Daughter suffered severe cuts to face???

[cwschultz32]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Florida

My Daughter suffered severe lacerations to her face from an auto accident last friday night. She had to have surgery from a plastic surgeon. she had her lips literally torn apart and a cut all the way around to her nose and cheek.
She has so many stitches they are uncountable. Her speech is impaired and another surgery is gonna be required. The insurance company is calling us driving us nuts. Please let me know if I should get a lawyer and we live in northwest florida. Please recommend a good accident lawyer. How much money could be sought for damages??

 

[ecmst12]

This site does not offer referrals.

Most important question - what happened in the accident? Who was found at fault?

Is your daughter a minor or an adult?

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

Unless all drivers that might be deemed financially at fault have cumulative coverage in excess of the cost of surgery, you will be paying the lawyer out of your own pocket. I suggest you get the surgeries and ask the insurance company(ies), the policy limits. Worry about a lawyer later.

 

[ecmst12]

Of course you don't know that, and FL is a no-fault state so her own insurance will be paying her medical bills first.

An insurance company will never just tell you their policyholder's limits.

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

The insurance company will know how extreme the medical expenses will be and might release the info based on that. It is a somewhat mute point anyway. The medical expenses will most likely greatly exceed any policy limits. Ask the driver of the vehicle she was in what the limits are.

 

[ecmst12]

Why do you assume she was not the driver? Why do you assume the coverage will exceed the limits? SOME people have million dollar umbrella policies to cover themselves. You really need to stop posting until OP answers my questions.

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

You can continue to disagree. OP has enough knowledge to make preliminary decisions now.

 

[Proserpina]

The insurance company will know how extreme the medical expenses will be and might release the info based on that. It is a somewhat mute point anyway. The medical expenses will most likely greatly exceed any policy limits. Ask the driver of the vehicle she was in what the limits are.

Moot. The word is "moot".

Pet peeve.

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

I bow to the humble Goddess and resubmit my reply with a word substitution forthwith.

It is a somewhat moot point anyway.

 

[cwschultz32]

She is a minor she is 15 and severly damaged. She was a passenger in a vehicle and there was only one car involved. It was an accident that the girl who was driving flipped the car two times. Apparently she has a million dollar balloon policy to cover her.

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

Do you have a projection of the plastic surgery fees?

 

[cwschultz32]

I know the hospital sent us a 29,000 dollar lien today. The surgeon is not affiliated with the hospital at all. So I'm assuming there will be more. Also he said she would need another surgery today.

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

Then it seems the costs will be a fraction of the policy coverages. I would contact the best lawyer you can find. He/She will probably jump on this case. Don't sell your daughter short by taking the fastest lawyer you can find. Get a good one.

 

[ecmst12]

You definitely need to hire a lawyer for her. Do not expect anything to be fast, lawyers do everything slowly. And expect any settlement money to go into a trust for her, or just go directly to her since she will likely be 18 at least before all is said and done.

But also remember that your insurance will be paying her actual bills under PIP coverage before the driver's insurance gets involved because that's how no-fault works. That coverage may be used up before she is done treating but that is the first source of payment the doctors will go to.