Our Boca Raton Car Accident Attorney Is Ready to Fight for You

Accidents are all too common in Boca Raton. If you were injured in a car accident, contact an experienced Boca Raton car accident lawyer at The Grife Law Firm.

What to do after a car accident

Regardless of what happened and who you think may be to blame, there are some important steps you should try to take promptly after a car accident. For example, to help protect your legal rights, you should:

  • Get a Diagnosis and Treatment as Soon as Possible – Seeing a doctor as soon as possible will help protect your physical and psychological health. It will also help protect your legal rights. When you see a doctor promptly, your medical records will help link your injuries to the accident, and they will help show that your injuries qualify as “significant” or “permanent.”
  • Keep All Photos and Information You Have from the Accident Scene – If you have photos, insurance information or a copy of the police report from the scene of the accident, be sure to keep these in a safe place. You will also want to bring them with you to your free initial consultation.
  • Take Detailed Notes About the Accident – It is important to take detailed notes while the accident is still fresh in your mind. Write down everything you can remember—from the weather and traffic conditions to when you first saw the other vehicle (or vehicles) involved in the crash.
  • Document Your Vehicle Damage and Injuries – If you still have access to your vehicle, you should take photos to document the damage. It is a good idea to take photos of your injuries as well. As you work through the recovery process, continue to take photos for documentation and keep a log of all of the ways your injuries impact your daily life.
  • Talk to a Boca Raton Car Accident Attorney – One of the most important things you can do after a serious collision is talk to our experienced car accident attorneys. You can get started with a free consultation, and your legal fees (if any) will be calculated as a percentage of your recovery.

How we make your life easier after an accident

When you need to file a claim for a car accident in Florida, there are lots of important ways an experienced attorney can help you. Here’s what you can expect when you hire a Boca Raton car accident attorney at The Grife Law Firm:

  • We Determine Who Was at Fault – Your attorney will conduct a prompt and thorough investigation to determine who was at fault in the accident.
  • We Determine What Claim(s) You Can File – Based on your attorney’s determination of fault, your attorney can then determine what claim (or claims) you can file to recover your accident-related losses.
  • Your Attorney Will Deal with the Insurance Company(ies) – If recovering your losses involves dealing with the insurance companies (which will most likely be the case), your attorney can deal with the insurance companies on your behalf.
  • Your Attorney Will Calculate Your Current and Future Losses – To recover just compensation, you need proof of your accident-related losses. Your attorney can calculate your current and future losses, and then your attorney can submit proof of your losses to the insurance companies.
  • Your Attorney Will Go to Court if Necessary – While most successful car accident claims settle out of court, sometimes going to court is the only way to protect victims’ and families’ legal rights. If you need to take your case to court, your attorney can do what it takes to give you the best possible chance of success at trial.

What is my car accident claim worth?

car accident with woman talking on phone and insurance agent writing down information

Your car accident claim could be worth thousands, hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars. The value depends on the situation of the accident – we really mean that, it’s not just a line! If you have been injured in a car accident, you may be entitled to compensation for the following:

  • Your medical expenses caused by the accident, especially any uncovered losses
  • Any lost income as a result of being unable to work due to your injuries
  • Your pain and suffering
  • Damage to your vehicle, rental car expenses, and any other losses

The value of your claim will depend largely on the severity of your injuries. A knowledgeable Boca Raton car accident lawyer can estimate the value of your claim at your first consultation, which is free and costs nothing.

Should I accept the offer I got from the insurance company?

No, you should not accept the offer from your insurance company until after you’ve spoken with a Boca Raton car accident lawyer. Many people are surprised at how quickly the insurance company offers to send them a check to cover their losses.

The insurance company is offering this payment as a full and final settlement of your claim. This means that if you accept it, you are not entitled to any additional compensation even if your losses are greater than you anticipated. In other words, you cannot seek more money if you find out that your injuries will require additional medical treatment or limit your ability to work.

We recommend that you do not accept any such offer until you have discussed it with an experienced lawyer in Boca Raton. They will be able to evaluate the offer and help you decide whether it is fair or not.

How much does an attorney charge for a car accident?

An attorney charges nothing to take on your case after a car accident in Boca Raton. Our lawyers, like nearly all personal injury lawyers, work on a contingency fee basis, which means we do the work with no payment because we’re confident we will be able to secure a settlement for you. Once we secure the settlement, we get a percentage of those funds, which is how we are “paid.” You never give our attorneys a credit card, check or cash – there is no cost to you.

Should I hire an attorney after my car accident ?

Yes, you should absolutely hire an attorney after a car accident in Boca Raton. You have nothing to lose because it’s free to speak with and “hire” an attorney. In just a few minutes you could be speaking with a professional who can help you determine if you have a case and clarify whether you may be able to receive compensation due to our car accident in Boca Raton.

How much can someone sue for a car accident?

You can sue for any amount of money, but typically car accidents values range in the hundreds of thousands of dollars up the millions. Some of our most recent vehicular accident cases resolved for $3 million, $2.975 million, 1.7 million, $1.1 million and $1 million. The value of your case depends on several factors and really is different for each case (that’s not just a line we say). It’s free to call and talk with a member of our firm to determine if you may be able to seek compensation for your injuries.

car accident statistics in boca raton, palm beach county

Boca Raton road safety overview and driving statistics

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) tracks accident data for each year by county. While statistics are not available by city, the most recent data available for 2021 from the FLHSMV paints a sobering picture:

  • There were 24,850 crashes in Boca Raton and Palm Beach County
  • Those crashes resulted in 209 fatalities and 15,197 injuries
  • This included 290 crashes due to driving while under the influence of alcohol, which resulted in 7 fatalities and 140 injuries
  • It also included 29 accidents due to driving while under the influence of drugs, which resulted in 5 fatalities and 32 injuries

Comparing this data to the data for 2020, you see some startling increases:

  • For 2020, there were 22,106 accidents resulting in 185 fatalities and 12,832 injuries
  • This included 265 alcohol-related accidents that resulted in 9 fatalities and 171 injuries
  • It also included 30 drug-related accidents that resulted in 6 fatalities and 27 injuries

While the statistics for 2020 are believed to have been affected by the pandemic, it is interesting to note that Boca Raton and Palm Beach County see almost 25,000 car accidents per year, thousands of which result in serious injuries. Furthermore, the number of alcohol and drug-related car accidents remains shockingly high, despite our efforts to discourage driving while intoxicated. With 100,000 people living in Boca Raton, our residents face the danger of being involved in a serious car accident or motor vehicle accident every time they get on the road.

Evidence needed to prove liability following a car crash

In cases arising out of accidents involving failure to maintain a vehicle, the plaintiff may need to rely on circumstantial evidence to establish that the defendant’s lack of care led to the plaintiff’s injuries. For example, documentation of vehicle inspections or repairs, or replacements of parts such as tires, brakes, and windshield wipers, can be used to demonstrate that the defendant failed to perform necessary upkeep on a vehicle.

In many instances, the way that vehicle neglect caused or contributed to an accident will be beyond the jury’s or judge’s comprehension. In these cases, the plaintiff’s attorney may need to hire an accident reconstruction expert to establish causation between the defendant’s failure to maintain a vehicle and the plaintiff’s harm. Plaintiffs have the right to introduce the testimony of these experts at trial according to Florida Statute 90.702, which provides that a qualified expert witness can offer an opinion on evidence or a disputed fact. The expert’s testimony must be based on adequate facts or data and must be a product of an application of reliable principles and methods to the facts of the case. A person may be qualified to testify as an expert based on training, education, skills, or experience.

Who determines fault in a Boca Raton car accident?

In any lawsuit arising out of a car accident, the plaintiff must prove that the defendant is liable to recover damages. Usually, demonstrating liability requires a plaintiff to prove negligence. In Florida, a plaintiff alleging that a defendant should be held accountable under a theory of negligence must prove that the defendant had a duty to act with reasonable care under the circumstances, but the defendant breached the duty owed. For example, people owe a general duty to others to prevent foreseeable harm, including an obligation to avoid the natural consequences of allowing a car to fall into disrepair. The plaintiff must also prove that the defendant’s breach led to the accident and that the accident caused the plaintiff to suffer measurable harm.

“Serious” car accident injuries that can lead to settlements

Any type of car accident can result in a serious or catastrophic injury. Tragically, some car accidents result in fatal injuries. In a Florida personal injury lawsuit the value of your claim is dependent on several factors, one being the severity of your injuries. Some injuries are considered “serious” or “catastrophic” and can often increase the value of a claim. We never want you to experience these types of injuries. We hope you and your loved ones stay safe on the road, but if you did have a car accident, and are experiencing any of these injuries, it’s imperative you speak with a lawyer about your legal rights so you can ensure you are exploring all of the options afforded to you for receiving compensation.

Broken Bones

While broken bones can often heal with treatment, rest and recovery, they also leave many car accident victims dealing with chronic pain and permanent limitations. The severity of a fracture will determine not only what type of treatment is needed (including whether surgery is necessary), but also the likelihood that the injury will have long-term consequences.

The forces involved in a serious car accident are more than enough to fracture bones throughout the body. Broken ankles, wrists, ribs and clavicles (collar bones) are particularly common, but fractures can—and do—happen in other areas as well. Regardless of whether surgery is necessary, treatment for broken bones can be incredibly expensive, so it is important that accident victims who suffer these injuries speak with a Boca Raton car accident attorney about their legal rights.

Burns

Burns from fires and exploding airbags can cause significant and permanent scarring or disfigurement. They can also be excruciatingly painful, and even after the recovery process, burn victims can continue to experience pain for the rest of their lives.

The treatment needed for burns from a car accident depends on their severity. In the most severe cases, skin grafts may be necessary to replace the damaged skin. But, even if a car accident victim doesn’t need surgery, recovering from severe burns can still be a long, painful and expensive process.

Blindness and Deafness

Eye, ear and nose injuries can cause the “significant and permanent loss of an important bodily function,” and this means that they can justify claims outside of PIP under Florida’s “no-fault” insurance law. Loss of eyesight, hearing, or smell can drastically alter a person’s life, and, in many cases, the injuries that cause these impairments will cause permanent physical scarring as well.

For car accident victims who suffer eye, ear and nose injuries, the recovery process can be long and difficult. Some will never fully recover. This makes recovering just compensation extremely important, and protecting your legal rights starts with hiring an experienced law firm that is familiar with car accidents.

Facial Injuries

Facial injuries are fairly common in car accidents, and they can result from an airbag’s deployment or from its failure to deploy. When facial injuries result in permanent scarring or disfigurement, they also justify claims outside of PIP under Florida’s “no-fault” auto insurance law.

Like other types of disfiguring injuries, facial injuries can also cause severe emotional trauma. If your physical appearance has been irreversibly altered, this itself is a traumatic event that can take a significant toll on your psychological well-being. Recovering will take time, and it will require the financial resources to get both the treatment and the rest that you need.

Loss of Digits and Limbs, Amputation

Losing a digit or limb is a highly traumatic experience as well. This is true whether you lose your digit or limb in a car accident or injuries you sustain in a car accident require amputation. With these types of injuries, it is important to understand that the recovery process takes time, and while you are facing a difficult situation that relatively few people endure, there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Here, too, recovering just compensation is extremely important. Along with your medical bills and rehabilitation expenses, you will likely experience loss of income, pain and suffering, and other losses as well. If you have a fault-cased claim outside of PIP, these are losses that an experienced attorney can help you seek to recover.

Nerve Damage

While some nerve injuries can be treated, nerve damage is permanent in many cases. In a car accident, nerve damage can result from internal trauma (i.e., when a broken bone pinches or severs a nerve) or from penetrating injuries caused by broken glass or other debris.

When dealing with nerve damage from a car accident, a prompt diagnosis can afford the greatest opportunity for a full recovery. But, even with prompt treatment, recovery won’t always be possible. In any case, it is vital to recover the maximum compensation that is available to you, and this starts with putting an experienced attorney on your side.

Organ Damage

Organ damage is another type of car accident injury that can have significant or permanent effects. All organs in the body can suffer damage in a car accident, including the lungs, liver, kidneys and spleen—among others.

Intense pain is often the first sign of organ damage, but this pain doesn’t always onset immediately. As a result, it is important to seek a thorough diagnosis even if you feel fine initially, and, if you begin to experience intense chest or abdominal pain in the days after a car accident, you should see a doctor right away.

Soft Tissue Damage

Soft tissue damage – damage to the muscles, ligaments and tendons – can range widely in terms of severity. While some soft tissue injuries can be relatively minor, complete tears and other serious injuries often require surgery.

When soft tissue injuries present risks for permanent consequences, the costs of treatment can increase significantly. Accident victims’ other financial and non-financial costs (i.e., loss of income, pain and suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life) can increase significantly as well. While it will be possible to recover just compensation for these losses in many cases, doing so requires the advice and representation of an experienced law firm.

Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI)

Spinal cord injuries (SCI) from car accidents can impact all aspects of victims’ lives. They can cause chronic pain, limited mobility, loss of bowel and bladder control, and paralysis—and these effects can prevent accident victims from going to work, enjoying life, and spending meaningful time with their friends and family.

With spinal cord injuries, a prompt diagnosis can be crucial. Some types of SCI can be fully treated with immediate medical intervention. But this isn’t always the case, and many car accident victims who suffer spinal cord injuries will find themselves dealing with their injuries for the rest of their lives.

Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)

In many cases, traumatic brain injuries (TBI) will also meet Florida’s “significant and permanent” injury threshold. All types of TBI present risks for long-term consequences, and, similar to SCI, the consequences of TBI can impact all aspects of car accident victims’ lives. Traumatic brain injuries can indirectly impact family members’ lives as well, as they may need to devote a significant amount of time to helping their loved one cope with their injury.

Car accidents can cause traumatic brain injuries in various ways. Colliding with a window or steering wheel, being hit by an airbag, being ejected from a vehicle, and even suffering whiplash can all cause many different types of TBI. With these injuries, prompt treatment is critical as well, though in many cases, it will already be too late to remedy the damage that has been done.

Types of Auto Insurance and Insurance Requirements in Florida

As a car accident victim (or the parent, spouse or other family member of a car accident victim), it is important to make sure you know how the law applies to your present circumstances. In the vast majority of cases, recovering financial compensation for a serious or fatal car accident involves dealing with insurance companies. With this in mind, here is some more information about Florida’s insurance requirements, additional coverage options, and when you can (and should) file a claim outside of auto insurance:

Insurance Requirements in Florida

car accident statistics in boca raton, palm beach county

Florida only requires most drivers to carry two types of auto insurance. As we’ve discussed, neither of these types of insurance covers victims’ injury-related losses when the insured driver is at fault in a crash. Under Florida’s “no-fault” auto insurance law, the required types of coverage (and minimum coverage amounts) are:

  • Property Damage Liability (PDL) – All Florida drivers must carry a minimum of $10,000 in property damage liability (PDL) coverage. This is insurance that covers vehicle damage and damage to personal property in the event of an accident.
  • Personal Injury Protection (PIP) – PIP is “no-fault” insurance that helps to cover the policyholder’s medical expenses and lost wages when the policyholder gets injured in an accident. Under Florida law, the minimum PIP coverage limit is also $10,000.

Note that we said most drivers only need these two types of insurance. Some drivers are subject to additional insurance requirements. For example, Florida’s rideshare insurance law requires that Uber and Lyft drivers carry additional liability coverage that applies when they are logged into the app and when they are providing rides. Taxi drivers and drivers who have been convicted of driving under the influence (DUI) are required to carry liability insurance under Florida law as well.

Other Types of Auto Insurance Available in Florida

While most drivers in Florida are only legally required to carry PDL and PIP coverage, there are several other types of optional coverage that are also available to Florida drivers. Since Florida is a “no-fault” auto insurance state, and since Florida has one of the highest rates of uninsured drivers in the country, it is a good idea to consider these additional coverage options if you can afford them.

The following types of optional auto insurance are available to Florida drivers:

  • Bodily Injury Liability (BIL) – Bodily injury liability (BIL) insurance protects the policyholder when the policyholder is at fault in an accident. Accident victims can file claims under the policyholder’s BIL policy if they suffer “significant” or “permanent” injuries in the crash.
  • Collision and Comprehensive Coverage – Collision insurance covers the damage to your vehicle after an accident, regardless of who was at fault. Even if you have a claim under another driver’s PDL policy, the other driver’s policy limit might not be enough to pay for all of the damage. Collision coverage fills this gap. Comprehensive insurance covers damage to your vehicle from other causes, such as storms, theft, vandalism and collisions with animals.
  • Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UIM) – Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UIM) insurance covers the policyholder after an accident resulting in “significant” or “permanent” injuries. It applies in three main scenarios: (i) when the at-fault driver doesn’t have BIL insurance; (ii) when the at-fault driver flees the scene of the accident (a hit-and-run); and (iii) when the at-fault driver has BIL insurance, but not enough to cover your accident-related losses fully.
  • Medical Payments (MedPay) – Medical payments (MedPay) insurance acts as a supplement to PIP coverage. Like PIP, it provides coverage regardless of fault for the policyholder’s accident-related medical expenses. However, unlike PIP, MedPay covers medical expenses only.
  • Rental Reimbursement, Accidental Death and Other Coverage Options – Florida residents also have the option to buy rental reimbursement coverage, accidental death coverage (which provides “no-fault” coverage similar to PIP), and a variety of other types of optional auto insurance. When shopping for a policy, it is important to carefully consider your needs along with your ability to pay and to create a policy that provides adequate protection for you and your family in the event of a serious or fatal accident.

What is the new law in Florida for car accidents?

The new law in Florida for car accidents took effect in March 2023. This legislation shifted the state from a “pure” comparative negligence standard to a “modified” comparative negligence standard. This modification, applicable to causes of action arising after the specified date, excludes its application in medical negligence actions. Under the new standard, if a plaintiff is found to be more negligent than the defendant, they are not entitled to recovery.

Additionally, it changes the statute of limitations for general negligence claims related to car accidents. The statute of limitations is reduced from four years to two years.

Why our car accident lawyers recommend uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage

When it comes to optional insurance coverage, one of the most important types of coverage you can buy is uninsured/underinsured motorist (UIM) insurance. Here’s why:

Many Florida drivers don’t have auto insurance coverage that protects accident victims. This is largely due to the fact that this type of insurance isn’t required under Florida law. Additionally, even if a driver has this type of insurance, the driver’s policy limit might not be enough to fully cover your losses in the event of a serious or fatal accident. In serious and fatal accident cases, victims’ and families’ losses can easily climb into the hundreds of thousands—if not millions—of dollars.

You can avoid this risk by purchasing UIM insurance. When you have UIM insurance and you get seriously injured or lose a loved one in a car accident, your insurance company “stands in the shoes” of the at-fault driver’s insurer. This means that you can file a fault-based claim just as you could if the at-fault driver was fully insured. It also means that you can seek just compensation for all of your accident-related losses, including your medical bills, loss of income, pain and suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life.

Even though you will be dealing with your own insurance company when you file a UIM claim, it is still important to have an experienced Boca Raton car accident attorney on your side. Since UIM claims are fault-based claims—and since they often involve substantial amounts of money—the insurance companies fight them by all means available. An experienced attorney will be able to deal with your insurance company on your behalf, not only to prove that you are entitled to coverage but also to prove how much you are entitled to recover.

We go after more than just insurance companies, other entities may be liable for your injuries

When considering your options after a car accident, it is important not to overlook the fact that you may also have a claim outside of auto insurance. Car accident victims and families in Florida can have claims outside of auto insurance in several scenarios. Some common examples include the following.

who can be sued after a car accident? infographic

Ridesharing companies

Uber and Lyft both carry liability insurance that covers accidents involving their drivers. While rideshare drivers should have liability insurance as well, Uber’s and Lyft’s policies will usually have higher coverage limits—increasing the amount that accident victims and their families are able to recover.

Employers of the driver at fault

Under Florida law, employers are vicariously liable for their employees’ negligence within the scope of their employment. This means that if you got hit by a negligent driver who was working at the time of the crash, you may have a claim against his or her employer. Most employers have substantial liability insurance policies that apply in these scenarios.

Restaurant and bar establishments

Under Florida’s dram shop law, bars and other establishments can be held liable for drunk driving accidents in some cases. Specifically, the law allows victims and their families to file lawsuits when a bar or other establishment either: (i) “willfully and unlawfully sells or furnishes alcoholic beverages” to someone who is under 21 or (ii) knowingly serves a person who is “habitually addicted to the use of any or all alcoholic beverages.”

Vehicle manufacturers and dealerships

When car accidents result from vehicle defects, the manufacturer, dealership and any other companies involved in the chain of distribution can be held liable under Florida’s product liability laws. This includes accidents resulting from defects such as tire failures, brake failures and electrical failures. When an accident results from negligent service (i.e., a faulty brake job), the dealership or shop that performed the service can be held liable.

Government agencies and their contractors

In appropriate cases, accident victims and families can also file claims based on road defects and maintenance issues. If the road where the accident happened was improperly constructed or poorly maintained, the government agency or contractor that is responsible for the road’s condition could be liable for all victims’ accident-related losses.

Will I have to go to court in Boca Raton for my car accident?

Most personal injury cases settle long before trial, many without even needing to file a lawsuit. The accident victim and the insurance company negotiate a compensation award that is mutually agreeable to both sides.

However, there are no guarantees that your claim will be settled without litigation. Insurance companies can sometimes be unreasonable and unwilling to negotiate. Cases involving complicated factual issues or nuanced legal questions often require going to court to find a resolution. While it is difficult to predict the outcome, a vehicle accident attorney can evaluate your claim and identify any specific issues that may make it difficult to settle.

Steps to filing a Boca Raton car accident claim

Once you have a reasonable estimate of what your claim is worth, the settlement process begins by making a written demand upon the insurance company. Typically referred to as a “demand letter,” your written demand will lay out the specific amount you believe you are entitled to in order to be made whole. The demand letter will also outline the reasons why you believe you are entitled to that amount. The demand letter essentially is an offer of settlement, whereby you agree to waive your legal rights if they agree to pay the amount demanded.

The insurance company will review your demand letter and will typically respond in one of the following ways:

    1. They will refuse to pay the amount demanded; or
    2. They will refuse to pay the amount demanded and make a counter-offer.

If the insurance company simply refuses to pay the amount demanded, your only option is to file a lawsuit. However, this doesn’t mean that your case won’t settle – negotiations can continue while the suit is pending and your case can settle at any time prior to the final verdict.

A counter-offer means that the insurance company is willing to negotiate. Once they make a counter-offer, you can then decide whether to reject the counter-offer or make your own counter-offer. A Boca Raton car crash attorney can guide you through the negotiation process so that you can make an informed decision at every step of the way.

Turn To A Car Accident Attorney in Boca Raton At The Grife Law Firm

No Fees Unless You Win

If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident, contact a car accident attorney at The Grife Law Firm in Boca Raton.   We can review your case and fight for your legal rights. We help injured car accident victims throughout Broward and Miami-Dade Counties, including in West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami. Call us at 855-998-0770 or contact us online to schedule a free initial consultation.

handshake icon

We offer Free Consultations

speech bubbles icon

Our Team is Spanish Speaking

phone icon

Call Anytime, Available 24/7/365

clock icon

Same Day Communication