South Florida Personal Injury Blog

Often, people who are injured in traffic accidents assume that the expenses they will incur will be covered by someone, says Broward personal injury attorney Andrew Alitowski. This belief is frequently, and fortunately, correct. For example, your medical expenses and other costs you incur may be covered by the motor vehicle insurance of the driver who caused the accident in which you were injured. If they are not covered by that driver’s insurance – perhaps they are uninsured or do not carry sufficient coverage for your injuries – you may carry coverage on your plan to protect you against uninsured or underinsured motorists. In some instances, there is insufficient coverage from any source.

The number of uninsured and underinsured drivers on the road is increasing. A study that came out earlier this year predicts that about 16 percent of drivers – or about one in six of the cars on the road – will be insured by next year. According to Fort Lauderdale personal injury lawyer Andrew Alitowski, the rate of uninsured drivers has traditionally been closely associated with the rate of unemployment. When more Americans lose their jobs, fewer of them purchase or maintain their car insurance coverage. Although car insurance is mandatory in the state of Florida, this may be one of the first expenses an individual stops keeping up with during financial difficulties. With record numbers of Floridians struggling to keep their homes and avoid foreclosure, especially in Broward County, the relative importance of maintaining current car insurance may drop to a lower priority for some drivers. Uninsured drivers may be able to purchase low-cost car insurance policies with higher deductibles in order to comply with the law.

A motor vehicle accident can cause many expenses: medical bills, rehabilitation and physical therapy, lost wages, alternative transportation costs, and the cost to replace your motor vehicle, in addition to other costs which can crop up. An experienced motor vehicle accident attorney can advise you of your rights and negotiate on your behalf with insurance companies. If an insurance company seeks to have you make a statement under oath – such as signing a statement with a notary – always seek the advice of an attorney. This is especially true if you are continuing to receive medical treatment or if you have not yet had a full battery of tests to determine the extent of your injuries. Whether negotiating with your own insurance company or the motor vehicle insurance of a different driver, it is important to have an experienced Broward injury lawyer on your side.