How to Recover Damages After an Auto Accident with Wildlife in Florida?
Thousands of car accidents are caused by animals and wildlife in Florida every year. A wild or domestic animal can be unpredictable when it wanders onto the road. That is why it is critical to follow the posted speed limit and drive defensively to avoid vehicle-wildlife accidents.
However, no matter how careful and cautious you are, you cannot always prevent auto accidents with wildlife. When you hit a wild animal or crash into another motor vehicle or stationary object after an animal darts out into the path of your car, you may wonder how you can recover damages.
Consult with a Miami car accident attorney to determine how you can seek compensation for your injuries and property damage caused by a vehicle-wildlife collision.
Will My Insurance Company Compensate for a Collision with Animals?
One of the first questions a driver asks himself after a collision with a wild or domestic animal on the road is, “Will I get compensated for the wildlife-vehicle accident?”
Generally, yes. Your insurance company will most likely compensate you for a collision with wildlife in Florida. However, your insurance coverage may not cover all of your losses and damages.
Depending on the severity of the wildlife-automobile collision, the cost of repairing your vehicle can total thousands of dollars. Your losses might total over $10,000 if you suffered a serious injury as a result of hitting an animal or crashing into another car or object as a result of swerving to avoid a collision with a deer, raccoon, fox, dog, cow, bird, or another wild or domestic animal.
While your auto insurance will most likely compensate you for the damages and losses related to the vehicle-wildlife collision, the coverage may not be sufficient to provide full compensation.
How to Seek Compensation After a Car Accident Caused by Wildlife in Florida?
While you cannot sue the animal that caused your car accident, you may be able to seek compensation for your medical bills and property damage through your insurance policy.
You may be able to recover damages following a collision with a wild or domestic animal through the following insurance policies:
- Personal Injury Protection (PIP), which is a mandatory insurance coverage in Florida. Under Fla. Stat § 627.736, drivers operating a motor vehicle in Florida must purchase at least $10,000 in Personal Injury Protection coverage. Typically, drivers can seek compensation for wildlife-related accidents through PIP coverage.
- Comprehensive coverage is an optional insurance policy that provides compensation for damages caused by fire, theft, vandalism, natural disasters, and crashes involving wildlife.
- Collision coverage can also be used to recover property damages after a wildlife-vehicle accident. This optional type of insurance policy would cover your damages even if you were to blame for causing the accident (e.g., you were speeding or disregarded the deer crossing sign). This coverage is applicable when a motor vehicle is damaged as a result of crashing into other cars, moving objects such as animals, or stationary objects such as potholes or trees.
Unfortunately, it is not always possible to avoid an auto accident with wildlife, no matter how careful you are. If you were involved in a car crash caused by wild or domestic animals in Florida, speak with a Miami car accident attorney to determine your compensation options. Contact Pita Weber Del Prado to recover damages after your wildlife-vehicle collision. Call 305-670-2889 to schedule a consultation.
