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Powell, Powell & Powell, P.A.

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Archive: 2018

Stacking Your Auto Insurance Can Increase Your Financial Recovery After an Accident

When you get seriously injured in an accident in Florida and your personal injury protection (PIP) insurance does not provide full coverage for your losses, your next source of financial recovery is typically the at-fault driver’s bodily injury liability (BIL) insurance policy. But, what if the at-fault driver’s policy limits are not enough? Or, what if the driver who hit you is uninsured?

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Holiday Season Vehicle Collisions: Accident Risks, Accident Rates and Your Right to Compensation

As we discussed last year, the holiday season is one of the most-dangerous times of year for auto accidents in Florida. Various factors contribute to an increased rate of collisions during the months of November, December and January, with severe spikes in serious and fatal accidents occurring around the holidays. According to Edmunds.com:

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When is Someone Too Tired to Drive?

According to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), nearly one in four adults in the United States say they personally know someone who has fallen asleep behind the wheel. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that one in 25 adult drivers self-reports falling asleep every 30 days, and that as many as 6,000 fatal accidents each year could be attributable to drowsy driving.

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What are My Rights if I Was Hit by Someone in a Rental Car in Florida?

Florida’s roads are filled with rental cars. Destin and other beach destinations along the panhandle’s coast host out-of-state visitors during all months of the year, and many of these visitors arrive by rental car via I-10 or US-98.

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Are You Entitled to Compensation? 10 Common Causes of Premises-Related Accidents

Under Florida’s law of premises liability, if you were injured at a business, at the beach or on someone else’s property, you may be entitled to financial compensation. This includes compensation for your medical expenses, loss of income, pain and suffering, and other losses. While we cannot assess your legal rights until we know the unique details of your particular case, the following are 10 examples of premises-related accidents for which financial compensation may be available:

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Motorcycle Crash Statistics from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT)

According to data from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), serious and fatal motorcycle crashes have become much more common in recent years. While motorcycle accidents accounted for 8.2 percent of traffic-related deaths in 2001, according to the most-recent data available, this number now stands at 18.0 percent.

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Determining Liability in a Multi-Vehicle Accident

Determining liability in a multi-vehicle accident presents certain challenges that are not involved in “ordinary” two-car accidents. If another driver hit you and then you hit someone else, ensuring that you receive just compensation – and that you are not held partially responsible for the crash – will require a thorough investigation and experienced legal representation. In order to recover full compensation from the at-fault driver’s bodily injury liability (BIL) policy, you need proof that he or she was to blame; and, to avoid a rate hike in your insurance, you need conclusive evidence that there was nothing you could have done to avoid the collision.

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Are You Thinking about Accepting an Auto Insurance Settlement? Read This First

If you have been injured in an auto accident, receiving an insurance settlement can seem like the light at the end of the tunnel. But, before you accept, it is critical to ensure that you have a clear understanding of your rights under Florida law. You also need to understand the risks of accepting an insurance settlement, and you need to avoid making a short-sighted decision that could have drastic consequences for years to come.

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Report: Auto Accidents “Typical of Texting and Driving” are On the Rise in Florida

In February, the South Florida Sun Sentinel published a report in which it concluded that, “an analysis of 3 million crashes [indicates] that collisions typical of texting and driving are increasing at a staggering rate.” The report examined five types of accidents that are commonly associated with distracted driving, and found that the rates of certain types of accidents had increased by as much as 47 to 50 percent between 2013 and 2016.

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7 Facts About Your Personal Injury Claim After a Car Accident in Florida

If you have been injured in a car accident in Crestview or Fort Walton, what do you need to do first? Should you hire a lawyer? How do you know if the insurance company is offering a fair settlement for your personal injury claim?

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3 Types of Insurance Coverage for Auto Accident Victims in Florida

If you have been injured in an auto accident, recovering your medical expenses, lost wages and other losses will most likely involve dealing with one or more insurance companies. Under Florida’s “no-fault” insurance law, a claim for a minor injury will most likely be covered under your own Personal Injury Protection (PIP) policy.

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Do You Need to Pay Taxes on Your Personal Injury Settlement?

With Congress’s approval of a major tax reform bill in December 2017, many individuals’ federal tax returns will look much different beginning in 2018 (the new law does affect tax returns for 2017). However, one section of the tax code that is not changing is the section that deals with personal injury compensation.

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