A car accident can disrupt your life in an instant. Injuries, medical bills, and dealing with insurance companies can quickly become overwhelming.
If you’ve been involved in a crash, working with experienced car accident attorneys in Palm Beach Gardens can help you understand your rights and take the right next steps.
At Hicks & Motto, we represent individuals who have been injured in car accidents and need clear legal guidance. With over 30 years of experience, our team is dedicated to helping clients pursue fair compensation while navigating the legal process with confidence.
📞 Call 561-683-2300 for a free consultation.
A car accident attorney helps you recover compensation after a crash caused by negligence.
This includes:
Having legal guidance early can help prevent mistakes that may impact your claim.
Taking the right steps after an accident can protect your case:
Choosing the right attorney can make a difference in how your case is handled.
Clients choose Hicks & Motto because:
Every case is handled with care, attention to detail, and a focus on achieving the best possible outcome.
Results matter when choosing a law firm. While every case is different, past outcomes reflect experience and case handling.
Every case follows a structured process:
Each step is handled based on the specific details of your case.
Car accidents in Palm Beach Gardens often involve:
Understanding how the accident occurred helps determine liability.
Depending on your case, compensation may include:
The value of your claim depends on the circumstances and severity of your injuries.
Reach out to connect directly with a trial-tested attorney.
Let’s discuss your legal strategy and protect your interests.
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You may have a car accident case if another driver’s negligence caused the crash and you suffered injuries, property damage, lost income, or other losses. However, the strength of a claim depends on the individual facts and the available evidence.
When evaluating a potential Florida car accident claim, we consider:
Common examples of negligence include distracted driving, speeding, following too closely, unsafe lane changes, impaired driving, and failing to yield. A case-specific review is necessary because being involved in an accident does not automatically establish who is legally responsible.
The value of a car accident case generally cannot be determined at the beginning of the claim. Your injuries, medical treatment, recovery, financial losses, degree of fault, and available insurance coverage must be evaluated first.
Factors that may affect the value of a Florida car accident claim include:
An insurance company’s initial offer may not include the full cost of future care or the long-term impact of the injuries. For that reason, the value of a claim should not be based solely on an online calculator, the amount of the medical bills, or an early settlement offer.
A Florida lawsuit based on negligence generally must be filed within two years. This limitations period applies to many negligence claims arising from accidents occurring on or after March 24, 2023. Before the 2023 change in Florida law, many negligence claims were subject to a four-year period.
The specific deadline may depend on:
The statute of limitations is not the only reason to act promptly. Surveillance footage can be erased, vehicles may be repaired or destroyed, witnesses may become difficult to locate, and physical evidence can disappear. Beginning an investigation early can help preserve evidence and protect your right to pursue compensation.
You may still be able to recover compensation if you were partially responsible for a Florida car accident. Florida generally uses a modified comparative negligence system.
Your compensation may be reduced according to your percentage of fault. For example, if your damages total $100,000 and you are found 20% responsible, your recovery may be reduced to $80,000.
However, in negligence cases governed by Florida’s modified comparative negligence law, a person found to be more than 50% at fault generally cannot recover damages.
Insurance companies may try to assign additional fault to an injured driver to reduce the amount they must pay. Evidence that may help determine responsibility includes:
Do not assume that you cannot bring a claim merely because you may have contributed to the accident.
You should be cautious about speaking with the other driver’s insurance company before obtaining legal advice. The adverse insurer represents its policyholder and its own financial interests—not yours.
An adjuster may ask you to:
Statements made soon after a crash may later be used to dispute fault, argue that your injuries are unrelated, or claim that your condition is less serious than reported.
You should notify your own insurance company about the accident as required by your policy. However, your responsibilities when dealing with your insurer may differ from your obligations to the adverse insurer. Before giving a recorded statement or signing documents, it is sensible to understand your rights, policy duties, and the possible effect on your claim.
Many Florida car accident lawyers handle injury claims on a contingency-fee basis. This generally means that the attorney’s fee is paid as a percentage of the compensation recovered through a settlement or verdict.
If no compensation is recovered, the lawyer generally does not receive an attorney’s fee. However, attorney’s fees and case costs are different. Potential case costs may include:
The written fee agreement should explain the percentage charged, how costs are handled, and whether the client could be responsible for costs if there is no recovery.
There is no single percentage that every Florida attorney is legally required to charge. The Florida Bar explains that contingency fees are governed by a written agreement and that clients have the right to discuss the proposed fee before signing the contract.
There is no fixed timeline for resolving a car accident case. Some claims settle within several months, while cases involving serious injuries, disputed liability, multiple parties, or litigation can take considerably longer.
The timeline may depend on:
Settling before the full extent of an injury is known can result in compensation that does not cover future care. The goal should be to move the claim forward efficiently without sacrificing the investigation, medical documentation, and preparation required to pursue an appropriate result.
There is no fixed timeline for resolving a car accident case. Some claims settle within several months, while cases involving serious injuries, disputed liability, multiple parties, or litigation can take considerably longer.
The timeline may depend on:
Settling before the full extent of an injury is known can result in compensation that does not cover future care. The goal should be to move the claim forward efficiently without sacrificing the investigation, medical documentation, and preparation required to pursue an appropriate result.
Seek medical attention, report the accident, document evidence, and speak with an attorney before dealing with insurance companies.
Yes, Florida law allows recovery based on your percentage of fault.
The value depends on injuries, treatment, and liability factors.
Florida law sets deadlines for filing claims, so it’s important to act quickly.
The damages available after a Florida car accident depend on the injuries, financial losses, insurance coverage, degree of fault, and applicable law.
A claim may seek compensation for:
Medical bills, lost income, and property damage are generally considered economic damages because they involve measurable financial losses. Pain, mental anguish, and reduced quality of life are non-economic damages.
In many Florida motor vehicle cases, an injured person must satisfy a statutory injury threshold to recover damages for pain, suffering, mental anguish, and inconvenience. The threshold includes significant and permanent loss of an important bodily function, permanent injury within a reasonable degree of medical probability, significant and permanent scarring or disfigurement, or death.
Most car accident claims are resolved without a trial, but settlement is never guaranteed. A case may proceed toward trial when the parties cannot agree about fault, the cause or severity of the injuries, the amount of damages, or the available insurance coverage.
Trial may become necessary when:
Even when a claim is likely to settle, it should be investigated and prepared as though it may be tried. Strong preparation can improve settlement negotiations and ensure the case is ready if a fair agreement cannot be reached.
The client—not the insurance company or attorney—ultimately decides whether to accept a settlement offer. The lawyer’s role is to explain the offer, risks, costs, evidence, and available legal options.
Florida operates under a no-fault auto insurance system. This generally means that an injured person first seeks payment of qualifying medical expenses through applicable Personal Injury Protection, or PIP, coverage, regardless of who caused the collision.
Florida PIP generally pays 80% of reasonable and medically necessary covered medical expenses, subject to policy terms, deductibles, statutory reimbursement limits, and available benefits. Medical treatment must generally begin within 14 days of the accident to qualify for PIP benefits.
Depending on the medical findings:
Medical expenses not paid by PIP may potentially be addressed through health insurance, medical-payment coverage, the at-fault driver’s bodily injury liability coverage, uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, or a claim against another responsible party.
The client’s original statement that “the first $10,000 of medical bills are paid” should not be used because PIP does not automatically pay every injured person a full $10,000.
Hicks & Motto is a trusted Florida personal injury law firm helping accident victims recover compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain & suffering.
Hicks & Motto
3601 PGA Blvd., Suite 200,
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410
Phone: (561) 250-8213
Fax: (561) 697-3852
Email Us @ info@hmelawfirm.com
