BUILD A CHRONOLOGY, NOT A PILE OF PAPERS

West Palm Beach DUI Accident Lawyer

After a West Palm Beach impaired-driving crash, records may seem to tell different stories about the same night. The call for help, police report, arrest file and first medical visit each have a different purpose. Put them in time order. That can help show what needs an explanation without treating one short record as the whole story.

For help beyond the impaired-driving issue, use the West Palm Beach personal injury page. The Florida DUI accident overview explains the firm’s broader work with people hurt by impaired drivers.

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Civil injury claims after impaired-driving crashes

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DUI Accident Lawsuit Attorney

YOUR WEST PALM BEACH INJURY CLAIM

Separate the call, the collision and the treatment

List when the crash happened, when help was called, when police came and when care began. Use the records you have. If a time is your best guess, say so. A time shown on later paperwork may not be the crash time. A discharge time does not show when treatment started.

The West Palm Beach Police Records Department lists computer-aided dispatch, incident and arrest records. It has a separate route for traffic-crash reports. The department handles city records and directs county matters to the sheriff. Check who responded. Not every crash in Palm Beach County is a city police case.

Keep each original record and make notes in a separate timeline. Look for gaps or real conflicts. Do not try to make every record use the same words. Tell your lawyer which times you recall yourself and which came from a document.

Explain what the arrest record cannot show

Police may record how a driver acted and why they suspected impairment. Medical providers record symptoms, findings, care and limits on what you can do. One file does not fill all the gaps in the other. A charge may matter to your claim, but it does not prove that the crash caused every expense.

Get records from the first visit and later care, including referrals. If the injury affects work, keep the medical limits with your employer’s record of missed hours or changed duties. If family helped with daily tasks, note what they did and when. Specific examples show more than saying life became hard.

Photos of damage to a car may not show the full harm to a person. But a serious charge is not a reason to guess what care you will need in the future. Use records to support the losses you claim. The West Palm Beach car accident page covers crash issues beyond impairment.

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KEEP THE CIVIL DECISION SEPARATE

Insurance and filing time do not follow the criminal calendar

The criminal case deals with the alleged offense. Your civil claim asks who is liable for your injury and what payment may be due. A criminal fine does not pay your bills. A future hearing may not resolve the insurer’s dispute. Keep the insurer’s written reason rather than relying only on your memory of a call.

Before signing a release, check which claims and people it covers. An offer may come while you still need care. That alone does not set the amount of a fair settlement. Review the medical records, policy questions and terms together so you know what the deal would settle.

Under §95.11(5)(a), Florida generally allows two years to file a negligence lawsuit. The crash date, exceptions and type of claim matter. Check the civil deadline on its own. A date set for a criminal hearing is not the deadline for your injury suit.

If the insurer disputes your driving, Florida comparative-fault rules may reduce what you can recover. They can bar recovery if you exceed 50 percent fault in a covered negligence action. Include the driving facts in your timeline, not just the claim that the other driver was impaired.

Questions about competing accounts

Do not change an honest account just to match a time in a record. Explain what is unclear and keep the original. The times may refer to different events. There may also be an error that needs checking.

No. Do not use those place names as if they mean the same thing. Check the exact crash site and agency that handled it. A county name, nearby town and the City of West Palm Beach may point to different places and record holders.

No. Keep work and medical records that support the loss. An arrest report may explain the police case. It may not show your pay, missed work or when you could return to your duties.

Make the sequence easier to understand

Your timeline does not have to be complete before you contact Katz & Associates. We can review what the records show and what else may help explain your injury. Call (772) 933-5289 or use the form to discuss the next step. This page gives general information, not legal advice for your specific case.