One of the first things the insurance company will want you to do is speak with a third-party insurance adjuster. This is an independent entity that will assess the damage to your vehicle and determines fault. The third-party adjuster will likely ask you to submit a recorded statement about the accident. It is a good idea to consult with an attorney before submitting a statement to the adjuster. The adjuster’s job is to save the insurance company money, and the term ‘third-party’ can be misleading.

You have the right to have your vehicle repaired wherever you choose. The at-fault party must also supply you with a rental vehicle comparable to the one you had. You can also have your own insurance company cover the repair costs when the third-party is making you jump through too many hoops. You may have to pay your deductable, but can be reimbursed by the third-party insurance company.

If you were injured in the accident, you will want to immediately retain an experienced personal injury attorney.

Wooten, Kimbrough & Normand, P.A.—Orlando personal injury attorneys.

The study said that only one of every five medical malpractice cases ends in financial transfer, whether through a settlement or jury award. About one in fourteen doctors are named each year in medical malpractice claims and every surgeon faces a chance of at least one malpractice claim within their lifetime. The study sifted through data on 41,000 doctors between 1991 and 2005, provided by an anonymous insurer which covers 3% of American doctors and spreads through all 50 states.

The study also found that neurosurgeons and heart surgeons were sued 19% of the time on the high end and pediatricians and psychiatrist faced 3% of lawsuits of the time on the low end. The low rate of payments shows that insurers deny far more claims and contradicts medical malpractice reform arguments.

An Orlando injury attorney can provide guidance if you have been injured because of a medical center, healthcare professional or a hospital’s negligence.

This was good news for the over 400,000 United Healthcare members who would have lost a major provider of healthcare services in Central Florida.  It could have been very difficult for patients treating with Florida Hospital doctors to have found healthcare elsewhere.

This dispute was probably very upsetting for a lot of patients while it was going on.   However, it appears  that two  major corporations have for once put patient care first, settled their differences and come to an agreement.  They should be commended.

Both entities have sent letters to United Healthcares’ insureds informing them of an August 15th expiration date and the fact it does not appear that a new contract will be inplace in time to extend service.  The letters go on to say that if the insured is a patient of a doctor employed by Florida Hospital, that patient will no longer be covered under any of United’s insurance plans. Any service provided would then be considered “out-of-network”.  And because the urgent care provider CentraCare is also owned by Florida Hospital, those too would be considered an out-of-network provider.

Patients are urged to discuss this situation with their physicians to find out (1) if their doctor has medical privileges at another local hospital, or (2) get a referral to a doctor who does have priviledges at another hospital.  The second option can be a difficult one for patients if they have a serious medical condition and they have long term relationship with their doctor.  It can be very unsettling.

I know that the whole nationalized healthcare issue is a hot potato that no seems to want to touch.  But if they could at least establish fair and reasonable rates for all medical services, including physicians, hospitals and labs, everyone would be on the same playing field playing by the same rules.  Because the only one that gets hurt by all of this squabbling is the patient.

According to InsuranceSalesman.com - 

The insurance policies that will cover trampolines usually insist on stringent safety measures, like a safety net, or a fence that is at least 4 feet high. This is still no guarantee that you will find a policy to cover you; these things can vary from state to state. If you owned a trampoline before you bought your policy, or if you did not inform the insurance company of its existence, don’t be surprised if you get an unscheduled inspection and are asked to remove it.

The Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) reports that in 2001 there were almost 92,000 emergency room visits due to injuries sustained on a trampoline.  As would be expected, approximately 93% were under the age of 15, and 11% were under the age of 5. 

The American Association of Pediatrics (AAP) is of the opinion that trampolines should not be used in backyards at all.   The AAP stresses -

Adult supervision will not adequately prevent injuries on home trampolines. Trampolines should be used only in supervised training programs for gymnastics, diving, or other competitive sports.

If you follow the recommendations of the AAP, you should never buy your kids a trampoline.  The risk of injury and possible insurance difficulties does not warrant the few hours of enjoyment the kids might have.

You should also not let them visit friends or neighbors who have a trampoline.  If your child gets injured on your neighbor’s trampoline, there may be no insurance to cover them except your own. 

Allstate, Geico, Nationwide, Progressive and State Farm Florida have all received subpoenas requesting that a representative attend the hearing.  The representative should be prepared to discuss how their company uses the credit scores, explain their rate setting models, and discuss what measures have been taken to ensure that a certain class of citizen is not being discriminated against (based on either race or income).

It is a public hearing set for Wednesday, February 18th at 9:00 am in the Cabinet Meeting Room in the Capital in Tallahassee.

According to Florida law, your insurance company must use the same definition of hurricane as does the National Hurricane Center.  Therefore, since the Center did not declare Fay a hurricane, neither can your insurance company. 

If your insurance company tries deny your claim or imposes a huge deductible due to “hurricane damage”, they are not treating you fairly under Florida law and you should contact an attorney.  Call one of Board Certified Trial Lawyers who have experience in resolving many different kinds of insurance disputes, including homeowner’s insurance disputes.

Once  Fay passes, we certainly anticipate that there will be significantly less damage than after Hurricane Charley came through.  But if the insurance companies remain true to form, regardless of the amount of property damage, they will refuse to pay claims, undervalue the damaged property or deny that the damage was related to the storm.  If they do, you have every right to contact an attorney to get help in having your claim resolved quickly and fairly.  Our attorneys have experience in handling all types of insurance claim disputes, including property damage, and can assist you in getting your claim resolved fairly.