Yes, you will need an attorney even if you have bodily injury coverage. Bodily injury liability insurance is a type of coverage that covers bodily injuries resulting from negligent actions. For instance, if you caused a car accident, your bodily injury coverage will cover injuries of people you may have hurt in the accident. Your injuries, on the other hand, would be covered by your personal injury protection (PIP) insurance.
Here’s what you should know about bodily injury coverage and how it can affect your case.
Understanding How Bodily Injury Coverage Works
Bodily injury coverage pays for permanent or severe injuries or death to other people when your vehicle is involved in a crash, and the driver is found to have caused the crash. This coverage can extend to relatives in your household, even if they drive someone else’s vehicle. It likewise covers individuals who drive your vehicle with your consent. This policy also covers legal fees if someone brings legal action against you.
It’s crucial to note that if a crash occurs, and the injured party’s damages are more than your bodily injury coverage’s limits and they suffered disfigurement, scarring, permanent injury, or are killed, they or their family members can seek recovery from you through a personal injury claim. This is why you need an attorney to represent you even if you have bodily insurance coverage.
How Comparative Fault Will Affect Your Case
Because Florida follows the no-fault auto insurance system, drivers pay for their accident costs, regardless of fault for the accident. But remember that if the crash results in someone suffering more injuries or damages than your bodily injury insurance can cover, they can sue you for more compensation.
This is where help from a skilled Boynton Beach car accident lawyer comes in. Your lawyer can raise the rule of comparative fault and argue that the other party was also at fault for the accident. This will effectively reduce the other party’s compensation amount if you can prove that they were also partially at fault for the accident for which you’re being blamed.
Under the comparative fault rule, a person’s percentage or degree of fault decreases their damages award in personal injury cases. This means that an injured person may still recoup some compensation regardless of how high their share of fault. For instance, if the injured person’s damages are worth $80,000 but were found to be 70% at fault for the crash, they will still be able to recover $2,400 in damages.
Hopefully, you won’t need to pay anything out-of-pocket if the other party’s damages don’t go beyond your bodily injury coverage.
Talk to a Skilled Boynton Beach Car Accident Lawyer Now
If you need legal advice or have questions about your car accident case, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Demand The Limits. You can learn more about your legal options by calling our office at 561-600-3555 or filling out our online form to set up a free case review with our Boynton Beach car accident lawyer.