Repealing PIP, a state study found, could save Floridians $81 per car per year, nearly $1 billion collectively. Lawmakers for years have debated whether to get rid of the PIP system, which requires motorists to carry $10,000 in PIP coverage to help pay medical bills after accidents.

Floridians pay the nation’s third-highest car insurance rates despite state roads being relatively straight, flat, and snow/ice-free. 

PIP repeal bills are working through committees, with sponsors citing tweaks that make them more appealing to insurers, physicians, and hospitals that have vigorously opposed past reform attempts.

The proposal, at least for now, appears stalled in the Senate over a proposed amendment designed to restrict “bad faith” lawsuits, which involve allegations that insurers have not properly looked out for the interests of their customers (policyholders).  

Unfortunately, insurers regularly engage in bad faith behavior and practices.  Accident victims and policyholders must have a mechanism to hold bad faith insurers accountable. 

The law states that your insurance company must treat you fairly and honestly when evaluating the validity of your claim, and settle claims against you if it can do so within the coverage limit.  

If you are currently facing problems with your insurance company, you should get in touch with the insurance claim attorneys at Corless Barfield Trial Group.  Insurers look to delay, deny or underpay valid personal injury and property damage claims all the time. We will help you fight back against an insurer’s illegal tactics.  Please call our office at 813-258-4998 for a free and confidential case evaluation. 

Insurance companies are expected to act in “good faith” when resolving, examining, and settling claims made against their policyholders. Yet in many situations, insurance companies act in defiance of the law, which is why you need an attorney representing your rights. 

What type of activity illustrates bad faith? The following actions on the part of your insurance company may serve as the basis for prohibited bad faith conduct:

• fails to pay or settle a claim within policy limits without a reasonable basis; 
• fails to properly and promptly investigate or defend a claim; 
• fails to provide justification for denying a claim; 
• offers inconsistent or baseless interpretations of the policy; 
• uses deceptive practices or intentional misrepresentations to avoid paying claims; 
• terminates a claim that should have been paid; or 
• fails to offer the full value of a claim’s worth, or giving an unreasonably low offer to compensate damages.

It should come as no surprise that insurers have sought for years to put more restrictions on bad faith lawsuits and have attempted to tie it to no-fault auto insurance, as they are doing here when it comes to repealing PIP coverage. 

Corless Barfield Trial Group has secured record-setting judgments against insurance companies that refused to protect their insureds by properly evaluating the claims against them.  Our attorneys have successfully tried countless bad faith claims. Our goal as personal injury and property damage lawyers is to ensure the insurance company does not wrongfully deny your claim for full and just compensation. For your no-obligation, case consultation, call Corless Barfield at 813-258-4998. 

Accidents involving smartphones can result in serious injuries and even death.  Something is being done to reverse the devastating effects of smartphone use and driving. FHP troopers have launched an awareness campaign with this message: “Put it down. Focus on driving.” 

The arrival of 2020 brings a handful of changes stemming from the 2019 Florida legislative session, including final pieces of enforcing a new law that cracks down on texting and driving. On Jan. 1, 2020, law enforcement officers in Florida will begin writing tickets for drivers caught texting and driving. Authorities are now able to pull over anybody they spot texting while driving, just for that reason.

Lawyer Up: Corless Barfield Trial Group aggressively represents injury victims who have been harmed due to the negligence or recklessness of another.  By hiring an attorney, victims can fight for maximum compensation to recover the cost of medical bills, rehabilitation, pain and suffering, and lost wages.

Texting behind the wheel has become one of the greatest dangers facing motorists today. To discuss your accident case, call us at 813-258-4998 or fill out this simple form: www.corlessbarfield.com/contact. 

Rules of the Road: The penalty for first-time violators of the new texting and driving law is $30 plus court costs. The fee doubles to $60, plus court costs and three points added to the driver’s license in school and work zones.  The fines go up even more if you’re speeding. Expect those fines to exceed $150 once taxes, court costs, and county-regulated surcharges are added. 

Police officers can only stop a driver for texting and driving when the car is in motion. Officers cannot stop someone seen texting at a stop light unless they are impeding traffic, which would be a different citation.  By law, a driver can decline to hand over their phone, but also under the law, the officer does not need electronic proof to write a ticket.

Moreover, golf carts are a very popular way to get around Florida. The new texting and driving law impacts this mode of transportation, too. Those caught texting and driving golf carts on roadways can be found at fault by law enforcement the same as other motorists. However, those driving golf carts in gated communities or at a golf course won’t be penalized under the new law.

Our Tampa car accident attorneys are experienced in a wide range of Florida auto accidents. We will fight for the maximum compensation to help our clients fully recover. To find out how Corless Barfield Trial Group can assist you, please call 813-258-4998 today. Your confidential, initial case evaluation is 100% free. Our skilled team of distracted driving trial lawyers are ready to help you with your car accident case.

HB 107 makes driving while texting a primary offense, meaning law enforcement can stop motorists for just that offense.  (There will be a six-month grace period where only citations will be issued.) Prior to the new law, texting while driving was a secondary offense that officers could only cite drivers for after pulling them over for a different violation. In the past, law enforcement needed to see a driver weave, speed, or engage in any other traffic violation.  

Also, the law bans the use of handheld wireless devices in school and construction zones. The ban doesn’t apply to drivers using a navigation device or texting while not moving.

A first offense is punishable by a $30 fine, with a second costing $60 and 3 points added to your license. Court costs and fees also would apply.

Were you injured in an accident caused by a distracted driver?  If you or a loved one has sustained a serious or catastrophic injury caused by a driver who was texting or otherwise distracted, you should contact a personal injury attorney that specializes in texting and driving car accidents as soon as possible. 

At Corless Barfield Trial Group, our personal injury lawyers have helped countless clients who were injured in texting while driving accidents. We can provide the legal counsel and effective advocacy you need to successfully pursue a claim against a negligent driver. Contact us at 813-258-4998 for a free consultation. 

The seriousness of texting while driving cannot be understated:  Studies have shown that texting while driving poses a comparable or greater car accident risk than drunk driving. Watch Corless Barfield Trial Group’s John Mulvihill discuss these important studies.

If you believe distracted driving was a factor in your injury-causing motor vehicle accident, it is crucial to contact an attorney who will seek maximum compensation for you. Corless Barfield Trial Group helps victims of car accidents caused by distracted drivers. We aid accident victims throughout the Tampa Bay area. For an experienced texting while driving attorney, call us now at 813-258-4998. 

When you get into a car accident, it can be a serious trauma, both emotionally and sometimes physically.  In these circumstances, you trust your insurance company to handle the details appropriately so that you don’t have to. Unfortunately, when you rely on your insurance claim to come through swiftly, it can be a huge disappointment and source of panic if your claim is denied. If you’re left with a denied car insurance claim, there are some steps that you can take.

Why your claim may be denied

First, there are just a few reasons as to why an insurance company would deny your claim. First, the insurance company does not believe your claim is valid. When your claim is denied, you will receive a denial letter stating the reason for the denial.  You should immediately check your insurance policy to make sure the type of claim you placed is covered.  Look into covered occurrences, policy limits, and make sure your premium is up to date.  If your policy should cover the claim, you may have a bit of a fight on your hands. You should also check to make sure that the driver was covered at the time of the accident.  If you weren’t driving, your insurance may not cover the claim if the individual was excluded from the policy.

The other reason the insurance company would deny your claim is to try to discourage you. While we would like to be able to say that insurance companies will always do the right thing, it’s important to remember that they’re there to make money, and if you are filing a sizable claim, some companies will look for loopholes and reasons not to pay.  You would be surprised at the number of people who file a claim, are denied, and never explore why.

Understandably, the aftermath of an accident is a busy and emotional time, and spending hours on the phone finding out why your claim was denied may seem overwhelming. Nobody wants to fight with an insurance company when things are going well, much less after a car accident where you and your loved ones may be seriously injured, unable to work (and therefore losing income), etc. Insurance companies are known to take advantage of this fact, assume that you won’t press them any further, and let you forget about the claim that they owe you payment on.

What to do

If you are facing a wrongful insurance denial, there are a number of ways you can dispute the decision. You could write the insurance company, including specific details of where you are covered and why their denial is invalid.  In this case, you must provide documentation to support your claim. The best thing to do when facing a wrongful Florida automobile insurance claims denial is to contact a professional lawyer immediately.  

There are very effective steps a lawyer can take to fight your denied car insurance claim, support your policy, and make the insurance company fulfill their obligation.  Legally, multiple channels are available to support your rights against an unsupported denial, and at Corless Barfield, our lawyers are knowledgeable about each method available. Having an automobile accident can be a terrible experience, made worse when your insurance company does not fulfill their obligations to you in a timely manner.  For help with your insurance claim, contact the lawyers at Corless Barfield. 

You may also be interested in:

What is “Full Coverage Car Insurance”?
What Happens if You Hit a Pedestrian Jaywalking?
Florida’s Ban on Texting While Driving
15 Defensive Driving Examples
Canceled Car Insurance Due to Nonpayment
6 Safe Driving Habits You Should Employ
Pedestrian Hit by a Car – Which Insurance Do You Claim?