We've all seen the ads on TV where the lawyer promises you millions for your car accident case. The fact is, you may be entitled to money when you're hurt in a car accident. The person that caused your accident (or his auto insurance company), is required to pay you money for items such as medical bills, wage loss, pain and suffering. But what if you didn't wear your seat belt during the car accident? Well, under Florida law, you could be stuck with paying your own medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering damages. If wearing a seat belt would have lessened or prevented your injuries, you may be stuck with the bill!
From my experience in handling serious car accident cases, I've seen insurance companies (through their attorneys) ask juries to reduce monies awarded to Plaintiffs by as much as 90% for failure to wear a seatbelt. In other words, your $1-million-dollar verdict could be reduced down to $100K if a jury finds that you were 90% at fault for causing your injuries. This is called comparative negligence. Help your lawyer help you! Wear your seatbelt at all times when operating a vehicle!
Pensacola, Florida
Car & Truck Accident Attorney
THE WATSON FIRM, PLLC