DeWitt Law Firm - April 2022

DeWitt Law Firm - April 2022

The

Digest

APRIL 2022

DeWittLaw.com

407-245-7723

GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR AUTO INSURANCE With UM Coverage Florida has one of the highest rates of uninsured drivers in the country at almost 20%. That means that if you get into an accident with a driver who’s uninsured and they’re at fault for the accident, you might be out of luck when it comes to getting them to pay for damage to your vehicle as well as any medical treatment you may need. As a Florida personal injury attorney, I’ve seen this situation play out multiple times. It’s way more common than one would think. I recently had a client who suffered multiple broken bones and lacerations in a car accident with an underinsured motorist. Their insurance policy only allowed them to pay my client $10,000, which was way lower than what they needed to cover medical costs alone. Thankfully, my client had uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM) coverage, which provides additional coverage if the other people involved in your accident do not have insurance, and it helped cover the difference. Since I’ve worked with several clients who were in an accident caused by someone without any or enough insurance, I usually recommend UM coverage. Not to mention that 1 in 5 Florida drivers does not have any insurance coverage; you’re better off safe than sorry. Don’t be a fool this April! Make sure you have UM coverage.

You may be wondering how you can get UM coverage and if it’s a required part of your policy. In the state of Florida, it’s not illegal to drive without UM coverage. However, insurance providers are required to offer it as an option when someone buys an auto insurance policy from them. You must sign a form stating that you’ve rejected UM coverage if you decide to forgo it. In addition to deciding if you want to purchase UM coverage as part of your policy, you also need to decide if you want “stacked” or “non- stacked” coverage. If you have stacked coverage, you get the same amount of coverage for all of your vehicles. For example, if you pay for $25,000 worth of UM coverage and you have four cars on your policy, you would have access to $100,000 if you’re involved in an accident with an uninsured or underinsured motorist. With non-stacked coverage, you’ll be limited to $25,000 specifically listed to the car on the insurance policy. If you’ve been on the fence in regard to UM coverage, there is never a bad time to add it to your policy. If you’re involved in an accident with an uninsured or underinsured motorist and you don’t have UM coverage, your finances can take a major hit. UM coverage is just another safety net to keep you protected. If you’ve been involved in an accident and you believe the other driver is at fault, give our office a call.

If you’re involved in an accident with an uninsured or underinsured motorist and you don’t have UM coverage, your finances can take a major hit.

– Moe DeWitt

| 1 407-245-7723

PERSONAL INJURY - AUTO ACCIDENT - DIVORCE

Have you ever noticed that springtime just feels lighter and brighter? That’s because, believe it or not, the seasons affect us. When spring rolls around, the energy shifts, and it’s up to us to maximize those positive vibes. Let’s examine how we can make the most of spring and inject some color and vibrancy into our lives again after a long winter. RELY ON COLOR. Colors have the ability to elicit certain emotions and feelings. Tropical tones and pastels are everywhere in spring — the clear sky, grass, and flowers — so allow them to fill your space and take them with you as constant reminders to smile. Get Sprung

block, get in a workout outdoors, or just enjoy the fresh air. Also, many areas observe daylight saving time, which extends sunlight into the evening, so no matter how you choose to spend your extra daylight, make it an adventure. WELCOME SPRING-CLEANING. It isn’t called spring-cleaning for nothing! Decluttering, dusting, reorganizing, and tidying up feels great! It’s empowering and refreshing. There is something special about creating more space in your living space that gets the positivity flowing. 4 WAYS TO HARVEST POSITIVE VIBES IN SPRING

EAT FRESH, COLORFUL FOODS.

If you’re up for it, wear some new colors to brighten up your wardrobe, and don’t forget to take in a sunset when you’re able!

During spring, many delicious fruits and vegetables come into season. Berries,

oranges, apples, carrots, avocados, cherries, spinach, and kale are all at their peak. Your local farmers market is a great place to get the freshest produce to fuel your body!

ENJOYMORE HOURS OF DAYLIGHT. Spring brings more hours of sunlight and warming

temperatures that can give you more time to enjoy your morning cup of coffee outside. You can take an early stroll around the

Spring is a time for new beginnings and positivity. Make the most of this spring season by welcoming a fresh abundance of love and life.

What to Do if Your Ride-Share Driver Gets in an Accident

Ride-share services have become incredibly popular over the past few years. Whenever you need a ride, you can quickly use an app to order a vehicle to take you where you need to go. It’s convenient and efficient, but what happens if you’re involved in an accident as a passenger in one of these ride-share vehicles? The first thing that you should be aware of is that every ride-share driver is required to have specific insurance coverage: bodily injury or death insurance for themselves and their passengers and property damage insurance when they’re logged into the app but have yet to pick up a passenger. If you’re riding in a ride-share service and your driver gets into an accident, it’s imperative that they call the police and have an officer issue a report. As the passenger — and only if you’re able — make sure you take pictures of the

accident. You also need to seek out medical attention as soon as possible. If you choose to wait for more than two weeks to get medical attention, you may be waiving your right to receive personal injury protection benefits. Another important thing you’ll need to do is have the ride-share driver finish the ride in the app so you’re emailed a confirmation or receipt that shows the driver was en route when the accident occurred. If they fail to do this, the insurance company may try to limit the claim. Make sure that you keep the device that you ordered your ride-share from, since its >Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4

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