Automobile Accidents

Minor Fender Benders—Why You Still Need a Lawyer

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

The term “fender bender” is a colloquialism people use to refer to a seemingly small accident that causes minor injuries to the vehicles involved. But in legal terms, it’s an accident. And all accidents should be taken seriously.

Even a minor bump that caused little damage to your car could cause damage to your body if you were jerked suddenly or if you were turning to look over your shoulder at the time. The spine and neck are very delicate and can be easily injured. Don’t take any accident lightly.

What to do immediately after a minor accident

No-Fault Insurance in Florida—Can I Sue for Pain and Suffering?

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

Florida is a no-fault insurance state, which means drivers must carry Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage to pay for their accident-related medical expenses, regardless of who was at fault in the accident. This no-fault system also restricts an injured party’s right to sue for pain and suffering. Injured victims can only sue the at-fault party for non-economic damages under certain circumstances, such as death, permanent injury, and serious disfigurement.

Receiving damages in Florida

The first step after an accident is to see a doctor within 14 days in order to be eligible for any PIP coverage, which is carried on your auto insurance policy. If you don’t have car insurance and live with a family member who does, their insurance will be used. 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 cause the person a loss in wages, PIP can cover up to 60% of these lost wages, up to the $10,000 limit.

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:

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.

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.

Accidents Due to Road Conditions – Who Is Responsible? Can You Sue?

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

It is possible to sue a government entity for harm caused by negligence, but the government and the courts do not make it easy. If you believe poor road conditions, maintenance, or signage contributed to your traffic accident, you will require an experienced Florida personal injury lawyer to help you with your Florida personal injury lawsuit against the government.

Road conditions and responsible parties

Anyone who owns property has a duty to keep that property safe. When negligence leads to injury, the owner may be liable to compensate the injured party. It is the same for government municipalities that own or maintain roads.

What Is a T-Bone Accident, and Who Is Responsible In Florida?

Published on: February 4, 2025 | Anthony Quackenbush, Esq.

A T-bone accident is a side-collision accident in which the front end of one car collides with the side of another. These types of accidents are common in Florida and are particularly dangerous to passengers, as most cars have no protective equipment to protect a person from a side impact. Front airbags have been shown to provide significant protection in head-on collisions, but with a side collision, even if the airbag deploys, the bodies of the occupants will be whipped sideways rather than forward, causing severe twisting of bones and ligaments and often smashing heads into the side windows.

Side collisions are the cause of some of the most serious accident injuries for everyone in the vehicle, often proving to be life-altering or even fatal. If you or a loved one was injured in a T-bone accident, contact us right away. As a Florida personal injury attorney experienced in helping victims of auto accidents, I leave no stone unturned to help my clients receive the compensation they deserve.

Causes of T-bone accidents