Car Accidents - Release and Settlement

If I am approached by the at-fault party regarding releases, what should I do?

Settlements for damages are at your discretion. However, if you have been compensated by your insurance company for any damages or injuries sustained in the crash, never sign a release or any document without consulting Miami Car Accident Lawyer Justin Ziegler.

When your car insurance company compensates you for auto property damages, they are vested with subrogation rights against the at-fault party. If you sign a release document you could be liable for monies paid to you by your insurance company.

Once a written agreement to settle a bodily (personal injury) claim with the car insurance company, how long do they have to pay?

In any case in which a person (or their attorney)and an insurer have agreed in writing to the settlement of a claim, the insurer shall tender payment according to the terms of the agreement no later than 20 days after such settlement is reached. The tender of payment may be conditioned upon execution by such person of a release mutually agreeable to the insurer and the claimant, but if the payment is not tendered within 20 days, or such other date as the agreement may provide, it shall bear interest at a rate of 12 percent per year from the date of the agreement; however, if the tender of payment is conditioned upon the execution of a release, the interest shall not begin to accrue until the executed release is tendered to the insurer. (Florida Statutes 2007 Title XXXVII - INSURANCE - Chapter 627 RATES AND CONTRACTS 627.4265).

We have had good success with insurance companies paying us after we have agreed to settle a claim; however, sometimes their are insurance companies who refuse to pay for whatever reason they deem neccessary. We then have to file a motion to compel with the court to get the judge to order them to pay the agreed upon settlement amount, plus interest. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is personal injury protection insurance required after January 1, 2008?

I suffered personal injury in a car accident. Can I make a claim and/or lawsuit against the driver and/or owner of the car responsible for the accident?

I was involved in an automobile crash caused by someone else. Who can I turn to for help in recovering damages to my vehicle and for my injuries?

What type of automobile insurance coverage is required for a person causing a crash?

What should I do if I am involved in an automobile crash?

What if I am unable to contact my insurance agent to represent me and determine the at-fault party is insured or uninsured?

If I am approached by the at-fault party regarding releases, what should I do?

If you have been involved in a crash, how do you determine whether the driver or owner of the car that hit you is insured?

Whether I can file a claim against my uninsured motorist insurance if the driver of the car that hit me did it intentionally?

Can a Personal Injury Lawyer represent both a passenger and a driver of the same car in an auto accident?

I was injured in a car accident while I was a passenger in an automobile in Florida. The other car was at fault. The driver or owner of the car that I was in do not have auto insurance. I don't own a car or live with anyone who owns a car. If the car that caused the accident has auto insurance, will that cover my bodily injury?

2006 Florida Traffic Crash Statistics

Why did the law enforcement officer submit a long-form crash report after I was injured in a car accident?

Definitions for Florida Traffic Crash Statistics

Is my personal injury claim/lawsuit worth less money if I did not wear my seat belt and I was hurt?

Please see some (not all successes) car accident settlements and veridcts cases that Attorney Justin Ziegler has been involved with. Please keep in mind that results depend on the facts and circumstances of a particular case and past results do not guarantee future recoveries.