wood, PLLC tries to maximize the compensation. We believe you need vigorous representation on your side to stand by you as you face the challenges ahead. Insurance companies will fight hard to prevent you from collecting compensation. You need a team just as strong to stand up to the insurance companies to fight for your rights.

When you are injured in an auto accident, you need to consider your:

• Pain and suffering
• Lost wages
• Medical bills
• Living expenses
• Rehabilitation
• Automobile damage

We find that many car accident victims are quick to accept the offer by an insurance company because they are happy with the quick cash. But then, when the cash runs out, they’re left wondering where that money went.

We know where the money went – unanticipated costs. We also know how to anticipate those costs and how to estimate what those costs are for your specific situation. Regardless of the type of injury you suffered, we know you will have more expenses than you can consider. That’s why clients trust us to help them get the compensation they need to make their lives whole again.

When you are seeking a car accident attorney in the Melbourne, FL area, there are certain tips that can help you find the attorney right for you, including the following:

Pick a smaller firm: Working with a smaller firm means that you are a client and not just a number. Working with a Melbourne, FL car accident attorney who has a smaller caseload means that your case – and you – will get the attention you deserve. It means you won’t have to wait days to hear back from your attorney when you have a question or concern. A smaller firm also means a less frequent employee turnaround, so you know that the legal team who are working on your case when it starts will still be there when it comes to a resolution.

Pick a local firm: There are many law firms who will send an attorney to meet with you even if you are not located close by. If you retain the services of a firm like this, most of your communication with them will likely be either via email or phone. They will not be familiar with the area where the crash occurred. They will also likely not have working relationships with the doctors and other medical providers who are treating you like a local law firm has. Having a Melbourne, FL car accident attorney also makes meeting with your attorney to prepare for your case much easier if you do not have to drive hours to reach their office.

Meet the attorney in person: Most attorneys offer free consultations which give potential clients the chance to meet with them and find out exactly the legal options they may have. When you make your appointment, you want to make sure it will be with the attorney and paralegal who will be handling your case directly. Do you feel comfortable talking with this attorney and do you feel confident that they will give your case the attention it deserves? If not, this may not be the attorney for you.

Check out their record and reviews: The internet has made finding out a law firm’s reputation much easier than it used to be. There are multiple sites where past clients of the firm can write up reviews of their experience with the firm. Also, don’t hesitate to ask the car accident attorney what their record in Melbourne, FL is and what the ratio is of cases settled and cases litigated. You want to make sure that the attorneys you are working with are skilled negotiators, but also want to feel comfortable that they will not just settle your case for the sake of settling and are confident in their ability to successfully litigate cases, if necessary. It is important to find a car accident attorney you can trust and in Melbourne, FL, that law firm is Arcadier, Biggie & Wood, PLLC.

You have whiplash, but what is it?

Most people have heard of whiplash, especially as it pertains to car accidents. However, when your doctor tells you that you are experiencing whiplash after your recent crash, you may not be entirely sure what this is. The term whiplash describes the scenario when your neck is suddenly and very powerfully jerked from an outside force. This can cause the tissue in your neck to stretch farther than it should naturally go. This type of soft-tissue injury usually has symptoms like:

• Soreness in your neck and even upper back
• Headaches
• Stiffness in your shoulders
• Dizziness
• Fatigue, and
• Memory loss

How can you prove that the car accident caused your whiplash?

Whiplash is one of the most common injuries a person can sustain after they have been in an automobile accident, however, it will not always show up on an x-ray or an MRI. One of the best things you can do after an automobile accident is to seek medical attention. This will help in terms of diagnosing and healing your injury as well as provide evidence for your claim. If you file a claim stating you have whiplash and would like to receive compensation but never went to a doctor to have them medically assess you, an insurance adjuster likely won’t cut you a check. It is imperative that you have a medical professional diagnose and document your whiplash as soon as possible after your accident.

How would an automobile accident case be valued if I sustained whiplash?

Truthfully, you likely would not get a great deal of compensation for your claim based solely on your whiplash. If all went well with insurance and your attorney provided solid evidence for your medical bills and lost earnings, you may get reimbursed for those medical bills and time spent unable to work. However, the bigger question regarding compensation are the non-economic damages. Your attorney can speak with you about other factors that may boost your compensation, including your pain and suffering, the extent of your treatment, and how it affected your personal life.

Contact Your Local Car Accident Attorney

Going it alone is not recommended. Taking the first offer the insurance company provides is not recommended. Having a proficient car accident attorney Melbourne, FL clients recommend guiding you through the issues you face and cannot anticipate during your recovery is paramount to regaining your livelihood. Using the tough and trusted services of our firm gives you the best chance of recovery for your personal injury car accident claim. Contact Arcadier, Biggie & Wood, PLLC today and let us get you on the path to recovery.

4 Steps To Take Following a Motor Vehicle Accident

Cars frequently collide on busy roads across the country. The moment is often unforeseen and causes a shock to the system. Once the cars come to a stop, do you know what you should do? Read about four steps you should take immediately after a car accident to refresh your memory.

1. Call for Help 

The shock of being in a crash can be paralyzing for even a few minutes. As you sit, assess yourself and make sure that you can move. If you can, your first step is to report the accident to 911. Even in mild accidents, it is a good idea to report the incident. At this point, you may not know the condition of other people involved, and relay this to the operator. Have the police come out and take a report. This document may become essential to the claims process.

2. Speak To the Other Driver and Witnesses 

Exit the vehicle and check on others around the scene. If the other driver is up and moving, exchange a few words and information. Take pictures of their driver’s license, insurance card and vehicle registration. Snap a photo of their license plate too. In talking to them, make a mental note of any admission of guilt. For example, if the other driver apologizes and states a reason for the crash, be sure to remember this. If they ask how you feel, make sure you do not give an absolute answer. You may not know if you are hurt until a day or two later. Keep your statements vague. Speak to any witnesses and get their information as well.

3. Take Photographs and Videos 

Document the area where the accident happened. If you are still in the same spot, take videos showing the way the cars came to rest. It could become valuable during the liability assessment. Many times, drivers move vehicles to safer areas. Even if this is the case, take pictures or videos of the exact spot the impact occurred. Include photos of the damage to the vehicles and any other surrounding property like street signs.

4. Get Checked Out

You may not feel like you were injured, but it is a good idea to visit a doctor, hospital or clinic in the day following the crash. Tell the provider what happened and report any ache, pain or bruises. If you have a headache, it can be a sign of a brain injury.

4 STEPS TO TAKE FOLLOWING A MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT INFOGRAPHIC

How Do Fault Laws Work?

Car accidents and how insurance companies handle them vary from state to state. As such, no definitive guideline of negligence or fault can be applied across the board. Take some time to familiarize yourself with the basics of how fault laws work in general.

No-Fault States

No-fault insurance states take the stance that both parties are equally to blame in the accident. They do not require damages to be paid by one driver’s insurance company to the other. The insurance premiums in these states are typically higher because drivers go through their insurance providers to pay for damage to their vehicles. In these states, individuals are typically required to carry something called personal insurance protection or PIP. This additional policy is for medical coverage for the insured in the event an accident is severe enough to warrant medical care.

There are times when one driver can be sued for damage recovery in no-fault states. If one driver suffers significant injuries as a result of the carelessness of the other, the at-fault insurance company may have to pay up. This also drives up the cost of insurance premiums in these states.

Tort States

Tort states allow lawsuits to be filed in the case of car accidents. These are fault-based systems that require investigations to discover and assign liability to one driver or both. These states measure negligence by one of three methods:

• Pure comparative
• Modified comparative
• Pure contributory

In each of these three, both drivers are assigned a measure of fault for the accident. In contributory states, if both drivers have any measurable amount of responsibility, neither is entitled to recover damage from the other. These states operate much like no-fault states. In the pure comparative or modified comparative states, negligence is assigned to both and damages paid out according to the division. If one driver gets 90% of the blame, the other driver may reclaim up to 90% of the losses.

Investigation and Determination of Liability

A car accident liability investigation can take quite a while to complete. The facts of the accident are usually in dispute, and in some instances, lawyers may become involved if the insurance company doesn’t seem to be fair in its determination. Many times, unless witnesses come forward, the fault often comes down to which driver is more believable. Although accident reconstructions may help, that process is usually reserved for trials.

It is never a bad idea to consult with a car accident lawyer when facing a determination of liability. Even in a no-fault state, if you or the other driver was seriously injured, an attorney may help you get a better sense of what to expect.

A car accident lawyer in Melbourne, FL may have more insight into what happens next. Finding someone who can assist during this stressful time can help you concentrate on the important issues at hand.

Your car accident attorney in Melbourne, Florida can also ensure you do not accept a lowball offer from an insurance company. Instead, they will help you fight for the compensation you deserve. For more information on how a Melbourne, FL car accident attorney can help you, call us today!

Law Offices of Arcadier, Biggie & Wood,

2815 W. New Haven, Suite 304, Melbourne, Florida 32904