I handle each case personally. My cases begin with a handshake after the initial consultation. When you leave my office, at the conclusion of your case and settlement, you get a hug because, that is how it is with me.
My clients become part of my life and it is an honor and privilege to assist in a very difficult time in the lives of these individuals. For the past 10 years, I have not advertised. I have been blessed to have a thriving personal injury practice due to the fact of the referrals of satisfied clients. I am quite proud of that. It is not unusual for me to get a call on a weekly basis from a client whose case I handled years ago that knows someone they want to refer to me or has a question about some other legal aspect that they want to speak with me about and ask my opinion.
No one should talk to an insurance company including their own with out first consulting an attorney. The company should tell you that they are recording your statement. You have a duty to cooperate with your own company but you have the right to have your lawyer present when you give this statement.
Insurance coverage and policies is a consumer good. Many people purchase a policy on line through the Internet and have no idea what coverages they are getting. Insurance is difficult to understand to most people. You pay a premium every month or every six months to have the coverage that is required by Florida law and to protect yourself, your loved ones and your assets, in the event of an unforeseen accident. That said, you are the customer, your insurance company should treat you with the respect and compassion that any businesses would give their customer who pays to have the product that is represented to them and that they purchased with hard earned money.
However, over and over again, I hear from my clients that they were never told about the importance of uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.
Personal Injury Protection and Property Damage provision are the insurance overages required by law to register your car in the state of Florida. There is no requirement that you carry insurance in the event you injury someone else. That is why unisured/Undersinsured motorist coverage is so important to have on you auto policy.
As a consumer, I encourage you to contact me about your insurance coverage and plans, before you are involved in an accident. You may have options available to you that you are not aware of, to improve your coverages and protect your exposures. All consultations are free on charge.
Additionally, should you hire me for your case, you do not pay a retainer fee or a deposit. Under Florida Statute, Attorneys in Florida that practice in negligence cases, auto accidents, slip and fall, medical malpractice, products liability, etc, operate under the contingency fee agreement. Unless you receive a settlement or recovery, you do not owe me for my services. My fees are based on a percentage of the gross recovery/ settlement that you receive.
Additionally, in this age of electronics and cell phone usage, it is important to get photos with your cell phone of accident scene. Whether you are an auto crash or a slip and fall, take photos of street, people standing outside the cars, vehicle positions, and property damage. If you are injured in a slip and fall take photos of the floor, and area around where you fell or injured. It is important to get an accident report and names of store manager and witnesses BEFORE you leave the store and not after.
In this current environment of insurance companies raising rates and cutting back on benefits to their insured’s, it is more important now than ever to hire an attorney who has experience, integrity, determination and the negotiation skills to speak with adjusters. I am that attorney. That is what I mean when I say, I won’t back down. I will stand my ground on behalf of my clients, to get the settlement they deserve and what they are entitled to receive.
