In 2009, a foreigner was was hit by a car while a pedestrian while on vacation in Coconut Grove (Miami), Florida. He fractured his tibia and was taken to the hospital and stayed there for approximately seven days. He was unsure whether he had a case so he contacted Attorney Justin “JZ” Ziegler who he saw had an office in Miami. He hired JZ after emailing him and speaking on the phone. He states “I am a very happy client. Justin is a very good attorney.”

Once this gentleman hired Attorney Justin Ziegler, we discovered that the client did not even know when he rented his car he had elected to purchase $100,000 of uninsured motorist coverage. Justin sent a letter requesting insurance information from the driver who received a ticket for the accident. Because the driver was on duty with the Federal Government at the time of the accident, the U.S. government was liable for the pedestrian’s injuries.

We discovered that Philadelphia Insurance Companies insured the rental car company that the driver rented. At the time of this accident, the U.S. government had a contract with most [(if not all)] major car rental companies. The contract is known as Car Rental agreement #3, and as it relates to personal injury, it states that the car rental company will indemnify the U.S. government for up to $100,000 per person in the event that the driver of the car injures a third party (in this case our client).

Philadelphia Indemnity Insurance, the insurance carrier for the rental car company of the customs employee, offered One hundred Thousand Dollar ($100,000.00) to settle the bodily injury claim. We filed a statement of claim against the U.S. government to cover damages for the pedestrian’s personal injury, pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, etc. Unfortunately, when making a personal injury claim against the U.S. government, known as a F.T.C.A claim, the injured party must provide the government with accident and injury related information and wait six (6) months before filing a lawsuit against the United States. Personal injury claims against the US government are tried in front of a judge, not a jury. The health and disability insurer, Groupe mutual, for our client is asserted that pursuant to law they had to be repaid for the medical expensed that they paid.