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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Injured in a Motorcycle Crash? Colette Heck Law Can Help You Get Your Life Back on Track.

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 Handles Rear-end Collisions

Rear-end collisions are some of the most common types of car accidents on the roads today.  These types of accidents occur when the front end of an automobile hits the back of the car in front of it.  Although many of these collisions happen at relatively low speeds, the impact can still cause serious bodily injury to the occupants. Our attorneys know that not all rear-end collisions occur at low speeds. Colette Heck has represented victims of high speed, highway rear-end collisions where the injuries were truly catastrophic in nature.

There are many reasons that rear-end crashes occur. The most common cause is driver inattentiveness or distraction whether due to reading text messages, talking on a cell phone, conversation/ argument with a passenger, checking e-mail, use of navigation system or radio. Tail
gating and racing can also result in a rear-end collision among other negligent acts or omissions.

Injuries most commonly associated with low-speed rear-end collisions include damage to the soft tissues of the body such as sprains or strains to the muscles supporting the spinal cord, injuries to the inter-vertebral discs (Herniated disc or HNP), spinal cord injuries and closed head injuries, which can result in a traumatic brain injury (TBI) / brain damage and permanent disability. When the accident is the result of a high speed impact to the rear, the injuries are often very serious and even fatal. They can include spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, burn injury, fractures, amputation, nerve damage, herniated disc and even death.

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Be Safe This Labor Day Weekend.

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 Ormond Beach. 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 an Ormond Beach 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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