Tampa car accident attorneys are often asked about the meaning of the new 14 day window for treating after a car accident. There are essentially two reasons for this time frame. One being a legal issue, while the other issue is a tactical issue.
First, the Florida Legislature passed a new law that became effective on January 1, 2013, that if an individual did not treat for their car accident within 14 days, they did not enjoy the protections offered by their personal injury protection (PIP). Clearly, it would make no sense to pay for PIP for years as a part of your insurance premiums and miss out on it because of a simple delay. The Florida Legislature was attempting to combat allegations of PIP fraud, which have been alleged by the car insurance lobby and their clients for years now. This is why it is critical to immediately seek medical treatment after a car accident to enjoy your PIP protections.
Secondly, quickly seeing a doctor after your Tampa car accident will also assist from a tactical and strategic standpoint going forward with your accident. As a former insurance defense attorney, I can assure you that your delay in treatment will be used against you later in the case. For example, I have personally seen many folks confronted after their Tampa car accident about why they waited three weeks to see a doctor, if they were having such significant pain. Obviously people feel and treat pain differently, but I can assure you the faster you treat after your Tampa car accident, the better off you will be strategically as the case goes forward.
If you or someone you know has been in a Tampa car accident, contact the Tampa car accident attorneys of Hackworth Law for a free case consultation. We have handled thousands of cases across Central Florida and always offer free consultations to advise folks of their rights. If you would like to contact one of our Tampa car accident attorneys immediately, please use the “contact us now” tab in the upper right hand corner of our website. We appreciate you taking the time to check out our Tampa car accident attorney blog and look forward to working with you.