Car Accident Attorney

Daytona Beach Shores drivers who are involved in a car accident face a high probability that, in addition to dealing with the emotional and physical trauma of the accident, they may have to fight with their insurance company to receive the benefits for which they have been paying premiums. Colette Heck, an auto accident lawyer, represents car accident victims in UM/UIM claims in the state of Florida. A UM/UIM claim is essentially a claim for breach of contract against the insurance company that issued the policy. After all, an insurance policy is merely a contract to provide insurance coverage for a given risk. When insurers refuse to pay legitimate claims, they breach the insurance contract and a lawsuit is usually necessary to recover the insurance benefits.

Florida is what is called a "no-fault state." Under Florida's no-fault law, drivers are only required to have a minimum of $10,000 of Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance coverage and a minimum of $10,000 of Property Damage Liability insurance coverage. As a result, even if a negligent driver has the minimum insurance coverage required by law, there may still be insufficient coverage to fully compensate accident victims for their injuries.

If you or someone you know have been involved in a motor vehicle accident with an uninsured or under-insured driver, you may still be able to obtain compensation for your injuries if you or a resident relative have uninsured motorist insurance coverage on your automobile insurance policy. Uninsured motorist coverage is an optional coverage in Florida that allows accident victims to make a claim under their own insurance policy for compensation for injuries caused by a negligent uninsured or under-insured driver up to the limit stated in the policy. Compensation may be recovered for medical expenses, lost earnings, pain and suffering, disability and for the wrongful death of a family member. In the case of an under-insured driver, the victim's UM/UIM policy may cover the balance of the value of his/her injuries not covered by the under-insured driver's policy. For example, if a negligent driver has only $10,000 of liability insurance coverage and the injured victim suffered injuries valued at $1 million, the victim's insurance company may be responsible for paying the balance up to the policy limits. It is not always clear to the injured victim what his/her policy limits are since UM/UIM coverage can be "stacking" or "non-staking" and can have a single limit or one limit per person and another per accident limit. It is important to have a qualified car accident attorney who understands the intricacies of the laws governing this type of claim.

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Have you or a loved one been seriously injured in a motorcycle crash?

Colette Heck Law has helped many Daytona Beach, Florida bikers that have been injured due to the negligence of another driver, an unsafe roadway or a defective motorcycle. There's little doubt that motorcycles are a lot of fun to ride and, in today's economy, they can save you money when it comes to gas. However, people riding motorcycles have very little protection and are always at a much greater risk of serious injury when involved in a motor vehicle accident. Head injuries or even a fatality can occur even though the motorcycle rider was wearing a helmet and the proper riding gear. In most road accidents, the motorcyclist is almost always thrown from their motorcycle into the street or into other vehicles involved in the crash.

If you or a loved one have been seriously injured in a motorcycle crash, Colette Heck Law can help you get your life back on track. The Heck Law Firm truly understands the legal nuances involved with a motorcycle crash and how to use the legal system when dealing with your insurance company and the insurance companies of the other drivers involved. Colette Heck Law will work diligently to ensure that you receive the settlement you need for compensation, including property damage, medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and long-term health care. Unfortunately, they can't change what happened, but they can help you get on the road to recovery. Call today.

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Colette Heck can help you get the compensation you are entitled to!

Serious car accidents may involve head trauma, spinal cord injuries, amputations and long-term disability. Most insurance companies, committed to profit for their shareholders, employ a number of tactics to reduce or minimize claim settlements and payments. As a result, many car accident injury victims have little choice but to go to court to recover compensation proportional to the actual cost of their injuries.

I-95 and I-4 are home to some of the most challenging driving conditions in the United States. Many of the car and truck accidents in this area occur on our highways. High speeds combined with heavy use make Daytona highways prime real estate for serious motor vehicle incidents. If you have been hurt in an accident on Florida highways, our DeLand car accident attorneys can help you.

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If you’re the victim of a car accident, you need to take immediate steps

If you’re the victim of a car accident, you need to take immediate steps to make sure you can be compensated for any physical injuries. Even if you think you haven’t been injured, take these steps. Serious injuries can show up days or even weeks later. If you can’t act immediately, call a friend or family member to take these steps for you or ask for help from someone at the scene.

--Call 911

Immediately report the accident. Let the 911 dispatcher know if anyone has been hurt.

When the police arrive, be completely honest and cooperative. Remember that what you tell the police about your injuries will be recorded and can be used as evidence when you file an insurance claim or a lawsuit. If you are hurt, get this information into the police report. Do not discuss the accident or “fault” for the accident with anyone other than the police.

--Record the Scene

Use your cell phone to take pictures of the accident scene from all angles. Take pictures of the inside of the vehicle you were in. Photograph your injuries. Get the contact information, insurance, license plate and drivers’ license information of anyone else involved in the accident. Get the names and contact information of any witnesses. Make note of weather conditions, construction activity or any other contributing factors.

Record your version of exactly what happened, in the order it happened. If you are not able, ask someone else to do these things.

--Seek Medical Attention

Even if you think that your injuries are not serious, immediately seek medical attention. Closed-head injuries, for example, rarely show up at once. Do this because EMT, emergency room and doctor’s records will be required by insurance companies and needed in lawsuits. It is important to be completely honest. Disclose any previous injuries that might be seen as contributing to your current injuries. Be sure to follow up on any discharge advice you are given. Failure to do so can jeopardize your case. Save all receipts and bills.

--Notify Your Insurance Company

Contact your insurer as soon as possible. Often, insurers have notification deadlines. If you fail to meet these deadlines, you might not be compensated. Cooperate with the adjuster. You may be compensated for your medical expenses, future medical expenses, pain and suffering, mental anguish, lost wages, loss of earning capacity and loss of consortium. An insurance carrier will first look to the types and amounts of damages suffered, and then to fault or percentage of fault.

--Don’t Sign Anything Yet

In the hours, days and weeks following an auto accident, insurance companies – both your own and others – often try to “settle” for a specific amount of money if you agree to give up your rights to make a claim or sue in the future. The money can be tempting, but it is much better to wait and see what the actual extent and cost of your injuries will be.

--Call a Personal Injury Lawyer

The laws on personal injuries caused by auto accidents can be complicated. You need to call a reliable and trusted Daytona Beach Shores auto injury attorney. Contact Colette Heck Law today.

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Colette Heck cares about you and your family!

If someone in a motor vehicle or a commercial truck has hurt you, an experienced and passionate advocate can make all the difference. For your Holly Hill auto accident attorney at the Law Offices of Colette Heck, it's personal: She cares about you and your family. Our whole office staff cares about you and Colette Heck will fight for you. Call us today at 386-253-3033 to set up a free consultation. We represent victims of auto accidents throughout Central Florida, including Brevard County, Orange County, Volusia County, Seminole County, and Flagler County. Our office is in Daytona Beach, Florida.

These are just some of the areas that Colette Heck covers: Multi Vehicle Accidents, Side Impact Accidents, Rear Impact Collisions, Head On Collisions, High Speed Collisions, Low-Speed Collisions, and Vehicle Roll Over

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It’s always unfortunate to be involved in a rear-end collision.

It’s always unfortunate to be involved in a rear-end collision. Whether you’re the victim of the accident or the driver being held responsible, you’re likely to be faced with at least some stressful bills, paperwork, pain, suffering, and/or emotional distress. Regardless of the outcome, often times, most of them are undesirable. Fortunately, Florida has a pretty good grasp on who should be held accountable for rear-end car accidents which makes recovery for undeserving victims much less of a hassle. Did you know that in virtually every standard rear-end car accident case the driver in the back is liable for the damages caused?

For the most part, there’s not much good that can come out of a rear-end collision in Daytona Beach Shores. Generally, the most positive aspect of any automobile accident is getting out of it with minor injuries or better yet completely unharmed, but in the end, there’s always property damage and medical bills to deal with. For the liable party, there’s the added cost of possible traffic tickets and even steeper penalties if their insurance policy isn’t enough to cover the damages they’ve caused. But my sympathy goes to the innocent drivers who follow the rules of the road down to a tee and are then struck by a careless driver and are left with painful and permanent injuries, outstanding medical bills, a totaled car, and severe emotional distress. Unfortunately, a good handful of these accidents even take the lives of these victims.

It’s almost always the driver in the rear of a rear-end collision who is responsible for the accident. However, if you have any doubt or questions regarding how to go about tackling your personal injury case, it would be greatly beneficial to have a Daytona Beach Shores auto injury attorney on your side that deals with these cases on a constant basis.

Contact Colette Heck Law today if you have been involved in a rear-end collision.

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Have you been in A car accident?

Car accidents are the fifth leading cause of death in the United States. Rear end collisions are the most typical type of case that Colette Heck Law sees. Failing to yield the right of way, and turning in front of on-coming traffic are other accident cases that are commonly handled by Ms. Heck. Other car accident cases we handle are crashes involving drunk drivers, negligent drivers running a red light or stop signs, speeding, and cars entering intersections from private driveways. such as shopping centers, without looking before entering the street or highway.

Although there are countless reasons why motor vehicle accidents occur, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicates the number one factor contributing to car accidents in the nation is distracted or inattentive driving, which accounts for approximately 80% of all motor vehicle accidents.

Other factors that cause car accidents are driving under the influence of alcohol or drug related substances, violation of traffic laws such as speeding or not stopping at stop signs, fatigue or falling asleep at the wheel, and lack of maintenance to the vehicle. In other situations, car accidents result from external factors out of an individual’s control, such as poor weather conditions, improperly maintained roads and highways, or a defect on the vehicle from the manufacturer.

Our DeLand car accident attorney assists victims of car accidents in attempting to obtain compensation for their injuries. In order to best protect your rights, it is important that you contact an experienced personal injury lawyer immediately after your accident.

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It is a dangerous myth that today’s modern cars with functioning airbags have eliminated the need to wear seatbelts. Airbags are specifically designed to be used in accordance with a belted occupant. In fact, an airbag can become dangerous if it goes off against an unrestrained occupant. Additionally, airbags offer little to no help to those involved in rear-end, side or rollover crashes. Colette Heck will battle on behalf of the injured. Often the greatest challenge in litigating car and truck cases in Florida is not always who caused the accident, but rather if the injured qualifies for any recovery under Florida’s motor vehicle law.

It can be a critical mistake to think people do not need to wear a seatbelt if they are just driving around the corner. Studies have proven that a person has a 400% greater chance of surviving an accident if they are properly seat belted. Florida Statute S316.614 details the rules regarding the use of safety belts. Florida law requires that anyone driving a car, pickup truck, truck or van on a Florida road must wear a seatbelt. This law applies to front seat passengers too. Failure to wear a seatbelt is considered a non-moving violation and is punishable by a $30.00 fine plus $6.00 in court costs. If the driver is under 18 years of age, each passenger must wear a seatbelt as long as the car, truck, pickup truck or van is moving.

Call Colette Heck Law today, your Holly Hill auto injury attorney.

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Car accidents are the fifth leading cause of death in the United States. Rear end collisions are the most typical type of case that Colette Heck Law sees. Failing to yield the right of way, and turning in front of on-coming traffic are other accident cases that are commonly handled by Ms. Heck. Other car accident cases we handle are crashes involving drunk drivers, negligent drivers running a red light or stop signs, speeding, and cars entering intersections from private driveways. such as shopping centers, without looking before entering the street or highway.

Although there are countless reasons why motor vehicle accidents occur, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicates the number one factor contributing to car accidents in the nation is distracted or inattentive driving, which accounts for approximately 80% of all motor vehicle accidents.

Other factors that cause car accidents are driving under the influence of alcohol or drug related substances, violation of traffic laws such as speeding or not stopping at stop signs, fatigue or falling asleep at the wheel, and lack of maintenance to the vehicle. In other situations, car accidents result from external factors out of an individual’s control, such as poor weather conditions, improperly maintained roads and highways, or a defect on the vehicle from the manufacturer.

Our Holly Hill car accident attorney assists victims of car accidents in attempting to obtain compensation for their injuries. In order to best protect your rights, it is important that you contact an experienced personal injury lawyer immediately after your accident.

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Contact An Experienced Personal Injury Lawyer

Car accidents are the fifth leading cause of death in the United States. Rear end collisions are the most typical type of case that Colette Heck Law sees. Failing to yield the right of way, and turning in front of on-coming traffic are other accident cases that are commonly handled by Ms. Heck. Other car accident cases we handle are crashes involving drunk drivers, negligent drivers running a red light or stop signs, speeding, and cars entering intersections from private driveways. such as shopping centers, without looking before entering the street or highway.

Although there are countless reasons why motor vehicle accidents occur, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicates the number one factor contributing to car accidents in the nation is distracted or inattentive driving, which accounts for approximately 80% of all motor vehicle accidents.

Other factors that cause car accidents are driving under the influence of alcohol or drug related substances, violation of traffic laws such as speeding or not stopping at stop signs, fatigue or falling asleep at the wheel, and lack of maintenance to the vehicle. In other situations, car accidents result from external factors out of an individual’s control, such as poor weather conditions, improperly maintained roads and highways, or a defect on the vehicle from the manufacturer.

Our Port Orange car accident attorney assists victims of car accidents in attempting to obtain compensation for their injuries. In order to best protect your rights, it is important that you contact an experienced personal injury lawyer immediately after your accident. Contact Colette Heck Law today.

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Auto Accident Lawyer

No car collision or accident is a good thing, but head-on collisions are very violent. Head-on collisions occur when the front end of one car collides with the front end of another car while the two vehicles are traveling in opposite directions. These types of car accidents are especially dangerous because head-on collisions generate a massive amount of force on impact.  Some of this force may be absorbed by the front bumpers of the cars involved, if an oncoming vehicle is traveling at a high rate of speed, or if the road is not well-lit, the other driver may have little time to react and steer out of harm’s way, essentially driving into the path of the accident.

Colette Heck is an auto accident lawyer and has found that the most common cause of head-on collisions is driver distraction. Drivers may be distracted by many things including texting or talking on a cell phone.  Teenage drivers are often distracted by other teens in the car. Examples of head-on collisions include a driver who negligently crosses the median into oncoming traffic, a driver who fails to read the “wrong way” sign on a highway entrance ramp, a driver who drifts into oncoming traffic when negotiating a curve, or a driver who is under the influence.

Despite the use of airbags and seat belts, most head-on collisions still result in catastrophic injuries including brain damage, spinal cord injuries, paralysis, fractures and death.

Victims of head-on collisions may file a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit in order to obtain compensation for their injuries. Compensation may be recovered for past and future medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages as provided by Florida law.

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Our car accident attorneys can help you.

Serious car accidents may involve head trauma, spinal cord injuries, amputations and long-term disability. Most insurance companies, committed to profit for their shareholders, employ a number of tactics to reduce or minimize claim settlements and payments. As a result, many car accident injury victims have little choice but to go to court to recover compensation proportional to the actual cost of their injuries.

I-95 and I-4 are home to some of the most challenging driving conditions in the United States. Many of the car and truck accidents in this area occur on our highways. High speeds combined with heavy use make Miami highways prime real estate for serious motor vehicle incidents. If you have been hurt in an accident on Florida highways, our car accident attorneys can help you.

www.colettehecklaw.com | (386) 253-3033 | plus.google.com/112342627763158578314/posts?hl=en