South Florida Injury Lawyer Blog

Rear End Car Accident in Florida

Published on: May 22, 2025 | Anthony Quackenbush, Esq.

One of the most common types of car accidents is a rear-end car accident, which involves being hit from behind. Such accidents range from a “fender-bender” when someone doesn’t stop quickly enough at a stoplight to a very serious crash caused by a distracted driver in traffic. But even a small bump can cause a sudden jerk of your head or back that could seriously injure the very delicate and critical spinal cord.

Your spine houses and protects your nerves, which branch out to every part of your body, every organ, and every extremity. An injury to your spine can cause unexpected complications in unexpected locations in other parts of your body, so if you begin experiencing problems anywhere in your body shortly after an accident, do not discount them. They may be caused by the accident.

Common injuries from a rear-end car accident include:

How Long Does It Take to Get Compensated for Your Medical Bills in Florida?

Published on: May 14, 2025 | Anthony Quackenbush, Esq.

When you have been hurt in an accident, medical care may begin immediately, and you may be worried about how you will pay your medical bills before you have received a financial settlement. At Quackenbush Law, our team works quickly to assess the situation, review all documentation and statements, advocate with insurance companies, and negotiate on your behalf.

PIP first

The first medical insurance coverage that kicks in is PIP – Personal Injury Protection – which is required on all auto insurance policies in Florida. If you don’t have auto insurance, you can seek coverage from the insurance policy of a family member with whom you live or that of the vehicle you were riding in at the time of the accident, depending on your individual situation. Regardless of what insurance company is paying your medical bills, you must see an approved medical provider within 14 days of the injury to qualify for PIP coverage.

The Long-Term Consequences of Accident Injuries: How to Assess Future Damages

Published on: May 6, 2025 | Anthony Quackenbush, Esq.

When you have been seriously injured in Florida due to an accident, product malfunction, or medical malpractice, your severe injuries may leave permanent damage impacting all areas of your life. At The Quackenbush Law Firm, we fight for you to ensure that you receive the compensation you deserve.

I leave no stone unturned when I investigate and evaluate every aspect of the accident and its consequences in order to determine, based on all the facts, how this will impact your future life. My goal is to ensure that you will have the resources to not only compensate for past expenses and take care of your immediate needs but to guarantee that you have the funding for ongoing medical care and fair compensation for your pain, suffering, and lost future earnings.

Long-term consequences

Your Insurance Policy Limit and Your Case

Published on: April 25, 2025 | Anthony Quackenbush, Esq.

If you’ve been injured in a car accident in Florida and your expenses exceed your insurance policy limit, you may still be able to receive additional financial compensation for your injuries. However, you need an experienced personal injury attorney to help you. Our team is an expert in investigating every aspect of your case to help you get the money you need and deserve.

Florida PIP policies and your options

Florida requires that everyone who has been in an accident involving a self-propelled vehicle (car, truck, motorcycle, etc.) turn to their PIP coverage first. Every Florida auto policy must carry Personal Injury Protection (PIP), which covers up to 80% of all necessary and reasonable medical expenses up to $10,000 resulting from a covered injury, regardless of who caused the crash. If the injuries cause a loss in wages, PIP can cover up to 60% of these lost wages, up to $10,000.

Do You Need an Attorney in Your Personal Injury Case in Florida?

Published on: April 17, 2025 | Anthony Quackenbush, Esq.

Unless you are an expert in negotiating personal injury claims or taking them to court, you need an expert personal injury attorney to help you with your personal injury lawsuit. Injured individuals are no match for the insurance companies, big business, big government, and big medical institutions that have the knowledge, know-how, and strategies to keep them from having to pay you fair compensation for all that you have suffered. Don’t try to face them without an expert standing between you and them, fighting for your rights.

Preparing a bullet-proof case

I became a personal injury lawyer because I believe in “fighting for the rights of the little guy” against the highly lucrative businesses, insurance companies, and medical institutions that have the financial resources to squash your efforts to recover damages due to their negligent behavior or faulty products.

Whiplash Is Not a “Minor Injury”

Published on: April 12, 2025 | Anthony Quackenbush, Esq.

If you have been injured in an auto accident, especially an accident in which you have been rear-ended, it is likely that you have experienced whiplash. Whiplash is a neck injury caused by a rapid back-and-forth (or side-to-side) motion of the head, like the cracking of a whip. The medical term is cervical acceleration-deceleration (CAD) syndrome, and the symptoms of CAD syndrome are called whiplash-associated disorder (WAD). WAD symptoms vary, depending on the severity of your injury and any pre-existing conditions. But no whiplash injury should be taken lightly or ignored.

Whiplash symptoms

In Florida, your PIP insurance requires that you see an approved medical provider within two weeks of your accident in order to receive coverage from your auto insurance. You should always receive a thorough examination after an accident, even if you feel fine immediately afterwards. Symptoms of whiplash may not appear immediately, as your adrenaline is likely elevated for the first day or two. But after a few days, you may begin to feel tightness in your neck or any of the following common symptoms:

A Car Accident Was Not Your Fault AND You Have to Have Surgery?

Published on: March 22, 2025 | Anthony Quackenbush, Esq.

If you’ve been seriously injured in a car accident in Florida caused by someone else’s negligence, you need an experienced Florida personal injury attorney to fight for you while you are recovering to make sure you get the compensation you deserve for your injuries. Don’t try to tackle the insurance companies alone. You need an advocate at your side who knows how to deal with them and how to get significant awards for your injuries.

There is no such thing as a “minor” auto accident – until a doctor has thoroughly examined you and several months have passed with no lingering effects from the accident, do not assume that you are fine. Lingering back pain or neck pain could be a sign of a spinal cord injury. Shoulder injury from your seatbelt or tightness in the chest could mean torn tissue or cracked ribs.

Injuries that may lead to surgery could include:

What Is Diminished Earnings Capacity?

Published on: March 18, 2025 | Anthony Quackenbush, Esq.

When you have been injured in an accident in Florida caused by someone else’s negligence, you have the right to sue for compensation for your injuries, expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering. The injury could be due to a car accident or other vehicular accident, an accident at work, a faulty product, or a slip and fall incident or other injury caused by unsafe premises. It could be caused by medical malpractice or an attack by a vicious animal. Whatever the cause of the injury, you will need an experienced personal injury attorney to help you collect the full compensation you deserve for the injuries you sustained due to someone else’s negligence.

Defining diminished earning capacity

Diminished earning capacity is also known as future lost earnings. It is distinct from lost wages in that lost wages are income lost since the accident, usually with an estimated time period for your recovery. Lost wages need to be documented using tax returns, pay stubs, and days missed.

What Is a PIP Claim and Do You Need an Attorney?

Published on: March 10, 2025 | Anthony Quackenbush, Esq.

In Florida, every automobile owner is required to carry auto insurance which includes Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage. PIP covers up to 80% of all necessary and reasonable medical expenses up to $10,000 resulting from a covered injury, regardless of who caused the crash. If a person’s injuries result in a loss in wages, PIP can cover up to 60% of these lost wages, up to $10,000. PIP also provides death benefits of $5,000 to surviving family members for each person killed due to an accident.

PIP covers insurance to the named insured person, relatives living in the same household, anyone operating the insured vehicle with the owner’s permission, passengers in the insured vehicle, and anyone struck and injured by the insured vehicle while not an occupant of another vehicle.

There are requirements to receive this coverage, however. In order to qualify for PIP coverage, you must be examined by an approved medical provider within 14 days of the accident. If you delay, you will not be eligible for PIP benefits. You must also contact your insurance company within the timeframe that is required by your insurance policy, or they will have grounds to deny your claim.

Car Insurance Claim Denial: Can You Appeal the Decision?

Published on: February 24, 2025 | Anthony Quackenbush, Esq.

When you’re dealing with car insurance claims, remember: the insurance company is not in business to give you money. It is in business to make money and keep as much of it as it can. When settling a claim, insurance companies typically try to reimburse as little as they can legally get away with. If you think the reimbursement that you have been offered by an insurance company is too low, it probably is. If you believe an insurance company has wrongfully issued a denial of your claim, it probably has.

This is not to say that insurance companies and insurance adjusters are dishonest. However, as the plaintiff, you need to be cautious. Denials are common. Don’t sign anything or agree to anything with an insurer without talking to a lawyer first. As the saying goes, “anything you say can and will be used against you.” Talk to our team at The Quackenbush Law Firm before you interact with the insurance company.

Reasons for denial or minimization of your claim