Chapter I

The Ten Commandments To Help You Avoid Costly Mistakes And Delays

1. Immediately, go to the doctor and do not miss any appointments.
2. Do not sign any papers that the insurance company or the people on the other side want you to sign, even if you think the papers are only about the vehicle.
3. Immediately, gather and bring all papers to us.
4. Immediately, get your vehicle out of storage no matter what.
5. Preserve your evidence before it disappears. Immediately, take photographs of your injuries (before they heal) and immediately take photographs of the vehicle(s) involved (before they are repaired or destroyed), and if the other side blames you, take photographs of the accident scene (before it is changed).
6. Immediately, find out if you will need surgery before you run out of auto insurance money to pay for it.
7. Keep a diary. Start today.
8. Do not tell anyone about how the accident happened.
9. If you were driving and got a ticket for bad driving, immediately tell your lawyer before you take other action.
10. If your auto accident happened while you were on the job, then in order to preserve your right to receive Workers' Compensation benefits later, immediately make a workers' compensation claim, but do not actually go to a workers' compensation doctor and do not actually collect workers' compensation benefits until all of your auto insurance benefits are all used up, so long as you go to a workers' compensation doctor at least once per year, and so long as you file special claim settlement papers before the two year deadline runs out (see a worker's compensation lawyer about these papers).

Chapter II

Instructions On How To Get Your "No-Fault" (P.I.P.) Benefits, Such As Lost Wages.

IMPORTANT: If you (or the person ultimately responsible for buying "No-Fault" or "P.I.P." insurance in your particular case) failed to have auto insurance in force on the day of the accident, you will not receive the benefits described in instructions 11-15 (below).

11. How to get 60% of your lost wages (you must bring to us a wage loss verification form filled out and signed by your employer).
12. How to get 60% of your lost wages (you must bring to us your doctor's written orders to stay off-the-job).
13. How to get reimbursement of 80% of your prescription medication costs (you must bring to us your prescription medication receipts).
14. How to get your travel allowance (mileage reimbursement or "gas money") for medical travel.(certain Florida counties only)
15. How to get reimbursed for paying others to do your regular yard work and house work while you are too hurt to do it yourself.

Chapter III

Two Remaining Instructions For Later

16. (Except for your vehicle claim) Do not expect any money (for 20% of your medical bills and 40% of your lost wages) from the other side until the very end of your case (that money is included as part of the settlement money).
17. After your doctor discharges you from all medical care (and if your doctor says that your injuries qualify you for payment) call your lawyer, and he or she will begin the legal work on your case.

Chapter IV

About "No-Fault" (P.I.P) Auto Insurance.

18. What "No-Fault" (P.I.P.) auto insurance is.
19. What "No-Fault" (P.I.P.) auto insurance pays for.
20. Which auto insurance company pays your "No-Fault" (P.I.P.) benefits.
21. What happens if you give up your rights to receive "No-Fault" (P.I.P.) benefits from the only auto company responsible to pay them.
22. Your auto insurance rates WILL NOT GO UP for a "No-Fault" (P.I.P.) claim (unless you were at fault).
23. How the share of the expenses that are not eligible to be paid by "No-Fault" insurance (20% of medical bills, 40% of lost wages and any deductible) are usually paid.
24. How long it usually takes to get "No-Fault" benefits (like reimbursement of 60% of your lost wages and reimbursement of 80% of your prescription medication reimbursement).
25. About the deductible on "No-Fault" (P.I.P.) auto insurance. You DO NOT have to spend $1,000 up front, out of your own pocket in order to receive benefit of the "No-Fault" (P.I.P.) auto insurance.
26. (Except for any "No-Fault" (P.I.P.) deductible amount) You usually receive the same amount of money for expenses under the "No-Fault" (P.I.P.) law as you would have received before the "No-Fault" (P.I.P.) law was passed.

Chapter V

About The Vehicle.

27. Immediately, get your vehicle out of storage no matter what.
28. Take charge and push your vehicle claim.
29. What you do, and what we do.
30. If you bought "collision" insurance for your own vehicle.
    1. Comparing the two Auto Insurance Companies as to which one will act quicker and pay in full on your vehicle claim.
    2. Comparing the two Auto Insurance Companies as to which one will pay you more for the total loss (sale) of your vehicle.
    3. Conclusion for which Auto Insurance Company is the best overall to use for you vehicle claim.
31. What to do on your vehicle claim.
32. What to do for repairs of your vehicle.
33. What to do for the total loss (sale) of your vehicle.
    1. How much the insurance company pays for the "Total Loss" (sale) of your vehicle.
    2. Contrary to what most people believe, the insurance company is not required to "pay off" your vehicle loan.
    3. About "GAP" Insurance.
    4. You must cooperate with paperwork.
    5. Disputes over value.
    6. About "Book Value".
    7. The 80% rule.

Chapter VI

About The Rental Vehicle

34. How to get a vehicle rental.
    1. If you have vehicle insurance on your own auto policy.
    2. If (like most people) you do not have vehicle rental insurance on your own auto insurance policy.
35. How long you may use the Rental Vehicle.
    1. For Repairs.
    2. For Total Loss.
36. About the requirement that you have a credit card in order to rent a vehicle.
37. About the requirement that you be over 25 in order to rent a vehicle.
38. You will receive no reimbursement from any insurance company for any upgrades in size or value compared to your damaged vehicle that was in the accident.
39. About vehicle insurance on the rental vehicle.
40. About receiving payment just for losing the use of your vehicle for the days that you do not rent a vehicle during repairs.
41. About receiving payment for the loss of value of your properly repaired vehicle.
42. Legal obstacles that interfere with lawsuits over the "loss of value" of your vehicle and other vehicle disputes.
43. You do not pay us legal fees on your vehicle claim (even if we get money for you) unless we file a lawsuit over it.

Chapter VII

About Using Your Non-Auto Medical Insurance Or Government Medical Benefits

Deciding Whether To Use Your Regular Medical Insurance Or Similar Medical Benefits To Pay Your Medical Bills. If you do not have regular (non-auto) medical insurance or government-type medical benefits (such as Medicaid, Medicare or Workers' Compensation), then skip paragraphs #45-49 below (because they do not apply to you).

44. The Rule. (Use your auto insurance first before using your regular medical insurance or similar governmental medical benefits such as medicaid or workers's compensation).(If you were hurt on the job, read paragraph #10)
45. Reasons for the Rule. (a) the law requires it:(b) to avoid a "debt" that you would be forced to repay; (c) you get to pick your own doctor; (d) it reduces delays.
    1. Reason 1 (Law Requires that you use your own auto insurance first).
    2. Reason 2 (Debt) (Read paragraph #67 about "liens").
    3. Reason 3 (Choice of Doctor).
    4. Reason 4 (Delays).
46. Exceptions to the Rule.
    1. Exception 1 (To avoid damage to credit).
    2. Exception 2 (To avoid disruption of medical care).
    3. Exception 3 (To benefit from "Capped Fees" as to that portion of your medical bills that exceed $10,000).
47. The Rule that applies even to the exception.
48. If you must use your regular medical insurance or similar government benefits, learn the rules and plan ahead.(If you were hurt on the job, read paragraph #10).
49. It is your job to coordinate all regular, non-auto, medical insurance or similar government benefits, including medicaid, medicare and workers' compensation benefits. (If you were hurt on the job, read paragraph #10).

Chapter VIII

Common Questions And Answers

50. Do I have a case?
51. When will I know whether I have a case?
52. What can I do to speed up my case?
53. How much is my case worth?
54. When do settlement negotiations begin?
55. Will my auto insurance rates go up?
56. Is your office responsible for coordinating my medical care?
57. Did you talk to my doctor about my case?
58. How long will it take?
59. How do settlement negotiations work?
60. Who settles my case?
61. What if my case doesn't settle?
62. How much will I get?
63. What if I don't want to fully pay everyone I owe money to out of my share of the settlement money? (see paragraph #67).
64. But, didn't you tell me on the phone that I would get $10,000.00 just for me?
65. What is a closing?

Chapter IX

Legal Problems That Are Impossible To Overcome

66. What is a "policy limit"?
67. What is a "lien"? (see paragraph #45(b)).

Chapter X

Attorney Fees And Costs

68. How does my first lawyer get paid?
69. How are attorney fees calculated?
70. What are legal costs?
71. How the client's legal costs are paid?